Port Seattle (Washington) concluded its 2021 cruise season on Saturday, October 23, with the departure of NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore out of Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal.
During the season (July 19 thru October 23) were handled a total of 82 ship calls and ~229,000 cruise tourists.
2022 cruise season begins in April and is expected to be closer to 2019 passenger and cruise ship call levels.
Although it is the last passenger cruise of the season, one vessel may remain in Puget Sound while preparing for the next destinations.
Leading up to the 2021 Alaskan season, the cruise lines and the Port invested resources in supporting community health, reducing air emissions, ensuring robust water quality protections, and bringing back well-paying jobs to the waterfront of Seattle. Over the past year and a half, the Port worked with public health, environmental agencies, and community groups to balance COVID, implement world-class environmental measures, as well as spur the major economic recovery the region and state need.
The 2021 season represented the commitment of the Port to bring cruises back to the community safer and more sustainable. A typical season brings ~US$900 million in business revenue and supports 5000+ jobs. While far below the economic activity of one normal year, the 2021 cruise season helped businesses take another step away from tense financial times towards supporting families in Washington and Alaska.