New Measure Filed to Restrict Cruise Visits to Juneau

Alaska is among the hottest cruise locations and a bucket-list itinerary for a lot of cruisers. However will as many cruisers be capable to go to the capital of the Final Frontier if a brand new initiative passes?

The brand new measure, filed on Monday, April 7, 2025, seeks to solidify extra informal agreements into precise regulation for the Metropolis and Borough of Juneau. This may defend the voluntary limits already in place from a Memorandum of Settlement signed in Might 2024.

The proposal units a complete annual cap of cruise ship visitors at not more than 1.5 million and a day by day restrict of 16,000 Sundays by Fridays, with not more than 12,000 on any Saturday.

If handed, not more than 5 giant ships can be permitted every day. The measure defines a “giant cruise ship” as one carrying 950 visitors or larger based mostly on complete capability – no matter what number of may very well be aboard on any given voyage.

The measure has been delivered to the municipal clerk’s workplace by Juneau resident Karla Hart, who has been concerned within the cruise ship restrict struggle for years, advocating for ship-free Saturdays totally.

“We’re simply asking for a restrict that may enable us, let the city, meet up with the cruise ship passenger numbers and to degree off, and never have all of the stress and battle that we have now,” Hart informed the Juneau Empire.

Juneau has a inhabitants of roughly 32,000. It’s straightforward to grasp how a number of cruise ships carrying lots of or hundreds of visitors may shortly overwhelm the town.

“The cruise trade is significant to our native financial system, and we have to enhance our infrastructure and develop our tour capability to create an incredible visitor expertise and scale back impacts on residents,” mentioned Alexandra Pierce, Juneau customer trade director, when the Memorandum of Settlement was signed.

When Ships May Go to Would possibly Additionally Be Restricted

The brand new proposal wouldn’t simply be limiting the variety of visitors in a position to go to Juneau, nonetheless. It could additionally restrict when ships can go to Alaska’s capital metropolis.

Included within the rules is a be aware for “no medium and huge cruise ships earlier than Might 1 or after September 30.”

April and October are the so-called “shoulder months” for the Alaska cruise season. As a result of Alaska may be such a worthwhile vacation spot for cruise strains and sailings could promote out years upfront, including extra cruises in these shoulder months is a well-liked strategy to increase the season.

Native residents, nonetheless, could also be lower than keen about extending the cruise season. Alaska’s hottest points of interest are its beautiful pure magnificence and wildlife, however very early and really late within the season, these attributes aren’t at their finest.

I’ve cruised to Alaska in late April. Whereas it was nonetheless a surprising vacation spot, we didn’t see practically as a lot wildlife as visitors would possibly spot in June or July and Mom Nature was nonetheless waking up from her lengthy winter slumber. Nonetheless, it was nonetheless a tremendous expertise.

Learn Additionally: Your Information to the Greatest Alaska Cruise Ports

Due to the seasonal nature of tour work in Alaska, some tour operators have problem staffing their operations very early and late within the season. This could dramatically affect the standard of a cruise visitor’s expertise.

The brand new measure proposal comes precisely as the town of Juneau has accepted improvement of a fifth cruise ship dock, this one in downtown Juneau on Egan Drive, and to incorporate retail area, a welcome middle, and a cultural middle.

The brand new undertaking is beneath the management of the Huna Totem Company, which additionally developed the favored port vacation spot of Icy Strait Level. The brand new dock is slated to be able to welcome ship for the 2026 cruise season.

If handed, the brand new measure limiting the sizes of ships and the size of the Alaska cruise season will take impact from October 1, 2027.