NCLH-Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the leading global cruise company which operates NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania, and RSSC-Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, announced it is providing US$10 million cash support to 6 Alaska port communities that are severely impacted by the ongoing cruising suspension.
~60% of all tourism in Alaska is generated via cruises, which have been halted for over a year, continuing to impact families and small businesses.
In addition, as part of the BuyAlaska and Voyij.com initiative, NCLH joined the ‘Shop Local Alaska’ programme and is encouraging people to support Alaska small businesses devastated by the crisis.
Cruise travel is vital to the extensive tourism economy of Alaska and the ongoing suspension of sailings is having a devastating ripple effect. Prior to the pandemic, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) estimated that ~1.4M passengers visited the region on a total of 577 cruises in 2019.
Alaska's Government estimates the cancellation of both the 2020 & 2021 cruise season would result in a US$3.3 billion impact, including US$2.2 billion of lost revenues for local business. Port and Cruise Line-related communities have seen 22,000+ collective job losses, representing US$300+ million of lost wages.
The US$10 million cash donation of NCLH will go directly to the port communities of Hoonah (Icy Strait Point), Juneau, Ketchikan, Seward, Sitka, and Skagway, to provide much-needed humanitarian relief from the economic hardship these communities are facing from the cruise suspension.