Juneau Votes on Proposal to Ban Large Cruise Ships on Saturdays

Residents of Juneau are currently voting on a measure to prohibit large cruise ships from docking in the town on Saturdays. According to KTOO, the by-mail voting process began on September 12, with the election closing on Tuesday, October 1.

First proposed in July, the "Ship-Free Saturday" initiative seeks to block ships carrying 250 or more passengers from visiting the town on Saturdays. The measure would also prevent vessels from docking on July 4, a day when the city hosts its annual downtown parade celebrating Independence Day.

Activist Karla Hart, who opposes tourism growth in Juneau, and other supporters collected over 2,300 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. “Ship-Free Saturdays would give us a relief. Every week we will have one day of a pause,” Hart said during a recent public forum.

“We can breathe, we can do things in our homes without helicopter noise. We can go out in the community and not be diluted by all the people who are here who aren’t from here,” Hart added.

Juneau is a key stop for many cruise lines operating in Alaska, and this change could disrupt numerous itineraries scheduled to include Saturday visits.

Cruise Industry News reports that 12 large vessels are slated to visit Juneau on Saturdays in 2025, including Carnival’s Luminosa and Spirit, Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess, and Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer. Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,200-passenger Norwegian Joy is also booked to dock in Juneau on six Saturdays in 2025.

Cruise passengers contributed $30 million in direct spending to the town on Saturdays in 2023, according to city data. Additionally, the ships brought in more than $3.6 million in revenue for the municipal government on those days.

Opponents of the "Ship-Free Saturday" measure have launched a campaign against it. The group, Protect Juneau’s Future, has raised over $300,000, including $75,000 from a Norwegian Cruise Line affiliate, $75,000 from Westmark Hotels, $10,000 from Wings Airways, and $8,000 from Northrim Bank, according to Alaska Beacon.

If passed, the initiative could create legal challenges for the city, with potential lawsuits expected from dock owners and local businesses, KTOO reported.