Port of Seattle: Start of 2020 cruise season could be delayed amid coronavirus concerns

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle said the start of the local 2020 cruise season could be delayed amid coronavirus concerns as the State Department warned Americans Sunday, particularly “older” people and those with underlying health conditions, to avoid traveling on cruise ships.

The Grand Princess, now in California with 21 confirmed coronavirus cases, is scheduled to kick off Seattle’s cruise ship season April 1, according to the Port of Seattle. Evacuations from the ship are expected to begin Monday in California and last several days.

It was not immediately clear Sunday whether the ship would then continue on to Seattle.

“We are actively reviewing multiple options about the launch of the 2020 cruise season with our cruise operators, the U.S. Coast Guard, public health authorities, local leaders,” said Port of Seattle spokesperson Peter McGraw, who told KIRO 7 Sunday daily talks with those agencies would continue this week.

Like previous years, 2020 is expected to be a record year for the Seattle cruise industry, which the port said accounts for nearly $1 billion in business activity for the area and thousands of jobs.

“This industry means about $900 million of business activity for our region in one cruise season,” said McGraw. “Each of those vessels mean about $4 million in local economic activity and this means about 5,500 jobs locally. So it’s significant.”

McGraw said ultimately, the Port of Seattle would not be the agency to decide if any cruise ships are blocked from docking in Seattle because of the coronavirus.

“That’s a determination that the CDC and the U.S. Coast Guard would make,” said McGraw.

McGraw said it’s not yet clear when a decision could be made on whether to delay the start of the 2020 cruise season.

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