Vancouver's Canada Place terminal, under its white sails on the downtown waterfront, is a main base for Alaska cruises and Inside Passage sailings.
Your day ashore, at a glance
Peak season: Jun, Jul, Aug
Make the most of your stop
Choose an easy wander, a local highlight or a bigger day out. Compare practical details before you head ashore.
Recommended ashore
The seawall by bike or on foot, totem poles and beaches.
Recommended ashore
A public market, artisans and the little ferries across False Creek.
Recommended ashore
The steam clock and cobbled streets, a short walk from Canada Place.
Recommended ashore
A rainforest walk high over a canyon in North Vancouver.
Photo: Grouse Mountain
Recommended ashore
A gondola to the mountain top, with grizzly bears in the refuge.
Photo: Museum of Anthropology at UBC
Recommended ashore
Explore cultural collections, Indigenous art and the Great Hall at the University of British Columbia.
Recommended ashore
Explore aquatic exhibits inside Stanley Park, allowing roughly 90 minutes to two hours.
Recommended ashore
Explore landscaped gardens and plant collections with a route suited to your time and mobility.
Recommended ashore
Hands-on science galleries and demonstrations at the False Creek waterfront.
Getting to your ship
Canada Place is about 10 miles (16 km) from Vancouver International, 25 to 35 minutes by taxi, or about 25 minutes on the Canada Line SkyTrain to Waterfront station, beside the terminal. US passengers clear US customs at the airport or terminal before sailing to Alaska.
To Vancouver · one way
Airport zone-fare taxi
Per vehicle · one way
CAD 46.00
≈ USD 32.87
YVR to the Canada Place/Downtown zone, one way. Current regulator table updated August 30, 2026 lists CAD 46 including GST and the airport premium location charge. Stops en route and tips can add cost; this is not the reverse-direction tariff.
Rental cars: Available at the airport, but the SkyTrain makes a car unnecessary.
Know before you go
UK advice recommends precautions against petty crime, including securing documents and keeping luggage out of sight in vehicles. Use a planned route between the terminal and city attractions. Editorial assessment for women visiting the port, based on country-level advice; no women-specific terminal incident rate has been verified. Local conditions and individual routes may differ.
Reviewed 2026-10-25
U.S. government advice reports no restrictions on consensual same-sex relationships or related services and events. Keep normal city-travel precautions. This legal baseline does not measure harassment or separately establish risks for transgender visitors. Editorial assessment based on the cited sources; conditions may vary by route, time and individual circumstances.
Reviewed 2026-10-25
Editorial guidance reflects the cited advice and review date. Laws, attitudes and conditions can differ within a destination. No rating guarantees personal safety.
Pick your moment
The Alaska season runs from April to October. A few ships call in winter on repositioning and Pacific crossings.
Who else is in port?
100 is average. 150 means 50% more ship passenger capacity than this port’s observed hourly average over the past 30 days; 50 means half the average.
Checking ships in port…
Estimate for tracked catalog ships, based on published passenger capacity, not actual passengers ashore. Port areas are approximate circles around published port coordinates. Only positions reported within an hour at 1 knot or less are counted; ships at anchor may be included. Missing AIS reports and untracked ships can understate crowding. Quiet observed hours count toward the average; collection outages do not.
Set sail
3.8 ★Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Solstice2008 · 121,878 GT · 2,852 guests · Alaska · AsiaCelebrity Solstice, delivered in October 2008, is the lead ship of the five-ship Solstice class and was the first post-Panamax ship in the Celebrity fleet. Built by Meyer Werft…
3.8 ★Holland America LineKoningsdam2016 · 99,863 GT · 2,650 guests · Alaska · HawaiiKoningsdam is the lead ship of Holland America's Pinnacle class and the first named for the Dutch king; Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is her godmother. Built by Fincantieri…
3.8 ★Holland America LineWesterdam2004 · 81,811 GT · 1,964 guests · Alaska · AsiaWesterdam is the third of Holland America's Vista-class ships and the third ship of the name, in service since April 2004. At about 81,800 gross tons she carries some 1,960…
3.8 ★Holland America LineZaandam2000 · 61,396 GT · 1,432 guests · Alaska · South AmericaZaandam is an R-class ship of about 61,400 gross tons carrying some 1,430 guests, built by Fincantieri at Marghera and delivered in 2000. Named for the Dutch town near Amsterdam…Seabourn's 2029 summer program has 166 sailings. It returns to Egypt, adds a new Gulf of Bothnia trip and brings Seabourn Encore back to Alaska.
Itineraries
US citizens can sail some cruises on a birth certificate and a driver's license. Here is when that works, when it does not, and why the State Department still wants you to bring the passport book.
Itineraries
Holland America's three Pinnacle-class ships carry solo oceanview staterooms with no single supplement, plus hosted solo meetups. Here is how to use them.
Cruise lines
The British Columbia capital marked the milestone with Norwegian Encore. The season ends October 18, and Norwegian returns in 2027 with three ships.
Ports
Ovation, Quest and Encore run 166 sailings in the Med, Northern Europe, Alaska, and Canada and New England. Book by November 4 for 10% off.
Itineraries
Norwegian Encore ended Canada Place's 2026 season. Passengers rose 18% on 2025, and shore power work starts in the coming months.
Ports
Six ships, a new eight-day Inside Passage itinerary and expanded Denali accommodation feature in the anniversary season.
Itineraries
The October 13 announcement includes more than 250 departures and a new 64-day Circle South America voyage.
Itineraries