Why are there so few cruise ships? They always could not sail directly from one US port to another as they are nearly all foreign registered. This is why they had to stop at a Canadian port like Vancouver Victoria or occasionally Nanaimo. As Canada banned all cruise ship visits, the above regulation was 'temporarily' suspended, allowing the cruise ships to sail between two US ports. Places like here in Victoria are really worried that this suspension will be permanent, The cruise ships are great money generators!