Ship out with the Navy during Seafair
Published 9:00 pm Sunday, June 3, 2001
By Jim Haley
Herald Writer
If you’ve ever wanted to cruise Puget Sound on a Navy warship, now’s your chance.
The Navy is offering folks the chance to be paying guests aboard one of several vessels participating in Seattle’s Seafair celebration in August.
The Seafair fleet will leave Naval Station Everett Aug. 1, cruise to Seattle and tie up there. You can expect to spend between six and eight hours on the vessel, said Michael Kundu of the naval station.
Most of the cost goes toward paying for bus transportation between Seattle and Everett, Kundu said.
The Seafair fleet tentatively includes guided-missile destroyers and a cruiser, a command ship, the Everett-based destroyer USS Paul F. Foster and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John Stennis.
Officials have begun accepting requests for cruise applications. About 2,400 will be accepted.
The applications will be mailed to people during the third week of June, and spaces on the individual ships will be filled on a random basis. People will be asked to give their preferences for the type of ship. The registration deadline is July 6.
The cruise telephone number is 425-304-3450. Leave your name, address and telephone number so an application can be mailed to you. You also might want to leave your e-mail address to expedite receiving the application form.
The cruise will include an on-board snack and transportation to or from the naval station, depending on the travel arrangements folks make.
Cruises are open to everyone 8 and older; 17 or younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Cruise package prices vary from $18 to $32, depending on the transportation options. Military ships are not made for wheelchairs, and you should have the ability to walk or stand on steel decks for the duration of the cruise, because seating may be limited.
Besides the Foster and Stennis, scheduled ships include the USS Lassen and USS Milius, both guided-missile destroyers; the USS Coronado, a command ship; and the USS Lake Champlain, a guided-missile cruiser.
You can call Herald Writer Jim Haley at 425-339-3447
or send e-mail to haley@heraldnet.com.
