Victoria is the beautiful and charming capital city of British Columbia – Canada. Most cruise ships will dock here for a few hours on the last night of their cruise to Alaska. That gives you the perfect opportunity to visit the famous Butchart Gardens, sea the Fairmont Empress hotel or go to the pub!
Travel information Canada
Official currency – Canadian dollar
Accepts US dollars – Usually yes
Creditcards – are widely accepted
Drives on the – right
Timezone – UTC -3.5 to -8
About Canada
Inhabitants – 36 million
Official language – English and French
Capital city – Ottawa
Canada
Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Cruise port guide Victoria – Canada: docked
Cruise ships in Victoria dock at the cruise Ogden Point. This dock lies in the harbour of Victoria, about 2.5 km or 1.5 miles from the city center. This means almost everything is within walking distance. Click here to visit the port’s cruise ship schedule online.
Tourist information
At the cruise terminal you will find representatives that welcome you to Victoria. Ask them anything you like about their city. They usually also bring handy little maps along for you to take with you. You can also download this map by clicking here. The main tourist information spot is in town. See map above for its exact location.
Walking to town
The Victoria cruise dock lies about 2.5 km or 1.5 miles from the downtown area. You are free to walk if you want. On the map the representatives are handing out on the dock you will find several walking routes. These will show you the best and most interesting ways to walk to downtown Victoria.
Cruise ship shuttle bus
The port also provides a shuttle service from Victoria cruise port into town. It makes a stop at Government Street. See map above for the exact drop off and pick up location. A ticket will cost you $6 CDN one way or $12 CDN return. You can pay with creditcard, Canadian dollars and US dollars.
Marine Shuttle
In addition to the shuttle bus you will find there is also a Marine shuttle service. This boat service will take you from the Victoria cruise ship dock to the Steamship terminal in downtown Victoria. It leaves every hour. Again, a ticket will cost you $6 CDN one way or $12 CDN return. You can pay with creditcard, Canadian dollar and US dollar. See map above for the drop off location.
Pedicabs
For those looking for private transportation, you can also take the pedicabs. You will find them outside the cruise terminal. Tours will cost you about 90 CDN per person. You can pay cash or by creditcard
Tea at the Empress
A famous thing to do while visiting Victoria is to enjoy the high tea at the Fairmont Empress hotel. If your ship is docked in Victoria in the evening it is wise to book the high tea through the ship’s shore excursion. If your ship is there during the day you can also make reservations independently through: http://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/dining/tea-at-the-empress/ Making a reservation is highly recommended.
Butchart Gardens
Most attractions are within walking distance of the cruise dock except for the famous Butchart Gardens. They are located about 23 km / 14 miles from Victoria. Shore Excursions are a convenient way to visit the gardens especially because your ship will most likely only be there a few hours in the evening. Visiting the gardens independently means you can take the shuttle service to town and buy a tour from CVS Sightseeing (near Fairmont Empress). You can also take bus #75 directly from downtown to Butchart Gardens. We highly recommend you to check the bus #75 route and schedule here as it is not running all day. You can check this at: https://bctransit.com/victoria/schedules-and-maps/route-overview?route=75
