On May 1, 2025, Carnival Cruise Line celebrated its 15-year anniversary sailing out of the Port of Seattle.
To ring in this momentous occasion, a party was held on the 2,260-passenger Carnival Luminosa as it arrived at the port ahead of the 2025 Alaska cruise season.
This event showcased how Carnival has formed strong ties to the Seattle community, as cruise tourism has boosted the local economy.
During the celebration, several Carnival representatives welcomed local leaders and port officials as well as sharing their appreciation for the continuous and successful partnership.
Then, Carnival Cruise Line announced it would be donating $20,000 to FareStart — which is a Seattle-based nonprofit that helps to provide nutritious meals, career pathways, and even free job training to individuals in need.
“Seattle has been instrumental in helping us grow our Alaska cruise offerings, and we’re proud to support local organizations like FareStart that make such a positive impact in the community,” said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.
In an effort to give back to communities where it operates, Carnival’s donation will directly support FareStart’s Mobile Community Market, which will sponsor 800 vouchers for local families that will be able to use them to buy fresh produce and pantry staples.
Throughout the past 15 years, Carnival Cruise Line has worked closely with the Port of Seattle by supporting initiatives such as implementing shore power usage and expanding cruise offerings.
Recently, Carnival added round-trip voyages to Hawaii from this port — giving cruisers tropical destinations to choose from beyond exploring the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Canada.
The 88,500 gross ton Carnival Spirit kicked off the cruise line’s sailings out of Seattle in the summer of 2010, and this ship just returned to the port last month for yet another summer season.
The arrival of Carnival Luminosa in Seattle on May 1 was the conclusion of a 28-day trans-Pacific repositioning cruise. The ship was previously at its other seasonal homeport located in Brisbane, Australia.
Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Spirit will be the only two Carnival Cruise Line vessels deployed in Seattle for this cruising season.
Both ships will offer week-long itineraries, visiting destinations such as Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan in Alaska as well as Victoria, British Columbia.
With cruises out of Seattle becoming more popular than ever as Alaskan cruises are high in demand, 2025 is set to be a busy year for these two vessels.
Ongoing Agreements with Carnival Cruise Line
Beyond just the 15-year-long relationship, Carnival Cruise Line and the Port of Seattle are currently almost a year into a 10-year-long berthing agreement.
Announced on June 25, 2024, the Port of Seattle Commission agreed to give the cruise line preferential privileges at the city’s two dedicated cruise terminals.
The deal will continue through 2033, and there is also an option for Carnival Corporation to extend for five additional years.
With eight major cruise lines sailing out of this port, access to docking and even terminals can be limited — especially during the summer.
That being said, the partnership between Carnival and the Port of Seattle gives the cruise line priority access to this ideal homeport for Alaskan cruises.
This deal also extends to Carnival’s sister companies — including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Cunard Line.
Throughout the past 15 years, the relationship between Carnival Cruise Line and the Port of Seattle has continued to blossom.
With the ongoing agreements and the dedication to the community shown time and time again by Carnival, this partnership is surely one that is built to last, as it is truly mutually beneficial.
