First Cruise Ship Welcomed Back to Alaska Since 2019"An important step toward Alaska’s road to economic recovery”Posted & Edited By MARY KAUFFMAN
July 11, 2021
Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas arrived to the Ketchikan port Friday morning to serve as the state’s test cruise - with volunteer passengers - to demonstrate to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionl (CDC) the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation protocols. Following Friday’s simulated voyage, nNine large cruise ships are currently scheduled to operate in Alaska this year, with 78 sailings to take place through Oct. 21, 2021. All sailings must receive approval from, and meet the requirements of, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The event marked the return of cruise tourism to Alaska nearly two years since cruise ships last operated in the state. Prior to the pandemic, cruise passengers represented more than 60% of all mainland visitors to Alaska, and the industry’s operations generated more than $3 billion to the Alaskan economy per year, supporting 23,000 local jobs.
U.S. Senator Murkowski, Alaska Lieutenant Governor Meyer and City of Ketchikan Mayor Sivertsen spoke at the event, as did representatives from CLIA, Royal Caribbean Group, and Patti Mackey, president and CEO of the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau. CLIA concluded the speaking program with a tribute to U.S. Senator Murkowski for her leadership in the passage of the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, which was instrumental in facilitating the return of cruise tourism in Alaska this summer. Murkowski said, “I am pleased to welcome the first large cruise ship of the 2021 season. Tourism is the lifeblood for hundreds of Alaska small businesses and thousands of employees. I’ve been committed to help bring tourism back for the 2021 season and keep Alaskans afloat through the hardships created by the pandemic. It was an all-hands-on-deck effort to find a solution to the 2021 cruise ship season and bring a much-needed economic boost to our communities. I want to thank the other members of the delegation for working with me to get my legislation, the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, across the finish line. This legislation made it possible to begin to bring cruise ships back to Alaska – so that our communities can have a productive tourist season. Today marks an important step toward Alaska’s road to economic recovery from the pandemic.” At the event, hosted by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Senator Murkowski was presented with an award in appreciation for her leadership in the passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (ATRA).
Michael McGarry, Senior Vice President Global Government Affairs and North American Secretariat, CLIA said, “CLIA and our ocean-going member lines have been hard at work to bring cruise business back to Alaska and to support a vibrant tourism economy, with enhanced health and safety measures. We would not be here today if not for the efforts of Alaska’s elected officials, who moved mountains to ensure that communities throughout Alaska would not go a second summer without cruise tourism. On behalf of our members, we would like to share a special thank you to U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, whose commitment to serving her constituents was pivotal in bringing cruise tourism back to Alaska this summer.” Alaska Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer said, “The cruise ships are back, and we look forward to many more to come. This is the boost Alaska needs for our economy and businesses. This industry is critical to our state livelihood. Today’s event is the result of the private sector and federal, state, and local governments working together. When we work together, good things happen for Alaska.” City of Ketchikan Mayor Bob Sivertsen said, “Having the ships return is like a late spring. As with spring it brings hope, joy and the anticipation of brighter days ahead. Ketchikan is ready for the hustle and bustle of a vibrant economy. We are excited to see our cruise partners back.”
Russell Benford, Vice President, Government Relations, Americas, Royal Caribbean Group said, “We are celebrating the much-anticipated return of cruising to Alaska today thanks to the determination and close collaboration of the cruise industry, policymakers and communities that are so reliant on tourism. Proud, resourceful Alaskan communities, which have endured almost two seasons without cruising, will once again welcome cruise visitors to this magnificent destination and I’m sure Alaskan business owners look forward to reigniting the tourism economy and providing for their families.” Patti Mackey, President and CEO, Ketchikan Visitors Bureau said, “The arrival of Serenade in Ketchikan and the promise of additional ships sailing in Alaska this season is welcome news after a 21-month absence and the resultant economic disaster for Ketchikan's visitor industry businesses. The loss of both independent and cruise visitors in 2020 was devastating and only added to the impacts of the pandemic. We all owe Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Congressman Young our thanks for breaking the logjam that kept ships from sailing and causing further damage to our community.” In 2019, Alaska hosted over 1.3 million visitors by way of cruise ships. That number came to a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated mandates, decimating Alaskan small businesses and Alaska’s economy overall. The tourism industry in Alaska typically generates more than $214 million in state and municipal revenue, more than $1.4 billion in payroll, and $2.2 billion in visitor spending - all of which saw a significant decline during the coronavirus pandemic. Since cruise operations from U.S. ports were suspended in March 2020, it is estimated that more than 300,000 American jobs have been impacted or lost, with a corresponding loss of over $39 billion in economic activity. Nearly 70 percent of the industry’s economic contributions in Alaska benefitted local small businesses in 2019 — the highest percentage of any state in the country. Following the cancellation of the 2020 cruise season, the return of the first large cruise ship to an Alaskan port, with stringent measures in place and the support of health authorities, marks a significant milestone on the path to recovery for small businesses and communities in Alaska and across the country. Senator Murkowski is credited for working diligently to ensure that large cruise ships could return to Alaska to provide economic opportunity for communities and small businesses who rely heavily on tourism. Her legislation, the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (ATRA), which was signed into law on May 24, 2021, provided a temporary fix under the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), paving the way for cruise ships to resume operations and transport passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska. Due to the Canadian prohibition on passenger vessels traveling through Canadian waters, without the ATRA large cruise ships sailing to Alaska would not have been able to sail to Alaska this summer as the PVSA required a stop in a foreign country.
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