Recent developments demonstrate Proposition 2 is unnecessary

It’s working: community feedback on cruise tourism is being heard, acted upon

JUNEAU, Alaska — Aug. 26, 2024— Protect Juneau’s Future calls on residents and city leaders to consider two recent developments as clear indicators that Proposition 2 is unnecessary, and not worth the risk it poses to Juneau’s economy and tax revenue. The recent Memorandum of Agreement between the City and Borough of Juneau and the cruise lines is already showing results, and this agreement should be given the opportunity to work before drastic measures are taken. 

The first development comes from Norwegian Cruise Lines, which has announced plans to push back the start of their Alaska season to the end of April, beginning in 2026. This decision was made in direct response to feedback from local governments and communities in Alaska, demonstrating the cruise lines' commitment to working collaboratively with Juneau to address community concerns while sustaining a vital tourism industry. This delay highlights the effectiveness of the existing agreements and the responsiveness of the cruise industry to local needs. Proposition 2, which seeks to ban large cruise ships on Saturdays and the Fourth of July, could undermine this cooperative progress, jeopardizing both tourism and the regional economic stability of Southeast Alaska. 

Secondly, Alaska telecommunications provider GCI recently announced the completion of a multi-year project to upgrade its wireless network throughout Southeast Alaska, including the launch of four new 5G wireless sites in Juneau. These upgrades significantly improve mobile data service in some of Alaska’s busiest cruise ship ports, including Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Petersburg. This improvement in infrastructure directly addresses concerns about network congestion during peak tourism times, ensuring that residents and visitors alike can enjoy reliable service. 

In a public statement, Maureen McCabe Moore, GCI chief customer experience officer, noted the company’s wireless upgrades in Juneau and Southeast Alaska mean a significantly improved mobile experience in the region. “The difference should be especially noticeable during cruise ship season, with the upgrades largely alleviating wireless network congestion sometimes experienced while cruise ships are in port,” McCabe Moore said in a press release. 

“The combination of Norwegian Cruise Lines' proactive scheduling changes and GCI’s infrastructure improvements demonstrate a clear willingness to invest in and support Juneau. The MOA with the cruise lines is working as intended,” said Portland Sarantopoulos, campaign manager for Protect Juneau’s Future. “We should allow these positive changes to take effect rather than disrupting them with unnecessary and harmful regulations like those proposed in Proposition 2.”

Implementing ship-free Saturdays not only risks the progress already made but also jeopardizes Juneau’s economy and its ability to generate essential tax revenue. “We urge voters and city leaders to reject Proposition 2 and to give the current agreements and improvements a chance to work,” said Sarantopoulos.