Juneau Passenger Caps Prompt Shift of Alaska Cruise Ships to Ketchikan

Ketchikan is set to welcome more cruise passengers than Juneau for the first time in 2026, due to new ship and passenger limits implemented in Juneau. The city’s tourism officials estimate that overall passenger numbers will remain close to the record 1.69 million recorded in 2025, but daily caps have changed the flow of cruise traffic in the region.

Starting in 2024, Juneau will limit daily visits to five cruise ships and will cap passenger numbers at 16,000, which will be reduced to 12,000 on Saturdays. These restrictions are shaping itinerary planning throughout Southeast Alaska. With these new limitations, Ketchikan is anticipated to surpass Juneau in total cruise passengers next year.

The shift in traffic also stems from changes by the Royal Caribbean Group in its deployment strategy for Alaska. Royal Caribbean International will decrease its calls to downtown Juneau from four ships in 2025 to three in 2026, while increasing calls to other Southeast Alaskan ports, including Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point.

Plans for a proposed private cruise facility on Douglas Island are ongoing. This facility, set to open in 2028, may accommodate up to two ships per day, but it remains uncertain how it will fit within Juneau’s current daily limits.

Ketchikan’s experience with cruise infrastructure is influencing these discussions, as evidenced by the Mill at Ward Cove, a privately developed cruise port that opened in 2021. This location has redirected visitor flows and fostered local tourism development. Further phases of development at this site are planned, with new businesses and tour offerings being introduced continuously.

The community’s sentiment regarding cruise tourism in Southeast Alaska is varied, with Juneau residents divided on the benefits versus the drawbacks of cruise traffic. In contrast, nearby communities like Wrangell and Haines show higher support for tourism, while Sitka has also expressed interest in establishing balanced approaches to cruise limits through community engagement.

There is a growing recognition among Southeast Alaska ports of the need to collaborate on negotiations for passenger caps, given shared challenges related to infrastructure, quality of life for residents, and effective visitor management. The situation in Ketchikan, fueled by the influx of cruise passengers, has prompted further local discussions about capacity and future planning.

Juneau’s Visitor Industry Task Force is reconvening to review recent community survey results at its next meeting, continuing its evaluation of how to manage cruise tourism effectively within set limits while supporting local economic interests.

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