Victoria sees record-breaking but challenging cruise ship season as last boat docks
On Thursday, the last cruise ship of the season docked at Victoria’s Ogden Point, bringing down the curtain on the cruise ship season.
It was the first season in three years and one that threw a lifeline to many tourism business.
Simone Kearney-Rodriguez owns a gift shop at Ogden Point. She says the return of cruise ships was vital to her business, which faced down financial peril during the pandemic.
"Oh, it’s meant everything," she said Thursday. "We were devastated when the cruise ships stopped coming in."
"This is a family business – we’ve been here 38 years – so basically when the ships stopped, our business came to a grinding halt as well," said Kearney-Rodriguez.
A total of 329 cruise ships visited B.C.'s capital this year, carrying 715,000 passengers from April through Thursday. This was the latest the season has ever run, and this year marked a record number of ships.
Locals in Victoria gathered to welcome Holland America's Koningsdam and its more than 1,200 passengers to the city's cruise ship dock at Ogden Point Saturday morning. April 9, 2022. (CTV News)
According to the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, the cruise ship industry generates approximately $143 million annually for the local economy.
Samantha Wilson Newton is with the Wilson Group – the company that operates buses that take cruise ship passengers from Ogden Point to Butchart Gardens. She says the return of the ships has been a big deal.
"For our sightseeing division it was crucial to have the cruise ships come back to Victoria," she said Thursday.
However, not everyone has been thrilled about the way the cruise ship season unfolded.
CHALLENGES
Businesses on lower Government Street, close to the city’s Inner Harbour, say the impact of the city redirecting cruise ship buses away from there to create a pedestrian friendly zone has led to significantly less foot traffic for them.
Alexia Sarlac’s business, the Victoria Ice Cream and Fudge Factory, suffered declines in revenue of about 40 per cent this past year as a result.
"Government Street is the oldest street in Victoria. It was the welcoming from James Bay — which should have brought the cruise ship people up here," she said ruefully on Thursday.
Another challenge for the tourism industry this past cruise ship season was the reality that many ships were only partially full due to COVID and travel concerns, especially at the beginning of the season. Quite a few cruise ships also arrived late in the day — leaving tourists little time to see the sights or spend their money in the capital.
"At the beginning of the year we were seeing some cancelled calls and ships coming in late, and that was primarily due to just the industry starting back up again," said Ian Robertson, the head of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.
The next cruise ship will arrive in Victoria next March, with many hoping the momentum from this season continues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
Air Canada ranks near bottom on customer satisfaction: survey
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.