Today, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (following last week’s Senate approval). Provided that President Biden signs the bill into law — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allows cruise travel to broadly resume from the U.S. — the legislation will permit Alaska cruise travel to proceed this summer without the need to visit Canada (where cruise ships are currently banned until 2022).
This act would temporarily waive the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (PVSA), which ordinarily requires cruise ships sailing roundtrip from, and within, the U.S. to stop at a foreign port of call.
As expected, the reaction from the travel industry has been ecstatic.
“ASTA welcomes unanimous House passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act and commends Congressman [Don] Young and Senators [Lisa] Murkowski and [Dan] Sullivan, and others, for their dogged efforts to salvage part of the 2021 Alaska cruise season,” according to a statement from the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA).
“Since February, ASTA has advocated for this legislation, and it was one of the policy ‘asks’ in more than 170 Congressional meetings as part of ASTA Legislative Day just yesterday. We call on President Biden to sign it as soon as possible.”
It was one of the policy ‘asks’ in more than 170 Congressional meetings as part of ASTA Legislative Day just yesterday. We call on President Biden to sign it as soon as possible.
“While our members continue to face challenges and need additional support from the government, setting this framework for 2021 Alaska cruising is a big step in the right direction. We again commend Congress for taking this necessary step and thank our cruise line partners for the work they put in here and to restart cruising generally,” the statement continued. “We’re proud of the part we played in this success.”
"We look forward to seeing President Biden sign this legislation and are deeply grateful to the entire U.S. Congress, but especially to our advocates, Alaska’s Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young,” said Sarah Leonard, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association. “This legislation is literally a lifeline for so many of Alaska’s small businesses that were struggling, and it means jobs for more Alaskans this summer.”
After the initial passage of the act in the Senate, Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners, called the move “a step in the right direction, as Alaska needs the industry, infrastructure and income that cruising provides to the great people of Alaska who have relied on this thriving economic engine.”
“Clearly, the U.S. Senate agrees, since they unanimously passed the bill to allow foreign-flagged cruise ships to sail to Alaska without having to stop in Canada,” she said. “Every step closer to cruising boosts consumer confidence and we are already seeing the demand spike from cruisers who are eager to set sail.”
After President Biden gives his signature, other hurdles remain; large cruise ships still will not be able to sail from, say, the state of Washington to reach Alaska until the CDC either lifts its Conditional Sail Order (CSO), or the conditions of the CSO — many of which are challenging — are met by cruise lines.
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