Norwegian Cruise Line announced it will sail to Alaska this summer, and even went as far as saying  it expects to get approval very soon.

Following up on Carnival and Royal Caribbean's similar announcements, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) announced on Monday it would deploy Norwegian Bliss to Seattle and offer cruises to Alaska beginning August 7, 2021.

NCL's restart plan are contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

NCL says it expects to be granted that approval, "in the coming days".

Cruises to Alaska on the Bliss will require all guests and crew required to be fully vaccinated, along with the implementation of the Company’s robust, multi-layered SailSAFE health and safety program.

The cruise line's abilities to sail to Alaska is a result of Congress passing the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, which provides a temporary exemption to the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska.

NCLH says it expects to phase-in more cruise ships across its three brands.

NCLH President and CEO Frank Del Rio was excited to share todays news, "We are thrilled to reach the next milestone in our Great Cruise Comeback with the expected resumption of cruising in the U.S. starting in Alaska, one of our guests’ most popular destinations."

"This is a moment we have all been waiting for and it would not have been possible without the strong support of the Alaska congressional delegation who worked tirelessly to pass legislation that temporarily waives certain requirements of the Passenger Vessel Services Act."

NCL's announcement comes just days after Royal Caribbean revealed it has also applied to the CDC for permission to start test cruises.

On Friday, Royal Caribbean submitted a plan to the CDC for approval to begin test cruises.

It is not clear which ship was included in that proposal to the CDC, but Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said it was the "first of several" applications they plan to send to the CDC.

What is NCL's SailSAFE?

Norwegian Cruise Line has internalized the recommendations of the Healthy Sail Panel into what it calls SailSAFE.

These are the multi-layered science-leaning approach to operating cruises safely in the face of Covid-19.

Here are the basics of what it entails:

• All guests and crew must be fully vaccinated, at least 2 weeks prior to embarkation, in order to board.
• All guests will be required to take a COVID-19 antigen test, administered and paid for by the cruise line, prior to boarding and receive a negative result.
• Staggered embarkation process
• Limited guest capacity on ships
• Contactless food and beverage service will be provided across all ships with service staff stationed ship-wide, including all restaurants and lounges, and shared use items will be removed where possible.
• Guests are free to explore ports of call on their own, according to protocols in each specific port, and can purchase shore excursions as they wish.

Masks are not mentioned in their protocols, other than in certain settings during shore excursions where they would be needed in order to comply with local requirements.

Royal Caribbean announced it will restart cruises this summer to Alaska.

A day after Congress passed new legislation to send to the President to get around Canada's cruise ban, Royal Caribbean Group confirmed plans to restart cruises to Alaska beginning in July 2021.

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships will sail from Seattle to destinations in Alaska, such as Juneau, Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska, as well as the imposing Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. 

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean will base two ships from Seattle, with Serenade of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.

Serenade of the Seas will begin sailing on July 19, 2021, and Ovation of the Seas will begin sailing on August 13, 2021.

Serenade of the Seas will sail 7-night cruises beginning in July, with stops in popular ports of call, including Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska, as well as the jaw-dropping Endicott Arm fjord and Dawes Glacier.

Booked guests confirmed on Serenade of the Seas’ redeployed Vancouver itineraries departing July 18 – September 19, 2021 will be automatically moved to the new Seattle itinerary departing one day later than their original sail date and within the same stateroom accommodations.

Ovation of the Seas will also sail from Seattle, beginning in Auigust, and offer sailings to Glacier National Park, the Inside Passage, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska.

Read more: Comparing the Royal Caribbean ships sailing in Alaska 2021

Royal Caribbean's announcement comes on the heels of the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Bill to allow cruise ships to sail to Alaska without stopping in Canada.

The bill is waiting to be signed by President Joe Biden, but it is expected he will sign it into law.

Canada banned cruise ships from its waters due to the global health crisis, which made cruises sailing from the United States illegal under U.S. cabotage law.

A temporary waiver is part of the new bill, known as the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, that will grant cruise lines permission to skip a stop in Canada.

Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO thanked Alaska's congressional delegation for its hard work in making this possible, "We are so pleased that Congress unanimously voted to pass legislation enabling cruise ships to sail to Alaska this season."

"We are thrilled Alaskans will be able to welcome cruise visitors this year knowing how important the tourism industry is to the economy and the communities we visit. It’s been a tough year for everyone, but people clearly have pent-up demand to cruise again, and we can’t wait to get back to what we do best, delivering world class vacations to our guests. Our immense gratitude goes to Senators Murkowski and Sullivan and Congressman Young along with Governor Dunleavey, and the Alaska State Legislature for making this reality happen."

"Few words can express just how excited we are to start delivering memorable vacations in the U.S. once again, starting with a destination as rich in culture and natural beauty as Alaska," said Vicki Freed, senior vice president, Sales and Trade Support & Service, Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean will become the second cruise line to confirm cruises to Alaska this summer, following Carnival Corporation's announcement yesterday.

The other major part of Royal Caribbean's announcement is Royal Caribbean has changed its requirements for the minimum age to be vaccinated for guests sailing this summer to be as low as 12 years old.

For cruises departing before August 1, 2021, all guests 16 years and older must be fully vaccinated. Those underage will receive a test prior to sailing. 

As of August 1, 2021, guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated.

Read more: 6 mistakes & 3 things we did right on our Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska

Lowering the minimum age guests must be vaccinated to 16 was a policy change sister brand Celebrity Cruises announced this week for its summer cruises.

Unless something changes, these Alaska cruises in summer 2021 could be the first Royal Caribbean cruises to sail from the United States since March 2020.

Read more: What should I pack for a cruise to Alaska?

Cancelled cruises

As a result of the announcement, Royal Caribbean cancelled some other Alaska sailings.

• Radiance of the Seas: July 2 - September 24, 2021
• Serenade of the Seas July 4 & 11, 2021
• Ovation of the Seas July 2 - August 6, 2021

Those that were booked on the sailings can transfer to an upcoming Alaska sailing onboard Serenade of the Seas departing July 19 – September 19, 2021 or Ovation of the Seas sailing August 13 –  September 10, 2021. Your rate will be protected at the rate paid or prevailing fares, whichever is lower.

Lift & Shift: Select a qualifying Alaska cruise in 2022 on the same ship, sail date and stateroom category, while protecting their original cruise fare and promotion. This option expires on May 28, 2021.

125% Future Cruise Credit: 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) which is based on the total cruise  fare paid per guest and will be automatically issued on or before June 25, 2021. Taxes and fees, as well as any pre-purchased amenities or onboard packages, will  be automatically refunded to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancelation date.

Refund: Full refund if requested on or before June 30, 2021.

The United States Congress passed a new bill that will make it possible for cruise ships to sail to Alaska without stopping in Canada, and that has Canadian officials concerned.

On Thursday, the House of Representative passed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, which provides a waiver for cruise ships in 2021 to not have to stop in Canada in order to offer cruises to Alaska.

Canada banned cruise ship travel until February 2022 due to the global health crisis, and until now, cruise ships would not have been able to sail to Alaska since U.S. cabotage law requires a stop in a foreign port.

After the bill passed, premier of British Columbia John Horgan said he has plans to meet with Alaska's delegation to talk about the issue.

Premier Horgan told Victoria News the meeting would take place "in the coming weeks", "We share a common desire with the people of Alaska to see a safe return to the cruise ship industry."

"The tourism sector is eager to welcome visitors back when it’s safe to do so."

Two ports in British Columbia heavily rely on tourism from cruise ships. Vancouver is a traditional homeport for many cruise ships, and Victoria is a stop-over port.

B.C. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong is concerned this workaround for 2021 could become permanent.

The CEO of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority said he tried to warn Canadian politicians about what the negative effect this bill would have if cruise ships could skip Canadian ports, "I must admit it’s been frustrating, we’ve been sounding the alarm for the past few months," Ian Robertson said.

"You always worry about a temporary measure becoming permanent," Robertson said.

The new bill is waiting to be signed into law by President Joe Biden before it can become a law. One of the bill's sponsors, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), posted on Twitter that it is "on the way to be signed into law by the President."

Senator Murkowski added that she is proud of the hard work that went into getting the bill passed, "The Alaska Delegation worked with stakeholders and industry leaders across the state to brainstorm all our options. We were in coordination with the Alaska State Legislature who backed our efforts through a resolution of support."

Senator Dan Sullivan was happy with the bill's result, after encountering no compromise from Canada during earlier negotiations, "We’ve put forward a number of very reasonable suggestions to try to accommodate what we are hoping will be a fighting chance for our tourism season, for our small businesses so decimated by this pandemic to our colleagues in Canada."

"This is not the co-operative spirit that has defined the Alaska-Canadian relationship for decades. Quite frankly, we’ve been disappointed by it."

Hours after the bill passed the House, Carnival Corporation announced three of its brands will offer cruises to Alaska in 2021.

Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Lines will all offer week-long sailings from Seattle for vaccinated passengers.

On top of that, Norwegian Cruise Line put sailings back on sale for Norwegian Bliss from Seattle.

Royal Caribbean has not announced any new sailings yet, or added new sailings to its website for booking.

Hours after new legislation has opened the door for cruises to Alaska, Carnival Corporation announced plans to offer cruises there this summer.

Carnival Corporation announced three of its brands, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, will offer cruises to Alaska this year.

The new sailings will begin in July, and depart from Seattle, Washington.

The announcement was made a few hours after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Bill to allow cruise ships to sail to Alaska without stopping in Canada.

Carnival said each of the lines has received guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as coordinated with Alaskan officials in order to sail again.

It is not clear what this guidance is exactly since the Conditional Sail Order is still in effect, but the line issued a statement that it seemingly has the go-ahead to make these cruises happen.

These Alaska cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination. Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Princess Cruises will resume operations in Alaska starting July 25 through September 26, with seven-day cruises onboard Majestic Princess, a MedallionClass ship.

Its cruises will visit signature ports, glaciers and attractions in Alaska including Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.

Holland America Line will resume its cruise operations to Alaska with seven-day itineraries aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, calling at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan, with scenic cruising in Alaska's iconic locales, including Glacier Bay and Stephens Passage.

The first cruise for the brand is scheduled to depart July 24, with 11 Saturday departures that will operate through October 2.

Carnival Cruise Line has already opened Alaska sailings departing from Seattle beginning July 27, with weekly departures through September 14 aboard Carnival Miracle. There are seven 7-day cruises featuring calls in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, as well as scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord.

The September 14 departure is an 8-day cruise with an additional stop in Icy Strait Point.

Carnival Corporation also said plans for these itineraries to fulfill obligations under the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) are expected to be approved. Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line are each continuing the return-to-cruising preparation already underway.

Each of the lines will announce more details in the coming weeks.

More U.S. sailings to come

Carnival Cruise Line is also working to finalize its plans to operate Carnival Horizon from Miami, and Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze from Galveston in July.

Itineraries along with specific details about protocols are expected to be finalized and announced next week.

Another major hurdle to cruises being able to sail to Alaska this year has been overcome.

The Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (H.R. 1318) passed the House of Representatives in a vote on Thursday, and will now to go President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

This bill will allow cruise ships in 2021 to sail from State of Washington to Alaska without needing to stop in Canada.

Canada banned cruise ships from its waters due to the global health crisis, so if cruise ship travel in the United States were able to occur, cruises to Alaska would not have been legally possible unless this bill becomes law.

The bill was introduced by Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) in February 2021 as a way for cruise ships to be able to sail to Alaska in 2021.

The bill passing is a major show of support for Alaska, which desperately needs cruise ship traffic for its local economy.

Speaking on the House of Representatives floor, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) celebrated the bill's passing as a major buoy for Alaskans, "We lost billions of dollars last year because of Covid in the tourist industry, and this bill that we just passed by this House unanimously will give us an opportunity to recover that, not the money, but the ability to take and serve the people of America and the tourist industry in and southeast Alaska and the rest of the state of Alaska."

"And I sincerely thank all of you for being part of an effort to solve a problem for state."

The Alaska Tourism Restoration Act would essentially provide a way to circumvent the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska.

Canada has banned cruise ships for at least a year, which means it prohibits cruise ships from navigating, mooring, anchoring or berthing in Canadian waters until February 28, 2022 or until the Canadian Government lifts the prohibition. 

If President Biden signs the bill into law, it would allow cruise ships to visit Alaska in 2021, but the cruise industry still needs the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to rollback its own ban of cruise ships from the United States.

If the bill were to become law, it would apply to any sailing that begins on or before February 28, 2022.

The bill only applies to cruise ships sailing from the Pacific Northwest in 2021, and does not apply to ships sailing from New England and would not be in effect for the 2022 season.

In anticipation of the bill passing, Norwegian Cruise Line began selling Alaska cruises again for August, September, and October.

The NCL sailings will sail roundtrip from Seattle to Ketchikan.

Royal Caribbean's website does not yet show cruises available to book for Alaska 2021.

Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo took to Twitter to celebrate the news, "One more signature and then Alaska, here we come!"

A possible solution to Canada's cruise ship ban is one step closer.

The United States Senate unanimously passed a bill that allow foreign flagged cruise ships to sail to Alaska without having to stop in Canada.

The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act (H.R. 1318) passed the Senate in a vote on Thursday, and will now to go to the U.S House of Representatives for a vote.

The bill was introduced by Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) in February 2021 as a way for cruise ships to be able to sail to Alaska in 2021.

The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act is meant to alleviate the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska.

Canada has banned cruise ships for at least a year, which means it prohibits cruise ships from navigating, mooring, anchoring or berthing in Canadian waters until February 28, 2022 or until the Canadian Government lifts the prohibition. 

Senator Murkowski celebrated the victory on Twitter, calling it a "huge victory".

Huge victory today in my effort to provide an opportunity for economic recovery for Alaskan communities who rely on cruise ship passengers -- the Senate just passed my bill w/ @SenDanSullivan, the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act.

— Sen. Lisa Murkowski (@lisamurkowski) May 13, 2021

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) also celebrated the important step, citing the important economic impact cruise ships have for Alaska.

Congratulations to Senators @LisaMurkowski and @SenDanSullivan for passing PVSA waiver legislation in the U.S. Senate today, and for all their efforts to help save the Alaska cruise season. Our members hope to return this summer and to help put Alaskan communities back to work. pic.twitter.com/mnnX87sSLN

— Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) (@CLIAGlobal) May 13, 2021

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was pleased with the bill passing as well, saying on Facebook, "one step at a time"

If the bill were to become law, it would apply to any sailing that begins on or before February 28, 2022.

Of course, even if the bill passes, Alaska cruises would still need to be permitted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has its own ban on cruise ships in place.

If you think perhaps this bill may be all for naught, Royal Caribbean does not think so.

Just a few weeks ago, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said there is still a chance for cruises to sail to Alaska this year.

On April 30, Mr. Fain said Royal Caribbean and "others" are working on resolving the issue with the CDC and Canada, "we're working on both and others are working on both, but we can't be certain where that will end up."

"I think given the momentum, there's reason for some hope, but that's a sufficiently complex and confusing situation that I don't think we're going to put odds on it one way or the other."

"But as to Alaska specifically, while we're optimistic and we're working to make that happen, there are these other factors."

"We do think that will be in time for the Alaskan season. And we're obviously hopeful that we'll be able to solve the issue with Canada in either one of these two ways."

Thus far, Royal Caribbean has not canceled its 2021 Alaska or New England cruises (except for Quantum of the Seas, which is staying in Singapore).

Instead, the cruise line is placing these sailings on hold while it hopes legal action, such as this bill, will provide a means for ships to sail this year.

In the meantime, guests booked on 2021 Alaska cruises have the option to leave their bookings as-is, or cancel them.

Is the Alaska cruise season not totally dead for 2021?

During Royal Caribbean Group's first quarter earnings call on Thursday, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain was asked about the prospect of return to Alaska for this year, and while "slightly complex", he did not rule it out.

The Alaska cruise season faces two hurdles: the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ban on cruise ships, as well as Canada's own ban on cruise ships from its waters.

Mr. Fain said even if the CDC relents on its ban, they would need would need a waiver from the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), or Canada would have to allow at least technical stops.

The Passenger Vessel Service Act (PVSA) of 1886 requires foreign flagged cruise ships to call on a foreign port if sailing a closed-loop cruise form the United States.

This means, cruise ships cannot sail from Seattle and only visit Alaska ports.  It must make a stop outside the country, and Canada is the only place between Seattle and Alaska for that.

The justification for both the PVSA is to protect the U.S. Merchant Marine (the licensed (officers) and documented (trades) personnel on the ships) and to protect U.S. shipyards that both build and repair the ships.

Mr. Fain said during the earnings call that Royal Caribbean and "others" are working on resolving the issue with the CDC and Canada, "we're working on both and others are working on both, but we can't be certain where that will end up."

"I think given the momentum, there's reason for some hope, but that's a sufficiently complex and confusing situation that I don't think we're going to put odds on it one way or the other."

"But as to Alaska specifically, while we're optimistic and we're working to make that happen, there are these other factors."

"We do think that will be in time for the Alaskan season. And we're obviously hopeful that we'll be able to solve the issue with Canada in either one of these two ways."

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, both R-Alaska, introduced a bill in late February 2021 that proposes alleviate the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska.

The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act (H.R.1318) was introduced in the House on February 24, 2021 and was referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation the next day.

When the bill was introduced, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted on social media in support of the bill, "If passed, this would represent a step in the right direction for the Alaskan communities that depend on the tourism industry."

"If you support the bill, please reach out to your representatives to make your voice heard!"

So far, that bill has not moved past that point.

Besides Royal Caribbean's lost cruise revenue, the state of Alaska is facing dire consequences for a second cancelled cruise season in a row.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) said over the course of the lost 2020 and 2021 cruise seasons, Alaska will have a $3.3 billion loss in Alaska, "that's in a state with about a fifty six billion dollar GDP, so it's going to be significant."

"We're going to lose millions of dollars in local revenue for our communities, especially along the coast. Unemployment rates will remain stubbornly high when we can actually lower them through this process."

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean's Alaska cruises are not cancelled yet.

Royal Caribbean did remove bookable Canada-related cruises from its website, but existing bookings are still on hold.

Facing another year without cruise ships, Alaska's small businesses are in grave danger, and Royal Caribbean is doing its part to help them out.

Royal Caribbean Group announced it will support the Shop Local Alaska Program, which generates revenue for port town businesses. Royal Caribbean Group is the first major travel supplier to hop on board with the Shop Local Alaska program in support of keeping Alaska’s small businesses open for when cruise visitors return to Alaska.

This is an initiative by the BuyAlaska Program and Voyij.com, an online marketplace exclusively for Alaska businesses. It was created due to the uncertainty of the 2021 cruise season in an effort to allow local businesses to survive another year without cruises.

You can visit the Shop Local Alaska website at https://shoplocal.voyij.com.

Without cruise ships, Alaska will lose out on 1.3 million tourists who might have spent money in these small towns.

Royal Caribbean Group has agreed to raise awareness of Alaskan-owned businesses in port towns that are struggling to survive. 

The Shop Local Alaska Program will be marketed to guests of the company’s cruise lines — Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises — around the globe.

They will be able to browse virtual Alaskan stores and buy with confidence on  Voyij.com during this period when ships are not able to take them there. The site offers a wide variety of Alaskan products; from locally caught fish to beautiful Alaskan jewelry to Native Art to clothing of the North. Any Alaskan-owned business can list their products on the Voyij  Marketplace.

"Alaska is the premier destination place in the world,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy.

"I am committed to deploying all resources that result in increased partnerships like the “Shop Local Alaska” initiative that spurs Alaska’s economy and directly benefits small businesses across our state."

Why can't cruise ships sail to Alaska?

A combination of the ban on cruise ships from American and Canadian waters is what is putting the 2021 cruise season in jeopardy.

Both countries have policies in place at the moment that prohibit nearly all cruise ships from sailing to Alaska.

In the case of the United States, the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) does not allow cruise ships to sail from U.S. waters due to the global health crisis.

Even if the United States lifted that ban, ships would not be able to visit Alaska ports until Canada lifts its ban.

Canada's ban will prevent Alaska sailings out of Seattle via Canada because of maritime law.

The Passenger Vessel Service Act (PVSA) of 1886 requires foreign flagged cruise ships to call on a foreign port if sailing a closed-loop cruise form the United States.

This means, cruise ships cannot sail from Seattle and only visit Alaska ports.  Cruise ships must make a stop outside the country, and Canada is the only place between Seattle and Alaska.

Another state is joining Florida in suing the CDC so that cruise ships can begin cruising again.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) announced his state has joined in a lawsuit against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) over its shutdown of the cruise industry for well over a year.

The decision to sue the CDC is about protecting Alaska's businesses, according to the Governor.

"Alaska's cruise ship tourism season is facing a second canceled season due to the federal government actions, which is why I'm fighting to ensure our tourism business and communities have a chance."

"Alaska is joining Florida's lawsuit against the CDC and urging them to revoke the conditional No Sail Order so we can get Alaskans, families and small businesses back up and running, which is why I'm fighting to ensure our businesses and communities have a fighting chance."

Governor Dunleavy is following up on his threat from a couple weeks ago that he would sue the CDC if things did not progress between the federal government and the cruise lines.

Both states want the CDC to drop the Framework for Conditional Sail Order (CSO), which is not allowing cruise ships to sail in U.S. waters.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis (R-FL) announced last week his state has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CDC, demanding cruise ships be reopened immediately.

The impact of no cruise ships in 2020 and 2021 to Alaska has cost the state a lot of tourist dollars. Gov. Dunleavy says over the course of the two lost cruise seasons, Alaska will have a $3.3 billion loss in Alaska, "that's in a state with about a fifty six billion dollar GDP, so it's going to be significant."

In addition to the CSO, Alaska has an additional hurdle to jump over for cruise ships to return to the state. 

Canada announced it banned cruise ships for a year, which makes operating cruises from the United States to New England or Alaska nearly impossible.

Due to U.S. laws, cruise ships that are foreign flagged (which is pretty much every cruise ship on major cruise lines) must stop in a foreign port if they sail from the United States. By Canada denying entry into their waters, that leaves no foreign ports for cruise ships to sail to within the vicinity of Alaska or New England.

A Congressional delegation from Alaska has once again sent a letter on behalf of the cruise industry in order to get cruise ships sailing again.

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, sent a letter with colleagues to the White House COVID Response Coordinator, urging the Biden administration to be more transparent and timely in their efforts to develop guidance for the resumption of operations for the cruise ship industry.

In the letter, the Senators and Representative also pressed the White House for answers to a number of clarifying questions on current U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

In the letter, the CDC's inaction is squarely at the heart of the concern.

• When will the CDC provide more details related to the phases of its Framework for Conditional Sailing?
• What criteria does the CDC use to determine the next phase of reopening? What is the timeline?
• What more does the cruise industry need to do to assure the CDC it is ready for the safe resumption of operations?
• Does the CDC understand the economic impact its lack of communication and transparency has on the cruise industry and associated businesses and local communities? What is the Administration’s plan to create more open lines of communication between government and the private sector?
• Who is the official that has responsibility for the decisions about when and how the cruise industry can restart under the restrictions put in place by the CDC?
• What is the process, either within the CDC, or within the Administration to make and implement these decisions, and what other agencies are involved in the decision
  making process?
• When the Conditional Sailing Order was issued last October, there were no vaccines and the disease was on an upward trajectory. Today, we are in completely different
  public health environment. What is the CDC planning to do to address this very different set of circumstances?

The Alaska delegation has been vocal in recent weeks trying to get cruise ships sailing again, so that the 2021 Alaska cruise season can be salvaged.

The letter urged swift action, "The cruise industry has faced unique challenges amid this pandemic, and is one of the only industries that is completely precluded from resuming normal operations. This has created a dramatic negative ripple effect on the Florida and Alaskan families, businesses, ports and communities that rely on the cruise industry"

"If the CDC does not quickly commit to start communicating timely and effective guidance, as well as hold frequent and productive meetings with cruise industry stakeholders, it will have harmful impacts on another peak season for the cruise industry."

Alaska is especially vulnerable to another season of no cruise ships because of how much their economy relies on ships.

The entire cruise season was abandoned last year, and this year looks to be equally dire.

"The future of the cruise industry and thousands of good paying jobs at our states’ ports and supporting businesses are now at stake," they wrote in the letter.

Alaska's representatives to Congress have done the most to get cruises started again.

In February, they asked Canada to re-evaluate their ban on cruise ships. Then in March, they introduced a new bill to allow cruise ships to sail without having to stop in Canada.

Senator Murkowski grilled CDC Director Rochelle Walensky last week after the Director failed to provide any kind of timeline for cruises to restart and was unsure how that would even proceed.

Senator Murkowski says Alaska is one of the most vaccinated states in the country, with 18.9% of its population full vaccinated, and  28% having at least their first shot.