Prince Rupert welcomed its first cruise ship of the season with the berthing of Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas.
This is the first visit to Prince Rupert for Royal Caribbean, which is the second-largest cruise line on the planet. The Serenade of the Seas will make six more stops at the Prince Rupert Cruise Terminal this year. It will also be the second ship to call when it arrives back on May 16.
The ship is a Radiance-class vessel known for their extensive use of exterior glass including glass elevators. It was launched in 2003 and has a capacity of 2,100 passengers and carries a crew of 891.
Overall, Global Ports Holding, which operates the Rupert terminal, expects 47 calls to the port, four more than last year when more than 59,000 passengers visited the city.
A total of nine cruise lines are represented, including Carnival, the world's largest cruise provider. Carnival's Carnival Legend is expected as the third berthing of 2025 on May 19.
The seven other carriers are Princess Cruises, Hurtigruten, Oceania Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Lne, Villa Vie Residences, Holland America and Linblad Expeditions (which runs National Geographic cruises).
Kevin D'Costa, general manager of the Prince Rupert Cruise Port said the growing success of the port and attracting these large carriers (including Virgin Voyages anticipated for 2026) is largely rooted in the cultural and curated experiences provided by local tourism entrepreneurs.
“These experiences of Prince Rupert beautifully combine scenic beauty, cultural depth, and the natural wonders, creating memories that our guests will forever treasure," he said.
Cruise season runs from today (May 9) to Oct. 8 when Holland America's Noordam will be the final ship to dock in 2025.
