Alex DeMarban
Anchorage Daily News, Alaska
Anchorage—Increased capacity on cruise ships and pent-up demand will help bring a record number of cruise guests to Alaska this summer, signaling a rebound for the industry after the pandemic hampered travel in recent years, an official with a cruise trade association said this week.
The anticipation comes as the summer’s first large ship, the Norwegian Bliss owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, docked in Juneau in Southeast Alaska early last week. The arrival of the ship, with space for 4,000 guests, marked the start of the tourism season in the state.
Tourism operators in Alaska also say the labor shortage of recent years is easing, so they’ll be more likely to operate at full capacity this summer. And the tourism industry again expects to see large numbers of the valuable independent travelers making their way to the state, unaffiliated with a cruise or guided itinerary….