:: Ketchikan wants legislative changes
Ketchikan's Borough and City passed resolutions earlier this month urging the State Legislature to modify wastewater discharge standards for cruise ships.
The resolutions, approved by the Ketchikan Borough Assembly and Ketchikan City Council, ask the legislature to base the standards on "science" and to ensure "that those standards will continue to protect aquatic life and the environment, but will not be technologically and financially unreasonable or impractical."
Todd Phillips of the City Council Steering Committee spoke in favor of the resolution. Phillips told the city council that if the cruise industry were required to meet the state's standards, "we're done,"...
ACA's Rod Pfleiger, left, enjoys the food with Keith Perkins, Sitka Chamber of Commerce board member, during Sitka's first Season's End Celebration and 14th annual Running of the Boots. ACA was a major sponsor of the event which celebrated the end of the fishing and visitor season.
:: Change needed to meet discharge standards
By John Binkley, ACA President
As we bid adieu to another million+ cruise visitor season, the Alaska Cruise Association (ACA) wants to thank you for making Alaska such an exciting, quality destination. We are a true partnership. Our success depends upon your success, and we appreciate the amazing effort each of you invests to make sure our cruise visitors experience the best of the Northland. We also want to thank you for your support of our industry and put you on notice that we may need your help in the days ahead.
Celebrity Cruises' Millennium was the scene of a fire drill last month when the Alaska State Firefighters Association met in Juneau for the first time since the 1980s. Firemen practiced planning, operations, search and rescue, victim removal, fire boundaries and establishing a water supply. (Photo courtesy Juneau Empire).
:: Cruise passenger industry big contributor to Skagway
SKAGWAY - The seasonal cruise industry injected $95 million into the Skagway economy last year, contributed $4.9 million to local government in taxes and created 77 jobs in cruise line hotel and tour operations, according to a new economic impact study conducted by the McDowell Group.
Skagway remains the third most popular cruise port in Alaska, capturing 80 percent - 811,000 passengers in 2007 - of all Alaska cruise passengers. Skagway is the only Southeast port that acts as both an embarkation and disembarkation port. Shore excursion tours incorporate the town's gold rush heritage, including the popular...
Alaska's third most popular cruise port greeted 811,000 passengers in 2007 who enjoyed Skagway's gold rush history. Skagway is the only Southeast port that acts as both an embarkation and disembarkation port.
Stan Stephens, vice chair of the Alaska Travel Industry Association, presents the Denali Award to Charlie Ball of Princess Tours during the association's annual meeting earlier this month in Anchorage. This award is presented annually to an individual for his or her outstanding leadership, professional excellence and personal contribution to the Alaska travel industry.
:: Charlie Ball: 'He listens. He's respectful'
EDITOR'S NOTE: Here are the comments of Stan Stephens as he presented the Denali Award to Charlie Ball, President, Princess Tours, during the Alaska Travel Industry Association's annual...
:: Binkley part of new Alaska Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence
ACA President John Binkley will serve on an advisory board to assist a consortium of state marine research organizations to use a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to foster awareness of ocean issues amid a changing Alaska...
Kenai Fjords Tours is Alaska's most popular wildlife and glacier cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. Kenai Fjords Tours is owned and operated by the CIRI Alaska Tourism Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI). CIRI is one of 12 Alaska-based regional corporations established by Congress under the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.
:: Princess passengers chose best of Alaska
Passengers aboard Princess Cruises have selected this year's best shore excursion in Alaska as part of the ninth annual C.R.U.I.S.E. service...