Alaska Officials Introduce New Bill to Get Cruise Ships Sailing Again

It’s been a long time since Disney Cruises — or any cruises, for that matter — have been able to resume normal operations, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon. 

Disney Dream

Alaskan cruises have faced significant challenges due to Canada’s cruise ban, which doesn’t allow cruise ships to travel in Canadian waters. Now, senators are introducing a bill that would let cruise ships travel to Alaska without stopping in Canada! 

In Disney World, Disneyland, and other destinations significantly impacted by the pandemic, a lot has reopened or announced potential reopening (looking at you, Disneyland!). One thing that’s still taking a long time to recover, though, is cruises. 

Goofy at Castaway Cay

That’s why Alaska is proposing the “Alaska Tourism Recovery Act” bill, according to USA Today. The state hopes the bill will alleviate some of the restrictions enacted by the Passenger Vessel Services Act. 

Adventures by Disney Alaska, ©Disney

Basically, the goal is to allow cruises to skip stops in Canada. Thus, keeping the sailing all within one country, without adding any international hoops to jump through. 

©Disney

And by “hoops,” we mean that Canada has temporarily banned cruise ships (through early 2022!), making it impossible for most Alaska sailings to take place. This directly impacted Disney Cruise Line, which promptly canceled its Alaska sailings until 2022.

Canada Cruise Ban

Naturally, this has posed a conundrum for Alaska and its tourism sector, which relies on travel like cruise ships to bolster its economy! 

©Disney

In a letter, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure wrote, “By closing Canadian ports to passenger vessels for another year, the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Americans and Canadians are at risk from more job losses and further economic devastation.” 

Castaway Cay

The letter was co-signed by a slew of U.S. Representatives, all of whom are clearly eager to safely boost tourism — not only for Alaska, but for other states impacted by the Canadian cruise ban. We’ll continue to monitor the situation, and keep you posted on all things cruises in Alaska and beyond!

New CDC order requires face masks on cruise ships

Have you ever been on a Disney cruise? Tell us in the comments.

Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!

Click below to subscribe

Trending Now

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

3 Replies to “Alaska Officials Introduce New Bill to Get Cruise Ships Sailing Again”

  1. We went on a Disney cruise to Alaska with a grandson in 2018. We consider it the best cruise experience, we’ve cruised on other cruise lines, and would do it again with or without kids. Even before corona virus the focus on hygiene and sanitation was in place and the activities both onboard and off the ship were enjoyable and informative. The kids’ clubs were available for groups from toddlers to teens in different areas with appealing activities for each. We would like to go again with other grandkids, just hope it opens before they, or us, get too old.

  2. Terribly anti Canadian in word and tone! There is a reason why Canadian covid cases are so much lower per capita than infection rates in the US. This is but one of them.