Princess Cruises representative tells Denali Borough assembly lines investing in Alaska; highlights recycling and shore‑power work

Ralph Samuels, a representative for Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, told the Denali Borough Assembly on May 14 that large cruise lines are continuing to invest in Alaska ports and shore‑side infrastructure and that those investments underpin continued visitation to Denali-area tourism services. Samuels said lines are expanding capacity, investing in shore power and funding dock projects in Whittier, Seward and Juneau that signal long‑term confidence in the Alaska market.

“Ships are full,” Samuels told the assembly, describing strong demand and the overall mechanics of the Alaska cruise market. He said Princess will add a fourth ship crossing the Gulf in 2026, and Holland America and other lines are spending tens of millions of dollars on onshore lodging and dock improvements. Samuels said some recent port projects have been backed by specific cruise lines, for example noting Royal Caribbean’s involvement in rail‑belt dock plans and private investment backing for docks in Whittier and Juneau.

Samuels outlined environmental and operational trends. He said shipbuilders are introducing more efficient vessels — including LNG‑powered ships — and cruise lines are investing in biofuel and other emissions‑reducing technologies. He described shore‑power installations planned or under development and said shore power requires large amounts of electricity: “It’s gonna be a pretty big number. 10 megawatts,” he said when asked about the electrical load needed to plug in a large ship.

Samuels also described a local recycling and food‑waste diversion program run at the Denali Princess Lodge and on ships. He credited Bonnie Westland, a lodge general manager, with building a recycling program that he said keeps more than 1 million pounds of materials out of local landfills — “most of that from Denali” — and cited a food‑waste digester that has diverted about 65,000 pounds of food waste. He invited assembly members and community groups to tour the lodge facilities and ship systems to view recycling and wastewater processes.

On community relations and capacity issues in Southeast Alaska, Samuels warned that ballot initiatives in some Southeast towns to limit cruise ship calls could affect routes, though he said a recent initiative failed and he expects similar measures in places such as Sitka will likely fail. He described industry efforts to limit peak crowding in ports — for example, a Juneau memorandum of understanding limiting ships at specific docks — and said the industry supports building additional dock capacity so visitors spend more time ashore, which benefits local businesses.

Assembly members asked about hiring and seasonality; Samuels said ships and hospitality employers have generally been able to staff for the coming season, though he noted labor challenges that are common in seasonal tourism. He also discussed how environmental rules that might require reductions in per‑ship carbon output could push lines to slow speeds or change port calls, a development he said would be driven by international regulatory bodies rather than local authorities.

The presentation concluded with Samuels and assembly members discussing potential site visits and operational tours of lodge and ship facilities for local officials.

The assembly did not take formal action on the presentation; it was provided as a partner report and informational update.