Sailing to Alaska From Seattle

After more than a decade of courtship, Seattle has gotten a cruise line to drop anchor at its port, allowing tourists to embark on voyages to Alaska’s scenic Inside Passage from the United States rather than Canada. Starting in May 2000, Norwegian Cruise Line plans to do seven-day round-trip voyages on its new Norwegian Sky ship from Seattle through Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage, with a call in Vancouver.

Seattle’s Bell Street Pier, opened in 1996, is a stop for repositioning cruises but has no home-ported ships. Information: (800) 327-7030.