The countdown is on for the highly anticipated return of cruise ships to Victoria’s Ogden Point.
Victoria will host the first cruise ship back in Canadian waters next month, on April 6.
The return of the ships comes with new regulations being rolled out by the federal government.
The new rules require all crew members and passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Passengers will also have to take a molecular test within 72 hours before boarding a cruise ship, or take an antigen test within one day of boarding. They also have to be tested again after arriving in Canada.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) says it’s fully on board with those rules and looks forward to welcoming the ships.
"For us as an organisation, it's been something we've been working towards for two years now," said GVHA CEO Ian Robertson on Monday.
"I know that talking (with) a number of the operators that rely on cruise to sustain their families, they're thrilled that now they can plan ahead for the start of the cruise ship season," he said.
A small celebration is being planned at Ogden Point to welcome with first cruise ship when it arrives.
In November, the GVHA estimated that some 750,000 passengers were expected to arrive in Victoria aboard 350 cruise ship calls throughout the year.
