American Cruise Lines explores Poulsbo port calls; officials weigh dock upgrades and operational limits

Port and city officials said American Cruise Lines has expressed interest in making Poulsbo a port of call in future seasons, and they discussed potential infrastructure upgrades, passenger access and economic impacts.

Why this matters: cruise visits can bring hundreds of day visitors who typically do not use local hotel rooms but spend at downtown businesses; officials said a successful port call could generate local spending but would require engineering, dock-strength and safety assessments.

Port manager James Weaver said American Cruise Lines operates two vessels in Puget Sound and has expanded its fleet; the company currently docks at Bremerton and buses passengers to Poulsbo. Weaver said the cruise line would prefer to bring passengers directly to Poulsbo if suitable docking arrangements can be made. City and port staff noted the breakwater and pier were not originally designed for cruise-ship tonnage and would need hardware and possibly structural upgrades to accommodate a vessel tied to the breakwater.

Council members raised operational concerns over anchoring, prevailing wind and shallow conditions in Liberty Bay that can make turning and holding anchor difficult for larger vessels. One consultant and a ferry captain discussed pivot and wind concerns during the meeting; staff said they will have the city engineer and port engineer evaluate structural capacity, tidal/anchoring constraints and pedestrian access from the breakwater to downtown.

Economic questions were also raised. One councilor cautioned against using taxpayer dollars for any dock construction to attract cruise ships and asked staff to verify realistic spending and local business benefit before committing public funds.

Next steps: engineers will evaluate dock capacity and safety constraints. City and port staff and commissioners said they will pursue options that maximize economic benefits while limiting taxpayer subsidy.