Alaska cruises seem to have a special kind of appeal. Glaciers, wildlife, incredible scenery and those long days exploring somewhere completely different. And judging by Seattle's latest figures, plenty of people are keen to experience it.
The Port of Seattle has released its results for the 2026 cruise season, which finished on Sunday 18 October. It reports 330 cruise ship calls and nearly two million passenger journeys through the port.
Those are huge numbers. But what I find interesting is what they mean beyond the ships themselves.
More passengers, more local jobs
Seattle estimates that cruising brought more than US$1.2 billion into the regional economy during the season and supported over 5,120 direct and indirect jobs.
Those are the port's estimates, rather than independently audited figures in the announcement. Even so, they are a useful reminder that cruising involves far more people than the crew we meet onboard. There are port workers, transport teams, suppliers and local businesses who all help make a cruise possible.
Two cruise lines also completed their first Seattle seasons. MSC Cruises sailed MSC Poesia from the port, while Virgin Voyages brought Brilliant Lady. According to the port, both are expected to return in 2027.
And what about the environmental side?
This is the part I think the industry needs to keep talking about.
Seattle says 66% of cruise ships used shore power while alongside this season, a new high for the port. That means suitably equipped ships can connect to electricity from land rather than relying entirely on their onboard generators while docked.
The port estimates this avoided more than 6,189 tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions. That's encouraging progress, but it doesn't mean cruising has no environmental impact, or that every ship plugged in. There's still more work to do.
Why should UK cruisers care?
If you're thinking about an Alaska cruise, Seattle is one of the main places to start looking. Seeing MSC and Virgin join the city's cruise line options is interesting, especially if you're comparing different types of holiday.
Just remember that a cruise from Seattle involves more than choosing a cabin. From Britain, you'd also need to think about flights, any hotel stay before departure, travel documents and the full cost of getting to the ship.
I want the cruise industry to keep growing, but I also want the places welcoming these ships and the people working there to benefit from it. That's why it's good to see the jobs and environmental figures discussed alongside the passenger records.
A busy season is exciting. Making that success work for everyone is what really matters.
Source: Port of Seattle's official 2026 season announcement, 19 October 2026. Economic, jobs and emissions figures are estimates published by the port. This article includes our own commentary.
Cruise ships at Seattle's Smith Cove terminal in an earlier season. Photo: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
