Victoria BC

British Columbia's capital, Victoria is an occasional Cruise Port in the USA cruise season, particularly at its beginning or end. At those times, lines use distinctive itineraries while repositioning ships south to north, or vice versa.

To comply with the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (PVSA), foreign-flagged passenger vessels visiting more than one U.S. port on an itinerary must call at a port outside the U.S. This chiefly explains why USA cruises stop here.

Foreign-flagged cruise ships—nearly all ships on Alaska cruises—cannot sail solely domestic routes. They therefore cannot go Seattle to Alaska and back without calling at a foreign port, leaving only Canada: vessels stop at either Vancouver or Victoria.

There has been discussion of the U.S. administration and Congress considering a waiver or complete removal of the Jones Act and/or Passenger Vessel Services Act, allowing cruise ships to bypass Canadian ports on the way to Alaska.

Ogden Point's cruise terminals lie 2.4 km (1.49 miles) from Victoria's city centre, with tourist information desks, currency exchange, restaurants and taxis. The terminal-to-downtown shuttle costs $10 and is a bit of a rip-off, as a taxi for 2-4 people is under $10 and walking takes 15 minutes. North America's first purpose-built, fully electric double decker bus is 45-foot-long, with 99 seats—65 upstairs—plus standing room. Each seat has USB charging ports; the bus is fully accessible through low-floor design, kneeling capabilities, a wheelchair lift and…

Victoria city buses charge $2.50 for one ride or $5 for a day pass that includes connecting buses. Free one-way transfers have ended, but $5 provides all-day bus travel.

Dockside passenger services include gift shops, foreign-currency exchange and pay telephones. Tour and shuttle buses, taxis and other transport are readily available for excursions to the city centre and major tour attractions.

Victoria is highly walkable.

A printable map for taking with you.

Established in 1843 as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post, Victoria is Canada's westernmost city and the oldest on its west coast. Its temperate climate brings daffodils into bloom in February while bitter cold affects the rest of Canada. More than any other Canadian city, it has the ambience of an English town.

Named after Britain's famous queen, Victoria delights in its past. Tartan-kilted pipers offer a welcome, while Tudor-style architecture, streets, lampposts with hanging baskets of bright blossoms and British-style tea shops transport you to another time and place.

Victoria's layout is made for walking: stroll the Inner harbor, sightsee on foot and uncover its colourful history. Heritage buildings, lamppost flower baskets, and ocean and mountain views draw visitors along cobblestone pavements and pedestrian-friendly walkways.

Victoria's inner harbor contains British Columbia's capitol buildings, known locally as the "Legislative Buildings" or "Parliament Buildings". It is where float planes land, a very short taxi or shuttle from the helijet landing point and the outer-harbor cruise docks. Francis Rattenbury designed this symmetrical capitol complex in 1897; it is an outstanding example of European architecture.

Across the Street from the Empress Hotel is the Victoria Visitor Center, a useful place with lots of brochures and tours for Victoria visitors.

Use the HoHo bus for an excellent way to see Victoria. A single fare lets you leave at any scheduled stop, then board the next bus to continue a self guided tour.

Known as the "Cycling Capital of Canada", Victoria has a temperate climate, broad trail and road network, and spectacular scenery for year-round on- and off-road biking. Shops, clubs and touring companies provide equipment, expertise and guided rides for residents and visitors.

The Butchart Gardens ranks among the world's premier floral show gardens.

Charter buses reach the gardens from downtown, outside the Empress hotel, at around $15. The slower city bus also reaches the gardens, requires one change at Royal Oak, but costs only $2.25 from the cruise terminal.

Victoria's gourmet chefs benefit from nearby coastal waters and the rich farming regions of the Saanich Peninsula and Cowichan Valley, supplying abundant local produce. Seafood, especially salmon and shellfish, is fundamental to West Coast cooking and can be caught fresh from Pacific waters.

Local farms provide the fresh, seasonal and unusual ingredients chefs favour. Several Vancouver Island wineries round out the gourmet experience with locally-made wine.

A tip of 18-20% of a restaurant bill is considered normal. Tips also usually go to bell hops, concierges, room cleaners, cab drivers, hairdressers, hotel attendants and, from savvy drinkers, bar staff.

The Canadian dollar.

ATMs appear in many grocery stores, malls, airports and elsewhere; most connect to international networks, particularly Cirrus, Plus, Star and Maestro. Major credit cards can also be used to get cash from an ATM, though this is usually costlier because interest is charged immediately in addition to a service fee.

The downtown public library provides free WiFi and computers.