Seattle's cruise season kicks off next month, and with nearly 2 million passengers expected to pass through the city's two terminals, it's about to get very busy down by the waterfront.

Why it matters: Since Seattle started hosting cruises in 1999, the industry has grown into one of the region's biggest tourism drivers, pumping an estimated $900 million into the economy and shaping the city's warm-weather vibe.

The big picture: The global cruise industry saw record growth in 2023, generating $168.6 billion in economic impact, supporting 1.6 million jobs, and carrying 31.7 million passengers, according to a 2024 study by the Cruise Lines International Association.

• Seattle's cruise industry is operating near full-steam — with more ships, more passengers, and expanded itineraries this year, per the Port of Seattle.

By the numbers: Nearly 300 cruise ship visits are expected in 2025 — Pier 66 Bell Street Terminal is expecting 90 while Pier 91 Smith Cove Terminal expects 208.

• Up to 18,000 passengers and three ships are expected on peak days between May and October, starting with May 4, May 31 and June 7.
• 11 cruise lines will be sailing from Seattle this year, including Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Holland America.

Friction point: Critics have raised concerns about the cruise industry's environmental impact, highlighting issues such as high carbon emissions.

Yes, but: Port of Seattle spokesperson Chris Guizlo tells Axios this will be the first year all three of Seattle's cruise berths will have shore power, allowing ships to plug in and cut emissions.

• By plugging into the local electrical grid while docked, cruise ships can power their lights, refrigeration, and other onboard systems without running their engines, reducing diesel emissions by 80% and carbon dioxide emissions by 66% on average, Guizlo said.

Zoom in: Seattleites who don't love dodging tourists and shuttle buses can check the cruise schedule here to know when to steer clear of the piers.

What we're watching: Whether shifting U.S. trade policies — including a global backlash from President Trump's tariffs targeting Canada, Mexico and China and steel and aluminum imports — will affect the flow of international cruise visitors to Seattle.

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A newborn Bigg's killer whale spotted near the San Juan Islands on March 20 has a strong connection to former Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro, who died that same day.

Why it matters: The calf's mother, 14-year-old Sedna, is the granddaughter of Wake, an orca that Munro was instrumental in getting released from captivity in the 1970s, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association.

• Munro witnessed the capture of Wake and five other orcas while sailing in March 1976.
• Outraged, he helped file a lawsuit against SeaWorld that led to the whales' release and permanently ended orca captures in U.S. waters.

The bottom line: Bigg's killer whales are thriving in the Pacific Northwest today and at least 30 of them, including the newest calf born to Wake's granddaughter Sedna, exist in part because of Munro's actions, per PWWA.

🧢 The Mariners have agreed to a six-year, $105-million contract extension with star catcher Cal Raleigh, ensuring Raleigh will stay in Seattle for now. (ESPN)

A 64-year-old immigrant woman who works at UW Medicine and has lived legally in the U.S. since age 14 is being detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma over a 2001 embezzlement conviction, her lawyer says. (KUOW)

🚽 A new public restroom has opened on the downtown waterfront near the Great Wheel, offering six all-gender stalls. (Seattle Times)

The Seattle area is seeing an unusual spike in whooping cough cases, with King County reporting 111 cases so far in 2025.

Why it matters: Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can be especially dangerous for infants and young children.

• Health officials with Public Health – Seattle & King County are urging parents and expectant mothers to make sure they — and their children — are up to date on vaccines.

Driving the news: The two most recent cases in King County were reported this week, public health spokesperson Kate Cole told Axios.

By the numbers: As of March 8, Washington state had recorded 590 pertussis cases this year and more than 1,000 in 2024.

• Spokane and Clark counties had 130 and 101 cases respectively in the first months of 2025, followed by King and Snohomish with 75 each, per the state Department of Health.
• Wendy Inouye, communicable disease epidemiologist for Kitsap Public Health District, said that since the start of the 2024–25 school year, 33 pertussis cases have been reported, with more than two-thirds in school-aged children and the most recent cases occurring in mid-March.

The big picture: More than 32,000 cases of whooping cough were recorded in the U.S. last year, the highest annual total in a decade.

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Today marks the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the Kingdome, which made way for construction of the stadium now known as Lumen Field.

Stunning stat: After the detonation of more than 4,000 pounds of explosives, it took less than 20 seconds for the Kingdome's 25,000-ton roof to collapse into a pile of rubble.

Flashback: The Kingdome opened in 1976, and went on to host Mariners and Seahawks games for more than two decades.

• But in 1994, some of the roof tiles fell down before a Mariners game, crashing into the seats below.
• The roof damage cost millions to repair — bonds that King County didn't pay off until 2015.

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