Juneau celebrated a great cruise season in 2025, according to Alexandra Pierce, tourism director of the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ).
As one of the main cruise destinations in Alaska, the port welcomed a steady number of visitors while working to enhance their experience on land.
Pierce said that this stability is part of Juneau’s strategy for the cruise and tourism industry, with numbers expected to remain steady through at least 2027.
With agreed guest and ship limits in place, Juneau welcomed 1.63 million cruise guests in 2025.
The plan also ensures that the town can work out issues that may be affecting residents and the local community, she added.
“That’s been tremendously helpful to us,” Pierce told Cruise Industry News during an interview in November.
“We haven’t resolved them all (the issues), but it’s given us time and space to focus on those things and to really focus on being a thriving and successful destination,” she added.
Pierce noted that, unlike other ports in the region, Juneau is not bracing for record growth every year.
“That strategy is working, and we’re looking forward to having at least a couple more seasons of flat volume so that we can continue the work that we’re doing.”
Juneau was facing uncertainty before the start of the season due to federal budget cuts that led to staffing issues at MendenhallGlacier Visitor Center, which is the port’s major attraction.
“We worked really hard with our local tour operators, the US Forest Service, Juneau’s Congressional Delegation, some of our tribes and a local nonprofit to sort things out there, and I think it was really a great success story,” Pierce said.
She highlighted the fact that one of Juneau’s tribes has a unique coastal stewardship program at the Mendenhall Glacier.
“Everybody came together and recognized how vital this attraction is to our community and how important it is that something so special remains in the public domain,” Pierce continued.
The attraction operated with limited hours this year, but Juneau “worked through it and had a successful season,” she added.
“I think it really was a testament to our community and local tour operators, with everyone coming together to protect this asset.”
The Norwegian Encore was the last ship to visit Juneau this year, wrapping up the local season with a transit call in mid-October. The 2026 season is expected to start in late April with a visit from Holland America Line’s Eurodam.
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