Seattle expects a record year for cruise traffic

Sound the ship horns: The Port of Seattle is looking forward to a record year" for cruise season, which kicks off Friday.

The agency anticipates that the 2026 season, which runs through Oct. 11, will see 2.1 million revenue passengers, with 330 stops in Seattle. That surpasses last year, which saw 1.9 million revenue passengers and 298 port calls during Alaska cruise season specifically.

The Port uses "revenue passengers" to refer to the total number of people who will board or leave a cruise ship during the season.

This year's cruise season will result in $1.2 billion in local economic impact for the region, along with 5,120 direct and indirect jobs, the Port said.

Some downtown businesses are preparing for the crowds - and the extra cash they bring to the local economy.

"It always kind of creeps up on us," Miki Sodos, co-owner of Bang Bang Cafe, said Thursday. "One day, we just get a line out the door, and we're like, 'Oh, I guess the cruise ships are coming in!'"

Cruise demand surges

Seattle's "robust" cruise market has been built over two decades, according to the Port.

"We are fortunate to call the Puget Sound region home," said Ryan Calkins, Port of Seattle Commission president, in a statement Thursday. "It's no wonder that more than a million travelers from around the world will begin their Alaska journeys here this season, supporting thousands of jobs and sustaining local businesses and farms across Washington state."

But Seattle cruise destinations aren't limited to the Land of the Midnight Sun: Passengers also travel to Hawaiʻi, New Zealand, Asia and more, according to the Port.

Matthew Eichhorst, president of Expedia Cruises in Vancouver, B.C., sees cruise demand as "one of the biggest growth stories in travel this year."

Recent trends recorded by Expedia point to heightened interest in cruising, especially to Alaska, Eichhorst said.

"The start of the season in Seattle highlights that momentum," he said Thursday. "As a key departure port for Alaska sailings, Seattle plays an important role in meeting this demand."

Two new cruise lines will come to Seattle for the first time: MSC Cruises, which is headquartered in Geneva, and Florida's Virgin Voyages.

"We are proud to bring MSC Cruises to Seattle as we expand our presence in North America and introduce our Alaska itineraries in a new market," said Lynn Torrent, president of MSC Cruises North America, in a statement.

This weekend, expect a flurry of activity at the piers, with Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade docking Friday and Holland America Line's Noordam arriving Sunday.

A total of 16 ships will be based out of Seattle this season.

Visit Seattle expects that hotels will benefit from the rush of visitors.

"Historically, 66% of passengers stay at least one night in a hotel," a spokesperson said Thursday.

While cruise tourists will intersect with travelers coming to Seattle to watch the FIFA World Cup matches in June and July, the Port's communications director, Chris Guizlo, sees that as a good thing.

"Generally, we expect that many people will take time to go to games on either side of their cruise, which is a great thing for our local businesses," he said.

'Ramping up pretty well'

Thursday afternoon saw the calm before the storm on Pier 66. Seattle defrosted under sunny skies ahead of the first cruise ship's arrival Friday.

Waterfront restaurants were quiet, and the majority of the people lingering on the pier were construction workers tackling the maintenance and repair of the grand staircase.

That all changes soon. Depending on whom you ask, cruise season can be a mixed bag for local businesses.

Michael Teer, owner of Pike and Western Wine Shop, accommodates the cruise ship tourists by stocking local wines and adding screw-top and canned options to the inventory for easier handling.

But because the cruise lines limit the amount of alcohol that passengers can bring aboard, "it's not a very big bump for us," Teer said Thursday. "Increased foot traffic doesn't always mean increased sales."

He's still keen for summertime business - though the downside, he said, is locals avoid the area around Pike Place Market because of the crowds.

"It's an issue, frankly, for the traditional businesses here because we depend on local shoppers," Teer said. "Fortunately, downtown Seattle is growing as a residential neighborhood, and so we do benefit from them."

For Sodos at Bang Bang Cafe, cruise season provides a reliable annual boost in business.

She and her sister, Yuki, have owned the cafe at 2460 Western Ave. in Belltown since 2009. The business is a few blocks from Pier 66.

Though she feels prepared for the onslaught this year, she's also curious to see how the waterfront - which runs in the opposite direction of her cafe - affects foot traffic. Waterfront Park largely opened last year after taking a decade and a half to finish, and it's now an attractive destination for tourists and locals alike.

Sodos welcomes the surge of visitors, particularly given the economic squeeze most consumers are experiencing. "It's just so expensive for people to go out now," she said.

When the cafe first opened 17 years ago, the basic burrito cost around $6.50. The price tag eventually ticked up to $14 to cover labor expenses "and all the costs of doing business in Seattle," Sodos said.

After a particularly slow winter, "I'm looking forward to the summer, for sure," she said. "It seems like it's ramping up pretty well - and right on time.

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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM.