The 2018 Alaska cruise season in Vancouver kicks off April 10
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The 2018 cruise season in Vancouver is just weeks away from kicking off, and while most of the cruises embarking at the iconic Canada Place cruise terminal will be headed for Alaska again, a growing number are bound for Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, and even transpacific crossings to and from Japan, especially during the shoulder months of April, May and September.
If you want to be part of the action when the first ship arrives, head down to Canada Place on Tuesday, April 10 to welcome Princess Cruises Star Princess. She’ll be finishing up a Pacific Coastal voyage and embarking guests bound for Hawaii, and she officially kicks off the 2018 cruise season in Vancouver.
On Thursday, April 12, Holland America Line and its Westerdam arrive in Vancouver again. Tying up at the Western Berth, she’ll also be embarking guests for Hawaii, on a roundtrip cruise that returns on April 29.
Other April cruises scheduled to turn around in Vancouver are Star Princess (April 25); Ruby Princess (April 27) and Emerald Princess (April 30).
Things really kick off in May, though, when the bulk of the Alaska fleet returns to Vancouver. Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays are the most popular “turnaround” days; that’s when passengers from one voyage disembark, replaced with another set of guests heading north, to Alaska. On many of the aforementioned days, Canada Place is at full capacity, with three ships in port.
While Celebrity Cruises (celebrity.com), Disney Cruise Line Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line , Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea all return to Vancouver this year, there are a few new ships calling on the city for the first time ever.
Silversea is sending its luxury expedition pioneer Silver Explorer to Alaska for the first time, and she makes her maiden call at Canada Place on Sunday, May 13.
Windstar Cruises also returns to Alaska after a multi-year absence, and the line’s pretty Star Legend (formerly the Seabourn Legend) will make her first appearance at Canada Place on Thursday, May 31.
Another uncommon sight is Carnival Splendor, which last called on Vancouver back in May of 2009. She’s sailing a special departure to Alaska roundtrip from Los Angeles (Long Beach) on August 25, and arrives in Vancouver on Tuesday, August 28.
Visit fromthedeckchair.com for cruise news and voyage reports.
