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[Marine] Victoria cruise ship industry | Breakwater District/Ogden Point | News / issues


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#2541 Jackerbie

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Posted 14 May 2021 - 08:55 AM

Alaska got their exemption, in place until Feb 2022. Ships no longer require a stop in Canada. https://www.adn.com/...ises-this-year/
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#2542 spanky123

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Posted 14 May 2021 - 08:59 AM

Alaska got their exemption, in place until Feb 2022. Ships no longer require a stop in Canada. https://www.adn.com/...ises-this-year/

 

Good thing our harbour authority team had rock solid insight into that decision. Watch that to be extended to Feb 2023 very quickly if BC doesn't play ball. The cruise ship companies will now arguing that they will start to be accepting bookings for 2022 and they need the uncertainty lifted now.


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#2543 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 14 May 2021 - 09:13 AM

wow.  getting real.



#2544 Barrrister

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Posted 14 May 2021 - 08:51 PM

There is a good argument to be made that having American tourists spend more money in the US makes more sense than stopping in Canada. This just might be the first step to a permanent exemption.


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#2545 lanforod

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Posted 14 May 2021 - 09:07 PM

There is a good argument to be made that having American tourists spend more money in the US makes more sense than stopping in Canada. This just might be the first step to a permanent exemption.

 

I'm of two minds about this.

1 - a captive audience has been a boon and would be nice to continue to guarantee this tourism industry (outside of pandemics, I guess). 

2. a permanent exception may mean Victoria finally gets some real effort from the CRD, CoV, GVHA etc to create attractions to draw the cruise lines here because of passenger demand; clean up the city, revitalize Ogden Point and so on.


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#2546 Nparker

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Posted 14 May 2021 - 09:32 PM

I'm of two minds about this.

1 - a captive audience has been a boon and would be nice to continue to guarantee this tourism industry (outside of pandemics, I guess). 

2. a permanent exception may mean Victoria finally gets some real effort from the CRD, CoV, GVHA etc. to create attractions to draw the cruise lines here because of passenger demand; clean up the city, revitalize Ogden Point and so on.

1. Agree
2. Will never happen


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#2547 UDeMan

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Posted 15 May 2021 - 03:12 PM

Skipping a Canadian stop will give them one extra day in Alaska, which is what people want when going on an Alaskan cruise. also US tourists will not need a passport as it's just a state to state trip.

I think this new exemption will last much longer. Most temporary measures become permanent.

#2548 Nparker

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Posted 15 May 2021 - 03:18 PM

...Most temporary measures become permanent.

Like income tax.


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#2549 Mike K.

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Posted 15 May 2021 - 04:24 PM

Skipping a Canadian stop will give them one extra day in Alaska, which is what people want when going on an Alaskan cruise. also US tourists will not need a passport as it's just a state to state trip.

I think this new exemption will last much longer. Most temporary measures become permanent.


It’s possible that it will. At the very least this will give the cruise ship operators a whole year to assess feedback and whether passengers note negatives to not stopping at a Canadian port. It’s truly concerning for downtown Victoria which is setup for mass inflows of cruise passengers.

But there may also be an opportunity to have vessels leaving Victoria. It’s a stretch but it might happen.

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#2550 Nparker

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Posted 15 May 2021 - 05:01 PM

...But there may also be an opportunity to have vessels leaving Victoria. It’s a stretch but it might happen.

This was actually in the works before the pandemic hit:

This is a FIRST for Victorians - a round-trip sailing to Alaska aboard Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth®. Your team at Expedia® CruisShipCenters® will unveil the first ever round-trip sailings from Victoria! Choose from 4 dates in July 2020 ranging in length from 9 - 11 night itineraries.
 

Immerse yourself in Queen Elizabeth's evocative art deco elegance. Cunard's newest Queen exudes style and has an especially refined feel. Enjoy her famous traditional afternoon tea promptly at 3:30 pm every day while you sail by fantastic glaciers. Queen Elizabeth invites you to an uncrowded world where spacious decks set the perfect backdrop for you to savor a flawless Cunard experience - prepare yourself for a truly remarkable voyage....



#2551 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 15 May 2021 - 05:59 PM

 



#2552 laconic

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Posted 16 May 2021 - 06:48 AM

Yachts in transit

 

 

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#2553 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 16 May 2021 - 07:41 AM

The Star:


Ian Robertson, CEO of the Victoria Harbour Authority, said the legislation “cracks the door open” for cruise ships to be able to bypass B.C. And although the legislation is worded such that it would only be in effect while the Canada-U.S. border is closed, he worries that could change.

“It is still a concern because anything can change over time,” Robertson said.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 May 2021 - 07:42 AM.


#2554 Hotel Mike

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Posted 16 May 2021 - 02:33 PM

Apparently there were to be 26 yachts delivered, setting a new record.


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Don't be so sure.:cool:

#2555 Mike K.

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Posted 16 May 2021 - 08:42 PM

Sounds like a lot of people are pulling their vessels back from foreign ports, maybe?

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#2556 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 17 May 2021 - 06:07 PM

Vaughn Palmer: Premier Horgan hasn't taken threat to B.C. cruise ship industry seriously

 

Opinion: Maybe if Horgan had taken the threat more seriously and sooner, Canada and the U.S. would already be embarked on a course less risky to B.C.’s share of the Alaskan cruise business.

 

https://vancouversun...obox=1621297600

 

 

The New Democrats were caught off guard last week when the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation allowing cruise ships on the Seattle-Alaska run to bypass mandated-in-law stopovers at B.C. ports.

 

Premier John Horgan had earlier dismissed the measure, backed by a trio of Alaskan politicians, as a “blip” and assured reporters that the chances of it being passed by the American Senate were “remote.”

 

Tourism Minister Melanie Mark also discounted the threat of the bill.

 

During debate on her ministry budget last week, she berated the B.C. Liberals for even raising the matter.

 

“The Opposition is fearmongering,” she declared. “It is a proposal that hasn’t gone anywhere … the possibility of the legislation passing is very unlikely.”

 

__________________

 

As expected? What happened in the U.S. last Thursday is the opposite of what B.C.’s premier and tourism minister expected.

 

And while the measure is indeed temporary and slated to expire, the exemption from the stopover requirement is also unprecedented.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 May 2021 - 06:11 PM.


#2557 Barrrister

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Posted 17 May 2021 - 09:10 PM

Alaska is pushing for a longer :trial" exemption. 



#2558 Redd42

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Posted 17 May 2021 - 09:18 PM

After my first shot today, I wandered down Govt St. What a ghost town! Lots of empty store fronts and empty stores. Also lots of sale prices - not just the phoney ones they have all the time. I spent a bit of money and the staff were all grateful that I did. None of them were aware of the US decision to "temporarily" allow the US ships to bypass stopping in Victoria. 



#2559 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 18 May 2021 - 04:50 AM

Alaska is pushing for a longer :trial" exemption. 

 

source?



#2560 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 18 May 2021 - 04:52 AM

Sounds like a lot of people are pulling their vessels back from foreign ports, maybe?

 

Most of the yachts are American-owned and will be heading to Washington state, said Utley, noting the Canadian government allows the captains to cross the border to pick up the vessels and take them right back.

 

Another group of yacht owners are Victoria-based, he said.

 

A few of the yachts have Vancouver owners, and it will be up to them to determine how to get their vessels home, he said.

 

B.C. residents are required to stay within their own health authorities under new travel restrictions, while any U.S. yacht heading to Alaska is not allowed to pull into a B.C. port.

 

Utley said while the pandemic has posed many problems for yacht owners looking to cruise new waters, the company’s shipping service from Florida to Victoria is “able to open the door to new adventures.”

 

“We are looking forward to shipping them all back once the hurricane season is over,” Utley said.

 

https://www.timescol...-may-1.24311348


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 May 2021 - 04:52 AM.

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