Sailing from Vancouver: Virgin Voyages' Alaska Homeport Guide
Virgin Voyages' Alaska season runs on Brilliant Lady, and Vancouver pairs with Seattle as its second homeport — used mainly for one-way Inside Passage sailings between the two cities. You board at the landmark Canada Place terminal, right in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
Canada Place cruise terminal — the essentials
• Address: 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1
• Location: downtown Vancouver — the white-sails building on the waterfront
• Arrival: come at the Terminal Arrival Time in your app; check-in generally closes about an hour before departure
Getting there
One of the easiest airport-to-ship connections anywhere: from Vancouver International (YVR), the Canada Line SkyTrain runs directly to Waterfront station, steps from Canada Place, in about 25 minutes — no traffic, no fuss. Taxis and pre-booked transfers make the same trip in roughly 30 minutes.
Where Brilliant Lady sails
Vancouver anchors Virgin's one-way Alaska voyages — for example an 8-night Seattle-to-Vancouver and a 9-night Vancouver-to-Seattle, taking in the Inside Passage with calls and glacier days such as Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and the Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier or Hubbard Glacier. Because these cross the US–Canada border, they run one-way — so plan a one-way flight home and bring your passport.
Make a trip of it
Vancouver is one of the loveliest cities to add days to — Stanley Park, Granville Island, the seawall — and it's a natural launch point for the Canadian Rockies afterward. Arrive at least a day early to settle in.
Cruising Alaska via Vancouver? We'll handle your Vancouver stay, the one-way flights and your transfer to Canada Place. Ask The Cruise Boys®.