Alaska Ports are being invaded

[Billthekid]

I just finished a Eurodam 7-day Alaska cruise. We were not alone.  Each port we visited there were five or more gigantic ships at the same time.  Crushing the locals.  Examples:  Juneau population 31,685.  Six boats at the same time with a total passenger count of 13,583.  Crowds everywhere.  30 people in line for the Red Dog, over 30 people in line waiting to get into Tracy's Crabs restaurant and excursions booked to capacity.  No wonder Juneau wants to reduce the impact of cruise ships.  They also want the money. Icy Point Population of 1,000, six ships, capacity of 11,146 passengers.  We arrive at 6 PM.  A long day for the locals.  Sitka Population 8,382 Two ships capacity 6,284.  We dock about five miles out of town but must bus into the city.  Buses hold 60 passengers.  You get into a bus line, shuffle up, and turned the corner to find a Disneyland line winding back and forth.   Next, Ketchikan population of 8,068, six ships, capacity 16,662.  We dock at 6AM and nothing is opened.  Later the streets are just crowded.  Last stop Victoria arriving at 8 PM with major attractions being closed.  Three ships with a capacity of 9,768 passengers.  We were in the cabin packing for disembarkment.  

 

These large ships are ruining these ports.  It is a mob descending on small towns.  The towns love the money, but the crowds come at a price.  I see some kind of restrictions in the future.  I also see a state losing its beauty and becoming another tourist trap.

[srsurman]

4 minutes ago, Billthekid said:

These large ships are ruining these ports. 

But HAL and its pax aren't part of the problem...🤷‍♂️

[julia]

Unfortunately, Alaska is not alone in this quest... many ports around the world are looking to reduce or even eliminate cruise ships. It's called over-tourism, and it's getting progressively worse. And yes, we've all contributed to it.

[Kay S]

1 minute ago, julia said:

Unfortunately, Alaska is not alone in this quest... many ports around the world are looking to reduce or even eliminate cruise ships. It's called over-tourism, and it's getting progressively worse. And yes, we've all contributed to it.

The mega ships won't help.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I was at Icy Straight Point a week ago. Docks for 2 ships. Where are the other 4 the OP mentions? 4 ships tendering?

[canadianbear]

Alaska has been invaded and it is one of the reasons I’m so glad we did it years ago and 3X.  So many ports are tired of mega ships and a lot are or are in progress of restricting them.  Wish HAL would build the smaller ones again that I’m sure would be welcomed. 

[Kay S]

44 minutes ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

I was at Icy Straight Point a week ago. Docks for 2 ships. Where are the other 4 the OP mentions? 4 ships tendering?

I have tendered at Icy Straight, so I know it's possible.  

[Billthekid]

From the Alaska Cruise Mapper for Tuesday, August 6 19:00 TWL - ISP ROYAL PRINCESS 06:30 15:00 OLD - ISP RADIANCE OF THE SEAS 13:30 22:00 WLD - ISP SOLSTICE 18:00 22:00 OLD - ISP EURODAM

These were the ships for Icy Point for Tuesday August 6.

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 minutes ago, Billthekid said:

From the Alaska Cruise Mapper for Tuesday, August 6 19:00 TWL - ISP ROYAL PRINCESS 06:30 15:00 OLD - ISP RADIANCE OF THE SEAS 13:30 22:00 WLD - ISP SOLSTICE 18:00 22:00 OLD - ISP EURODAM

These were the ships for Icy Point for Tuesday August 6.

 

That is WAY too many people, even with staggered times. 

[kennystwin]

I cruised Alaska in July with my DD, a teacher who can only travel when the kids are out. It was my 11th Alaskan cruise (I lived in Alaska decades ago, Love it, and go back whenever I can). And yes, the crowds were unbelievable. There were 3 ships in Sitka the day we were there with over 8400 passengers, exceeding the population of the town. 2 ships were at the dock and one was tendering into town. They closed downtown to vehicles. It had a "street fair" vibe. The Russian Orthodox Cathedral was packed with people, not at all the reverent space to enjoy the beautiful icons and art. I'm sure first time visitors had a good time, but it is not the Sitka I know and love with its rich history and cultures. Likewise, in Juneau, Mendenhall glacier was packed beyond enjoyment. I know the locals are trying to work out some solutions (i.e. limits) and there is a love/hate relationship with the cruise lines. For me, I've decided to limit my cruises there to the shoulder seasons when the crowds are less.

[JeannieAZ]

Yes, I can't imagine the crowds now!  We cruised in 2002 on the then-new Volendam - at 1400 pax, HAL's largest ship!  We were in Ketchikan & Skagway with two other larger Princess and Norwegian ships (maybe 3000 pax back then?) and it was crowded even then.  Being the smallest ship, Volendam always had the prime docking space so we could at least walk right off the ship and be in town before the others.  A friend cruised Norwegian in July (4500 pax) and said there was a long bus ride into Ketchikan.

[cbr663]

We experienced the same thing last year when we sailed to Alaska.  We sailed on the Koningsdam and in every port were 3-4 other ships as large or larger.  It was impossible not to see and experience the negative effects of over tourism.  

 

In Juneau we had tickets for the gondola and the lineup was outrageous.  It was hot that day and we decided that we would not wait in the hot sun to get into a very crowded tram to get to the top.  Our cabin was tied at the dock and overlooked the boarding area so we toured don our own and decided we would go back to the ship and spend some time on our balcony and when the lines shortened we would quickly leave the ship and board the gondola.  The lines never did get shorter and we were unable (unwilling) to go.

 

That trip was so different than our first Alaska cruise in 2014.  Then we sailed on the Volendam on the first sailing of the season mid-week.  We were the only ship in each port and it was magnificent.  After our Alaska cruise last year I advise everyone thinking of sailing to Alaska to never embark on a weekend as you are not going to enjoy the crowds.

[JeffElizabeth]

Our first trip to Alaska was in 1997 and I thought ports were too full back then.  Left the ship at Skagway and went into the interior. Much worse in 2019 on the Amsterdam.  

But couldn't resist the long trip to Nome and the Arctic Circle. 

[Suzy Bell]

Pictures from Koningsdam inside passage cruise August 2024.

Very different from our previous cruises in 2000 and 2019 on smaller HAL ships.

First photo is in Juneau.

Next 2 are in Ketchikan.

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, kennystwin said:

I cruised Alaska in July with my DD, a teacher who can only travel when the kids are out. It was my 11th Alaskan cruise (I lived in Alaska decades ago, Love it, and go back whenever I can). And yes, the crowds were unbelievable. There were 3 ships in Sitka the day we were there with over 8400 passengers, exceeding the population of the town. 2 ships were at the dock and one was tendering into town. They closed downtown to vehicles. It had a "street fair" vibe. The Russian Orthodox Cathedral was packed with people, not at all the reverent space to enjoy the beautiful icons and art. I'm sure first time visitors had a good time, but it is not the Sitka I know and love with its rich history and cultures. Likewise, in Juneau, Mendenhall glacier was packed beyond enjoyment. I know the locals are trying to work out some solutions (i.e. limits) and there is a love/hate relationship with the cruise lines. For me, I've decided to limit my cruises there to the shoulder seasons when the crowds are less.

 

Ohhh, that is so sad! I love Sitka for its normalness--no Del Sol, Diamonds International, etc. It feels like a real town. Last time I was there (Queen Elizabeth), we were the first ship to dock, so getting into town was easy and it wasn't crowded. I enjoyed a walk around, had fish from the truck, and went out on a whale watch. When I got back, the other ship (huge Norwegian) had arrived at the dock and the line to get the shuttle was crazy. So glad I had the quiet morning!

[Kaibyrd]

When do the crowds start thinning out? We’re booked next year first week in Sept. 

[jakers]

Our daughter lives in Juneau and does not work in a cruise related industry. That being said, she moved to Juneau because she grew to love Alaska during our many cruises to the state. This year we cruised to Alaska on the NCL Jewel as she returned from Japan on April 29th. In most ports we were the only ship. We are returning to cruise on the Eurodam out of Seattle on September 28th after many ships have left. You don't go to the Caribbean during spring break and not plan on it being crowded. As far as the people who live and work in Alaska the tourist season only lasts six months. They get 6 months off which is way more than I do.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It's a big problem.

[ski ww]

For those of us that can cruise in the off season, I guess that is the way to go.

[njasmine]

13 hours ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

I was at Icy Straight Point a week ago. Docks for 2 ships. Where are the other 4 the OP mentions? 4 ships tendering?

No idea but I'm cruising in September and it shows five ships being in Juneau on the same day so yes this is a real problem 

[boone2]

After working onboard ships  and doing many contracts there, you couldn’t pay me enough to go to Alaska again.  Overcrowded tourism during the season but for many it’s a dream cruise.  There again you could say the same for the Caribbean or Greek islands, especially Santorini  or Venice.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

48 minutes ago, njasmine said:

No idea but I'm cruising in September and it shows five ships being in Juneau on the same day so yes this is a real problem 

 

Juneau is the worst for crowding, in my experience. Ketchikan second. They have the most berths. You know the saying, "if you build it, they will come." 

 

In Juneau, I get off the ship, do a whale watch, and then get back onboard. According to the guide last month, Juneau has 25 jewelry stores, and they all pack up and close at the end of the season. (Probably not ALL if there's one run by locals) But a walk around Juneau is jewelry, souvenir, jewelry, fur, bar, jewelry, bar, souvenir, jewelry... I'm not interested in shopping on vacation. I'd rather relax on the ship while everyone else is shopping.

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 minutes ago, boone2 said:

After working onboard ships  and doing many contracts there, you couldn’t pay me enough to go to Alaska again.  Overcrowded tourism during the season but for many it’s a dream cruise.  There again you could say the same for the Caribbean or Greek islands, especially Santorini  or Venice.  

 

Again, build piers and the ships arrive. That said, I remember St Thomas being overcrowded, with both ports at capacity. Last time I was there (2 years ago), Eurodam was the only ship at the West Indies dock and there weren't any ships at the other dock. This winter, the day Eurodam is in St Thomas, there's just one Princess ship with us, again both at West Indies and nobody at the other end. I don't know if I just lucked into quiet days, but I found that surprising. 

 

OTOH, San Juan last winter was so completely booked that Zaandam and a RC ship were out at the old docks near the small airport. Our terminal looked like a hurricane wreck!

[cruisingrob21]

Regrettably this is how it will be until there is a major correction either via local regulation or a a reason for the ships to go elsewhere (a more natural correction would be that port satisfaction drops). 

 

But in the meantime, as long as people keep paying the same prices, the lines will continue to send very large ships to these places since their profit margin is huge.  Star Princess coming in 2026 with 4k+.

 

Went to Prince Rupert on a shorter HAL voyage in the spring, it was a nice port call - as nice as Ketchikan anyway (good weather helped).  The development of new ports like PR and ISP are needed, but whereas PR had been an Alaskan port in the 80s, ISP is pretty new.  Not all places in Alaska will welcome the cruise ships.

 

Cruise lines will ultimately have to rely more on visiting bigger coastal cities and doing some pacific northwest blended itineraries with places like Vancouver, Seattle, Victoria, and even Astoria and Nanaimo.  These locations can better absorb the passenger loads and have the infrastructure to support them.  While the experience isn't "Alaska", there are many scenic and beautiful things to see and experience in these ports - it all comes down to marketing.

 

I wonder what would happen if instead of building new docks in Alaskan ports, the ports just closed a dock or two forcing rendering operations.  That resolves both the "too many ships" and "too many people" issues and meters tourists entering town.  Eventually port satisfaction will drop and ships might go elsewhere.

 

In the immediate term however, Alaska prices are very high right now and as long as people keep paying them, don't expect anything to change.  Should prices fall, ships will go elsewhere.  If more cities enact restrictions, it will likely make prices go even higher.

 

NCL has built a pier outside of Ketchikan which requires a shuttle bus.  Compared to the other lines, it's a pretty lousy situation especially considering most calls are just a few hours in the AM.  Perhaps the cruise lines should require the ships berth for a minimum number of hours (10+).  That would reduce the "hot bunking/berthing"  and better distribute the loads since the whole ship won't be rushing to get off and see everything in the same 5 hours.

 

In 2019 we sailed the Seattle 7 day milk run, but on the Amsterdam (1400pax), doing a one-off run from her normal 14 day voyages, on a Monday.  This allowed fewer crowds in most ports since we were there on off days (somewhat).  I think with Vancouver only having room for 2 midsize and 1 large ships or just 2 large ships it definitely helps meter the traffic.  Seattle was planning to build a 3rd cruise terminal near the stadiums (where HAL and Princess used to sail from years ago).  If that happens it will let some days have 4 ships leaving Seattle - most doing very similar itineraries.  Covid put a pause on that work but I imagine it will come back.  I applaud NCL for doing some 9/10 day Seattle voyages since it makes the port times better and spreads out the loads.  I wish the other lines would consider this also.

 

Edited August 23 by cruisingrob21

[sunviking90]

Yes, the overcrowding in Alaska is very real. I don’t see an end to it as many are first timers to Alaska and the demand seems to be endless. I read a trip report on a Grand Princess cruise in July and 2000 of the passengers were new Princess cruisers, so most likely new to Alaska too.

I recently watched the documentary below on our library’s app about Sitka. It was very enlightening. I didn’t know that the town had voted NOT to build a cruise ship dock in town, but it was built anyway on private land out of town, with the financial assistance of the Royal Caribbean Group. The decision to close much of the downtown to traffic was also controversial and not appreciated by many locals.

Icy Strait Point as I understand it was also purpose built to service cruise ships, once again by Royal Caribbean. When were there we were told most of the workers drive in from other parts of Hoonah.

We have been to Alaska many times, living where we do, but when in port we usually find a 2-3 hour hike and enjoy the nature. Generally we see few other cruise ship passengers this way and are leaving Sunday for a 2 week B2B. It’s pretty tempting when it’s in your own backyard, and I really just love being on a ship, but I don’t know how long we should continue to be part of the problem.

 

 

Edited August 23 by sunviking90