A trade war of words unfolded between officials in Alaska and British Columbia as the new US administration enacts its tariff strategy against Canada, but in this case, the cruise industry could get caught in the middle.
In a radio interview on March 11, 2025, US Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) vowed to pursue a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-old maritime protectionist law. His plan, local media reported, would lift the rule that prevents foreign-flagged ships from sailing directly between two US ports.
The Jones Act (officially the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) is the reason why cruise ships traveling from, say, Seattle to Juneau must first stop at a British Columbia port, such as Vancouver, Victoria, or Prince Rupert.
Virtually every cruise ship operating is foreign flagged, with the notable exception being Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, which is US flagged and as such is able to sail directly between the Hawaiian Islands, where she is deployed year-round and has no direct, port-to-port competition.
The goal of the waiver in Alaska would be financial — to deprive the Canadian ports of hundreds of cruise ship calls and millions in revenue through the Alaska season.
However, there is no guarantee that, if a waiver is issued, Alaska-bound cruise lines will change their ships’ published itineraries to exclude calls at the Canadian ports, which are popular destinations for guests.
Read Also: Your Guide to the Best Alaska Cruise Ports
Sullivan threatened to seek a waiver after British Columbia Premier David Eby said he plans to take steps to charge tolls on commercial trucks traveling from the US through British Columbia on their way to Alaska.
Since all vehicles entering Alaska by road must travel through British Columbia, Eby’s threat would certainly raise costs for Alaskan residents and businesses — including cruise lines, whose ships often take on supplies in various Alaska ports.
Cruise Ships Represent Major Revenue Source for Canada
The cruise industry represents an enormous economic boon to British Columbia each year. Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, will see more than 300 cruise ship visits, including embarkations and disembarkations, during the 2025 season, which has already opened.
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wonder was the first to call at the port, on March 5, 2025. Through mid-October, about 1.2 million passengers will transit the port. Cruise tourism accounts for a $3 million influx of revenue every time a cruise ship calls at Vancouver.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority is another major port. It reached a milestone in 2023 when it welcomed its 10 millionth cruise arrival. Victoria, about 75 miles from Vancouver, reaps some $56 million a year in passenger spending from the 300-plus cruise ships that typically call.
Cruise lines contribute to Victoria’s coffers too, to the tune of about $84 million in port charges, docking fees, and other contractual services with the port.
Even Prince Rupert Cruise Port, a much smaller facility that in 2024 welcomed just 43 cruise ships, received the financial benefits of hosting about 60,000 passengers.
In his radio interview, Sullivan suggested that the US Congress could pass a law to exempt cruise ships from the required call at a Canadian port, or the administration could provide the exemption via an executive order.
“You know, Canada, you don’t want to mess with Alaska,” US Sen. Sullivan said.
“If you do, we’re going to work hard on having our cruise ships bypass your ports, and that’ll help our economy tremendously, it’ll help our tourism industry tremendously, and it’ll really hurt their tourism,” added Sullivan.
The Jones Act requirement was temporarily removed once before, during the Covid pandemic.
Among the ships scheduled to call at Vancouver as the spring season gets under way are Holland America Line’s Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Koningsdam; Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess, Caribbean Princess, and Ruby Princess; Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice; and Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, to name just a few.
