Travel advisors and clients who subscribe to the adage that the West Coast is the best coast, rejoice!
Newcomers such as Explora Journeys and Virgin Voyages are soon on their way and Disney Cruise Line is doubling down on its West Coast portfolio, among other exciting developments. Indeed, cruises from British Columbia, California and Washington are no longer mere afterthoughts for the industry.
Data from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) supports this. Passenger volume in the Mexico, California and Pacific Coast regions jumped 27% from 2022 to 2023, rising from about 1.14 million to 1.45 million, according to CLIA’s One reSource Passenger Database. While 2024 saw a slight pullback to 1.33 million passengers, the overall trend remains well above the passenger levels in 2022.
Booming Sales and Opportunities
Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners, says sales statistics tell a similar story. San Diego is seeing regional sales up a staggering 98.4%, according to the franchise’s latest California data. Plus, sales out of Los Angeles (San Pedro) and Long Beach, California, along with San Francisco, are growing at 44.8%, 15.2% and 8.2%, respectively. As for Washington, Seattle is holding at 8.4%.
This surge is driven by increased inventory; enhanced itineraries to Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico; and traveler interest in cruises that offer drive-to convenience and fewer international flight hassles.
“This surge is driven by increased inventory; enhanced itineraries to Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico; and traveler interest in cruises that offer drive-to convenience and fewer international flight hassles,” Fee said. “West Coast ports are becoming top choices for both new and repeat cruisers."
And it should be fairly easy to leverage the popularity of these ports.
Families are one of the main groups taking advantage of local cruises.
Credit: 2025 Princess Cruises“Positioning these cruises as easy-to-access adventures that don’t require international travel can really resonate with clients looking for simplicity and fun,” Fee said.
She recommends that travel advisors inform clients about new itineraries, last-minute deals and the convenience of departing domestically, emphasizing that social media, email campaigns and personal outreach are the best channels with which to do so.
Convenient Embarkation Ports And Desirable Destinations
Individual agents agree that a combination of convenient embarkation options and desirable destinations are increasingly moving the dial for customers. The reasons why could not be simpler.
Drive-to ports mean no flights needed, which means less risk of missing a cruise due to flight delays, notes Linda Terrell Nunes, owner of travel agency A Shift in Spirit. Adding to the appeal is the beauty of the West Coast, from Mexico all the way up to Alaska, she adds.
Denise Ambrusko-Maida, founder of Travel Brilliant, points to Hawaii as yet another scenic destination for cruises departing from and returning to the West Coast — not to mention, it’s an ideal alternative for clients who want to avoid volatile climates elsewhere.
Hawaii is a popular destination and a great alternative to the Caribbean.
Credit: 2025 Norwegian Cruise Line“Now is the perfect time for clients to consider West Coast cruising due to the opportunity to avoid the Caribbean hurricane season,” she said. “With fewer weather disruptions, travelers can enjoy smooth sailing.”
Multigenerational Groups and First-Timers
The undeniable convenience of West Coast cruises offers a turnkey solution for families and first-time cruisers, notes Ambrusko-Maida. There’s also the value of shorter travel times for these clients — as well as the opportunity to save on flight costs, says Michael Salazar, a travel specialist with Travelmation.
“You can skip the flights, save money and still enjoy an amazing vacation,” he said. “For families or groups, skipping flights can save hundreds — or even thousands — right out of the gate. These cruises are also a great first step for people who have never cruised before. You can start with a short trip without going too far from home.”
Cruise Planners’ Fee adds that a wide range of sailing lengths and ship styles make West Coast cruising an attractive modern option.
Many West Coast voyages are only three to seven nights long, Salazar adds, cementing them as prime candidates for the busiest of schedules. He also points out that lines are constantly adding newer and larger vessels, as well as a greater variety of itineraries along otherwise common routes.
Princess Shows Alaska More Love
Known for its Love Boats, Princess Cruises continues to regularly sail from the Port of Los Angeles (located in San Pedro), and the line’s newest ship will soon sail in Alaska. The upcoming Star Princess is slated to sail to the Great Land from Seattle starting next May, marking regional growth from Washington.
In the meantime, Royal Princess and Emerald Princess will cover Southern California departures for this year and next (plus Ruby Princess from San Francisco), with a slight uptick in guest capacity when Discovery Princess replaces Royal in 2026-2027.
“The offerings are diverse, from California wine country and tropical adventures in Hawaii to the fiestas and flavors of Mexico,” said Debbie Holbrook, director of deployment and itinerary planning for Princess. “Then, of course, sailings to Alaska from Seattle on our newest ship in the fleet.”
California (and Alaska) Dreaming With Carnival
Carnival Cruise Line is staying the course in Alaska and California, as well. For 2027-2028, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Legend will head north from Seattle, while Carnival Luminosa will do so from San Francisco. Carnival Panorama, meanwhile, will renew its year-round voyages from Long Beach.
Carnival sails to Alaska from Seattle.
Credit: 2025 Carnival Cruise LineOf note: Repositioning from Australia, Luminosa will navigate from Sydney to San Francisco on April 6, 2027, during a special 23-day transpacific Carnival Journeys cruise that will visit Suva, Fiji; Moorea and Papeete in French Polynesia; and Honolulu along the way.
A Quantum Leap for Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean has also upped its sailings from the West Coast. Ovation of the Seas has joined the existing Navigator of the Seas as the first Quantum-class ship to sail from San Pedro and call on Baja California, according to Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for the line. From October 2025 to September 2026, Quantum of the Seas will swap in for Ovation.
Navigator of the Seas is on the West Coast.
Credit: 2025 Royal Caribbean International“But we didn’t save all the fun for just Los Angeles,” Freed said. “In 2026, we will reintroduce a homeport in San Diego, where Serenade of the Seas will offer more getaways to the Mexican Riviera.”
What’s more, the brand has also brought back overnight stays in Cabo San Lucas on select five- and six-night itineraries onboard Ovation (and soon Quantum).
Norwegian Adds San Diego
Some of the recent growth in cruises in and out of San Diego is thanks to Norwegian Cruise Line.
“Our Mexican Riviera sailings have increased about 40% from last year,” said John Chernesky, senior vice president of sales for North America for the line. “Now that we provide the opportunity to sail from not only Los Angeles, but also San Diego [onboard Norwegian Jade, beginning fall 2025], it’s easy for the residents of California and the folks from Arizona and Nevada who may prefer to drive to embark on their cruise vacation with us.”
By adding Norwegian Joy from Seattle to Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore in Alaska, a trio of Breakaway Plus-class ships now sail with the highest percentage of balcony staterooms in the region, according to the executive.
Disney Doubles Down
Disney Cruise Line just announced that it, too, will promote West Coast sailings. For the first time ever, the brand will showcase two ships simultaneously from San Diego: Disney Magic and Disney Wonder.
Disney Magic will join Wonder for cruises out of San Diego.
Credit: 2025 Disney Cruise LineMagic will embark on three- to seven-night voyages to Mexico in October and November 2026, and Wonder will add three- to seven-night journeys to Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, as well as California’s Catalina Island, from October 2026 to April 2027. During the 2026 season, the same two ships will also cruise together to Alaska on weeklong voyages from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Holland America Goes Big
Holland America Line, meanwhile — which has long sailed from San Diego, as well as from Seattle and Vancouver to Alaska — will remain dedicated to the California homeport. For the 2025-2026 season, the line will mix things up, with Nieuw Amsterdam returning after an absence of several years.
“From these ports, guests can enjoy everything from short coastal getaways to iconic voyages in Alaska and Mexico,” said Robert de Bruin, director of deployment and itinerary planning for the line. “But Holland America Line’s West Coast departures also open the door to far-flung adventures across the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, Japan, Australia and the South Pacific — redefining what West Coast cruising can be.”
Clients could, for example, make the most of a roundtrip voyage from San Diego on the 93-day Grand Australia & New Zealand circuit on Zaandam. The sailing visits more than 40 cruise ports, including Bora Bora in French Polynesia; Sydney and Auckland in Australia and New Zealand; and off-the-beaten-path stops in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Pre- and Post-Cruise Upselling
When it comes to upselling, advisors should consider opportunities to book customers on pre- and post-cruise extensions.
“Advisors should listen closely to their clients’ travel styles and interests,” said Fee of Cruise Planners. “Some may love a short Baja cruise paired with a San Diego weekend, while others may want a luxury Alaska cruise with a pre-cruise stay at a high-end resort in Seattle. The beauty of the West Coast is its versatility; it supports both mid-market and upscale experiences — especially when you package in iconic cities such as San Francisco, Napa Valley or Los Angeles.”
Travelmation’s Salazar also sees the benefit of tacking on extra experiences before or after a sailing, citing Los Angeles and San Diego as destinations in their own right. In either city, carving out additional days and nights for a beach resort stay, theme park visits or wine tastings is time well spent for clients.
“That’s where you can elevate the experience — turning a cruise into a full vacation,” he said. “Whether it’s mid-market or higher-end really depends on how it’s packaged. The key is to tailor it to the client’s lifestyle, not just their budget.”
Newcomers Join the Party
The mainstays above are not the only lines scheduled to make waves along the West Coast: Explora Journeys, MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages will be next to join in.
Next summer, Virgin will be deploying its newest vessel, Brilliant Lady, to Alaska from Seattle, as well as offering several Baja and California sailings from San Pedro before and after the Alaska season.
Both brands from MSC Group — Explora and MSC itself — will also be fresh faces in Alaska, with MSC Poesia sailing from Seattle next summer, and Explora III departing from Vancouver in summer 2027.
And that’s how the West was won: With this new wave of West Coast sailings, it’s clear that it’s time for advisors to get onboard and start planning the perfect itineraries.
