Passengers from the first cruise ship of the 2023 season — the Norwegian Bliss — brought a bright warmth to downtown Juneau on Monday afternoon despite a little rain and a cloudy sky.
Passengers of the Norwegian Bliss look out across downtown Juneau as they wait to unboard Monday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The ship and its passengers, which has a capacity of 3,004, berthed in the capital city for a scheduled 10-hour stint and members from all over the Juneau community turned out to greet them.
University of Alaska Southeast mascot, Spike, awaits for passengers to pour out of the Norwegian Bliss Monday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
[First cruise ship of the season to arrive Monday]
Monday’s passengers were the first of the record-breaking 1.67 million visitors that city and industry officials are anticipating to arrive this summer. That number tops 2019’s passenger count by 30% and follows three years where cruise ship traffic was reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Coronado family was among the first to leave the ship, surrounded by other wide-eyed passengers as they spilled off the pier into the lines to mount the fleet of buses. The family of three came from Texas and flew to Seattle before boarding the Bliss.
“This is our first time here,” Miguel Coronado said. “We’re very excited, it’s great to be here.”
Miguel and Carla said they plan to take their 4-year-old daughter, Eva, to see the Mendenhall Glacier and ride the Mount Roberts Tramway.
Carla Coronado and her four-year-old daughter Eva smile as the wait in line at one of the kiosks lined on Juneau’s pier Monday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Damitz family had similar plans. Dan, Christine and Evelyn traveled from Utah to board the Bliss as a belated graduation gift to Evelyn after the COVID-19 pandemic halted their plans for a few years.
“We’re excited, we are going to do some walking exploration and maybe ride the tram,” Christine said.
Lines of eager tourists quickly formed in front of the several tourism kiosks that invited them to embark on the many different popular attractions here in Juneau.
Among those servicing the kiosks was Raff Villa, a sales broker for Juneau Tours. He said it’s great to see the season kick off again.
“We’re excited to have people back and to have people experience Juneau,” he said.
Among the businesses and Juneauites who awaited the passengers was also a group of residents holding signs advocating more environmental regulation of the cruise industry and limiting the number of cruise ships that berth in Juneau.
“We’re here to voice our opinion that cruising has consequences,” said Pat White, a Juneau resident and one of the people holding signs. “With all the water pollution, air pollution and increased passengers — we’ve reached a tipping point.”
Juneau residents hold signs in advocacy of more environmental regulation of the cruise industry as passengers unboard the Norwegian Bliss Monday afternoon. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Epire)
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.
