Vancouver cruise embarkation averaged less than 30 minutes in 2026 after the port adopted facial biometric checks at Canada Place. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority credits the system, introduced during the 2024 season, with streamlining U.S. border processing.
Vancouver cruise embarkation reaches one million biometric users
The port recorded the one-millionth cruise passenger to pass through its biometric boarding system in June 2026. The Fullerton family marked the milestone while embarking on an Alaska cruise at Canada Place Cruise Terminal.
The port authority said Vancouver is the only port using facial biometrics for cruise embarkations. Canada Place is the city’s downtown cruise terminal and a major departure point for Alaska itineraries.
U.S. border checks fall below ten seconds
Most passengers now complete the U.S. border-control stage in less than ten seconds, a 94% reduction in processing time.
Before biometric scanning, the terminal used automated passport-control kiosks. Those checks took about two to three minutes for each passenger, while the complete embarkation process could take roughly two hours.
The faster border check is only one part of boarding. Passengers must still complete the other document, security and cruise-line procedures required before reaching the ship.
Norwegian Encore closes a record season
Norwegian Encore ended Vancouver’s 2026 cruise season earlier in October after a record schedule running from February through October.
The port handled 358 cruise ship calls during that period, up 19% from the previous season. It welcomed 1.4 million passengers, an increase of 18%.
Most visiting ships can connect to shore power
About 80% of cruise ships visiting Vancouver in 2026 could plug into British Columbia’s low-emission, hydro-powered electricity grid while berthed.
The port also partnered with the federal government through Transport Canada’s Green Shipping Corridors Program to expand shore power at Canada Place. Shore power supplies a vessel with electricity from land, reducing the need to run onboard systems with the ship’s engines while it remains at the terminal.
What travellers should do at Canada Place
Passengers should treat the under-30-minute result as an average rather than a guaranteed boarding time. They should follow their cruise line’s assigned arrival instructions and leave enough time for every stage of the terminal process.
Travellers should also keep passports and any other required documents ready. Facial scanning may shorten the border check, but it does not remove the need to carry the documents required for the itinerary.
