Cruise West Ceases All Operations

Cruise West, a small-ship cruise line operating out of Seattle, Washington, ceased operations on Saturday, September 18th after 63 years. In a statement the company says for they have spent the last year aggressively pursuing many “options with interested parties to maintain operations, including investment, selling assets, and selling the company.” The troubled economy kept any of these options from coming to fruition.

Dick West, Cruise West’s Chairman and Managing Director had this to say, “I have never given up hope that we might be able to find a way to survive by working with the various interested parties. I am absolutely heartbroken that this family legacy has come to an end.”

The company has canceled all cruises with the exception of the September 22 Danube Cruise. Guests booked n future cruises have been notified. The company says their “Galapagos partner, Canodros, operator of the Galapagos Explorer II, is working...to provide an alternate program to our guests already booked.”

Last week the company issued 65 layoffs, and has kept a small staff in place to aid in the shutdown.

Evidence that the line was in grave financial trouble became apparent earlier this month when the company shutdown its reservations system and suspended its bookings, posting to their website a notice of restructuring efforts.

Later came the announcement that their world cruise, onboard the Spirit of Oceanus would be terminated and the ship sold to Danish Investors. That same week Washnigton’s Employment Security Department reported receiving notification from Cruise West of their intentions to layoff of 65 employees.

Prior to ceasing operations the line was the largest operator of U.S. flagged cruise vessels (by number of vessels) with nine currently operating. They were best known for their Alaska cruises, small ships and up-close and personal experiences with many regular cruisers. They also operated cruises to destinations all around the Pacific Ocean.