Key Tourist Destinations Rethink Their Reliance on Cruising
Ports from Juneau to Grand Cayman are considering parting ways—or saying mostly goodbye—to a sector that keeps their economy going.
Overlooking Juneau above the Mount Roberts tram.
Photographer: Walter Bibikow/Digital VisionOn April 12, activists in Juneau, Alaska, filed paperwork to limit cruise traffic to the city’s picturesque port, where more than 1.2 million passengers disembarked in 2019. When cruising returns, it’s expected to host about 620 ships, bringing more than 1.3 million to the last frontier state.
The citizens argue that many passengers coming ashore during the summer season changes the way of life in the city of 32,000. Ideally, they say, they can maintain a quality of life, keep the city as an attractive destination for overnight visitors, and maintain some (but not all) cruise tourism opportunities.