Victoria Cruise Port

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

The cruise port of Victoria is located on the beautiful Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

It has developed as a port of call for cruise ships heading between Seattle and Alaska due to a requirement to visit a foreign cruise port on US sailings, but even without that, it is a worthy port of call for ships in the region as it has plenty to offer.

We had a mixed visit to the port as we were only there for a few hours and headed out on a whale watching excursion which left us with little time to take in all that the city has to offer.

What we did get to see, made for a great experience and we would love to call into the port once again to spend more time exploring all that is on offer.

This Victoria, BC cruise port review and guide is based on our visit there and also on the research we did before visiting.

Cruises To Victoria

Our Visit

We were fortunate to visit the cruise port of Victoria in British Columbia in September 2018 as the last port of call on a round-trip cruise from Seattle up to Alaska via the Inside Passage.

We were scheduled to arrive in the afternoon and set sail at night, but we were delayed in getting there, so our limited time on shore would be even more limited.

The waters around Vancouver Island are famous for the incredible wildlife that can be viewed and whilst plenty of it can be seen from your cruise ship, we took the opportunity to head out on a smaller whale watching ship, and we are so glad that we did.

Not only did we see seals and sea lions, but we saw several large whales, including a humpback whale breach but the highlight of the journey was seeing a large pod of orca’s that on a hunt that culminated with them chasing a seal around and even under the boat we were on.

With that incredible experience even a rare occurrence for the staff onboard, they decided to keep us out there for longer than the excursion should have been, to the complaints of no one, so by the time we got back to the port of Victoria, it was dusk.

We would simply head to a couple of tourist shops in the port to by some souvenirs before heading back onto the ship for our late-night departure.

The cruise dock in the city is located relatively close to the downtown area and is surrounded by the urban sprawl of Victoria, so whist we did get to see some of the city from our ship and whilst on our boat ride, we never got to experience the Victorian downtown of the city.

Victoria Cruise Guide

In this guide we will take you through all that you need to know about visiting the city of Victoria, on Vancouver Island, on a cruise holiday.

Type of Cruises Available

Victoria has no turnaround facilities, so the only option to visit there is choosing a cruise itinerary with Victoria as one of its ports of call.

There are a few options available in terms of the itineraries however and it isn’t just journeys to Alaska that those visiting the city are offered.

That is certainly the main option with round trips from Seattle always stopping there and some from Vancouver and Los Angeles also stopping there.

There are also a range of repositioning trips between Alaskan ports such as Seward and ports such as Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco that stop there.

So repositioning cruises between Seattle or Vancouver and Hawaii also stop of there as do one way trips between North America and Asia.

Victoria Cruise Port Location

The Victoria cruise port is located on the very southern tip of Vancouver Island, close to the Canadian/United States border and next to the San Juan Islands.

That makes it straightforward for ship to enter and exit the main dock itself, or the secondary dock on busy days.

The main dock is known as the Ogden Point Terminal Pier A whilst the 2nd pier is known as the Ogden Point Terminal B.

There is a small park just a short walk from the pier and a marina with some boat tours and it is around a 30 minute walk into the main downtown area.

Victoria Cruise Facilities

There are no facilities at the port aside from a large car park and coach park, for excursion buses and shuttle buses into the downtown area and there is a large gift shop for grabbing a souvenir.

With 2 large ships docked next to each other, the good news is that the cruise piers in the city are very wide and well organised so that there is plenty of space to walk at your own pace to ease getting on or off of your ship.

Victoria Attractions

As a bustling city, there is lots on offer for those visiting on a cruise ship although it could easily be argued that the best thing to do there is simply walk around the downtown area, take in the incredible Victorian architecture and enjoy the views out over the harbour.

There are plenty of shops, bars, café’s and restaurant to try some local produce or to spend any remaining Canadian cash you have before heading back to the USA.

That’s not to take away from the attractions that are in the city and that can be easily reached either on foot, by using public transport or by taking advantage of one of the cities Hop On Hop Off buses.

Before even getting into the downtown area, you will walk past several boats all offering boat trips and whilst they are on different types of boats and are of different lengths, they all offer trips to see the same thing, the incredible wildlife found in the waters around Victoria.

As mentioned already, we did one such journey and saw a variety of whales, seals, sea lions and orca’s all close to our boat which made for an incredible experience.

As a city built during the Victorian era, it remains some of that link to the past with many of its most historical building been open to explore but one of the best things to do in our option is to head to one of the city’s historic hotels for a traditional afternoon tea.

That Victorian era also gave the city some incredible parks with the Beacon Hill Park amongst the biggest and most popular with for tourists.

Located on the outskirts of the city, visitors can take a trip onboard a traditional horse and cart from the downtown that not only take you to the park but take you on a tour around it.

With many ships leaving the port late at night, visitors can take advantage to experience the dark history of the city on a guided ghost walk.

Victoria Shorex

Many of the attractions mentioned above, especially wildlife watching boat rides, city tours and Hop On Hop Off buses are available to book through your cruise line and are offered as a shore excursion but there is one excursion that stands out in the port.
A highlight of any visit to Vancouver Island are the idyllic Butchart Gardens, a large botanic garden that can rival any formal gardens in the world.

There are several experiences that can be enjoyed in the gardens, including enjoying an afternoon tea there with views out over the gardens or you can simply enjoy strolling around 1000’s of flowers and fauna found throughout.

Best Time To Visit

With most of the attractions in the city been outdoors and with many ships not getting into the port until the afternoon, it is best to visit during the summer months.

Not only is it more likely for the weather to the dry but you will also get more daylight hours to explore the city before returning to your ship.

The cruising season runs from March to October, but we would recommend visiting between May and early September.

Transport

The city’s downtown is relatively easy to explore on foot and it can be reach by a 30-minute harbour front walk, so for many walking is the best option and no transportation is needed.

If you have mobility issues or you just want to see even more of the city, a tour bus or a Hop On Hop Off bus is your best option as whilst there are local bus services, they are designed to take locals to and from the downtown area to residential areas or other parts of the island.

A shuttle service is offered between the cruise piers and the centre of town.