Thread: Possible port expansion for Seattle being considered

The Port of Seattle is looking at the possibility of developing new cruise facilities. The site under consideration is located on the north side of the harbour near the posh Queen Anne/Magnolia neighborhoods and was considered for cruise traffic prior to the opening of Terminal 30. Terminal 91 is now used by fishing vessels, tugs and barges. A concrete finger pier 2,200ft long and 350ft wide, it is large enough to support both cruise and cargo activities. A cruise terminal would be built if passenger operations were to move there - in 2008 at the earliest.

Nothing is decided or has even been studied, cautioned Tino Salud, gm cruise and dock operations for the Port of Seattle.


Next summer, when nine ships will sail from Seattle to Alaska every week, existing berths will be filled from Friday to Sunday. The port projects 195 calls and 740,000 passengers. 'If we get 200 calls, we will have doubled the number of calls in three years,' Salud noted.

Cruise ships began to sail from Seattle in 2000 when the port opened the Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66. That first season there were 36 calls and 119,770 passengers. When Terminal 30 was added in 2003, calls climbed to 99 and passenger count to 344,922. Since then, the growth has continued at a fast clip.

Pier 91 has been used a few times for ships on port calls. It is a former Navel base. This is not the first time it has been considered as a cruise ship terminal.

It is located a couple miles north of Pier 66 and downtown.

I'm wondering why Princess changed the ships that were making the RT thru the Inside Passage. The last two years, the Diamond and the Sapphire did the RT and the smaller ships did the one-way. Next summer, two of the smaller ships will do the RT while the Diamond and the Sapphire make the one-way. Is Princess trying to push the one-ways so that more people will add the cruisetours?

Originally Posted by cruisin' chick

I'm wondering why Princess changed the ships that were making the RT thru the Inside Passage. The last two years, the Diamond and the Sapphire did the RT and the smaller ships did the one-way. Next summer, two of the smaller ships will do the RT while the Diamond and the Sapphire make the one-way. Is Princess trying to push the one-ways so that more people will add the cruisetours?

They put the bigger ships where the demand is. RCL is also changing the larger Radiance to the one-way and the smaller Vision to the R/T.

Last night the Port Commision approved building the new terminal at Pier 91.
It should be ready in the spring of 2008.
Pier 66 will remain as is.
Terminal 30 will be converted back to a container facility.