Ketchikan is projected to receive more cruise passengers than Juneau for the first time, reflecting the impact of voluntary ship and passenger limits adopted by Juneau in coordination with the cruise industry. Juneau’s tourism officials indicated that overall passenger volumes in the capital are expected to remain close to the record 1.69 million recorded in 2025, but the introduction of daily caps has altered regional traffic patterns.
The City and Borough of Juneau implemented a limit of five cruise ships per day beginning in 2024, alongside a daily passenger ceiling of 16,000, reduced to 12,000 on Saturdays. According to the city’s tourism manager, these measures have constrained further growth in Juneau while influencing itinerary planning across Southeast Alaska. Projections for 2026 indicate that Ketchikan will surpass Juneau in total cruise passenger numbers, a change attributed directly to the new limits.
A significant factor in the shift is Royal Caribbean Group’s adjustment to its Alaska deployment. Royal Caribbean International is reducing downtown Juneau calls from 4 ships in 2025 to three in 2026, while maintaining four ships in the region by increasing calls at other Southeast Alaska ports, including Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point near Hoonah. At the same time, long-term plans remain under discussion regarding a proposed private two-berth cruise facility on Douglas Island, which is scheduled to open in 2028 and could accommodate up to two ships per day. Whether those calls would be counted within Juneau’s existing daily limit or lead to an expansion of permitted ship numbers has not yet been resolved.
Ketchikan’s experience with private cruise infrastructure is already shaping the discussion. The Mill at Ward Cove, a privately developed cruise port located north of downtown Ketchikan, opened in 2021 and has redistributed visitor flows while supporting the development of new attractions and services. Local tourism officials have indicated that additional phases of development are planned, with new businesses and expanded tour offerings being introduced over time. Transportation links, including tour and city buses, continue to connect the facility with downtown Ketchikan.
Community sentiment toward cruise tourism across Southeast Alaska was also reviewed during the meeting. Survey results from Juneau showed a divided perspective, with respondents split between those who view cruise tourism’s benefits as outweighing its drawbacks and those who hold the opposite view, while a sizable portion remained neutral. Other communities, including Wrangell and Haines, reported higher levels of support. In Sitka, where cruise limits have also been debated, recent findings indicated strong public interest in establishing a balanced approach through negotiated passenger levels and active municipal involvement.
Regional coordination has emerged as a recurring theme. Juneau’s tourism management noted that Southeast Alaska ports generally support each other’s efforts to establish negotiated caps, recognizing shared challenges related to infrastructure, resident quality of life, and visitor management. The scale of the impact on Ketchikan, however, has prompted renewed local discussions about capacity and long-term planning.
Juneau’s Visitor Industry Task Force, which has been reactivated after a pause in operations, is scheduled to review the most recent community survey findings at its next meeting, continuing an ongoing assessment of how cruise tourism can be managed within agreed limits while balancing regional economic interests.