With large cruise trips to Alaska on hold, smaller Bellingham boats see opportunities
With large cruises to Alaska likely canceled this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic, smaller ships in Bellingham could see an opportunity to offer trips in what will be an otherwise quiet tourism season up north.
Canada banned cruise ships from stopping in its ports through at least Feb. 28, 2022, effectively put a halt to the huge cruise ships traveling to Alaska this summer. U.S. federal law doesn’t allow foreign-registered ships — which includes most large cruise ships that go to Alaska — from sailing between two American ports unless they make a stop at a foreign port. For a cruise ship out of Seattle, that usually means adding a stop in Victoria or Vancouver, B.C., on its Alaska cruise itinerary.
Smaller vessels registered in the U.S. can move boats or have trips from Bellingham directly to Alaska waters without stopping in Canada, and several are gearing up for what could be a busy summer.
Christine Smith of Northwest Navigation Co. said she isn’t expecting to see a flurry of new signups from people who normally take big port-to-port cruises, but is already hearing from people excited to start traveling again, intrigued by the idea of remote wilderness tours that involve hiking, kayaking and wildlife viewing in what will be a much quieter setting.
“Alaska without big ships is different,” said Smith, who is the chef and naturalist for the company that operates the 65-foot M/V David B, which carries only eight passengers. “We were able to operate last season and it was remarkably quiet, especially in Tracy Arm Fjord (near Juneau, Alaska) where we go to watch tidewater glaciers. Normally there are several cruise ships a day with their attending smaller ships that run people around the fjords all day. There were many days that we were the only boat or one of a couple boats like us in the fjords.
“It was a refreshing escape to be in the wilderness and our passengers appreciated the solitude of nature without any crowding,” Smith said in an email.
Flotilla trips big, too
Just like any industry, local tour companies have spent the pandemic making adjustments to their trips. San Juan Sailing has already canceled some of its flotilla trips in Canadian waters this spring and is assessing the situation for other trips scheduled later this year, said Danelle Carnahan, a partner in the company.
Instead, the company will offer one or two more local area flotillas than normal.
“Most of our charter guests are comfortable cruising on their own in the San Juan Islands area and the main draw of the flotillas is to help them get to know new cruising grounds with the confidence boost provided by cruising with an experienced lead boat,” Carnahan said in an email.
An alternative to the flotillas is chartering a boat to cruise around the local waters, which many are looking forward to, Carnahan said.
“Since they are self-contained they don’t have to visit towns/resorts unless they want to and can spend their time enjoying the scenery underway, hiking, exploring beaches, or just watching the world go by at anchor,” Carnahan said.
Bellingham’s Northwest Explorations, which does regular “Mother Goose” flotilla trips in Alaska waters, is moving several of its boats to Ketchikan and doing Alaska trips from there, said Ross Tennant, co-owner of the company. They plan to do seven of these flotilla trips this summer, while also planning for trips around the San Juan Islands as well as in Canadian waters. The company has two separate fleets, one U.S. and one Canadian.
While bookings are well ahead of last year, it’s not quite back to pre-pandemic levels as people decide what traveling, if any, they want to do this summer. Bookings are also down slightly because Northwest Explorations would typically have customers from other countries; that’s not the case this year.
For the David B, there is a 12-day trip planned from Bellingham to Ketchikan in April, and that will require extra crew to run the vessel through Canadian waters without stopping.
“Since these trips are training cruises, being able to show our passengers what it is like to run through the night is in some ways a bonus,” Smith said.
Cancellation concerns
Potential customers are asking more questions about cancellation policies and rebooking options in case the COVID-19 virus surges again. It’s something the company is being much more flexible about, Tennant said.
Prices can vary depending on the trip, whether someone charters a boat or books a room on a vessel. Generally, the expenses can be in the range of a large cruise ship vacation. For example, a sold-out eight-day cruise on the David B in southeast Alaska featuring bear viewing had a rate of $6,800 per person.
The one other adjustment during the pandemic is putting plans in place to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak. Companies are using a variety of methods, including testing prior to trips, face coverings, hand washing and ventilation.
Will Canada lift restrictions?
According to a Sunday, Feb. 28, article in the Vancouver Sun, U.S. politicians are pushing Canada to consider lifting or easing restrictions so big cruise ships could return.
If restrictions can’t be lifted, the politicians have suggested other options, such as temporarily relaxing the rule requiring a stop in Canada, or asking permission of the Canadian government to stop at a port like Victoria but not allow passengers to disembark, according to the article. Experts believe that those options appear to be a long shot, given where case numbers are now and the emergence of virus variants.
Donna Spalding, a spokeswoman for the Cruise Lines International Association, told the Vancouver Sun a large number of U.S. requirements need to be met before cruises can resume. “Would I say it’s impossible? No. But I would suggest stars would have to align to achieve it.”
