Local Residents Reaction To Cruise Ship Passengers

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, Harry Lake said:

A quick search showed a major landslide on a major cruise ship pier. That doesn't sound like what we're talking about.

 

No, not what I was talking about.  My opinion is if cruise ships stopped going there, Skagway is an example of a place that would take a hard economic hit.  

[Harry Lake]

4 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

No, not what I was talking about.  My opinion is if cruise ships stopped going there, Skagway is an example of a place that would take a hard economic hit.  

It truly makes me cringe to post this table.

 

What is the population of Skagway Alaska 2023?

 

 

Download Table Data

Year	Population	Growth Rate
2023	1,321	2.09%
2022	1,294	2.13%
2021	1,267	2.18%
2020	1,240	2.39%

10 more rows

 

Skagway County, Alaska Population 2023

 

worldpopulationreview.com

https://worldpopulationreview.com › us-counties › skag.

[ldubs]

2 minutes ago, Harry Lake said:

It truly makes me cringe to post this table.

 

What is the population of Skagway Alaska 2023?

 

 

Download Table Data

Year	Population	Growth Rate
2023	1,321	2.09%
2022	1,294	2.13%
2021	1,267	2.18%
2020	1,240	2.39%

10 more rows

 

Skagway County, Alaska Population 2023

 

worldpopulationreview.com

https://worldpopulationreview.com › us-counties › skag.

 

Well, according to the table you posted the 2023 population is 1,321.  I have to wonder what percent of that number is seasonal.  

 

Why does this make you cringe?  Even better, what is the table showing us with regards to this topic?  

[ilikeanswers]

4 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I hate to pop another popular forum bubble, but I do not believe those stores are actually owned by the cruise lines.  Certainly not 80% of them.   What I understand is they pay a pretty price to be listed among the places recommended by the cruise lines and to be included on the rather vague port maps provided by the cruise lines.  It is bad for passengers who don't realize they are probably paying more at those places and bad for the community because those kick-backs are not staying local to multiply.

 

I believe in the free market.  I don't agree that some gov't body should dictate quotas on what businesses are allowed. 

 

The residents definitely said the businesses are owned by the cruise companies subsidiary corporations. I know cruise companies can contract local operators to work for them but the residents were complaining that cruise companies let those contracts end and replaced them with their own businesses providing the same services. Maybe the 80% was an exaggeration on the person interviewed then again if you could keep all the profits instead of sharing what corporation would ever want to contract a local business? 

Edited November 18, 2023 by ilikeanswers

[ldubs]

40 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

The residents definitely said the businesses are owned by the cruise companies subsidiary corporations. I know cruise companies can contract local operators to work for them but the residents were complaining that cruise companies let those contracts end and replaced them with their own businesses providing the same services. Maybe the 80% was an exaggeration on the person interviewed then again if you could keep all the profits instead of sharing what corporation would ever want to contract a local business? 

 

I suspect the residents you are quoting were less than precise in their choice of words.  Maybe by owned they were trying to say "in their pockets".   The shore based stores promoted by the cruise lines are not owned by the cruise lines.  Of course, that doesn't mean they are owned by locals either.  I'm fully prepared to be wrong about this but cannot find a single solid reference showing cruise line ownership.   I find just the opposite.   

 

Those sponsored shops give huge kickbacks to the cruise lines.   The folks on board doing the "shopping lectures" (or whatever they are called) likely get commissioned from the sales.  I would actually be surprised if they were not independents just like the guys selling artwork or the folks in the onboard shops.  

 

As for your last sentence, my old company frequently used independents in areas where we were either not in a position to manage operations or lacked some needed expertise.  We were more than happy to share in the high margin revenue from those relationships.  Additionally,  some might be surprised to learn that several cruise lines use the same third party contractor for onboard retail operations. Why would they do that if they could keep all the profits, as you say.   

[CPT Trips]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

Why would they do that if they could keep all the profits, as you say.   

OK, why? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

OK, why? 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

It was a question asked to make a point.  Meaning,  one might suggest a cruise line would prefer to own instead of contract with a shore based retail operation in order to retain all profits.  If so, why would the cruise line not do the same for their onboard retail operations. 

[MBP&O2/O]

We were in AK this year and many shops had a 'Local Owner' sign in the window and they were asking you to support local business.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, MBP&O2/O said:

We were in AK this year and many shops had a 'Local Owner' sign in the window and they were asking you to support local business.

I hope those on the cruise saw the signs and did support the locally owned businesses 

[MBP&O2/O]

We tried to do so, but several places didn't even open until 11:00am ....... too late for my coffee and pastries😄

[cruisemom42]

 

Fodor's recently published a list of recommendations of places NOT to go in 2024 related to various problematic issues. Coming in at the top of NO GO places due to overtourism is Venice (no surprise). Second is Athens and third is Mt. Fuji.

 

With more and more tourists headed to these places, it's no wonder the locals get grumpy.

 

Several other cruise tourist "hot spots are on the list for other reasons -- Koh Samui (water management) and Ha Long Bay (pollution) are frequently stops on Asia cruises.

 

https://www.fodors.com/news/news/fodors-no-list-2024

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by cruisemom42

[Kristelle]

Shame about Ha Long bay - beautiful spot, went there in 2017, and have beautiful photo I took from one of the island lookouts  (it would want to be a good photo, 400 steps up to the top to take it 🙃)