SEATTLE — Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas arrived at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal Monday morning, and with it a boatload of potential for the local economy.
The Port of Seattle is welcoming the biggest cruise ship on the West Coast while announcing a plan to help communities take advantage of the nearly a million cruise passengers who arrive in Seattle every year.
The Port says it’s going to spend $100,000 to get cruise passengers to visit communities around Western Washington.
"We're here to tour the American economy. I thought most Americans would like that idea,” said Australian tourist Kent Pryor. "This is the fourth time we've sailed here, from Sydney."
Pryor came to Seattle on the Explorer of the Seas.
Nearly three football fields long, with more than 3000 passengers, the ship is huge example of what Port of Seattle leaders are trying to leverage -- passengers, who can spend money in Seattle.
"We want to work with the cruise industry to help double the economic impact of the cruise industry to Washington State, over the next 25 years,” said Port of Seattle Commission president John Creighton.
Part of doubling the impact is for the Port of Seattle to start doling out $100,000 in grant money to 13 organizations, such as the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.
"The chamber was awarded $10,000 from the Port of Seattle through this grant, and we are going to use those funds to launch a new website called Visit Ballard,” said Mike Stewart with the chamber.
Stewart said he looks at the Explorer of the Seas as an opportunity to get tourists visiting not just the Space Needle or Pike Place Market, but neighborhoods like Ballard, which boasts the Locks and a new Nordic Heritage Museum set to open in 2018.
“(Tourists can) see some of the great restaurants, some off the great shopping opportunities, and visit some of our great public assets,” said Stewart.
Cox Media Group
