Add Boston to the growing list of ports that are requiring cruise passengers to contribute revenue in the form of arrivals fees.
Starting in 2026, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) will charge each cruise arrival a $3 head tax, with the fee rising by $3 every year through 2030. By that time, the total arrivals fee will be $15 per person, according to local media reports.
The fee structure was approved by the authority on February 11, 2025 and will finance the lion’s share of a $105 million port improvement project at the city’s Flynn Cruiseport — a plan outlined in late 2024.
Among the initiatives included in the project is the installation of shore power infrastructure to enable cruise ships to plug into the shoreside power grid rather than keep their engines running while docked.
Massport estimates that close to 80 percent of the cruise ships that typically call at Boston can plug into shore power or use an alternative low-carbon technology.
With shore power connections installed at the port’s two main cruise ship berths, the port has stated it expects a 93% cut in nitrogen oxide, an 85% reduction in sulfur dioxide, and a 65% cut in carbon dioxide.
The connection infrastructure would make Boston the first port in New England to provide a shore power option. Other upgrades that will be funded using the cruise arrival fee include a new passenger boarding bridge, and an expanded reception and seating area.
Boston is a summer and fall season homeport for several cruise lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Princess Cruises.
The lines typically sail Bermuda cruises as well as Canada/New England itineraries to Montreal and Quebec City, with port calls in Maine, Nova Scotia, and other destinations.
Among the largest ships slated to homeport in 2026 is Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,500-guest Norwegian Breakaway. In 2025, two of the line’s smaller ships, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Gem, will offer sailings from Boston.
Read Also: Boston Cruise Port – Getting There, Piers, Terminals and More
Other notable cruise ships calling at Boston in summer 2025 include Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, and the ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises’ ships Silver Dawn and Silver Shadow.
In addition to homeported vessels, the port welcomes some 160 cruise ship calls from 20 cruise lines. The port’s cruise operations translate to roughly $256 million in economic impact from the 480,000-plus cruise guests who visit each year.
Parking Fee Hikes Also Could Impact Cruise Guests
Along with the approved cruise arrivals fee, MassPort is considering raising parking rates at nearby Logan International Airport, which would likely impact cruise passengers flying to or from the city before and after their sailing.
Under the proposal, which has not been voted on, services such as Uber and Lyft would pay an increased flat fee of $7.50, up from $3.25. Taxi fees would rise to $5.50, from $2.25.
Boston has plenty of company in its quest to have cruise passengers help shoulder the cost of port infrastructure improvements and mitigate environmental concerns and lifestyle issues.
In Alaska, both Haines and Juneau charge cruise arrivals fees — $9 per person in Haines and $8 in Juneau. Juneau went even further, setting daily debarkation limits, as did Bar Harbor, Maine, in a bid to lessen the industry’s impact on local populations.
Internationally, the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos in 2025 implemented a €20 (approximately $22) fee on all cruise guests. The revenue will be used to mitigate the effects of cruise passengers on island infrastructure.
