The Cruise Season that Didn’t Happen

Princess Cruises

In a major blow to Alaskan tourism Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Cunard, Seabourn and Carnival all cancelled their Alaska cruises for the entire year in early May while also keeping their wilderness lodges in the state shuttered and sightseeing trains and coaches idle. Norwegian operator Hurtigruten, which was to have sent its hybrid-powered Roald Amundsen on a second tour of the state also bowed out.

Other lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, which is a partner in the construction of a second dock at Icy Strait Point and is also involved in Ketchikan’s cruise dock project at Ward Cove, still held out some optimism that cruises might be operated later in the year – but only if government and health regulations allowed. According to the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) cruise ships normally bring in a little more than half of Alaska’s visitors and this year’s fleet was to have brought more than 1.4 million people on 43 ships to the state with a projected financial impact of $793 million.

By Pacific Maritime