ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Canadian government has extended a ban on large cruise ships, which is expected to block trips from visiting Alaska this year.
The ban was set to expire at the end of this month, but Transport Canada extended the ban another year, through February 2022.
Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation said Canada’s announcement was unexpected, unacceptable and “certainly not a decision made with any consideration for Alaskans or our economy.”
Most of Alaska’s 1.3 million visitors two years ago were cruise ship passengers visiting southeast Alaska.
Many disembarked for excursions in Anchorage, Denali National Park and Preserve and Fairbanks.