Seattle is now the 7th largest port of origin for cruises in the nation, and number-one on the West Coast. Seattle Times photo

Seattle is now the 7th largest port of origin for cruises in the nation, and number-one on the West Coast. Seattle Times photo

A record number of cruise ship passengers shoved off from Port of Seattle this year, according to Port officials. Hitting a new height of 933,900 passengers aboard 202 ships. Each of those ships generates $2.1 million for the local economy, according to the consulting firm Martin Associates, including everything from taxes to tourism to stocking the galley.

Peter McGraw of the Port of Seattle said the city has become the premier point of origin for Alaska cruises. He credited a big investment in infrastructure at the Port, including a new cruise terminal completed three years ago.

“When you consider just over 10 years ago we had six ships of call, and now we’re looking at in the 200 range, you know we’ve come a long way,” McGraw said.

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