Victoria, BC

[fpfryer]

Our stop in Victoria got changed to 9PM to midnight.  Will there be anything to see or do at that time to make it worth debarking the ship?

 

Thank you!

[memoak]

7 minutes ago, fpfryer said:

Our stop in Victoria got changed to 9PM to midnight.  Will there be anything to see or do at that time to make it worth debarking the ship?

 

Thank you!

Not in my opinion unless you are just getting to buy souvenirs at the port

[d9704011]

9 minutes ago, fpfryer said:

Our stop in Victoria got changed to 9PM to midnight.  Will there be anything to see or do at that time to make it worth debarking the ship?

 

Thank you!

No.

[fpfryer]

That’s what I figured.  Thanks for confirming.

[karatemom2]

It's kind of a ridiculous timeframe so maybe not worth the effort to get off the ship. It's a shame because Victoria is a charming city. It is very beautiful after dark - perhaps an evening carriage ride or a pub visit just to see a little bit of the town? Those are a couple of things I know would be available still, even that late in the evening.

[memoak]

8 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

It's kind of a ridiculous timeframe so maybe not worth the effort to get off the ship. It's a shame because Victoria is a charming city. It is very beautiful after dark - perhaps an evening carriage ride or a pub visit just to see a little bit of the town? Those are a couple of things I know would be available still, even that late in the evening.

We were there last year for a full day and there is some great food

[karatemom2]

4 minutes ago, memoak said:

We were there last year for a full day and there is some great food

 

Our favorite place to get a quick treat is Murchie's Tea and Coffee - the pastries are amazing. But my daughter and her husband always have to stop at their favorite little hole in the wall cafe there for poutine. They swear it is the best they have ever had!

[memoak]

34 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

 

Our favorite place to get a quick treat is Murchie's Tea and Coffee - the pastries are amazing. But my daughter and her husband always have to stop at their favorite little hole in the wall cafe there for poutine. They swear it is the best they have ever had!

Our favorite lunch place is Finn’s Seafood. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

4 hours ago, fpfryer said:

Our stop in Victoria got changed to 9PM to midnight.  Will there be anything to see or do at that time to make it worth debarking the ship?

 

Thank you!

The one shop at the pier will not likely be open.  It is about a mile into town.  The stop is simply to meet the requirements of the Jones Act.  You could hire a taxi for an hour and get a look or walk north leaving the port past the military base for about 15 minutes for great views of Victoria Harbor.  If the weather cooperates worth the walk.

[Donwoods123]

Last August, we had a short time there.  We just took a walk to the harbor.  It took about 15 minutes to get there.  It was ok, not great.

[cr8tiv1]

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

The one shop at the pier will not likely be open.  It is about a mile into town.  The stop is simply to meet the requirements of the Jones Act.  You could hire a taxi for an hour and get a look or walk north leaving the port past the military base for about 15 minutes for great views of Victoria Harbor.  If the weather cooperates worth the walk.

 

Jones Act is for maritime commerce:

 

The Jones Act is a federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the United States. The Jones Act requires goods shipped between U.S. ports to be transported on ships that are built, owned, and operated by United States citizens or permanent residents.

 

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/j/jonesact.asp

 

Passenger Vessel Services Act pertains to cruise ships.

 

The coastwise law pertaining to the transportation of passengers is known as the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA),

 

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Sep/PVSA-ICP.pdf

[cosytoes]

In general terms, foreign-flagged cruise ships are required to visit at least one non-U.S. port so that they cannot benefit from sailing exclusively within U.S. waters while simultaneously skirting U.S. tax and labor laws. 

Why Do Cruise Ships Have to Call on Foreign Ports? | Cruise.Blog

[fpfryer]

I do understand, but 9 to midnight?  It was originally 7-12.  Seems like poor planning.

[memoak]

Just now, fpfryer said:

I do understand, but 9 to midnight?  It was originally 7-12.  Seems like poor planning.

This is very common and you will not believe how many people will line up to get off

[cr8tiv1]

Many of Victoria port calls are short and late at night.  

 

Many maker for Princess to run short tours of Butchart Gardens (only way to get there).

Long run from Alaska to Victoria (thus arriving late).

Reduced speed during the summer for whales.

And the list continues

 

35 minutes ago, fpfryer said:

I do understand, but 9 to midnight?  It was originally 7-12.  Seems like poor planning.

 

[karatemom2]

Just an FYI if you enjoy the casino onboard - be sure the cash in any chips or receipts prior to your port call in Victoria. The casino does not open up again after you arrive for that stop - check your daily schedule for the hours that last day and make sure you cash out ahead of time, or you will end up waiting for a check to be mailed from Princess to reimburse you for your balance.

[fpfryer]

Great tip, thanks.

[cdngrl]

Princess is satisfying the PVSA but it’s sad that you can’t experience Victoria. The regular 7-12 stop isn’t great either. The 9pm-midnight port stop probably gives you from 9:30-11:30pm to be off the ship. Chances are you’ve already had dinner and it’s not really enough time to walk to the inner harbour and back. I hope you get to come again.

[ukestrummer]

Only to buy stuff, you can buy at dock

[jeromep]

On 3/25/2024 at 3:47 PM, fpfryer said:

Our stop in Victoria got changed to 9PM to midnight.  Will there be anything to see or do at that time to make it worth debarking the ship?

 

Thank you!

Have you checked in with the roll call for your sailing?  I presume your cruise is this year?  I bet the folks in the roll call have similar concerns, and might have some ideas about making the most of the port stop, or just staying aboard.

 

As others have stated, Victoria is a great city to visit.  Very charming and pleasant.  I'd have to go back into my records, but we had the 6-midnight or 7-midnight port stop and did the ship's excursion to Butchart Gardens.  I recall that we had an early dinner in the MDR, and had our excursion tickets and some light jackets with us as we were going directly from dinner to the excursion.

 

The guide on the bus was excellent, narrated about Victoria to and from the Gardens.  Butchart Gardens is a bit of a drive outside the city.  We walked the gardens and took photos, but it was a bit rushed.  If we were just vacationing in Victoria, we would have spent more time there.  Looking back at my photos, the time and date stamps show that we were off the bus and at the main gate by 8:30.  I think it was a 7:30 meeting at the bus, the Gardens close at 10, and I think we had to be back on the bus by 10:30.  We were back on board by 11.  Bus tours always have quite a bit of "hurry up and wait", built into them.

 

Knowing how short the port stop is, don't book any excursions until you are on board, and the selection will probably be very limited.  The excursion operators already know that the port time has compressed, so they will adjust accordingly.