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Seattle is the gem of the West Coast for cruising, and on June 10 we had the world’s largest sapphire here to prove it. The Millenium Sapphire, a 28-pound, football-sized blue sapphire from Madagascar, was on board the Sapphire Princess at its christening, when the Port of Seattle also celebrated the largest cruise season in its history.
“What a more fitting way of welcoming the new Sapphire Princess to the Seattle cruise market than by paying tribute to its name with this incredible gemstone,” said M.R. Dinsmore, CEO of the Port of Seattle.
The 2,670-passenger, 116,000-ton Sapphire Princess, the first cruise ship ever to be christened in Seattle, will join sister vessel Diamond Princess in Seattle for a summer season of seven-day round trip Inside Passage sailings with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and glacier cruising in Tracy Arm, plus a stop in Victoria, B.C.
In addition, Seattle is homeport to Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Star and Norwegian Spirit, Holland America Lines’ Oosterdam and Amsterdam, and Celebrity Cruises’ Mercury.
In 1999, only six cruise ships stopped in Seattle, bringing just 6,615 passengers. This summer, more than 150 cruise ships will take 500,000 passengers on seven-day Alaska cruises.
And this growing segment of tourism to the Seattle area is creating growth in other areas as well. The cruise lines have agreements with the Port of Seattle to provision their ships in Seattle rather than in other ports. This means all food, beverages, paper products and more are being trucked onto the two terminals and loaded by local labor.
Imagine what it takes to feed and entertain 2,600 passengers and crew for seven-days at sea. For example, 12,000 lbs of beef, 7,500 lbs of seafood, 10,000 lbs of fresh fruit, 4,000 dozen eggs, and 500 gallons of ice cream/sherbet per ship. And don’t forget that each ship requires linens, office supplies, fresh cut flowers, piano tuners and more.
That also means jobs and revenue that benefit the entire region. Many cruise passengers will fly into Sea-Tac Airport, take ground transportation to the cruise terminal, book a hotel and have dinner after a day of shopping. A recent study found that the cruise ship industry in this area generates $70 million in annual business revenue, $4.5 million in annual state and local taxes and creates over 1,500 jobs.
The newly christened 2,670 passenger, 116,000 ton Sapphire Princess joined the Seattle to Alaska cruise market on June 10, 2004.
Discovered in Madagascar, the 28-pound, football shaped sapphire made its Seattle debut for the Sapphire Princesses christening.