New Measure Filed to Limit Cruise Visits to Juneau
Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations and a bucket-list itinerary for many cruisers. But will as many cruisers be able to visit the capital of the Last Frontier if a new initiative passes?
The new measure, filed on Monday, April 7, 2025, seeks to solidify more casual agreements into actual law for the City and Borough of Juneau. This would protect the voluntary limits already in place from a Memorandum of Agreement signed in May 2024.
The proposal sets a total annual cap of cruise ship guests at no more than 1.5 million and a daily limit of 16,000 Sundays through Fridays, with no more than 12,000 on any Saturday.
If passed, no more than five large ships would be permitted each day. The measure defines a “large cruise ship” as one carrying 950 guests or higher based on total capacity – regardless of how many may actually be aboard on any given voyage.
The measure has been brought to the municipal clerk’s office by Juneau resident Karla Hart, who has been involved in the cruise ship limit fight for years, advocating for ship-free Saturdays entirely.
“We’re just asking for a limit that might allow us, let the town, catch up with the cruise ship passenger numbers and to level off, and not have all the stress and conflict that we have,” Hart told the Juneau Empire.
Juneau has a population of roughly 32,000. It is easy to understand how multiple cruise ships carrying hundreds or thousands of guests could quickly overwhelm the city.
“The cruise industry is vital to our local economy, and we need to improve our infrastructure and grow our tour capacity to create a great guest experience and reduce impacts on residents,” said Alexandra Pierce, Juneau visitor industry director, when the Memorandum of Agreement was signed.
When Ships Could Visit Might Also Be Limited
The new proposal wouldn’t just be limiting the number of guests able to visit Juneau, however. It would also limit when ships can visit Alaska’s capital city.
Included in the regulations is a note for “no medium and large cruise ships before May 1 or after September 30.”
April and October are the so-called “shoulder months” for the Alaska cruise season. Because Alaska can be such a profitable destination for cruise lines and sailings may sell out years in advance, adding more cruises in these shoulder months is a popular way to expand the season.
Local residents, however, may be less than enthusiastic about extending the cruise season. Alaska’s most popular attractions are its stunning natural beauty and wildlife, but very early and very late in the season, those attributes aren’t at their best.
I have cruised to Alaska in late April. While it was still a stunning destination, we didn’t see nearly as much wildlife as guests might spot in June or July and Mother Nature was still waking up from her long winter slumber. Nevertheless, it was still an amazing experience.
Read Also: Your Guide to the Best Alaska Cruise Ports
Because of the seasonal nature of tour work in Alaska, some tour operators have difficulty staffing their operations very early and late in the season. This can dramatically impact the quality of a cruise guest’s experience.
The new measure proposal comes exactly as the city of Juneau has approved development of a fifth cruise ship dock, this one in downtown Juneau on Egan Drive, and to include retail space, a welcome center, and a cultural center.
The new project is under the control of the Huna Totem Corporation, which also developed the popular port destination of Icy Strait Point. The new dock is slated to be ready to welcome ship for the 2026 cruise season.
If passed, the new measure limiting the sizes of ships and the length of the Alaska cruise season will take effect from October 1, 2027.