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No foreign cruise ships to Alaska

https://www.aol.com/coronavirus-kills-2nd-alaska-cruise-020851011.html
I dont live there so is this a positive or negative development?
Originally Posted by Theoldpinecricker
I dont live there so is this a positive or negative development?


Given the limited health care resources in most northern communities, this would be an extra step towards controlling the spread of the china virus.

OTOH .... The lost revenues to the area would be significant. Here in Saint John NB 2019 we saw 200,000 folk not including crew. 2020 & 2021 will be zero. That's a lot of lost revenue to a tourist locale.
Good riddance. Most of the shops here are owned by cruise ships. Traffic has been a lot better
Hate the tourist impact in SE but with Juneau out of control on spending, oil is going to take a big hit also with slow Joe,s EO, don't see a rosy picture for the Alaskan economy and can hear them now we need an income tax now.
Did you look at your property tax card yet mine normally goes up up like 1,800 a year this year was 8,500 I was like what the f***. I`ve been here since 72 can`t stand when the tourists hit. It was so much nicer back in the 70`s and 80`s.
Originally Posted by aaron10
Did you look at your property tax card yet mine normally goes up up like 1,800 a year this year was 8,500 I was like what the f***. I`ve been here since 72 can`t stand when the tourists hit. It was so much nicer back in the 70`s and 80`s.



gotta agree......gonna be some folks leaving.
Nice to get out and fish without half a hundred folks breathing down our necks though. I imagine my taxes will go up again but even before Covid they were on a yearly increase.
I doubt the cruise ship tourist will be missed by many.

With the package deals they book their trips with, all their food is paid for so they are not incline to support the local restaurants.
Some even get their drinks included with their booking deals so not that many drift into the local taverns. Their sure as hell don't support the hotels, so that pretty much leaves them spending money on tee shirts and trinkets.

Looking up some quick online data, in 2018 over 40 cruise ships docked in Ketchikan some 500 times offloading 1,073,923 warm bodies. That accounts for a lot of tee shirts and trinkets.

So if you happen to own a tee shirt shop you'll miss them badly.

The upside is if you've had a yearning to buy a Chinese made ulu you could probably cut a pretty good deal this summer in Ketchikan.
As a Native Homeroid, I could care less. I was pretty in tune with the local businesses when I lived there througout the 90's-though 2013. The vast majority of those who benefitted from the tourist industry were owners who lived in the lower 48 or Mexico during the winters, and college students from Oregon who came up for the summer. The actual local business owners didn't get squat from the tourists, other than headaches, and wear and tear on our infrastucture. I can only hope that the Canadians ban RV's next.
Lots of local businesses rely on that cruise ship traffic. Its going to devastate our local tourism, which happens to be one of Yukons largest industries. Not looking good for hunting or fishing outfitters here either. If they derail our 21 season there are going to be lots of outfits out of business by 22. Anyone notice the transport ministers name? Sounds like he's from Iraq.......I cant even pronounce it.

We'll have 1M less visitors this coming year and I won't miss them one iota.

Less whale chasing boats on the water means happier whales. Less tour busses. No DisneyLand downtown.

It will put the hurt on the local tourism ecomony for sure.

Originally Posted by yukon254
Lots of local businesses rely on that cruise ship traffic. Its going to devastate our local tourism, which happens to be one of Yukons largest industries. Not looking good for hunting or fishing outfitters here either. If they derail our 21 season there are going to be lots of outfits out of business by 22. Anyone notice the transport ministers name? Sounds like he's from Iraq.......I cant even pronounce it.


Hate to be rude to my neighbors to the East, but based on how your border agents were treating Alaskans trying to traverse thru the Yukon this year, I think you deserve a huge serving of boycotti (I think that's some sort of Italian dish smirk ).
SE city Water & Wastewater plants were never designed to handle that kind of surge loadings. Lots of issues due to this and little in the way of compensation.
Muskeg Esp since we help pay to maintain their highway!
Canada wouldn't have an economy without the US. NW Canada wouldn't have much of a (retail) economy without Alaska. The US built the Alcan, the US pays for maintenance on the Alcan (Shakwak Agreement). Canadian border agents treat Alaskans like felons (I've crossed over 20 times), especially if you're US military. I've been searched more thoroughly at the Canadian border than any other of the 42 countries I've been to. I asked one agent if it was because I'm US military? He said "it is what it is." Individual Canadian people? Lots of friends and great people. Canada as a whole? Fugg em.
i've crossed the canadian border so many times it's probably in 3 digits.......i have very little problems
with customs as i treat them in a professional manner and respond to their questions candidly and without
smart talk. i've gone to the effort of acquiring their PAL, possession and acquisition license for firearms in
order to save hassle at the border and in the field.

folks in the yukon have invariably been friendly and helpful with advice......guys like yukon 254.

i have experienced more crap at the us border where the regulations seem to change with
the shift change.
Originally Posted by VernAK
i've crossed the canadian border so many times it's probably in 3 digits.......i have very little problems
with customs as i treat them in a professional manner and respond to their questions candidly and without
smart talk. i've gone to the effort of acquiring their PAL, possession and acquisition license for firearms in
order to save hassle at the border and in the field.

folks in the yukon have invariably been friendly and helpful with advice......guys like yukon 254.

i have experienced more crap at the us border where the regulations seem to change with
the shift change.



Thanks Vern, Muskegman comments are warranted though. The Yukon has treated Americans terribly during this insanity were all living through. People traveling to Alaska have been verbally abused, had their cars vandalized, and treated like [bleep] from some of the local population. Some of these cases have even made the papers. I was living at the Airport Chalet for awhile last summer doing a highway job. That hotel is one of the "designated" places Americans could stay. I seen some of the rude behaviour first hand. Im sure the border agents treated Americans better, but some of the locals need a good horse whipping. Hope to see you this summer! Some big trout have your name on them!
Originally Posted by VernAK
i've crossed the canadian border so many times it's probably in 3 digits.......i have very little problems
with customs as i treat them in a professional manner and respond to their questions candidly and without
smart talk. i've gone to the effort of acquiring their PAL, possession and acquisition license for firearms in
order to save hassle at the border and in the field.

folks in the yukon have invariably been friendly and helpful with advice......guys like yukon 254.

i have experienced more crap at the us border where the regulations seem to change with
the shift change.


You aren't the only one with the U S issues. You would think coming back into your own country.... but we have had only one bad Canada crossing and it was our fault. Seems like we are always suspected of doing or bringing something illegal back into the US.

OTOH my boss had a DUI many many years ago. Says its somewhat of a hassle almost every time crossing into Canada.

I like it with less people of course. But I loose money.

That said the fact its over something as benign as covid still pisses me off.
We have had our flight cancelled two times due to WX in WA. Looks like we arrive in Wrangell just
before lunchtime Saturday. Quarantine I expect but we get vaccinated Monday. Just going thru the steps. Sent the vehicles thru Samson Tugs nice folks there!
Originally Posted by VernAK
i've crossed the canadian border so many times it's probably in 3 digits.......i have very little problems
with customs as i treat them in a professional manner and respond to their questions candidly and without
smart talk. i've gone to the effort of acquiring their PAL, possession and acquisition license for firearms in
order to save hassle at the border and in the field.

folks in the yukon have invariably been friendly and helpful with advice......guys like yukon 254.

i have experienced more crap at the us border where the regulations seem to change with
the shift change.


I read that you are insinuating that my experience with the Canadian Border Agents was somehow based on my attitude. I assure you that I was perfectly respectful with Sirs and Ma'ams, with no attitude. At the time I was a 20's-30's aged miitary male with nothing to hide and no preconceived notions.

One question that I got more than once was "where are your guns?" I replied "what guns?" "you're in the military, you have guns." I politely explained that the US military doesn't send firearms with their personnel on temporary duty, and would never let us carry them in personally owned vehicles. The response was "can you call someone who can verify your guns are not with you?"

I'm like WTF? Really? (in my head). This line of questioning happened more than 2 times in my trips accross the border.

I will also not defend the US CBP in the slightest. I've cleared customs to the US in excess of 50 times a year for 10 years as a crewmember on USAF strategic cargo aircraft. They are an even lower form of LEO than any foreign customs agent that I've ever come across. Routinely, I've had to explain, and show the regulations and laws to US agents, because I knew them better than they did... For example, I had one guy try to confiscate an entire plane load of Marines' MRE's while they were eating them.

I deal (to this day) with multiple agencies and higher ups spending millions of dollars on the services my company providws. I'm perfectly comfortable being polite, and non confrontational, even when dealing with people holding a negative grudge.
LC, i had no intention of reflecting upon your personal behavior at border crossings......but i do see how you could have interpreted my post that way......nothing personal

I do see where they would pay more attention to young military personnel than they would to an old fart on a fishing trip.
I can understand how some aren't keen on treatment either direction at the border. I think some of us must just give off a vibe or something. 🙄

As for the cruise ships, I would bet that they might be running smoothly in no time had a certain new administration not decided to kill a bunch of Canadian pipeline jobs. But perhaps I'm just a conspiracy theorist. 🤔😆
luckily not all yukoners has been that bad to all our visitors.

Originally Posted by yukon254
Originally Posted by VernAK
i've crossed the canadian border so many times it's probably in 3 digits.......i have very little problems
with customs as i treat them in a professional manner and respond to their questions candidly and without
smart talk. i've gone to the effort of acquiring their PAL, possession and acquisition license for firearms in
order to save hassle at the border and in the field.

folks in the yukon have invariably been friendly and helpful with advice......guys like yukon 254.

i have experienced more crap at the us border where the regulations seem to change with
the shift change.



Thanks Vern, Muskegman comments are warranted though. The Yukon has treated Americans terribly during this insanity were all living through. People traveling to Alaska have been verbally abused, had their cars vandalized, and treated like [bleep] from some of the local population. Some of these cases have even made the papers. I was living at the Airport Chalet for awhile last summer doing a highway job. That hotel is one of the "designated" places Americans could stay. I seen some of the rude behaviour first hand. Im sure the border agents treated Americans better, but some of the locals need a good horse whipping. Hope to see you this summer! Some big trout have your name on them!
I believe Don Young has a bill to bye pass Canada in order to help Alaska’s tourist industry.
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