Anchorage—Increased capacity on cruise ships and pent-up demand will help bring a record number of cruise guests to Alaska this summer, signaling a rebound for the industry after the pandemic hampered travel in recent years, an official with a cruise trade association said this week.
The anticipation comes as the summer’s first large ship, the Norwegian Bliss owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, docked in Juneau in Southeast Alaska early last week. The arrival of the ship, with space for 4,000 guests, marked the start of the tourism season in the state.
Tourism operators in Alaska also say the labor shortage of recent years is easing, so they'll be more likely to operate at full capacity this summer. And the tourism industry again expects to see large numbers of the valuable independent travelers making their way to the state, unaffiliated with a cruise or guided itinerary.
“Alaska has been hot” on the minds of travelers, said Tanya Carlson, a director of travel trade and international markets with the Alaska Travel Industry Association.
Large numbers of travel agents say they’re getting emails and calls from potential travelers inquiring about or booking an Alaska trip, she said. Marketing by tourism groups and operators in the state has helped Alaska stay “top of mind” as tourists continue to look domestically for a European alternative.
“I’m surprised at how many calls travel agents say they’ve been getting,” she said.
Cruise Industry Expects a Record
The cruise industry expects to bring 1.65 million passengers to Alaska this season, said Lanie Downs, head of community relations in Alaska for Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest trade group for the industry.
“It'll be the best season yet,” she said.
The expected increase is well above the record-setting 1.3 million cruise visitors that arrived in 2019, following years of growth in the industry. The pandemic starting in 2020 sharply curtailed the numbers. Still, 1.2 million guests came last year.
The estimate is based in part on global cruise activity indicating that ships coming to Alaska will be full as the season hits its stride in the coming weeks, she said. Also, a combination of factors is contributing to more capacity on ships, including continued growth in the size of ships visiting Alaska.
“There’s pent-up demand, so the desire to travel by cruise is above 2019 levels,” she said. “It’s really back in full force.”
Josh Howes, president of Premier Alaska Tours that shuttles cruise guests on multi-day tours around Alaska, said his bookings indicate it will be a record summer for his company. He said he'll be operating 160 motor coaches and vans this year, a full fleet.
“Our bookings overall are up from last year by about 5 percent or 10 percent, and our numbers last year were astronomical,” he said.
He said the state appears to be benefiting in part from “word of mouth” advertising after the pandemic drove new interest in the outdoors and Alaska. People are having “genuinely authentic experiences” in the state as they explore the wildlife, scenery, and culture. They’re letting friends and relatives know.
“Alaska still resonates as a bucket list destination, and plenty of people are still coming to Alaska,” he said.
