Our Alaskan Cruise

Katie Farden at InvestigateWest has a revealing look at the recycling operations of an Alaska cruise ship. The scale of a cruise ship amplifies the environmental impact and the efforts required to minimize that impact are equally massive.

While the 1,432 passengers aboard Holland America’s Zaandam, are enjoying a five-course meal at one of the ship’s plush dining venues or unwinding with a hot-stone massage in the vessels’ full-service spa, crew are bustling below, sorting out tons of waste and recyclables.

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Although perhaps morbid to some, in the grand cycle of life of Alaskan mammals the presence of dead whales is significant. Humpbacks are an endangered migratory whale with a global footprint. More than 28,000 North Pacific humpback whales were killed by whalers in the last century. Worldwide their numbers were reduced to an estimated 10,000 in 1965, There is no precise number known today.

It is important to know what impact cruise ships have on these giants of the oceans, and their cause of death is of particular interest.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A marine mammal observer aboard the first cruise ship of the year spotted a dead humpback whale washed up on a beach in Glacier Bay National Park, a park spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The carcass of the 41-foot baleen whale was discovered last week on a rocky beach at Scidmore Cut in the upper West Arm area of the bay, Allison Banks said.

Banks said the whale likely died over the winter and floated into the bay before washing up on the beach. It was so decomposed that the cause of death may never be known.

From by Mary Pemberton / The Associated Press via Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

You can read more about humpback whales in Glacier Bay from the National Park Service.

The 2006 law creating a $46 per cruise ship passenger tax could soon be reduced down to $34.50 as an Alaska senate panel has approved Parnell’s tax cut.

AP/Washingon Examiner: Alaska senate panel approves head tax cut on cruise ship passengers that could satisfy lawsuit

Alaska’s cruise passenger head tax could end up falling from to $46 to $19.50 on most inside passage itineraries, according to the final bill Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell submitted late last week.

The 59% reduction would more than double the 25% cut that Parnell proposed less than two weeks ago, because the new bill contains a provision to offset local head taxes in Juneau and Ketchikan, of $8 and $7, respectively.

Cruise Blog at USA Today

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SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (March 25, 2010) — Princess Cruises has added nine new choices to its lineup ofoptional land excursions for Alaska cruisetours, giving travelers opportunities for fresh adventures, including discovering how local hunters and trappers live, exploring by ATV, riding a dog cart, visiting a true Eskimo village or learning to cook Alaska cuisine.

In total, the optional land excursion program features 96 tour choices that cruisetour travelers can add to the land portion of their trip. These activities are currently open for purchase and offer a range of experiences from easygoing to exhilarating — including cultural tours, nature hikes, kayak adventures and flightseeing tours.

Cruisetour passengers can get additional information about the land excursions from a new section on Princess’ web site, http://www.princess.com/learn/cruisetours/alaska/land_excursions, offering full details on the program and tour listings.

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According to the Anchorage Daily News Alaska Governor Sean Parnell on Friday proposed cutting the $46 tax currently imposed on Alaska cruise passengers by 25%.

In exchange for the tax cut the cruise lines have agreed to drop their collective lawsuit and send more ships to Alaska. The tax has generated $36 million for the state since it was voted into law by Alaskans in 2006.

Anchorage Daily News

This is good news for cruise passengers as the increased supply and lower tax should help keep the currently discounted prices low. The effects of the tax has been estimated to reduce passengers disembarking out of Vancouver from 900,000 to 600,000.

Vancouver is hoping to capitalize on the Olympic buzz and this may be a fortunate turn of events for them. We boarded our Alaskan cruise from Vancouver and we were very impressed with the city albeit our visit was short. I would definitely recommend starting in Vancouver.