Skift Take
Regardless of the ballot initiative's outcome, relations between locals and the cruise line industry in Juneau won't be the same.
Thousands of residents in Juneau, Alaska, are voting through next Tuesday on an initiative to ban any cruise ship with a capacity of over 250 passengers from docking in their city on Saturdays and the Fourth of July.
The initiative, called "Ship-Free Saturday," aims to “reclaim” Saturdays for Juneau residents who feel they have been pushed out of their city by overtourism, said Karla Hart, one of the residents who gathered enough signatures — 2,359 — on a petition to place the proposal on the ballot.
Residents received mail-in ballots on September 12 and have until October 1 to vote. The initiative requires a majority to pass.
Juneau is a major stop for the cruise industry. Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival — along with Disney, Viking, and other companies — all offer itineraries that include Juneau.
Cruise travel has grown faster than air travel to Alaska in recent years. Cruises account for 65% of Alaska’s summer visitors, said Jillian Simpson, CEO of Alaska Travel Industry Association.
Juneau, a city of 32,000 people, received a record 1.65 million visitors last year, up from 1.31 million in 2019, according to the city government. On some days 20,000 cruise passengers descend on the city.
In 2023, cruise visitors generated $30 million in direct spending and $3.7 m