The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has passed one million cruise passengers in a single season for the first time, the authority said in a press release, and the season has also set a new record for cruise calls.

GVHA expects 332 calls in total in 2026, which beats the previous high of 329 set in 2022. Victoria welcomed 989,950 cruise passengers in 2025.

“This is a significant moment for Victoria and for the many people who support each cruise call,” said Jeremy Dunn, CEO of GVHA. “For many, a cruise call is their first introduction to Victoria, and many return to explore more of our city and region.”

The authority marked the milestone with an event at the cruise terminal alongside the Norwegian Encore.

Mayor Marianne Alto, Paul Nursey of Destination Greater Victoria and Melissa Barnhard of Songhees Nation joined the celebration, as did Norwegian Cruise Line passengers Geri and Gary Skardina, who were given a gift basket of local products and a private VIP tour for their party.

The record season started April 10 with the arrival of the Nieuw Amsterdam, and the National Geographic Venture will make the final call this Sunday, Oct. 18.

Two new cruise lines came to the port this year, Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises, and GVHA also welcomed six inaugural calls in May.

Norwegian Cruise Line will be back in 2027 with three ships, the Norwegian Bliss, the Norwegian Encore and the Norwegian Joy, according to the release.

Marc Kazlauskas, president of the cruise line, says that the partnership is something it looks forward to continuing.