Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, will be providing $10 million in cash to support to six Alaska port communities severely impacted by the ongoing cruise voyage suspension.
According to NCLH, approximately 60 percent of all tourism in Alaska is generated through cruise, which has been halted for more than a year, continuing to affect families and small businesses reliant on cruise tourism. In addition, as part of the recently announced BuyAlaska and Voyij.com initiative, the company has joined the “Shop Local Alaska” program and is encouraging people to help support Alaska small businesses.
Cruise travel is vital to Alaska’s tourism economy and the ongoing suspension of cruising is having a devastating ripple effect across the state, NCLH said. Prior to the pandemic the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) estimated that nearly 1.4 million passengers visited the region on 577 voyages in 2019. The government of Alaska estimates the cancellation of both the 2020 and 2021 cruise season would result in a $3.3 billion impact, including $2.2 billion of lost revenues for local business. The government also estimates that port and cruise line-related communities have seen more than 22,000 of collective job losses, representing over $300 million of lost wages.
NCLH’s $10 million cash donation will go directly to the port communities of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Hoonah, Seward and Sitka to provide humanitarian relief from the economic hardship these communities are currently facing from the ongoing cruise suspension. The company is also working diligently to recommence cruise operations in the U.S. to help restart the broad cruise ecosystem. In early April, NCLH submitted a plan to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to request authorization to recommence cruising by July 4, which included its “SailSAFE” health and safety program.
As for the “Shop Local Alaska” program, launched by BuyAlaska and Voyij.com, it was created as a direct response to the uncertainty of the 2021 cruise season as Alaskan retailers look beyond their brick-and-mortar stores for online sales following a year without cruise ships and very few visitors. Buyers who live around the globe can browse virtual Alaska stores and buy with confidence by visiting www.voyij.com/shop-local-alaska.
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