The very first cruise ship of the season has arrived at Ogden Point -- 5 hours late.
Holland America's Westerdam was sailing from San Diego and was scheduled to dock in Victoria at 1pm. But winds of up to 80 kms an hour along with choppy seas made things difficult.
The Captain wanted to be conmfortable it was safe and tried 3 times to bring the ship in. Just before 6pm he was successful -- much to the relief of 150 passengers who disembarked in Victoria. Otherwise the ship would have left for Vancouver instead.
The Westerdam is the first of 245 cruise ships scheduled to sail into Victoria this season-bringing an estimated $130-million dollars to the local economy.
This is also the first operating year for Pacific North West Transportation Services, a joint venture between CVS Tours and The Wilson's Group, to provide a fleet of newer, greener, and cleaner buses to Ogden Point.
The cruise season wraps up on October 25.