Eastern WA port to be newest cruise ship hub on Columbia, Snake rivers
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- Port of Walla Walla commission OKs 20-year Burbank, WA dock lease, pending review.
- American Cruise Lines expects Burbank to be a stop when a 14-day roundtrip debuts in 2027.
- Dock upgrades and tourism links aim to boost regional travel and local airports.
Move over Seattle.
A new cruise ship hub is emerging and it is in Eastern Washington.
The gritty spot where two key Pacific Northwest rivers meet will be a new passenger stop for American Cruise Lines Inc., the Guilford, Conn.-based river cruise operator with a lively business on the Columbia-Snake system.
American Cruise Lines is finalizing a deal to lease the vastly underused Burbank High Dock, near the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers at Burbank, as a passenger dock.
ACL will use the dock as a stop cruise passengers can board buses for excursions to Walla Walla wineries, parks and other destinations.
The Port of Walla Walla Commission unanimously agreed to terms of a 20-year lease this week, pending final legal review.
Visit Walla Walla is thrilled to have a new avenue for connecting visitors with area wineries and to showcase the physical geography of the Palouse and Blue Mountains and the area’s tribal and pioneer history.
“This is exciting news,” said Guy Glaeser, executive director of the regional tourism agency. Cruise passengers are valuable tourists, he told the Tri-City Herald.
“We know from experience that many travelers receive their first introduction to destinations through cruise travel. River cruises tend to attract curious and engaged visitors who are eager to explore communities beyond the dock, and that often leads to return visits and longer stays,” he said.
American Cruise Lines previously used the dock as winter storage for one of the ships in its Columbia Snake fleet. The 180-passenger American Song spent winter 2024-25 parked across the Snake River, opposite Sacajawea State Park.
The dock and associated roads will be upgraded, with Burbank expected to welcome passengers in 2027. That’s when ACL introduces a 14-day roundtrip cruise of the Columbia Snake system.
Mark Freeman, ACL’s Portland-based government affairs director, told the port it welcomes suggestions as it develops itineraries for its future passengers, similar to the stops its ships make about 20 miles away in Richland.
Columbia Snake drama
American Cruise Lines operates nationally, but the Columbia Snake system is special, Freeman told commissioners.
Passengers are drawn by the dramatic transition between the Inland Empire east of the Cascade Mountains and the maritime region to the west via the Columbia River Gorge.
“It’s an important area for us,” he said.
The cruise line is expanding its Columbia Snake fleet with a sixth cruise ship for the 2026 season. The boat, built in Maryland, arrives via the Panama Canal next month.
Additional ships are slated to come online in 2027 and beyond.
Testing the waters
American Cruise Lines intends to upgrade the dock for passenger excursions, but it isn’t ruling out using it as an embarkation point in the future.
That means cruise passengers would travel to Burbank to start their trips.
Port of Walla Walla officials hope that translates to more traffic for local airports. The Walla Walla Regional Airport is an hour away. The Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco is about 10 minutes by car.
The confluence of two rivers is picturesque enough, but Burbank’s waterfront is industrial.
Neighbors include a grain terminal and a metal recycling facility. An ACL spokesman previously said the character is not offputting. Passengers are intrigued by working waterfronts and pepper crew with questions about the barges and other commercial activity they see on or near the water during their cruises.
Cruise season begins later this month.
The lease starts at $58,000 for the first year and rises to nearly $85,000 in the 20th year. The lease includes provision for day use of the dock by third parties, with fees split between the port and ACL.
Go to americancruiselines.com.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 6:15 AM.