The city of Juneau, Alaska, will ask voters whether to ban cruise ships on Saturdays, in order to give local residents a weekend break from tourist crowds. 

The measure, which would ban cruise ships carrying more than 250 passengers from calling at the city on Saturdays or on July 4, received enough signatures to appear on the October 1 ballot. 

Juneau is a popular cruise port. On Saturdays this summer, the city is scheduled to receive up to six ships on Saturdays, with the ability to disembark up to 12,000 passengers. Saturdays aren’t the busiest days for Juneau–those generally occur midweek, when larger ships cluster in the port. Earlier this year, the city and the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) agreed to a voluntary limit of 16,000 cruise passengers per day, with a lower limit of 12,000 passengers on Saturdays.

The cruise season for Juneau has also extended over previous years. Previously, cruises generally operated May through September, but in 2024 there will be cruise ships docked in the city’s port from early April through late October, although the beginnings and ends of the season are sparse—a handful of ships per week instead of up to six per day during the summer peak. 

Read the full article at: https://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/alaska/experiences/news/alaska-city-mulls-saturday-cruise-ship-ban