The city of Juneau is a community divided. On the one hand, its economy relies on cruise tourism. On the other, it will vote on Tuesday on whether to pass a proposal known as “ship-free Saturdays”.
Juneau is a key port for Alaskan itineraries, a region that is currently seeing huge growth and high demand across all major cruise lines.
In this environment of massive demand, where record fleets are sailing in Alaska, some cruise lines have reacted with threats. The City of Juneau has published a letter that states if the reform passes, several companies, including Royal Caribbean, have communicated an intent to sue the city.
The initiative a bid by its citizens to try and find a balance between Alaska’s huge popularity as a cruise destination and their lives as a thriving community where people actually live.
The idea – limiting visitation so citizens can go about their normal chores – is to try and ring fence one day – Saturdays plus the fourth of July. It’s certainly better than many cities, where bans and radical action like spraying guests with water pistols have sparked global headlines.
The debate has divided the 31,685 population town, between citizens who are exclaiming that their city has “become a theme park” and business owners and council executives who fear citizens aren’t grasping the broader economic consequences of shunning the cruise industry.
In 2023 Juneau saw 1,650,000 visitors from cruise ships, up 41% on 2022, and well ahead of pre-pandemic figures. If the reform passes and is upheld, the City has stated it is unsure as to whether more cruise itineraries would be redirected to the other ports, or scrapped altogether.
An interesting point to note is whatever happens with Juneau has a strong chance of influencing how other ports in the region react to large amounts of tourism.
Marily Macallair, a market analyst who works around cruise says other port towns could potentially follow in Juneau’s footsteps.
“They’re going to be the example that says, ‘OK, this is how Juneau did it. … If it worked for Juneau, let us try it.”
NCL President David Herrera says it’s as simple as the fact that tourists and cruise lines want to go to Alaska, and a way to achieve that has to be figured out.
“We have to find a way to make it work because that’s where guests want to go, and that’s where we want to take them.
“Whether it’s Alaska or Europe, we’ve just got to figure it out, and I think we’re all motivated to do that.”
NCL currently has about 13-14% of its capacity in Alaska and does not have a contingency plan in place for if they can no longer visit Juneau on Saturdays.
With the vote soon to happen, and the town at its most tense point, here’s what you should know about what’s going on.
Could Juneau get sued?
A key question hanging over this issue, is that if the vote passes, will the proposal be legally enforceable?
In an FAQ posted by the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ), the city addressed this issue.
Under a question entitled, “Will CBJ get sued if the initiative passes?” it reads: “We don’t really know. The City Attorney certified the ship-free Saturday petition as legal. However, CBJ has received legal letters from several companies stating their intent to sue if the ship free Saturdays passes.”
Those legal letters can be read here. There are letters from Royal Caribbean, Allen Marine Tours and AJ Juneau Dock. Essentially, the letters allege that for a number of reasons, the ship free Saturdays measure would be unlawful and unenforceable.
Scott Kendall the lawyer who drafted the letter on behalf of Royal Caribbean commented: “I believe the contents speak for themselves.”
While it’s difficult to speculate on what legal action may or may not be carried out, Juneau has officially communicated it’s worry that this could proceed, due to the letters from companies such as Royal Caribbean.
The CBJ has been contacted for further comment.
What are citizens saying?
- When asked “What is your preference for future cruise passenger volume in Juneau?”, 33% responded to keep it the same, 31% said they wanted it slightly lower, 19% said they wanted it much lower, 5% said they didn’t know, 3% wanted it much higher and 8% said slightly higher
- 49% of respondents who work downtown said they were somewhat or very affected by air emissions from cruise ships, however, the overall number of citizens affected by cruise ship emissions dropped from 23% in 2022 to 14% in 2023.
Susan Schrader and her husband Carl have lived in Juneau for more than thirty years.
Both are active volunteers and pillars of the community. Both have a special connection to the environment, Susan a former veterinarian and wilderness guide, and her husband a retired biologist.
Schrader says the months of the cruise season are essentially a write-off for locals.
“Many of us “Juneauites” avoid our favorite restaurants and stores downtown during cruise ship season – the sidewalks are so crowded the movement of people comes to a crawl at times! Streets full of buses, vans, taxis, pedicabs, and e-bikes cause frequent traffic jams, resulting in more frustration for locals.
“Thirteen miles from downtown is the stunning Mendenhall Glacier and Lake where tourists and locals can hike a variety of trails, kayak, and canoe the lake, watch bears chase salmon in the streams, enjoy the exhibits in the visitors center, except locals don’t go there in the summer! We are displaced from one of our favourite recreation sites by hordes of tourists.
“Whereas during the late fall through the winter, downtown provides meeting places for all age groups of locals at restaurants, breweries, theatres, and libraries, yet during the summer, we are displaced. Our small town becomes a theme park.”
Due to such demand for whale watching, local fisherman find themselves unable to carry out their usual activities. Not to mention that Schrader, whose husband is a retired biologist, has her doubts over whether the famous humpback whales are truly ‘protected’.
“Auke Bay, 17 miles north of downtown, is a fisherman’s paradise. Yet 77 plus whale-watching charter boats have displaced our local fishermen from using the bay for fear of getting their skiffs swamped, due to the aggressive movement of the whale-watching boats, often at high speeds. Forget kayaking or paddle boarding! And heaven help the humpback whales, “protected” with feeble federal laws.”
Schrader says ‘flightseeing’ noise has been a concern for local residents for 20 years now, with no significant changes in sight.
“And above it all, the incessant noise from flightseeing helicopters and planes impacts our ability to use our trails as well as our own backyards. Flightseeing noise has been a constant annoyance to Juneauites for at least 20 years.
“Meetings, hearings, mediation efforts, and task forces have convened over these years, and little has changed. The noise this summer is worse than ever before, regardless of what area of town you live in.”
Leading Alaskan voices call for cooperation with cruise
Jillian Simpson, CEO of Alaska Travel Industry Association is a leading voice calling for the reform to be rejected.
“If the proposal passes, it will certainly damage our relationships with the cruise lines, but I can’t speculate on what legal action may or may not be taken. The city and local tourism industry have been collaborating with the cruise lines to shape memorandums of agreement that help manage cruise tourism to the city. If the proposal passes, that collaborative effort is damaged.”
Simpson says cruise tourism is essential to Alaska’s economy and this move would put it into jeopardy, especially noting that the consequences will be for the wider region, not just Juneau.
“Cruise tourism is essential to Juneau’s and the state’s economy. Cruise travelers makeup about 65% of Alaska’s summer visitors, and about 15% of jobs in Southeast Alaska, including Juneau, are tied to tourism.
“Last year, Saturday visitors alone contributed $30 million to Juneau’s economy. The loss of that revenue could negatively impact Juneau’s entire economy, especially small businesses. The city may be forced to raise taxes or cut city services to make up for the loss.
“Because the Southeast region of Alaska is so connected, any disruptions in Juneau’s economy can also impact neighbouring communities, so there could be a ripple effect felt beyond the city.”
Simpson says that the movie will also ideologically demonstrate that Alaska isn’t welcoming to visitors, as well as putting years of itineraries into disarray.
“Looking at it from a statewide perspective, if it passes, this ban sends a message that Alaska isn’t welcoming to visitors. In addition, small businesses — our tour operators, retail shops, restaurants — will bear the brunt of the losses in Juneau and beyond.
“Cruise lines plan their itineraries several years in advance. If the ban on Saturday and July 4th cruise ship calls is passed, we’ll see itineraries change, ports of call shuffled and that could be detrimental to the city and the region.”
McHugh Pierre is the chairman of Protect Juneau’s Future, a group made up of cruise and tour operators, as well as local businesses.
Pierre feels due to legal implications even if it passes the reform may not be upheld. However, he also sees the possibility of this as majorly damaging relationships with cruise lines and hurting the region overall.
He told Skift: “The best-case scenario is if this passes, the city says, ‘We choose not to accept cruise ships at our docks.’ But the private companies can’t be told not to accept ships at their private docks. It’s not constitutional.
“In Juneau, the Saturday ban would be the latest effort by the city to manage cruise tourism. It has signed multiple agreements with cruise lines to “reduce the possibility of exponential growth
“If you create a litigious environment that throws out all the memoranda, people will stop participating. They’ll stop talking, and that’s not how you create a successful and harmonious environment.”
Russell Dick, CEO of the Huna Totem Corp told Travel Weekly that he’s distressed by the notion that all citizens are against mass cruise tourism.
“I’m going, that’s not OK, because that’s not the way everybody in southeast Alaska feels.
“We just need to do a better job of convincing the cruise lines that people come to Alaska not only to see Juneau
“Juneau doesn’t necessarily have to be on an itinerary, right? You can get the same value by going to other ports.”
What else is happening with cruise in Juneau?
- For 2023 an agreement was reached to limit cruise tourism to five ships per day
- For 2024, it was agreed that there would be a 16,000 daily passenger cap, and 12,000 on Saturdays
- CBJ is also working with a company called Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska, to try and eliminate hot berthing from the town. Hot berthing is when two cruise lines share a dock on the same day.
I can empathize with the locals. I live in Kansas, I have no idea what it’s like to live in a touristy area. If it passes however, I will be heartbroken. My Alaskan cruise next May is my gift to myself for beating breast cancer. It was my bucket list vacation and I have put it a lot of overtime at work this last year to pay for both medical bills and my dream vacation. The cruise I booked has Juneau on the itinerary on a Saturday. Juneau was the port I was looking forward to most. Rescheduling just isn’t an option. I can’t blame locals for wanting the ban but I cross my fingers that I get to see Juneau on my trip.
I just came back from my Alaska cruise on September 24th. Honestly I could take it or leave Juneau. Maybe spending more time at another port would work, or a longer stay at Skagway, Skagway was my ravorite so maybe staying a bit longer would be an option.
I didn’t find Juneau very welcoming anyway.
SKIP JUNEAU ALTOGETHER TO TOURISTY LETS NOT GO WHERE WE ARE NOT WANTED!!! I went recently and there is not much to see
SKIP JUNEAU ALTOGETHER TO TOURISTY LETS NOT GO WHERE WE ARE NOT WANTED!!!
I would suggest we let them have there stupid no Saturday
Wish lots of other places We could spend our hard earned finances and all they have is red dog saloon
They are only asking for one day but to stop all tourism
I took a RC cruise to Alaska in August of 2023. It is something that my wife and I have wanted to do for years. Our ship, with about 3,000 passengers, stopped in Juneau on a Sunday. Maybe 2,000 disembarked. We went up the Gold Belt tram. I stuck my head in the door at the Red Dog Saloon to see what it looked like inside. I passed on the T-shirt shops and jewelry stores. We also skipped the glacier because we knew we would see other ones on the trip. I walked the 4 short blocks to the state Capitol building because I like to visit them and take pictures. That was about #25 of 50. Some kids were selling cookies for their schools robotics team by the docks. My wife used to advise one in Wisconsin, so I bought $5 worth and gave the kids a ten. Without the cruise, I would never go to Juneau and the kids don’t get $10 for their cookies. There were 2 other cruise ships docked that day, so the city wasn’t overrun with them. If you start losing cruise ships, you will be sorry in a few years.
We were just there, there really isn’t anything earth shattering to see there that you couldn’t see at another port destination. If they don’t want people visiting and enjoying their city, I wouldn’t have been disappointed with that port being replaced. I don’t think they see the economic impact of having the ships go elsewhere.
If you really want to see Alaska, take the Marine Highway!! The ferries are wonderful and have great food and nice rooms. Pick your route accordingly. It’s great fun and you meet very local people. Cost isn’t nearly what a cruise ship is. But not as glitzy but we loved it!!
Good gracious JNU. Suck it up. Residents all over SE feel the tourism. I was born and raised in Ketchikan. Still live here. Yeah its crazy busy. But it’s dead in the winter. I prefer a little life. Where do you all go on vacation? How would you feel to be told, sorry can’t go to Maui on Saturdays due to locals need their “time”. Sorry no wine tours in NAPA on Saturdays. We locals need to enjoy our vineyards. The list of vacation destinations goes on and on. Feel proud people want to see your town. Not the opposite.
“Your little city will suffer without tourism.” Yeah, right. The same thing is happening around the globe. The quality of life for locals must take a back seat to the almighty dollar. Everything is about money. Never mind you cannot eat out or enjoy your own town or your own back yard because by God, there is a dollar to be made. Greedy sociopaths make the world an unlivable place.
My least favorite city to visit. Mostly jewelry stores with very aggressive employees.
People vote,… that then is the law,end of story.
I work with the tourist industry in anchorage and we love our tourist you guys are welcome to come to anchorage I don’t even know why Juneau is the state capital anchorage is way bigger. So all you tourist just so you know anchorage welcomes you !
The ballot initiative trying to make Saturdays ship-free in Juneau is definitely not supported by many (most?) Juneau residents. My wife and I live near downtown and walk there almost daily, winter and summer. I promise you, when there are no ships in, downtown is a sad and desolate place. There is no real theater any more, most of the restaurants and food trucks close down and the strees are empty except for the bar patrons and the homeless.
From my perspective, the only people in favor of this initiative are government retirees or municipal, state and federal employees who don’t know or care where the money comes from that is required to keep a city running. They are the NIMBY people protesting mining, logging, road-building, and tourism.
Please don’t believe they speak for the rest of us. Because they don’t.
Maybe only let American based companies use the ports and only let American based companies sue Juneau. That way all of these companies demanding access to American ports and city/town services actually pay taxes to the American government. Just a thought…
I’ve lived in Juneau for 25 years. I grew up on the Eastcoadt. First off, Juneau isn’t just some “small Alaskan town.” It’s the 2nd or 3rd largest town in Alaska, alongside Fairbanks, population-wise, and its larger than Delaware or Rhode Island size-wise. There are no roads in or out. I voted yes on cruise ship free Saturdays. For 6 months of the year, not only does downtown become over run with tourists, so do many of the local favorite trails as well as the popular whale watching and fishing spots out on the water. A day a week free of the throng of tourists during the spring, summer, and now, increasingly into the fall, would be welcomed by many of us, including the whales and other wildlife. Don’t lose sight of the fact that on many days,there are more tourists in Juneau than year round inhabitants. Try that in your own community.
We were in Juneau at the end of August and I agree with the previous statement that the residents of Juneau are rude. We needed to visit an urgent care on the outskirts of town and they were very caring but trying to fill a simple prescription was impossible. The little pharmacy in Juneau didn’t have the medicine but another grocery/pharmacy outside of town did but when I called and notified we were on our way, the pharmacist flat out told me not to come, he wasn’t filling the prescription, he didn’t have time and I wasn’t welcome. I was shocked. The mistake I made was that I mentioned we had to be back on the “ship”. This man hated the tourists so much that he would withhold medication. Wow!! The whale watching people were awesome though. I have no problem not going to Juneau now. In fact, I’ll just stay on the ship. Nobody needs to be subjected to that attitude. I’m from Central Florida. We know tourists. Can you say Disney World? Without tourists we’d be screwed. So Juneau, you can live with it or your crappy town and your crappy people can go bankrupt
we live in a tourist area also just have to work around the tourist they do bring alot of money to the businesses in the area have to appreciate that. There are other areas to see Juneau was my least faovrite.
Correct me if I am wrong. But it is seasonal and they close down for a couple of months per year. IT IS A VERY FOOLISH ROAD TO GO DOWN.as an example st john’s in Canada beg cruise ships to come there & in my humble opinion it is superior day stop than juneau
The cruise industry should take some responsibility and hire a consultant to take a hard look at the impact they have on these smaller communities beyond the obvious short term economic impact. No doubt they will find that the number of daily cruiseship visitors has already reached a point where it has ruined the sustainability of the positive atmosphere and experience their passengers are looking for. I imagine the overcrowded sidewalks, shops, and the density of seasonal, industry owned jewelry stores already make their stop in Juneau not nearly as magical as it used to be…not to mention the now over 70 whale watching boats constantly swarming the local marine life and local mariners. If they were smart, they’d reduce their daily passengers piling into these communities themselves in order to maintain a positive experience for their passengers.
First of all, I’d like to say I have lived 35+ years in Alaska. We visited Skagway in August using the AK ferry system from Haines, AK. I’ve only landed in Juneau on a flight to Sitka so can’t honestly comment on Juneau. However based on a previous comment, I can say that I spoke to a business owner in Skagway regarding the number of jewelery stores located there. I was told there were 37 in approximately 6 blocks. I thought a bit much for a town their size. It was a little like walking on streets in Mexico where the salespeople try to get you into their shop. Yes, Skagway does have shops with salespeople that do that. I don’t like it in Mexico and didn’t like that in Skagway. I nicknamed the main street “Rodeo Drive North.” Not everyone was pleasant to deal with but overall most people were friendly and willing to talk about Skagway. At least 3 cruise ships were in port so there were alot of people on the streets.
On the positive side, Skagway has a wonderful museum and the White Pass Railroad.
I’ve been on 2 Princess cruises to Alaska. The stop in Juneau is key to when I’ll book again because of the whales. I’ve done everything in all three ports and so fell in love with Tracy Arm. I feel closest to God there. I, too, live in a tourist destination, in Myrtle Beach SC and we grip our steering wheels and yell at all the cars, and don’t even think about going o our favorite restaurants until October. I feel for the lovely people of Juneau and I understand that theor time to enjoy their own environments is so fleeting at maybe 4 months of nice weather. That being said, I think Juneau should have it’s day.
I live in Skagway and when the cruise ship tourists fill our streets to overflow, we do not go downtown if we can help it. The tourists wander all over our community, which includes the residential areas and our yards, some even walking into homes! Most of our shops are run by carpetbaggers here for the tourist season and immediately gone at the end, and don’t live here. They bring their own seasonal workers, not hiring local, do not give a rats for the locals or the community. Anyone coming to Skagway, Alaska for trinkets, t-shirts, diamonds, or fudge is not a particularly bright tourist and I and many other residents would like to see a lot less of them. However, everyone on our City Assembly, including the City Manager have tourism related businesses and as a consequence, the resident’s concerns are not considered. The tourists we get are extremely rude and have the attitude that they bought a ticket, so anything goes, get out of the way. We need less cruise ships and maybe higher prices for the tickets would get a better class of tourists that don’t want to see the non-local shops.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy an Alaskan cruise this past August. It was on my bucket list, very expensive and worth every penny. I gotta say, of all the ports, Juneau was my least favorite. It was very commercial and 100% geared to tourism. I mean, how many jewelry/diamond stores does one very small city need? I, and my traveling companions, unanimously preferred all the other ports where we actually learned from and met the indigenous people of Alaska. I was more willing to drop a few bucks at their souvenir and craft stores than at the commercialized stores in Juneau. Honestly, other than seeing Orcas, Juneau, could have been skipped. An extended stay in Ketchikan or Sitka would have been more enjoyable.
Small Alaskan town = the Capitol city of Alaska. Sometimes there is just too much when it comes to tourism, this isn’t only in Juneau, but in all the cities lining the Alaskan coast where the ships and tourists take over during the summer months. There is a lot of revenue that is brought in to the communities through tourism dollars, but these folks are asking for a small break so the locals get to enjoy their “small town” too.
As a frequent cruiser I have visited Juneau a few times but if the town doesn’t want cruisers, I would say cruiselines should just skip the town all together and maybe add Icy Straight Point on to the usual Ketchikan and Skagway cruise. Maybe fellow cruisers will just all agree and not spend money in Juneau. Souvenirs can be bought in any Alaskan town all the same. Only thing you can not see or do in any other port would be Mendenhall Glacier. It is nice but there are a lot of other glaciers and I’d rather spend my time, and money somewhere that I don’t feel unwanted. Being from Florida we know about tourists and how the over crowding effects our lives, juneau is not the only tourist town in the country. However we realize we need tourism so we deal, so do the people around the grand canyon, Yellowstone, Niagara falls and the list goes on. I’m sure people from juneau vacation somewhere. But I for one will not get off ship and spend my money in juneau again. I imagine that people will still not be able to visit their favorite restaurants when they start closing their doors because how many restaurants can the locals actually afford to keep open with no tourists.
You’d think they would want all the tourism dollars. Especially when they are seasonal. Deal with it. I hope the cruise companies sue and win.
Royal Caribbean is correct. There will be economic consequences. Unfortunately they’re going to be positive for the community
Show me a country that is Rich that bases its investment and assets into tourism. Go look at Cuba
As a recent visitor to Juneau, I noted that almost every DT business was dedicated to the cruise ships. Most were closing at the end of season. I think a cruise ship ban would spell economic disaster to the town. I also live I. Victoria, another summertime cruise-ship destination. We simply don’t use DT on cruise days.
I have been to Alaska 3 times. Such a pristine place. I feel for the residents in this matter. I agree that this is an issue that has no fair solution for either party. Areas that have become tourist meccas either have to live with it or suffer the economic consequences. Perhaps limiting the number of ships per day to 2 or a set number of passengers visiting would help. Personally I have been there 3 times and do not need to see Juneau. There are other great places to visit in Alaska besides the port of Juneau.
This kind of thing is how liberals get a bad name. It’s ridiculous! There are already agreements in place limiting the number of cruise ships per day and how many passengers can visit. And the native guy who sponsored the referendum is like: ‘They don’t have to visit Juneau!’
“Small Alaskan town?” Are you stoned or stupid? Juneau is the 3rd largest Alaskan city and the state’s capital.
I agree with juneau. There needs to be a balance.
Alaska towns need to have the ability to balance its
Visitors and time for their local citizens and that each need time.
After all there are a number of ports for cruise ships to visit. It’s not like they are shutting down every port in Alaska on that day. Cruise companies are coming to Alaska because they know it will make them money. Why not work together with they communities that support their industry instead of being one sided. Work together is always a better option rather than threats.
Five ships a day Is Unacceptable!!! The tranquility is sucked out of this town that I live in!!! I do Not want a bunch of lookilous running around our town polluting the crystal clear air with the Pollution of tour ships and worse exhaust from these pollution spewing modes of transportation!!!
The tour businesses owners the majority are not even Alaska residents! They come to Juneau early spring set up shop fleece the ignorant tourons! They don’t Bring in cash. They take it out. So a negative on the Juneau economy!
I’ve lived in Juneau since 1960. No one asked me if I minded tourists invading My town and destroy the tranquility of this once quiet town. Allowing countless tour busses tours all day long one after another pollution spewing busses!
In 1986 this Town doubled in size. I was here I saw! I was going to college at the time. Come back for summer vacation. Found work in the construction field. Foundations. I worked
I worked for a firm out of Oregon. We put in foundations all over town. We were the ones who put in the foundation at Jordan Creek Business area.
There were many contractors from Oregon here building houses then. Almost 40 years ago.
Threatening a lawsuit??? Ha ha ha!!!
IF you do that we’ll get a long sooo much better!!! Ha ha ha!!!
Maybe only let smaller ships in instead of these mega ships
Uh. This “small Alaska town” is the state capitol and we’re the second largest community in the state. This sort of ignorance from our visitors is one of the reasons we feel less welcoming toward y’all.
We just got back from a cruise with a stop in Juneau. I don’t think they should worry about cruise ship passengers going there because they are honestly the rudest group of people I’ve ever met. We walked into an alpaca store that clearly caters to tourists and not only were they really pushy, but the owner aggressively lectured us about alpacas while we stood there trying to get away.
The brewery was great but otherwise the main strip was mostly jewellery stores. We didn’t do excursions so can’t speak to that, but as someone from Vancouver who has to go through tourists to get to popular hiking trails year round, I have three words for you – suck it up. Your little city will suffer without tourism. Given how crappy everyone is treated there, I hope the ships find another port to stop in.
Let’s bypass Juneau and sail Skagway instead. They want our business. Craig
Sounds like what is happening to Banff. We avoid the area like the plague in the summer months due to it being swamped to the breaking point with tourists.