The Port of Seattle has cancelled the April 1 and April 5 planned sailings of the Seattle cruise season due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
“This region is in a public health emergency and we will cancel the first two sailings of our cruise season,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Peter Steinbrueck in a written statement announcing the decision. “The health, safety, and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority.”
The April 1 and April 5 sailings are port of call sailings, rather than home port sailings, Port officials noted. The overwhelming majority of sailings at the Port of Seattle are homeport sailings.
The Port said that it will continue to work with first responders, cruise lines, and local leaders, and consider current public health guidance, as well as enhanced actions that the cruise lines are undertaking, to determine future sailings.
The Port has also implemented daily enhanced cleaning protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus at Port maritime and marine maintenance facilities, including providing hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes for cleaning of desks, shops and vehicles, as well as disinfecting high-touch surfaces and floors throughout the facilities, including kitchens, hand rails, door knobs, offices, conference rooms, and restrooms.
Late Wednesday the U.S. State Department issued a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory worldwide due to the global impact of the pandemic. Level 3 is the second-most severe rating on the State Department’s travel advisory scale.
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