What’s Happening Worldwide?

More Alaska Moves for Norwegian

Norwegian Joy at berth at Icy Strait Point. The company has partnered with Alaska Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation to build a second pier at Alaska’s only privately owned cruise destination.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holding is bullish on Alaska.

The company has moved to further strengthen its position in the fast-growing Alaska cruise market by entering into a 30-year preferential berthing agreement with Ward Cove Dock Group, which is building a new double ship pier in Ward Cove outside Ketchikan.

The pier can simultaneously accommodate two of Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,200-passenger Breakaway-Plus class ships.

In addition, the company last year won a competitive bid for the last waterfront parcel in greater Juneau, and is engaging local stakeholders, including government, business and community leaders to develop a plan which will benefit both the city and its various stakeholders and the company, according to the media reports.

These investments follow the company’s announcement earlier last year of its partnership with Alaska Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation to develop a second cruise pier in Icy Strait Point, Huna Totem’s world-class cruise ship destination in Hoonah.

“The natural beauty of Alaska makes it one of the most popular destinations to visit, and our investments in the region will enable us to provide our guests with a best-in-class experience as they explore the wonders of the Last Frontier,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “These strategic initiatives mark the latest steps in our ongoing efforts to promote economic development in the region and make a positive economic and environmentally sensible impact on the Alaska tourism industry.”

Previous investments in the region include a 15-year agreement with the Port of Seattle to collectively invest $30 million to upgrade the Pier 66 facilities to further enhance the overall guest experience.

A projected 28 million passengers are expected to take a cruise in 2018 and 30 million in 2019. Cruise lines are enticing travelers with nearly 1,000 ports of call, with the Caribbean hosting 34.4 percent of the traffic; followed by the Mediterranean with 17.3 percent; Europe 11.1 percent; China, 4.9 percent; Australia/NZ/Pacific, 4.8 percent; Asia without China, 4.3 percent and Alaska with 4.7 percent. CLIA’s member lines are scheduled to debuts 27 new ocean, river and specialty ships in 2018.

The cruise ship industry has been the fastest growing segment in the travel industry around the world. Cruises are especially popular in the United States and in 2018, 14 million Americans took a cruise vacation. Nowadays, there are about 278 liners sailing the world’s seas.

The cruise industry continues to make a positive impact on communities around the globe by sustaining 1,177,000 jobs equaling $50.2 billion in wages and salaries and $150 billion total output worldwide in 2018.

Average passenger growth 1980-2019

*2020 estimated