Port of Seattle's 2003 Cruise Season Sets New Records

When the final figures on the Port of Seattle's 2003 cruise season were tallied, it added up to another record year.

The Port saw 99 cruise ship calls and 345,000 passengers between May and September. The numbers represent an increase of 31 percent in vessel calls and 41 percent in passenger volume over 2002.

"It's a thrill to see our Port and our city emerge as a competitive and growing center for the Alaska cruise industry," said Port Commission Chair Patricia Davis. "It helps us fulfill our mission of creating economic vitality."

The Port's second cruise ship facility, Terminal 30 opened in May. The two-berth, 95,000-square-foot facility complements the one-berth Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal, which opened in 2001.

Holland America's 1,380-passenger Amsterdam and Princess Cruise Line's 2,600-passenger Star Princess were homeported at Terminal 30. The vessels called in Seattle each Saturday during the 2003 cruise season.

Norwegian Cruise Line's 2,400-passenger Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky called at Bell Street Pier on Saturdays and Sundays, respectively.

"We're expecting even more cruise ships and passengers in 2004, along with a corresponding increase in the economic activity the cruise industry generates here," Davis said. "More ships mean more business for the region's maritime and tourism industries."

The Port projects a total of 140 cruise ship calls and more than 500,000 passengers for 2004.

Holland America and Princess will both add Sunday departures from Terminal 30 to complement the Saturday sailings, which will continue. Princess's 2,700-passenger vessel Diamond Princess will sail on Saturday while it's sister ship Sapphire Princes will offer Sunday departures from Seattle. Holland America has not yet named the ships that will be homeported at Terminal 30 in 2004.

Norwegian Cruise Line will continue its two sailings from Bell Street Pier with the 2,240-passenger Norwegian Star on Saturdays and the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Sky on Sundays.

Celebrity Cruise Line will come to Seattle in 2004 with Friday departures aboard the 1,870-passenger Mercury.

"We are working with local businesses to make the most of the economic benefits the cruise industry brings to this region," said Port of Seattle CEO M. R. Dinsmore. "Local hotels, restaurants and retailers, as well as maritime industry businesses such as pilots, longshore workers and marine fuel suppliers benefit from the cruise industry's presence here," Dinsmore said.

The cruise industry estimates that each homeport call by a cruise ship adds, $750,000 in business revenue to the local economy.