Could Cruises be Returning to Alaska this Summer?

On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act into law. This act “temporarily allows foreign-flagged cruise ships to sail directly from Washington State to Alaska without having to dock in Canada first until either the date on which Canada lifts restrictions prohibiting cruise ships from docking in its waters due to the COVID-19 pandemic or March 31, 2022.”

The current cruise ship ban in Canada is set to expire on February 28, 2022, so this is a move in the right direction regarding the Alaska cruising season as Vancouver is the homeport for most of the Alaskan cruises offered by various cruise lines.

Today, I signed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act into law. Tourism is vital to the state of Alaska — and this law will help revitalize the industry and support Alaskans by allowing large cruise ships to return to the state this summer. pic.twitter.com/LrBMTJldpD
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 24, 2021

Scott over at Disney Cruise Line Blog has a calendar from Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska’s website indicating there may be plans for the Disney Wonder to sail out of Seattle, Washington on Alaska itineraries beginning this July. There has been no official word yet from Disney Cruise Line on the matter as work is still being done on the restart of cruising based on guidelines from the CDC.