:: Could a Supreme Court ruling help kill the cruise ship head tax?
By Kate Golden
The U.S. Supreme Court has slapped down the city of Valdez's tax on oil tankers, which may have legal implications on the state's $46 tax on cruise ship passengers. Both sides of the state's cruise ship fight said the decision could be relevant to cruise lines' quest to undo the head tax.
"I don't think it's a stretch," said John Binkley of the Alaska Cruise Association, the industry's lobbying group here. "I think the 7-2 decision by the Supreme Court has certainly strengthened the Tonnage Clause of the Constitution. And I believe it will make the state's cruise ship passenger head tax even more vulnerable to...
Holland America Officer James Griffiths briefs guests aboard the Ryndam during a tour in Juneau. Listening in are, from left, Sen. Dennis Egan, Ashley Johnston and Tricia Sine.
:: Habeger leaves huge impact on industry
For most people, a job's a job - a nine-to-five gig that produces a paycheck every two weeks. For others it's a rewarding, lifetime endeavor that enables them to give back to the industries, communities and individuals that have given them so much. Don Habeger is one of the lucky, hard-working few that belongs to the latter category.
Don has worked in the Alaska tourism industry for a quarter of a century. Originally from Minnesota, Don moved to Juneau in 1979 and worked a series of jobs ranging from teacher to construction worker before joining a private tourism company in 1985. He started as a ship agent and ended up as port director for the Port of...
Rod Pfleiger of the Alaska Cruise Association, left, and Ralph Samuels of Holland America, right, present a custom hunting knife to Don Habeger for his years of valuable contributions to the visitor industry. Don is the former vice president of government relations for Royal Caribbean Cruises.
:: ACA sponsors Ocean Festival
Good weather and 8,500 people helped make the Seventh Annual Alaska Ocean Festival in Anchorage the most successful to date.
Organized by the Alaska Center for the Environment, and sponsored in part by the Alaska Cruise Association, the goal of the festival is to educate the public and raise awareness of the importance of healthy oceans. Attendees enjoyed live music throughout the day and heard from various presenters. They also participated in kayak demonstrations and sampled a variety of cuisine.
More than 30 hands-on educational booths were set up along the Delaney Park Strip as part of...
Lalanya Downs and Rod Pfleiger of the Alaska Cruise Association explain the functionality of the Bulb Eater® to two participants of the Marine Treasure Hunt at the Alaska Ocean Festival.
Guests aboard Holland America ships can sign up for volunteer work while in port. In Juneau, Gastineau Guiding has created the Marine Wildlife Research Exploration, which takes guests on an exploration vessel out of Auke Bay to look for and help document individual humpback and orca whales.
:: Holland America launches Cruise With Purpose(SM)
Holland America Line's innovative pilot program, Cruise With Purpose(SM), enables cruise guests to participate in meaningful community volunteer work and scientific data collection...
:: Giving Juneau residents a voice
If you've ever been cut off in traffic by a tour bus, buzzed by a flight-seeing helicopter or had a serene hike interrupted by a busload of people, there is no need to despair. Tourism Best...
:: RCL wins 'Clean Sea' award
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has received the first ever "Clean Sea Award." The award was announced at the Clean Shipping Awards ceremony held during the Nor-Shipping Conference, presented in cooperation with Det Norske Veritas (DNV). In total, 60...
Former Alaska Attorney General John Havelock chats with author Willie Hensley during a book signing at ORSO Restaurant sponsored by the restaurant and the Alaska Cruise Association. Hensley played a critical role in the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the formation of NANA Regional Corp. and as an elected official. The New York Times called Hensley's book - Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People - a "riveting autobiography."