Port of Seattle Kicks off Its Biggest Cruise Season Ever

The Port of Seattle is ready for 2017 cruise season during which it expects to host one million passengers on 218 vessels.

The forecast will result in 15 more ships than in 2016 when the port welcomed 203 vessels carrying 983,539 cruise ship guests.

The cruise season is scheduled to start on April 29 with the arrival of Holland America Line’s Eurodam and close on October 20 with the visit of Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, according to the port’s data.

Eleven different ships offering Alaska cruise itineraries and a record number of cruise passengers make the port the biggest cruise port on the US West Coast.

Ships will arrive at the port’s two terminals, Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 and Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91.

This year, the port is opening the renovated Pier 66 cruise facility homeport for Norwegian Cruise Line. In 2015, the Port of Seattle signed a 15-year lease with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), a parent company of NCL, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, to serve as a homeport for the company’s cruise ships sailing to Alaska.