Passage of Alaska Tourism Resoration Act by U.S. Senate Brings Return of Cruise Ships One Step CloserVERY HIGH Community Risk Level in Ketchikan A Big Concern for Return of Port CallsPosted & Edited By MARY KAUFFMAN
May 19, 2021
The move would bypass the contentious Passenger Vessel Services Act, which requires foreign-flagged vessels to make a stop outside of the U.S. The suspension would lift in February 2022 when the Canada ban expires. If the Bill passes through the U.S. House of Representatives and is signed by the President in a timely manner, it is possible we could see cruise ships sailing to Alaska this July. The passage of the bill will be a massive boost for the Alaska tourism season, which has suffered greatly from Canada's cruise ship ban. Things aren't looking good locally for the return of either the large or small cruises for Ketchikan. Uncruise recently canceled its port calls in Ketchikan due to the VERY HIGH Community Risk Level spread of Covid-19. For the first time, Ketchikan's risk level was raised to Level 4 - Very High on May 11, 2021. As of today, the Community Risk Level for Ketchikan remains at Level 4 - VERY HIGH. With the extreme increase in positive cases during May, even with the passage of this bill by the U.S. House of Represenative and with the President's signature, Ketchikan's currently high community spread risk would more likely than not prohibit the return of any port calls from cruise lines without Ketchikan soon returning to a LOW risk level. The Ketchikan Emergency Operation Center has provided clear guidance and recommendations on how Ketchikan residents can help move the community risk back to a LOW by working together. May 2021 has been the largest reported positived cases since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. Face maskes are currently strongly recommented by the EOC. The bill passed last week by the Senate provides a way for cruise ships to bring passengers to Alaska, despite the Canadian prohibition on passenger vessels traveling through Canadian waters en route to Alaska. It will give Alaskans, small business owners, and Alaska’s statewide economy an opportunity to have some semblance of a tourist season. Both Senators spoke on the Senate floor right after the legislation passed to urge the House to swiftly pass the bill in order to prevent Alaskan communities from losing out on another tourism season. U.S. Congressman Don Young (R-AK) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. After passage in the U.S. Senate, the bill was sent to to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration on May 17th and as of today is held at the desk. If the bill is passed by the House, it would then go to President Joe Biden. If President Biden signs the bill, it would then become law. Alaska State Senator Bert Stedman (R-Southeast Islands) in a prepared statement thanked U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan for successfully passing the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act in the U.S. Senate, which would allow large cruise ships to visit Alaska. “Thanks to the hard work of Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s tourism industry has a fighting chance,” said Sen. Stedman. “Swift passage of the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act through Congress has the potential to not only jumpstart Southeast Alaska’s economic recovery, but provide significant benefit to the whole state.” The Act suspends the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 until February 29, 2022, which requires large foreign ships to either stop in a foreign port or start their voyages in a foreign port. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has prohibited Alaska-bound cruise ships from operating in Canadian waters. This legislation comes in response to Canada’s Interim Order No. 5 Respecting Passenger Vessel Restrictions Due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) which bans pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. The ATRA works to provide economic opportunity for communities who rely on tourism by temporarily alleviating Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions—for as long as the Canadian ban is in place—for large cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska. The fix is essential to allowing cruise ships to sail to Alaska without requiring they stop in Canada, as U.S. law would normally require. “The Alaska Delegation has been working every angle to help find a path forward for struggling Alaskans who rely on the tourism industry. Senate passage of my legislation sends a strong signal that we will not stand idly by, withering on the vine, until another country catches up to our level of readiness. This shows that the health and restoration of our economy cannot be held up by Canada, especially since Alaska has led with vaccinations in the country and our communities are ready to welcome visitors back,” said Senator Murkowski “Unanimous agreement in the Senate on this bill provides certainty and opportunity for cruise companies to resume sailing to Alaska, as they have for so many years—and more importantly, helps safeguard the livelihoods of Alaskan-owned small businesses, and entire communities, that serve these cruise passengers. I thank Senators Cantwell, Wicker, Blumenthal, and Lee for coming to the table and working with us on a path forward and all my Senate colleagues for recognizing the urgency of this situation for Alaskans. Our hope is that the House will now promptly follow suit.” “I want to thank Senator Murkowski for her work and my colleagues in the Senate for coming together today to give the thousands of Alaskans in the tourism sector a fighting chance at salvaging our 2021 summer cruise ship season,” said Senator Sullivan. Sullivan said, “The passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act [May 13, 2021] is an example of the U.S. Senate working at its best. This is an important step forward, but we still have more work to do. Congressman Don Young, the dean of the House and a great advocate for Alaska, will be working with his colleagues to quickly get the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act through the House. And, we’re continuing to work around the clock with CDC leaders to finally issue workable guidance that allows the cruise lines and coastal communities to safely welcome visitors again. Given the CDC’s much-awaited loosening of mask guidelines today for vaccinated Americans, I am hopeful we will see progress on this front as well.” Although Disney has not officially canceled its 2021 Alaskan sailing season on the Disney Wonder - the Wonder‘s itineraries have been suspended through July 2021; however, Canada’s cruising ban has made Disney Cruise Line fans wonder if there is any hope for taking an Alaska Disney cruise vacation this year. While the cruise industry and CDC have been making strides towards a resumption of cruising from the US, cruises to Alaska are still a considerable uncertainty. When asked about an August restart, the CDC said "The CDC is committed to working with the cruise industry and seaport partners to resume cruising following the phased approach outlined in the CSO. This goal aligns with the prospective resumption of passenger operations in the United States by mid-summer, expressed by many major cruise ship operators and travelers."
Source of News:
|
|||||