Juneau, Alaska, welcomed 1,733,016 cruise passengers in 2026, setting a new annual record for the fourth year in a row. The season ended on October 6, and passenger arrivals were up about 2.6% from the 1,688,738 recorded in 2025. Juneau received 1,677,935 passengers in 2024 and 1,638,902 in 2023.
The record came during the first year of voluntary daily passenger limits: 16,000 visitors, reduced to 12,000 on Saturdays. The limits were intended to slow the pace of growth and make visitor numbers more predictable for residents and businesses, rather than lower the season’s overall total.
Tourism manager Alexandra Pierce said passenger totals were broadly in line with expectations. Juneau operated at 104% of its lower-berth capacity, a measure based on two passengers per cabin. Actual occupancy can be higher when cabins accommodate additional guests in pull-out beds, bunks or cradles.
The city expects passenger volumes to remain relatively steady in 2027 and 2028. Annual lower-berth capacity is projected at between 1.6 million and 1.7 million passengers across the 2023–2028 period.
The daily limits have also affected cruise itineraries around Southeast Alaska. Royal Caribbean reduced its Juneau calls in 2026 and plans further reductions in 2027, shifting some itineraries to other destinations, including Icy Strait Point near Hoonah. Icy Strait Point recorded a notable increase in passenger numbers during the latest season.
Earlier in the year, the changes led to speculation that Ketchikan might surpass Juneau in cruise arrivals for the first time. Ketchikan tourism manager Laurie Booyse said the city was projecting about 1.67 million passengers in 2026—below Juneau’s total, but well above the roughly 1.5 million recorded in 2025. More cruise calls and the deployment of larger ships contributed to the increase.
The smaller Southeast Alaska community of Wrangell also reported a strong season, with around 75,000 cruise passenger berths through the final week of September.
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