More than 100 homes in Alaska’s capital Juneau – a popular cruise call – were damaged last month after a glacial dam burst north of the city. But while there is flooding to some extent every year, locals say the past two breaches have been unprecedented.
Climate change is a factor and has, of course, been blamed, and the cruise industry’s contribution to increases in the kind of emissions responsible cannot be ignored. So are there tensions between Juneau locals and the lines that visit? Not so, it seems.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ brands – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises – all offer Alaska cruises. Within three days of the floods, NCLH had donated $50,000 to support recovery efforts.
Dan Farkas, NCLH executive vice-president, general counsel and chief development officer, remarked: “Juneau is not just a destination for us. We feel a profound responsibility to stand by the residents in their time of need.”
Gary Anslow, NCL vice-president and head of UK and Ireland, stressed NCL is "committed to driving a positive impact on society and the environment as shown by our global sustainability programme, Sail & Sustain".
"NCLH is constantly looking for ways to work with the people local to its destinations," he added, before highlighting the company’s collaboration with the Huna Totem Corporation, which supports the local community as it’s owned by 1,400 shareholders whose aboriginal ties are to the Hoonah village in Alaska.
Carnival Cruise Line also donated $50,000 to the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund (ACRF) to support local sustainability efforts.
The money will support the ACRF’s lower-income fuel-switching programme, which provides emission-free heating systems to qualified residents.
Trade association Clia Alaska explained NCLH and Carnival Cruise Line’s donations when approached by TTG.
“The industry endeavours to be good partners in the communities we visit – in Alaska and many other destinations around the world,” said a spokesperson.
“Donations made to local causes [that are] important to the community are one aspect of that partnership.”
Cruise lines’ efforts to reduce their environmental footprint and integrate with local communities stretch back decades, long before the flooding in Juneau became such an acute issue.
Princess Cruises pioneered the concept of shore power, with the help of partners, in Juneau in 2001. It meant the city’s port was the first in the world to install the technology, which allows ships to connect to the local grid and switch off their engines in port – cutting emissions.
A measure of just how ahead of its time the introduction of shore power was at Juneau, the world’s largest cruise port – PortMiami – only began offering shore power connections this year.
Holland America Line (HAL) operates six ships in Alaska. It is among the initial partners to join the Alaska Green Corridor, which launched in 2022 along with Carnival Corporation’s other brands – Princess, Carnival Cruise Line, Seabourn and Cunard – and Alaska’s ports.
The aim is to decarbonise shipping routes between Alaska, British Columbia and Washington, with an initial focus on cruise ship operations.
Exploring Alaska ’a privilege’
Cruise lines’ efforts to effect change and support Alaska extend into the communities their passengers visit.
Patrick Hill, head of Paramount Cruises, sailed on Celebrity Eclipse in Alaska in 2022. “A highlight during the seven-night voyage was the daily talk given by the onboard naturalist,” he noted.
“This gave us true insight into the history and culture of native Alaskans and the rich wildlife that can be seen throughout the voyage. I ended the trip with a greater understanding and respect for the many unique challenges faced by those living in this beautiful state.”
The shoreside team at Seabourn volunteered more than 500 hours and donated to local non-profit organisations, shelters and schools in 2023.
The luxury expedition line said: “The privilege to explore Alaska’s incredible scenery and wildlife comes with great responsibility to respect and help maintain the culture, history and natural resources.”
HAL has also donated more than $85,000 to school districts throughout the state to help buy classroom supplies, musical instruments, sports equipment and furniture.
Royal Caribbean International connects its guests to Skagway-based Voyij.com, an online marketplace featuring Alaskan small businesses, retailers and artists. It estimates the three-year partnership has driven more than $1 million in sales to local businesses.
Elsewhere, The Hurtigruten Foundation – a collaboration between Hurtigruten, Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX), their guests, partners and private donors, which was set up to fight climate change, strengthen local communities and stop mass tourism – last year donated around £3,500 to a project supporting community storytelling, which included a travelling exhibit along coastal Alaska focusing on climate change.
HX said it was drawn to the project because it felt a number of smaller Alaskan communities such as Seward, Sitka and Wrangell often didn’t feature in the national conversation on climate change effects.
“They are experiencing glacial melt leading to rising sea levels and landslides resulting from extreme precipitation events,” an HX spokesperson said.
It is estimated that between 7,500 and 15,000 people will visit the exhibit across all the locations during the current Alaska season, which runs from May to September.
’More must be done’
Westoe Travel co-owner Graeme Brett has visited Alaska six times on cruises or land tours with his wife Joan and estimates their agency sells 30 to 40 Alaska sailings a year.
Brett believes lines “could do a lot more” to support Alaskan communities. “As far as I am concerned, Alaska is the best cruise you can do,” he said. “But I do feel the lines could invest more of their profits into local communities.
“The cruise season in Alaska is short. These communities have got to survive all year round as they don’t have any tourists coming in the winter. Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan are reliant on cruise passengers coming into port.”
HX chief expedition officer Alex McNeil has spent more than 15 years shaping the future of expedition cruise travel, first with Quark Expeditions and now for Hurtigruten’s expedition cruise division.
Following the recent flooding in Juneau, he succinctly laid bare the challenge facing the growing number of cruise lines seeking to operate in Alaska.
“As a company deeply connected to the natural world and the dramatic Alaskan coastline, this flooding event underscores the urgent need for further collective action on climate change,” he said.
“While we remain committed to leaving a footprint we’re proud of, it’s clear more must be done to protect these fragile environments for those living there right now – and for future generations.”
