Astoria Expects 28,000 Cruise Passengers in 2026
Norwegian Jade put about 2,300 passengers in town during an eight-hour call before continuing to Vancouver Island and other Canadian stops.
Astoria, Oregon, is scheduled to receive 12 ocean cruise calls and about 28,000 passengers between its April 9 opening call and the end of the 2026 season in October, creating a roughly $2.8 million local spending opportunity if visitors average about $100 ashore. The Columbia River port’s season began with Nieuw Amsterdam, a 2,100-passenger ship, and later included Norwegian Jade, which put about 2,300 passengers into town during a short port stay.
For a city of about 10,000, the calls create high-volume sales days for retailers, vendors and attractions. But Astoria’s ocean-cruise schedule remains far below its pre-pandemic level, when about 30 large cruise ships called each season; the current lineup is less than half that volume.
Short calls bring concentrated spending
Theresa Jones and her daughter, Skylar Jones, operate Northwest Nut from Ridgefield, Washington, and set up at the base of the cruise ramp when ships are in port. During Norwegian Jade’s call, Jones expected to sell about $2,000 in roasted nuts over a 12-hour day, with bags priced at $20 to avoid slowing passengers down with change.
“We are here when they step off the ship,” Theresa Jones said. “We roast on site and then we sample everybody.”
That passenger spending also reaches Astoria’s attractions. Caroline Levin of the Columbia River Maritime Museum said the museum can see ticket sales rise from about 200 visitors on a typical midweek day to roughly 700 when a cruise ship is in town. “Typically mid-week this time of the year can be a little bit quiet,” Levin said.
The impact is not uniform. Jen Bergeman of Soon Yi Sushi said the restaurant has tried coupons and giveaways but still sees many cruise visitors pass by. “We think it is because they get fed pretty well on the ships,” Bergeman said. Chris Lamb, owner of The Lonely Crab Record Shop, said the crowds increase foot traffic but can also clog the sidewalk in front of his store. “I am glad it happens,” Lamb said. “It is good for the town.”
Astoria handles ocean ships at Pier 1
Ocean cruise ships use the Port of Astoria’s Pier 1, where the north-face berth is listed at 1,100 feet with 38 to 42 feet of water depth. Norwegian Jade was in port from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. before continuing to Vancouver Island and other Canadian stops.
Astoria’s ocean calls are tied to transition routes as cruise lines move from warmer winter bases near Mexico toward summer operations in Alaska and Seattle. That gives the city limited call windows rather than the more regular traffic seen at larger homeport or turnaround ports.
River cruises provide steadier visitation
River and small-ship traffic is a more frequent contributor for some local attractions. Levin said American Cruise Lines operates seven boats on its Lewis and Clark route between Astoria and Lewiston, Idaho, with calls near the museum on almost 200 days a year. American Cruise Lines also markets four Columbia and Snake River itineraries and operates a dedicated fleet in the region.
Companies including American Cruise Lines and National Geographic bring smaller vessels to Astoria, generally carrying up to about 200 people. Those vessels can use smaller docks, including locations near the museum or downtown, rather than relying only on the industrial port facilities used by larger ocean ships.
The reduced ocean-cruise schedule has also affected the local volunteer base. The Clatsop Cruise Hosts Association, founded in 1981 by Marion Soderberg, had about 200 volunteers before the pandemic to greet passengers and direct them to transportation, activities and stores. Robbie Mattson, the association’s secretary, said the group is now down to about 60 volunteers. “We’d really like to replenish our ranks,” Mattson said.
The next listed ocean call is The World, scheduled for June 14-15, followed by Crystal Symphony on Aug. 19, Serenade of the Seas on Sept. 28 and Norwegian Joy on Oct. 3. The Port of Astoria cautions that cruise schedules can change without notice; if the lineup holds, Norwegian Joy will close Astoria’s ocean-cruise season in early October.
