As the issue of overtourism continues to frustrate locals in Juneau, cruise lines have reached an agreement to implement capacity limits starting in 2026. This move comes after years of residents raising concerns about the impact of cruise tourism on their quality of life and the environment. The new restrictions aim to address these issues and create a more sustainable approach to tourism in Alaska’s capital city.
New Capacity Limits
Under the new agreement, cruise lines will be collectively capped at 16,000 daily lower berths from Sundays through Fridays, with a further reduction to 12,000 lower berths on Saturdays. This means that the busiest days, which have seen more than 21,000 lower berths, will now be limited to alleviate the strain on the city’s infrastructure and resources.
Memorandum of Agreement
The capacity limits were agreed upon by the City & Borough of Juneau and major cruise companies including Carnival Corp., Disney, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Royal Caribbean Group. This memorandum of agreement reflects a collaborative effort to address the challenges of overtourism and find sustainable solutions for the future.
The Visitor Industry Task Force, established in 2019 to advise on cruise tourism-related issues, played a key role in negotiating the new restrictions. The task force will continue to meet annually to review the impact of the capacity limits and consider any necessary modifications based on lessons learned from implementation.
Juneau’s tourism director has expressed her goal of not having to approve any days with more than 16,000 lower berths, signaling a commitment to managing tourism in a responsible and sustainable manner. While the new agreement allows for exceptions on a case-by-case basis, the overall aim is to reduce the number of tourists on the busiest days and mitigate the effects of overtourism.
Community Response
Despite the capacity limits being a step in the right direction, some residents are still pushing for more drastic measures to address overtourism. A referendum to ban cruise ships on Saturdays and July 4 is currently being pursued by locals who believe that further restrictions are necessary to protect the city’s local culture and environment.
The agreement between cruise lines and Juneau officials to implement capacity limits represents a significant step towards addressing the issue of overtourism in the city. By working together to find sustainable solutions, stakeholders are taking a proactive approach to balancing the economic benefits of tourism with the need to protect the community and environment for future generations.