'In Seward, almost everyone is involved in the cruise industry'

January 1, 1970

Ron Long,
Operations Manager,
Major Marine Tours

Established in 1990, Major Marine Tours is family-owned business with offices in Anchorage, Seward, Whittier and Portage. It is the recipient of both the "Kenai Fjords National Park Partner of the Year" and "Kenai Peninsula Outstanding Business in Tourism” awards. Operations Manager Ron Long manages the Seward office.

Briefly describe business: Major Marine Tours operates five vessels from Seward, Alaska, offering wildlife and glacier tours of Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. Our shorter “value cruises” are perfect for the guest on a tight schedule or those who prefer a more sheltered route, and our signature glacier tours feature full salmon and prime rib meal service and narration by a National Park Ranger. The Junior Ranger program is a hit with kids.

When did you first become involved in the visitor industry? In the 1970s in the San Francisco Bay area. I got away from the visitor industry for a while after moving to Alaska in 1989, but was lucky enough to rejoin in 2005.

How did you get your start with the cruise industry? Besides having lots of friends and associates involved with the cruise industry, my first experience was as a shore excursion provider a few years ago. Also, because Seward sees so many landings, almost everyone here is involved in one way or another.

What’s the best part of your job? Easily the best part of this job is seeing the wonder that people experience on our tours: their first whale, a calving glacier, etc. What a great reminder not to take for granted the place we call home!

What’s your favorite cruise passenger story? Can’t pick a favorite; too many to choose from!

What should Alaska do to better support/protect the visitor/cruise industry? Alaska, and by that I mean government and business, needs to dispel the myth that the visitor and cruise industry is just money passing through the state and being carted off to corporate headquarters by the lines and to other states by seasonal workers. The fact is a whole lot of visitor and industry spending is new money to the Alaska economy that will be re-circulated by in-state employee and business partner spending.