cruise ships

Ticketing at Sea-Tac Airport, November 10, 2015.

Spring break travel ramps up at Sea-Tac Airport

Lisa Brooks

The holiday used to bring a surge of travelers over a two or three week period. Now, airport officials say it's spread over about five weeks.

A ship sailing through a channel into a city.

Business

Juneau to vote on whether to ban cruise ships on Saturdays

The Associated Press

Long-simmering tensions over the Alaskan capital's tourism boom are coming to a head over a new voter initiative aimed at giving residents a respite from the influx.

Passengers disembark from a cruise ship that has docked on June 12, 2023, in downtown Juneau, Alaska. As the Mendenhall Glacier continues to recede, tourists are flooding into Juneau. A record number of cruise ship passengers are expected this year in the city of about 30,000 people.

Environment

Crammed with tourists, Alaska's capital wonders what will happen as its magnificent glacier recedes

The Associated Press

A record number of cruise passengers are expected this year in Alaska's capital, drawn by wonders such as the long-retreating Mendenhall Glacier. But the glacier is receding so quickly that by 2050, it might no longer be visible from the visitor center it once loomed outside.

A way to prevent large ships from striking and killing whales is to transmit alerts to the officers at the helm when whales are nearby.

Environment

Reducing collisions between ships and whales? There's apps for that, but they need work

Tom Banse

Fortunately, it doesn't happen very often in the Pacific Northwest that ships collide with whales. But when it does, it's upsetting, tragic and the whale probably dies. Three separate teams have developed smartphone-based systems that can alert commercial mariners to watch out or slow down when there are whales nearby. A recent ride-along on a big container ship demonstrated that real-time whale alerts are still a work in progress.

Environment

Big ships transiting Puget Sound asked to slow down for orcas

Tom Banse

Big ships entering and leaving Puget Sound will be asked to temporarily slow down to reduce underwater noise as part of a two month Quiet Sound trial. Washington state hope the speed reduction helps the Pacific Northwest's critically endangered southern resident orcas.

A paraglider soars above a cruise ship docked in Juneau, Alaska.

News

Biden signs bill opening door for Alaska cruises to resume

President Joe Biden signed into law Monday legislation that opens a door for resumed cruise ship travel to Alaska after the pandemic last year scrapped…

A sailboat maneuvers near a cruise ship near Juneau, Alaska, in May 2018. Congress has voted to let large cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada, a step that could clear the way for cruises later this year.

News

Legislation raises hopes for Seattle-to-Alaska cruises this summer

Congress has voted to let large cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada, a step that could clear the way for…

Food

Nautical Nancy goes cruisin'

Dick Stein

My Food for Thought Co-conspirator Nancy Leson, previously a happy land lubber, was recently cajoled into a trip to Mexico on one of those giant cruise…

ms Oosterdam at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal in Seattle

Business

Cruise ships sailing from Seattle to Alaska down from 2010 peak

Paula Wissel

The number of cruise ships sailing to Alaska from Seattle remains down from the peak of two years ago. In 2010, 223 ships made the trip. This year, 202…

Cruise ships such as the Norwegian Star are cabable of holding their sewage for the 24 hours or less that they typically berth in Seattle. The Department of Ecology and several non profits are asking for a ban on all discharges in Washington waters.

Environment

Ban on cruise ship discharges proposed for Washington waters

Bellamy Pailthorp

Cruise ships are big business for the Port of Seattle.Last season, about 200 calls brought nearly 900,000 passengers and their wallets though the city.…