It’s about to become more expensive for cruise ships to dock in Juneau, Alaska. And, eventually, more expensive for passengers.

On May 19, 2025, the Juneau Assembly unanimously approved an increase in dockage fees, aiming to bring public port charges in line with those at privately operated docks in Southeast Alaska.

“We’ve been talking about it for a few years,” Juneau Visitor Industry Director Alix Pierce told local media, referring to the cruise lines’ awareness of the impending fee hike. “They’ve known that it’s coming.”

Indeed, in April 2024, Cruise Hive reported on Juneau’s plan to collect millions of dollars in passenger fees from cruisers annually via a port fee increase.

However, the fees are controlled via an agreement with Cruise Lines International Association Alaska (CLIA Alaska) following a 2019 settlement between the Juneau Assembly and the organization.

At that time, CLIA Alaska objected to the port fees, saying Juneau’s plans were falling out of line with the original settlement.

Now, a year later, the city has found a way around the agreement and is raising dockage fees.

Instead of charging fees based on the tonnage of each ship that arrives and its length, the rates will now be based on each vessel’s passenger capacity.

The city expects to raise $5 million in fees annually with the change.

New Fee Structure

The new dockage fees will be under less restrictions than the previous fee program under the 2019 CLIA Alaska agreement, and will not limit the city to using fee revenue towards its tourism industry.

As Juneau operates two of the city’s four cruise ship docks near Marine Park, Pierce said the new model will bring its municipal rates closer to what private operators charge.

Read Also: Juneau Cruise Port, Alaska – Overview and Guide

“We know that our rates are definitely low compared to the private docks here and other ports in the region are also looking at their fee structure,” she said.

In addition to the dockage fee changes, Juneau’s cruise ship passenger fee program remains a major funding mechanism for tourism-related improvements.

The city collects three types of passenger fees: a $5 Marine Passenger Fee (MPF), a $3 Port Development Fee (PDF), and a $5 portion of the state’s $34.50 Commercial Passenger Vessel Excise Tax.

With 1.65 million cruise visitors forecasted in 2026, Juneau anticipates collecting $21.45 million in passenger-related revenue.

Under the 2019 settlement agreement with CLIA Alaska, the use of MPF funds is tightly controlled and tied to mapped zones within the city.

Projects within the core port area are generally approved without issue, while proposals outside of the port require additional consultation with CLIA.

In 2026, Juneau plans to spend more than $22 million in passenger-related funds. Major proposed expenditures include $3 million for expanding shore power, $2.5 million to complete Marine Park improvements, and $2 million for the next phase of the Seawalk.

As the city aims to bring in more revenue from Alaska’s popular cruise tourism – which continues to grow year over year – some residents of Juneau have been fighting hard to limit the number of cruise ships allowed to pull into port.

Proponents of the initiative want to cap daily visitors at 16,000 passengers and no more than five large cruise ships a day. They also want Juneau to set an annual limit at 1.5 million cruise passengers a year.

In 2023, the city welcomed 1.6 million cruise guests and then 1.68 million in 2024.

However, Juneau needed 2,720 signatures to move the proposal to legislation but failed to do so by the May 19, 2025, deadline.

As the debate continues, Royal Caribbean is in the process of sidestepping the port altogether by building a new port on Douglas Island, just opposite of Juneau. That port will not be subject to the city’s new port fees.

Without a drink package, one’s bar bill on a cruise vacation can quickly add up, along with other onboard expenses such as shore tours, photo purchases, spa treatments, specialty dining, and more.

The solution is not, however, to try to leave the ship in a rush to avoid the tab. One cruise couple found that trying to do so leads to fraud charges, arrest, and possible persecution – meaning they will most definitely pay up, one way or another.

The cruisers were arrested by the Spanish National Police at the airport on the island of Ibiza, Spain, as they attempted to leave without making proper payment to the cruise ship.

The couple, both of whom are British citizens, have not been identified, but charges are likely pending for their attempt at fraud. Police reports note that the 18-year-old woman and 23-year-old man hastily and forcefully left their cruise ship without having paid a bill of €3,196 (approximately $3,630 USD).

The nature of the charges have not been detailed, but likely includes a bar tab and other expenses linked to their onboard account.

Crew members interviewed about the incident note that the couple did physically push and shove to make their hasty way off the ship without having paid their outstanding balance.

“Police called to the scene interviewed crew members who told them the alleged offenders had tried to push their way off the ship in their attempts to abandon the vessel,” a police spokesman confirmed.

There are no reports of injuries or any damage to the cruise ship as a result of the guests’ actions.

While the ship the couple departed from has not been confirmed, only two ships were docked in Ibiza on Wednesday, May 21, when the couple was arrested: MSC Grandiosa and Costa Toscana.

Both ships are offering 7-night Mediterranean sailings with various ports of call including stops in Italy, Spain, and France. Neither ship was delayed in departing from the island of Ibiza and both have continued their sailings without difficulty.

An island-wide search was initiated for the couple, and they were tracked to the Ibiza airport, where they were apprehended.

What Happens If You Can’t Pay Your Onboard Bill?

Most cruise guests tend to use either a credit card or debit card to secure their onboard ship account, ensuring there are no delays with how payments are processed.

While this might mean that spendthrift guests are surprised with a higher-than-expected tab at the end of their cruise, so long as the payment clears, there is no difficulty.

When travelers use cash for their onboard expenses, however, they might run into difficulty if they run up a bigger bill than they can pay at the end of the cruise.

Most cruise lines will monitor spending during each sailing. If a passenger exceeds their cash allotment for an onboard account, the cruise line can refuse to add more charges until the guest adds extra cash or links another method of payment to their tab.

Those guests will be called to guest services to correct the problem, or they may face fines and fees from the cruise line. Other legal action might also be taken against the guest with an unpaid account, and they may even be banned from future sailings due to the outstanding debt.

If the situation has arisen due to unexpected difficulties, it is possible a cruise line might be willing to arrange payment plans or other accommodations to help guests settle an overdue balance.

Read Also: 12 Smart Tricks to Stop Wasting Money on Cruises

Each cruise line’s policies are different, and may even vary depending on local laws where an individual ship may be homeported, registered, or sailing at the time of any financial problems.

It’s easy for cruise guests to keep track of their onboard spending. Most cruise lines have guest accounts linked to their individualized app, or guests may be able to check their account balances and individual charges on stateroom televisions or kiosks around the ship.

If those options aren’t available, a quick trip to the guest services desk and travelers can request a printed copy of their current statement and details of charges.

It is important for all cruise guests to check their balances at least once before the end of the cruise to ensure the accuracy of the information. Mistakes can and do happen – I’ve been charged for drinks I never ordered, but a quick visit to the guest services desk and the charge was easily removed.

Setting aside a “cruises only” credit card is another strategy some travelers use to be sure they won’t be unable to pay a balance and can finish their cruise vacation without financial distress.