Port of Seattle Sets New Cruise Ship, Passenger Records in 2010

The Port of Seattle achieved its best ever cruise season in 2010, with a record number of cruise ship calls and passengers. Twelve home-ported vessels and six ports of call made up the 223 dockings at the port. A total of 931,698 revenue passengers moved through the port’s two cruise terminals.

Each ship call brings $1.9 million to King County, according to Port of Seattle Commission President Bill Bryant. The cruise industry also generated $425 million in business revenue, $18.9 million in state and local taxes and 4,447 jobs in 2010.

Cruise lines that called Seattle this year included Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises. New developments in 2010 included Carnival Cruise Line’s first venture into Seattle, offering seven-day cruises to Alaska from Smith Cove Cruise Terminal every Tuesday aboard the Carnival Spirit. In addition, Holland America Line introduced a 14-day round-trip Alaska itinerary out of Seattle this year. Princess Cruises introduced a 14-day round-trip Alaska cruise in 2009.