PORT ANGELES — A Holland America cruise ship more than two football fields long and 10 stories high that can hold 2,000 passengers and crew will dock at the Port of Port Angeles pier May 13 as part of a three-day excursion.
Business leaders hope the stop at the T1 pier by the MS Zaandam will lead to future dockings by other cruise ships.
“We are using the cruise to showcase the area to Holland America,” said Russ Veenema, executive director of the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
“We want the decision-makers to realize we are putting out the welcome mat and could do it more often if more cruise ships were available,” he said. “Then maybe we’ll get more in the future.”
The cruise begins May 12 from Vancouver, British Columbia, traveling through the San Juan Islands and Georgia Strait.
The ship is scheduled to arrive at Port Angeles Harbor late that night and dock at 7 a.m. May 13, with passengers disembarking about 7:30 a.m.
The visitors will spend about seven hours, departing at 2 p.m. for an all-day trip north through Johnstone Strait to Alert Bay on Vancouver Island’s northeast coast.
The ship is due to arrive back at Vancouver on May 15.
