North West and Canada Cruise Association

North America Cruise Port Growth

With larger ships carrying more passengers, port development has matched the pace by adding new destinations to attract cruise lines and their guests worldwide.

Homeports are typically where cruise guests start or end their cruise and where ships take on their supplies. Home ports are not destinations, but the gateway to the destinations.

Over the past ten years the number of home ports in North American has grown from three to 22. This, as recognition of the value, safety and excitement of visiting destinations by taking a cruise builds.  These developments have occurred, in part, to respond to the guest’s desire for easier access to their port of embarkation and alternative methods of travel to get there.

Cruise home ports may host not just one but several major cruise lines, with the number of embarking and disembarking passengers ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions each year.  Home port embarkations in 1980 were 1.4 million passengers on North American itineraries, by 2014 that number is expected to reach 21.6 million passengers.

During 2007 approximately 1,000 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian home ports and destination ports. This generated nearly 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season. This generated $1.1 billion in direct spending by the cruise lines, passengers and crew; and 9,791 annualized full- and part-time jobs.

In 2012 Port Metro Vancouver expects 188 calls, most of which are cruise lines home porting for Alaska (the destination). This translates to a forecasted 660,000 passengers and represents most of Canada’s home port business. For the most part other Canadian ports serve as ports of call – they are the destination.

Not all ports are suitable as home ports. First and foremost in the viability of any port is the ability to bring guests to the port. Attributes include large air access/capacity with direct flights to/from large North American population centers.  Sufficient ground transportation capacity for passengers, crew and ship stores; sufficient hotel capacity for passengers and crew; and, capability to cater to multiple shiploads of passengers at one time. In addition they must have adequate terminal facilities for passenger and baggage screening, customs and immigration processing, check-in, and baggage lay-down. Home ports tend to be large cities. 

Ports of call on the other hand are usually attractive smaller cities or towns - off the beaten path or hidden gem - with convenient proximity to the cruise route; popular with passengers and with sufficient tour and sightseeing opportunities.

The accompanying graph details port growth, comparing 2003 to 2010. The top five ports accounted for 59 % of the N.A. cruise passenger departures. Vancouver experienced a decline from 2009 to 2010; the impact of excessive taxes, and fees on cross-border airlift presents substantial barriers to travel and tourism in Canada. They are also in large part responsible for a wholesale migration of cruise ships to home port in Seattle rather than in Vancouver for the Alaska trade.

Increasing environmental awareness creates new challenges for the cruise industry and port development. Cruise lines are continuously upgrading to keep cruise vacations attractive and exciting, while doing their part to research and develop environmentally sustainable operating practices.

In addition to the growth in home ports, is their partnership with the cruise industry. In 2009, Port Metro Vancouver became the first port in Canada and third in the world to install shore power for cruise ships, allowing ships to shut down their diesel engines and connect to a land-based electrical grid while docked at Canada Place. Since that time another 5 ports have installed the “plug in” option, bringing the current total to 8. The search for “green technologies” continues, the Ports of San Diego and Los Angeles (the homeport of the original “Love Boat” in the 1970s) have both invested in solar power systems, reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and increasing economic opportunities.

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