Cruises from Vancouver 2027
Canada Place: a downtown terminal with one-way Alaska sailings and a walkable city on your doorstep.
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Vancouver is the gateway to Alaska for much of the market, and one of the few cruise ports that sits in the middle of a major city. Ships dock at Canada Place, the building with the white sails on the downtown waterfront, which means hotels, restaurants and the Seawall are within a short walk.
It is best known for the one-way Alaska routes that run between Vancouver and Whittier or Seward, which are the main way to include Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier and a land tour of Denali. Vancouver also has round trips on the Inside Passage, so the sections below cover how to choose between them.
Getting to the Vancouver cruise port
Flying into Vancouver
Vancouver International (YVR) is roughly 15 km from the cruise terminal, usually 25 to 35 minutes by taxi. The Canada Line SkyTrain runs from the airport to Waterfront Station in around 25 to 30 minutes, and Canada Place is a short walk from there, which makes public transport an easy option.
By car
Vancouver is reached by Highway 99 from the US border, and the drive from Seattle takes around three hours without border delays. Parking at Canada Place is limited, so most people park in a downtown garage or use a hotel package.
Crossing the border
A passport is needed to enter Canada and to re-enter the United States. Non-US and non-Canadian travelers should check whether they need an eTA or a visa, including for flying in, before they travel.
Terminals
Most cruises use Canada Place, on the downtown waterfront next to Waterfront Station and the hotels. The terminal is a short walk from the Gastown district and the Seawall, and it is the only terminal in the city centre, which makes it easy to locate.
Parking
Parking at the terminal is limited, and downtown garages and hotel packages are common alternatives. Prices are charged by the day, and rates are higher than in many ports. Our cruise port parking guide covers the main options, and for many visitors, a SkyTrain or taxi ride is simpler than parking for a week.
What to do before you board
If you arrive the day before, these are the easy wins.
Stanley Park and the Seawall
A huge waterfront park with a flat cycling and walking path, a short ride from the terminal.
Granville Island Public Market
A food market and arts district reached by a small ferry across False Creek.
Gastown
A historic district of cobbled streets, boutiques and the famous steam clock, a few minutes' walk from Canada Place.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
A bridge across a forested gorge on the North Shore, about 20 to 30 minutes from downtown.
Where cruises from Vancouver go
The usual route styles, and what each one suits.
One-way Alaska, Vancouver to Seward or Whittier
7 nightsIncludes Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier and pairs with a land tour. Plan open-jaw flights, flying home from Anchorage.
Inside Passage round trip
7 nightsJuneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, returning to Vancouver, so you fly in and out of the same city.
Pacific and Hawaii
10 to 16 nightsSpring and autumn sailings that link Vancouver with the Pacific coast and Hawaii.
For season, booking timing and route choices, see Alaska Cruises 2027, Hawaii Cruises 2027.
Cruise lines sailing from Vancouver
Lines change their ships and seasons, so confirm the details with your line.
Princess Cruises
A long Alaska history, with lodges and rail cars for land tours.
Holland America Line
A deep Alaska program on mid-sized ships.
Celebrity Cruises
Premium Alaska sailings with a quieter feel.
Royal Caribbean
Large ships on Alaska routes from Vancouver.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Freestyle dining on Alaska and Pacific sailings.
Disney Cruise Line
Seasonal family sailings to Alaska.
Ports your ship may visit
Common stops on sailings from Vancouver, with our guides to each.
Juneau
Alaska's capital city — glaciers, bears, whale watching, and wilderness right from the pier.
Skagway
A Gold Rush ghost town frozen in time — with some of the most spectacular train rides in North America.
Ketchikan
The Salmon Capital of the World — totems, rainforest trails, and floatplanes over misty fjords.
Sitka
Russian-America history, totem poles, and easy wildlife encounters on Alaska's outer coast.
Icy Strait Point
Alaska's most reliable whale-watching stop, run by and for the Tlingit village of Hoonah.
Victoria, BC
A garden city stop on Alaska round-trip itineraries — afternoon tea, Butchart Gardens, and a walkable harbour.
Seward
Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park — glaciers, whales, and Resurrection Bay wildlife.
Honolulu
A real downtown, a royal palace, Pearl Harbor, and Waikiki Beach all inside a short taxi ride.
Ships that sail from Vancouver
Ships our guides list as using Vancouver as a homeport. Deployments change each season, so confirm yours.
Grand Princess
The ship that started the Grand Class — and one of Princess's longest-serving Alaska veterans.
Coral Princess
Purpose-built for the Panama Canal — Princess's most well-travelled small ship.
Island Princess
Coral Princess's Panamax twin — purpose-built for the Canal, now a veteran of Alaska and Central America.
Koningsdam
The Pinnacle-class original — a decade of refined Dutch cruising from Alaska to the Mexican Riviera.
Nieuw Amsterdam
A Signature-class classic — timeless Dutch style sailing Alaska's Inside Passage and the winter Caribbean.
Celebrity Millennium
The original Millennium-class ship, now a well-travelled Asia and Alaska specialist.
Serenade of the Seas
A Radiance-class sister with one of the most varied itinerary calendars at sea, world cruise included.
Disney Wonder
Disney's most well-traveled ship — Alaska glaciers one season, Mexican sunsets the next.
When to sail from Vancouver
The Alaska season runs roughly from May to September. Vancouver is at its best from June to September, with long days and little rain, while May and September are cooler and wetter. Outside the Alaska season there is very little cruise activity.
Cruising from Vancouver: questions
Do I need a passport for a cruise from Vancouver?+
Yes. You need one to enter Canada and to re-enter the United States. For one-way Alaska sailings that end in Seward or Whittier, a passport is essential, as you will fly home from Anchorage. Non-US and non-Canadian travelers should also check whether they need an eTA or visa.
Is Vancouver or Seattle better for an Alaska cruise?+
Vancouver has the one-way routes that include Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier and a land tour of Denali. Seattle is usually easier for travelers from the US, with round trips and a domestic flight. See our Alaska planning page for more on choosing.
How do I get from Vancouver airport to the cruise terminal?+
The Canada Line SkyTrain takes around 25 to 30 minutes from the airport to Waterfront Station, which is a short walk from Canada Place. A taxi takes 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic, and cruise-line transfers are also available.
Should I stay a night in Vancouver before my cruise?+
Yes, if you can. Vancouver is a good city to spend a day in, the terminal is walkable from downtown hotels, and it removes the risk of a delayed flight causing you to miss the ship.
Other departure ports
Cruises from Seattle
The simplest way into an Alaska cruise: fly in, ride to the pier, and sail the Inside Passage.
Cruises from Fort Lauderdale
Port Everglades: a few minutes from the airport, with Caribbean, Panama Canal and transatlantic sailings.
Cruises from Miami
The biggest choice of ships and routes in the world, a short ride from the airport.