Juneau Hits New Milestone as Cruise Passenger Numb...

The 2025 Alaska cruise season was one other profitable 12 months for port cities featured alongside the routes of many cruise traces. Juneau, Alaska, the state’s busiest cruise port, closed its season with one more spike in passenger site visitors, with a complete of 1,700,842 company arriving on the town from cruise ships.

The majority of these guests got here from bigger cruise vessels, which introduced 1,688,738 passengers to Juneau this 12 months.

That’s only a 0.6 % improve from 2024, when these vessels delivered 1,677,935 passengers.

Whereas the year-over-year change is modest, port officers say the steadiness underscores Juneau’s function in main Alaskan itineraries.

Small-ship site visitors additionally contributed to this 12 months’s totals, with cruise traces akin to UnCruise, American Cruise Strains, and Baranof Dream Cruises including one other 12,104 passengers. 

Though these vessels carry far fewer passengers than conventional cruise ships, officers be aware their presence extends the season into shoulder months and continues to develop as expedition and adventure-style itineraries achieve recognition in Southeast Alaska.

Planning for One other Yr of Progress

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore closed out Juneau’s season on October 14, 2025. Now Docks & Harbors, which is chargeable for managing Juneau’s port amenities, cruise berths, and waterfront operations, is popping its consideration to shaping what’s forward.

Internet hosting the 2025 annual Alaska Affiliation of Harbormasters & Port Directors (AAHPA) assembly earlier in November, planning classes centered on how town will deal with continued high-volume cruise site visitors at a time when demand stays sturdy and native debates over passenger numbers proceed.

A lot of the public debate is whether or not Juneau can or ought to place limits on cruise calls to not more than 5 massive vessels per day and a customer cap of 16,000 individuals each day, with Saturdays dropping to 12,000 cruise company.

These proposals have contributed to a wave of recent personal port improvement round Juneau, together with Royal Caribbean’s present building of a new two-berth cruise port, Goldbelt Aaní, on close by Douglas Island. 

Docks & Harbors used its November assembly to debate long-term infrastructure wants, passenger-flow administration on peak days, and capital initiatives required to assist greater than 1.7 million annual guests. The board additionally addressed issues that the brand new ports in improvement may shift site visitors away from downtown docks.

The board additionally evaluated how Juneau’s choice to nearly double cruise dockage fees starting in 2026 may have an effect on port income and cruise scheduling.

The 2026 Alaska season will start in mid-April with Holland America Line sending Noordam as the primary and one of many final ships to reach within the Internal Passage. Juneau will welcome its first vessel of the season, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss, on April 28, 2026.