About 80 cruise ship passengers visited Haines on Saturday. The ship was the first cruise visit in 622 days, said tourism director Steve Auch.
The first cruise ship to visit Haines in 622 days, the American Constellation, docked Saturday. The ship’s 82 passengers were welcomed by the Chilkat Dancers and Mayor Douglas Olerud.
The last cruise ship to dock in Haines came on Sept. 29, 2019. Six months later, the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic shut down tourism for the 2020 season.
Many of the passengers went on tours, a welcome source of income for companies that were shut down last year like Rainbow Glacier Adventures. “It was great to see visitors here in Haines arrive by small ship,” company owner Joe Ordonez said. “We took the guests kayaking on Chilkoot Lake and rafting in the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. We also offered an historical walking tour around town with a visit to the Haines Sheldon Museum.”
The ship was one of 12 currently scheduled to dock in Haines this summer, said tourism director Steve Auch. Another ship docked on Wednesday with roughly 130 people. The ships are operating at a reduced capacity and requiring negative COVID-19 tests for passengers.
Alaska Nature Tours owner Joanna Egolf said they’re also booking trips with passengers coming in on the fast ferry from cruise ships docked in Skagway.
Although shop owners have seen some cruise passenger traffic in their stores, they’re getting more business from independent travelers. Ampersand AK co-owner Amelia Nash said she’s talked to many customers who are from Southeast and traveled to Haines on the ferry.
“We’re seeing a ton of people from all over the U.S.,” Auch said of independent travelers. “It’s isn’t a whole lot but I’m sure some of the businesses would rather have that than absolutely nothing. It’s certainly less than normal but it’s what we’re expecting. The border closure isn’t deterring as many as I would have thought. It’s still impacting it, I’m sure.”
Alpenglow owner Olen Larson said he fed about 25 cruise ship passengers on Saturday. Cruise traffic this summer won’t be enough to provide a consistent source of revenue, and Larson said he’s prioritizing local customers. Larson and his wife Anna bought the restaurant March 2020 at the pandemic’s beginning and said they’ve relied solely on locals to keep afloat.