On the morning of 16 September for Anchorage residents, it was a sight for sore eyes when a cruise vessel reached the Port of Alaska. This was the first time in the last two years.

On Thursday morning at about 10 a.m., a ship named Nieuw Amsterdam belonging to the Holland America Cruise cruise line docked a the port.

This is the first cruise vessel to stop in Anchorage since the COVID-19 pandemic and will be the only ship seen this season per the Director of the Visit Anchorage Community Engagement named Jack Bonney.

He said this is the one time a cruise vessel calls the directory to the port of Anchorage. Most cruise visitations that Anchorage experiences come via the ports of Seward or Whittier.

Passengers anxiously waited on board for their opportunity to depart from the vessel and were all set to hit vacation mode.

They make all they need, like their food and bed, Regisann Myton mentioned.

Bellwood and Myton were quite excited to explore the sights of downtown Anchorage.

Myton said it is chillier than what he was thinking. Bellwood noted that it is more significant than he expected it to be.

After a dry spell that lasted for two years, the ship’s stop in Anchorage provided the city with an almost last-minute economic tourism boost toward the end of the tourist season. This is a long one going by Alaska standards and most of the world for a port of call.

There’s an opportunity to do more in Anchorage. Bonney said even during a port of call, that will only last for a day. So similar to restaurants, gift stores, and day tours, this is a big deal for them as it is something one can do in a day.

Bonney said that the tourist activities Anchorage witnessed this summer reflect a bounce from the earlier pandemic lows. Bonney added that 2021 turned out slightly better than they had expected, and 2022 is on the right track to be a big year and might equal some benchmarks.

Source: https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/port-of-alaska-welcomes-first-cruise-ship-in-two-years/