Cruises to Alaska from Seattle will have a new port in 2008. The Port Authority recently approved a plan to return Pier 30 to container vessel operations and move cruise ship operations to Pier 91. Pier 30 is in the industrialized south side of downtown, not the most scenic area for visitors to Seattle. The new Pier 91 is on the north side of downtown not far from Holland America's World Headquarters. Pier 91 will undergo extensive renovations and upgrades and be ready to go by April 2008, just in time for the 2008 Alaska cruise season. According to Jerry Vaughn, President of World Voyager, Inc., the parent company of www.alaskacruisesandlandtours.com the new pier should offer passengers outstanding views of Mt Rainer and the Seattle Skyline. While not quite as handy to SeaTac Airport, the new Pier should have improved facilities and be more efficient for embarkation and disembarkation. The cruise lines have agreed to a number of new environmental safeguards as part of the project.
Seattles other cruise pier, Pier 66 on the downtown Seattle waterfront will continue to host Norwegian cruise ships and others that make Seattle ports of call. Upgrades to environmental safeguards are also being implemented at Pier 66 as well.
