CRUISE FROM SEATTLE

The cruise industry continues to grow in Seattle. In 1999, the Port of Seattle hosted six ships. In 2008 we expect 211 vessels, carrying close to 434,000 passengers.

Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean will be homeporting a total of nine ships in Seattle, offering 7-day roundtrip cruises to Alaska every weekend during the peak season. Several of the lines will also be offering 1-4 day Pacific Northwest cruises. Repositioning cruises provide an additional itinerary option.

In addition to the large cruise lines, Seattle also benefits from small-ship cruises to the San Juan Islands, British Columbia, Northwest rivers, and early and late season Seattle/Alaska and reverse itineraries. The niche lines include American Safari Cruises, Cruise West, Fantasy Cruises, and Majestic America Line.

We encourage professional travel planners responsible for arranging both FIT and group trips to consider the many options available for pre and post-cruise stays. Whether traveling alone, or with friends, family, co-workers, infinity groups or others, and whether cruising from Seattle, Vancouver B.C., Alaska or Portland, your clients will appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the many experiences Seattle and Washington State have to offer. There is something for everyone: biking, golfing, hiking, kayaking, sailing, exploring museums and art galleries, sightseeing by seaplane or van, cooking classes, dining at gourmet restaurants or enjoying small pubs and bistros, casual wine-tasting or more formal wine-make dinner events, exploring beautiful gardens, watching glass-blowing artists in action or learning the skill personally, relaxing at a spa, learning about Native American culture from locals, attending a major sports activity, taking a whale-watching - wildlife excursion, experiencing some of our favorite attractions including icons like the Space Needle and the 100 year old Pike Place Market, enjoying a concert, stage show, opera, symphony, ballet, or local jazz, or simply shopping for that special "something." If time permits, spend a day or more at Mt. Rainier, Mount St. Helens, the Olympic Peninsula, Washington's wine country and agricultural areas, Boeings manufacturing plant, and so much more.

Contact us for more ideas specific to your group or FIT clients.

PRE & POST CRUISE Packages >>

BIG SHIP CRUISING FROM SEATTLE - 2008

For a complete "big ship" daily departure schedule, visit the Port of Seattle website at www.portseattle.org/seaport/cruise. You will also find information on Port of Seattle cruise terminal specifications, general passenger information, parking and transportation, terminal concierge services, security, and port maps.

NOTE: Company names in Green Type with a live website link denote Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau member businesses.

Celebrity Cruises www.celebrity.com
Infinity Pier 66, Friday
7-day roundtrip "Alaska Hubbard Glacier" cruises 5/9 to 9/12. Prior to beginning its Seattle departures, the Infinity will sail an 11-night "Ultimate Alaska" cruise on 4/28 (San Francisco, Victoria, Alaska, Prince Rupert, Vancouver). A 14-night "Ultimate Alaska Cruise" departs Vancouver on 9/19 (B.C., Alaska, Seattle, Astoria, and San Francisco).

Mercury Pier 66
Main season for the Mercury will be 7-night Alaska cruises (roundtrip Vancouver B.C.), plus the following: 7-night "Pacific Coastal" cruise on 3/29, 4/5, and 4/12 (S.F., Astoria, Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria, S.F.); an 8-night "Pacific Coastal" cruise on 4/19; 14-night "Golden Gate to Alaska" cruise on 4/27 (S.F., Monterey, Astoria, B.C., Alaska, Vancouver); 4-night "Pacific Northwest" cruise (Seattle to Seattle) on 9/22, 9/29 and 10/6; 3-night "Pacific Northwest" cruise (Seattle to Seattle) on 9/26 and 10/3; 3-night "Pacific Northwest" cruise (Seattle to Seattle) on 10/10. A 9-night "Wine Cruise" (Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Astoria, San Francisco, Monterey, San Diego) departs Vancouver 10/13.

Holland America www.hollandamerica.com
Amsterdam - Terminal 30, Friday
Oosterdam - Terminal 30, Saturday
Westerdam - Terminal 30, Sunday

All three ships are offering 7-day roundtrip "Alaskan Explorer" cruises from Seattle, late April or early May through mid to late September. In addition, the following cruises are available:

The Amsterdam has scheduled a 4-day "Spring Pacific Coast" on 5/11 (Los Angeles to Vancouver); a 1-day "Spring Pacific Coast" on 5/15 (Vancouver to Seattle); a 35-65 day "Grand Asia & Australian Voyage" departing Seattle on 9/19.

The Oosterdam is offering a 4-day "Spring Pacific Coast" on 4/26 (San Diego to Vancouver), a 3-day "Pacific Northwest Coastal" cruise on 4/30 (Vancouver to Seattle) a 4-day "Pacific Northwest Coastal" on 9/27 (Seattle to Vancouver), and a 4-day "Fall Pacific Coast" on 9/30 (Vancouver to San Diego).

The Westerdam has a 19-day "Trans Panama Canal" reposition departing 4/22 (Ft. Lauderdale to Seattle) and an 18-day "Fall Panama Canal" reposition on 9/28 (Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale).

Norwegian Cruise Line www.ncl.com
Norwegian Star - Pier 66, Saturday
Norwegian Pearl - Pier 66, Sunday

Both ships are offering 7-day roundtrip Alaska cruises from Seattle, early May through late September. The Star's is "Sawyer Glacier" and the Pearl's is "Glacier Bay"

In addition to its roundtrip Alaska cruises from Seattle, the Norwegian Star has scheduled a 3-day "Pacific Coastal" on 4/24 (Los Angeles to Vancouver); 6-day "Sawyer Glacier" on 4/27 (Vancouver, Alaska, Seattle); 1-day "Dinner & Dance" cruise for 9/20 (Seattle to Vancouver); 6-day "Pacific Coastal" on 9/21 (Vancouver, Victoria, Astoria, S.F., Los Angeles)

In addition to its roundtrip Alaska cruises from Seattle, the Norwegian Pearl has scheduled a a 19-day "Exotic Panama Canal" reposition cruise on 4/13 (Miami to Seattle); a 2-day "Dinner & Dance" weekend cruise 5/2 (roundtrip Seattle); and a 19-day "Exotic Panama Canal" reposition cruise on 9/21 (Seattle to Miami)

Princess Cruises www.princesscruises.com
Golden Princess - Terminal 30, Saturday
Star Princess - Terminal 30, Sunday

Both ships will operate 7-day roundtrip Alaska "Inside Passage" cruises from Seattle, early May through the latter part of September. In addition the ships have scheduled the following:

The Golden Princess will sail a 6-day "Coastal" on 5/3 (Los Angeles to Vancouver): a 1-day "Coastal" on 5/9 (Vancouver to Seattle); a 1-day "Coastal" on 9/27 (Seattle to Vancouver); and a 3-day "Coastal" on 9/28 (Vancouver to Los Angeles).

The Star Princess' scheduled reposition is an 8-day "Mexico - Acapulco/Seattle" cruise on 4/26 (Mexico, San Francisco, Seattle).

Royal Caribbean www.royalcaribbean.com
Rhapsody of the Seas - Terminal 30, Friday

This ship will sail 7-night "Alaska Sawyer Glacier" cruises, roundtrip Seattle, with 5/23 to 9/5 departures. The 9/12 "Alaska Sawyer Glacier" sailing will end in Vancouver, B.C.

Rhapsody of the Seas sailings will also include a 10-night "Hawaii" repositioning cruise on 4/28 (Hawaiian Islands to Vancouver B.C.

SMALL SHIP CRUISING FROM SEATTLE - 2008

Company names in Green Type with a live website link denote Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau member businesses.

American Safari Cruises www.amsafari.com
"Intimate, active, deluxe cruises" are the specialty of this company on four upscale, luxurious yachts holding 12-36 guests. The price of each cruise is inclusive.

Cruises include: An 8-day "Northwest Passage - Washington & British Columbia" on the Safari Escape, (Friday Harbor, Victoria, Harmony Islands, Princess Louisa Inlet, Vancouver, Roche Harbor, Jones Island, Friday Harbor) on 9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10; the 15-day "Famed Inside Passage, Alaska" (Seattle, San Juan Island, Inside Passage, Alaskan cities, fjords and waterways, Glacier Bay, Juneau & reverse) on the Safari Spirit on 5/3 and 9/6, the Safari Escape on 4/30 and 9/3, and the Safari Quest on 9/13. Various 8-day and 9-day inside Alaska yacht cruises are offered with Juneau as the base, & reverse, from May to August or September. "Rivers of the West, Washington & Oregon" 8-day cruises (Astoria to Lewiston & reverse) are aboard the 12-guest Safari Spirit on September, October & November dates. Private 6-day / 5-night cruise/tour charters through Washington's wine country are also available for a maximum of 12 guests. See website for details.

Cruise West www.cruisewest.com
Life is casual onboard Cruise West's small ships, each having an individual personality and holding 138 guests or less. The size of the ships and skilled crews provide up-close, personal cruising with a destination focus.

Cruises being offered include the 8-day "Pacific Northwest Coastal Escape" on the Spirit of Endeavour, 4/20, 4/27, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, (Seattle, British Columbia, San Juan Island, Port Townsend, Seattle); the "Gold Rush Inside Passage" on the Spirit of Alaska, Spirit of Yorktown, Spirit of Discovery, Spirit of Columbia, Spirit of '98, Spirit of Glacier Bay, and Spirit of Endeavour. This cruise northbound (Seattle to Fairbanks) departs on seven days, May 4 - 14, and southbound (Fairbanks to Seattle) on seven days, Aug 22 - Sept 7. The "Coastal Odyssey" (Vancouver / Fairbanks and reverse) on the Spirit of Oceanus sails 6/5, 6/27 and 8/12 northbound and 5/21, 6/12, 7/28, and 8/19 southbound. Inside Alaska cruises, "Alaska's Whales & Wilderness," "Alaska's Inside Passage," "Glaciers of Prince William Sound," "Glacier Bay Highlights," and "Voyage to the Bering Sea" are available on various dates between mid May and early Sept. Additional offerings include the 8-day "Taste of the Pacific Northwest" cruises on the Columbia River (roundtrip Portland) on the Spirit of Discovery, Sept/Oct, and the 8-day "A River Voyage of Discovery" on the Willamette, Columbia & Snake Rivers (roundtrip Portland) on the Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of '98 in April, Sept. and Oct.

Fantasy Cruises www.sanjuanislandcruises.com
This Seattle company offers casual, personalized, all-inclusive cruises on its MV Island Spirit which features 16 double cabins. Cruises for 2008 include the 7-day "Majestic Wilderness Passage" cruise (Seattle, Whidbey Island, San Juan Island, Princess Louisa Inlet, Nanaimo, San Juan Island, Port Townsend, Seattle) on 6/26, 8/7, and 8/28, and the 7-day "San Juan Islands and British Columbia Vacation" cruise ( Seattle, Penn Cove, Friday Harbor, Princess Louisa, Victoria, Port Townsend, Seattle) on 7/10, 7/24 and 9/11. NEW this year are the 8-day "Columbia River" cruises which sail between Astoria, Oregon and Lewiston Idaho. Departure dates are 5/6, 10/14, and 10/21.

Majestic America Line www.majesticamericaline.com
This company formed in 2006 by combining America West Steamboat Company and Delta Queen Steamboat Company. (The company is a division of Ambassadors Cruise Group, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambassadors International.) Majestic America Line's U.S. flagged and built ships currently travel Alaska's Inside Passage, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, and the Mississippi.

A diesel-powered sternwheeler, the Empress of the North carries 223 passengers. Its Spring / Fall repositioning cruise is a 12-night "Alaska Adventure" offered northbound on 4/28 and southbound on 9/20. (Seattle, Anacortes & San Juan Island, Port Angeles, Inside Passage stops, Juneau and reverse). A 7-night "Alaska Adventure" (roundtrip Juneau) has departures from May 10 to Sept 13. When not in Alaska, the Empress of the North joins her sister ships, the Queen of the West and the Columbia Queen, sailing a "Northwest Rivers" itinerary on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in the paths of Lewis & Clark. (Portland, Klickatat Dock, Pendleton, Clarkston, Longview, Astoria, Portland).

Note: All cruise schedules are subject to change at any time. Please check with cruise lines directly or your cruise line representative for the most up-to-date information when planning travel for your clients

* Since ports count roundtrip passengers twice and port call passengers once, the Port's estimated passenger count for 2008 is 754,605.