Passengers to Alaska may soon face an extra $50 tax.

[BigDoug]

Sorry about the double post.:eek:

[Phamer55]

If this tax holds up in court, I will no longer take a cruise to Alaska, nor visit there in any way. Hopefully, people will think likewise, otherwise other states will consider imposing these ridiculous taxes and increase the cost of cruising everywhere.

[waunabcruizin]

Big Doug - EXACTLY!

 

It's not so much the $50. As other posters have pointed out, many cities, municipalities, states, etc., charge 'tourist' taxes as well. But 1/3 of the casino revenue?? Corporate taxes on a ship that cruises to their ports? You KNOW the cruise lines will have to pass these costs on to the passengers, probably with a combination of higher cruise fares and less services. And if all other ports, cities, states, do the same thing the cruise industry will be really, really hurt and cruising will, once again, be a weathy persons' pastime.

I, for one, don't have the wherewithall financially to cruise anytime I want to. I save up for a cruise - for a long time - and if the fare does increase beyond my ability to save for one in a reasonable amount of time......well then, I guess I'll just pack up the travel trailer and 'see the USA in my Chevrolet'.

[MaggieSweet]

For those who think the $50 will keep them from cruising Alaska again, the rest of us thank you sincerely. There is no reason to have 6 ships each carrying 1500-2500 people in port at the same time. This money would provide vital conservation.

 

Even if the charge passes, this beautiful state is not the same as it was even 10 years ago. We do not need to see it turn into the eyesore that many of the ports in the Caribbean have become.

 

Tammy

[bepsf]

I dont like it, but I'll pay it if I have to...

...Alaska is only getting me one more time anyway. The next cruise to Alaska for me will be with the Nephew and Niece when they're old enough to enjoy it and remember it. I just hope there's something left for them to see in 10 years or so - that the glaciers haven't all melted and the trees/animals all washed away...

Otherwise, it's the Carib/Med/Panama Canal for me from here on out.

[FigsGrandPa]

Because of its oil revenue, Alaska is one of the wealthiest states on a per capita basis. Not only do they not have any state income tax, Alaska residents receive an annual rebate from their government. The cruise ships also bring in substantial revenue through their support of local businesses. That being said, there is no economic reason to impose these taxes beyond pure, unfettered greed.

 

If Alaska needed this revenue in order to provide the infrastructure necessary to support the cruise industry, it would be acceptable, however, they do not and it is not.

[RJB]

Enough taxes. It's about time people protest with their pocketbooks. Time to boycott all Alaska cruises if this tax goes thru. Send a message

[O2BatC]

If the locals are feeling poor, they ought to consider voting out their pork-loving senators instead of sticking it to the tourists. :mad:

[curiousl8y]

Next year will be our second trip to Alaska, and I'm not letting a $50 head tax stop me.

 

For me, Alaska is the Last Unspoiled Place. I don't mind paying a small fee to help keep it that way. I've got a year to budget in that extra $100. :)

 

I live in L.A. If any tourist there thinks they aren't getting every possible nickel they have squeezed out of them by the great state of California, try buying something in Orange County, or eating in a restaurant in West L.A., or going to Disneyland for under $500 for a family of 4. :o And all we have to offer are amusement parks, steel and plastic.

 

Alaska is the Real Deal.

 

Linda

[denali1]

...and voted No on this measure. Frankly, I was shocked that it passed.

 

The Cruise and travel industry poured tons of money into the campaign.

There are over 9 pages of legalese in this measure, including corporate income taxes, gambling taxes, unneeded enviromental requirements, and requiring the revelation of a ships gross margin on people they do business with (such as shore excursion providers). And of course the head tax.

 

I was against all of that. Alaskans typically reject tax measures. But...a lot feel viistors should pay some share of the extra services and port usage. In other words to support the infrastructure needed to handle one ship or 5 in a day.

One poster mentioned that each city/state has their myriad of fees and taxes on tourists. We are always kind of stunned when we travel to the Lower 48.

We have no state sales tax, and many towns have no city sales tax (or a very small one). We do have car rental taxes and hotel taxes however, like anywhere else.

I am not defending the measure. I dislike it intensely. Just wanted to throw on the table some other feedback.

 

Attached are the latest results from the Division of Elections:

 

 

 

MEASURE NO. 2 - 03CTAX Total Number of Precincts 439 Precincts, Votes 130116, YES 68133 52.36%, NO 61983 47.64%

 

 

Dave

[mbisson]

If the locals are feeling poor, they ought to consider voting out their pork-loving senators instead of sticking it to the tourists. :mad:

 

Now you wouldn't be referring to a certain bridge in Ketchikan would you?

 

;)

 

-Monte

[spaceguy]

I have not cruised to Alaska but I have travelled there several times in the past few years for business.

 

With this tax.. I doubt I would cruise Alaska. They do not have income tax and much if any sales tax on themselves, and they take money from the oil companies.. the rest of us already pay.. and give it to themselves. Look at how much federal money goes to Alaska for natives, defense, and other things. Have you seen the new Ted Stevens airport in Anchorage....And how much did it cost the rest of us in the US to get "Ted Stevens" put on that airport? I know it wasn't out of the pockets of Ted himself! They have one of the highest rates of federal money per capita.

 

I'd suggest the cruise lines develop a route that does Canada and the Pacific Northwest and make no port calls in Alaska....

[StillLooking4Adventure]

I have not cruised to Alaska but I have travelled there several times in the past few years for business.

 

Well then I guess this tax won't affect you, will it?

 

With this tax.. I doubt I would cruise Alaska. They do not have income tax and much if any sales tax on themselves,

 

and that means we don't have sales tax on you or other tourists either. When I go to Florida for vacation and spend $5000.00 on vacation I pay 6% state sales tax, thats $300.00, and as much as 10% bed tax in tourist areas. That would be 10% on 200 per night for lets say 7 nights or $140 more. I pay Florida higher state gas tax than you pay here (Alaska has the lowest state gas tax, the oil companies charge us more for gas since we have no refineries here), that may be another $20. I pay a state or local tax on rental cars. So lets see, that would cost me an extra $500 in state tax to visit Florida for a week???

 

and they take money from the oil companies.. the rest of us already pay.. and give it to themselves.

 

We don't "take money from oil companies" They pay us for the oil they take out of our state. This was part of the deal of owning our resources when we became a state. Same as Texas, Same as Florida will do when they have off shore drilling.

 

Look at how much federal money goes to Alaska for natives, defense, and other things. Have you seen the new Ted Stevens airport in Anchorage....And how much did it cost the rest of us in the US to get "Ted Stevens" put on that airport? I know it wasn't out of the pockets of Ted himself! They have one of the highest rates of federal money per capita.

 

This is true. However Alaska is highest in almost everything per capita since there are only 650,000 of us living here. If it were per sq. mile, I think we would be last.

 

I'd suggest the cruise lines develop a route that does Canada and the Pacific Northwest and make no port calls in Alaska....

 

Then I guess they would lose their 2nd most traveled route in the world, only to the Carribean.

[shipshape sam]

Personally, I would not base a decision to NOT go see such a beautiful state and area on a $50 tax. What most people will do is transfer spending from some other activitiy, especially over time. The State of Alaska is betting people will take the extra $50 from some other activity, (local movie, cut out a dinner, etc) vs spending less tourist dollars while in Alaska.

 

The bigger problem as I see it, is that it promotes a trend to tax more. I just wish I had the ability to say to my employer, hey, I need to maintain my enviroment, thus I need a $1/hour more to cover taxes that are now being imposed on me.

[Yukon]

I used to believe all the whining about the high cost of Alaska - then I went to Fort Lauderdale this past February to get on a Costa cruise and got thoroughly screwed, far beyond anything I've ever seen in Alaska. I'll avoid Florida from now on - y'all feel free to avoid Alaska if you feel hard done by.

 

Murray

[BigDoug]

Personally, I would not base a decision to NOT go see such a beautiful state and area on a $50 tax. What most people will do is transfer spending from some other activitiy, especially over time. The State of Alaska is betting people will take the extra $50 from some other activity, (local movie, cut out a dinner out, etc) vs spending less tourist dollars while in Alaska.

 

The bigger problem as I see it, is that it promotes a trend to tax more. I just wish I had the ability to say to my employer, hey, I need to maintain my enviroment, thus I need a $1/hour more to cover taxes that are now being imposed on me.

You should READ the proposal. Here is the link to the Anchorage Daily News story: http://www.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8112414p-8004976c.html This is much more than just a $50 per head tourist tax. You are forgetting the 33% casino tax and the state corporate income tax. These could easily cost millions per ship each year. This will come out of the cruiser's pocket. Also, there are other provisions that will greatly increase the administrative costs of the cruiselines. Does anyone really think that this money will go to infrastructure? This proposal was designed to cut down the cruise tourist trade.

[wrp96]

One poster mentioned that each city/state has their myriad of fees and taxes on tourists. We are always kind of stunned when we travel to the Lower 48.

We have no state sales tax, and many towns have no city sales tax (or a very small one). We do have car rental taxes and hotel taxes however, like anywhere else.

 

When I moved to the lower 48 I was highly shocked by how much I pay in taxes for everyday items, especially coming from Anchorage where I paid no sales tax and no income tax. I now live in a town where I pay a state income tax, a general sales tax of 6.5%, food sales tax including for groceries of 8.825%, a gas tax, a liquor tax of 31.5% and whenever I've stayed in a hotel I've paid hotel taxes, plus various other extra taxes on different items. Just for one day alone, when I've acted as a visitor in the city I live in, I've paid more than $50 in taxes. Paying $50 extra for a cruise to Alaska doesn't seem like so much compared to that.

 

What gets me about the arguments against it is, how many cruisers actually look at how much they are paying in taxes for each port they visit? Depending on which port you are going to, you might be paying even more than $50 just to visit that one port - and since most people only look at the total taxes and port fees they don't know about that island/port's high taxes. Alaska just happens to be in the US so cruisers are more aware.

[basso]

I have cruised to Alaska before - I think it is six times now. We have friends in Anchorage, but if we really want to visit them we can fly. We might just go to British Columbia to cool off from the Arizona summer heat. Then again despite what Brigham Young said, we may even go East. Upper New England and Quebec are very nice that time of year.

[Budget Queen]

I used to believe all the whining about the high cost of Alaska - then I went to Fort Lauderdale this past February to get on a Costa cruise and got thoroughly screwed, far beyond anything I've ever seen in Alaska. I'll avoid Florida from now on - y'all feel free to avoid Alaska if you feel hard done by.

 

Murray

 

 

Don't come to NYC, Murray. :) Far worse than Florida. Florida is where all the New Yorkers go for a "cheap" vacation!!!!!

[Charles Hayes]

If Alaska doesn't want cruise ships or the visitors, go to British Columbia. Spectacular scenery, rich culture, amazing history, and great tours... and most important they want you to come. Ports like Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Campbell River and Prince Rupert are welcoming cruise ships with open arms and warm hospitality.

[seamama1]

Well, I think I am on the wrong side here but I think it is a good idea. I have a brother who lives in Sitka - has lived there for 40 years. He tells me that the environmental mess that is caused by more and more cruise ships coming up that way is an expensive nightmare. He said it was different when only a few ships cruised Alaska - and they were much smaller. But with the thousands and thousands of people and the big mega-ships with their mess and noise, it is destructive. Apparently there is a movement in that state to go back to limiting the number and size of ships permitted to sail in Alaskan waters....sounds good to me.

 

I would have no problem with a higher fare either. I think that Alaska should be marketed as an exotic vacation, similar to Galapagos and other environmentally sensitive areas of the world. Fewer people would book due to the price, smaller ships would be used. It's a good thing! Just because the world is your oyster doesn't mean you have to consume all of it.

[seamama1]

You should READ the proposal. Here is the link to the Anchorage Daily News story: http://www.adn.com/news/politics/elections/story/8112414p-8004976c.html This is much more than just a $50 per head tourist tax. You are forgetting the 33% casino tax and the state corporate income tax. These could easily cost millions per ship each year. This will come out of the cruiser's pocket. Also, there are other provisions that will greatly increase the administrative costs of the cruiselines. Does anyone really think that this money will go to infrastructure? This proposal was designed to cut down the cruise tourist trade.

 

I agree - it is meant to cut down on the cruise tourist trade. About time, I think....so many people and ships are tearing the place up.

[FigsGrandPa]

There are three possible reasons why governments impose taxes and fees. The first is to fund the cost of government itself and the general services that government is called upon to provide. Broad based taxes like income, sales, gasoline and property taxes usually provide this revenue. The second is to fund the cost of specific services that are felt shouldn't be imposed on the general population. This is handled through user fees like automobile registrations, hunting and fishing licenses, etc. The third are the so called "sin taxes" like the levies imposed on alcohol and tobacco, which are (supposedly) intended to discourage people from using them.

 

Into which catagory does the Alaska cruise tax fall? The Alaskan government doesn't need any revenue to fund its operations or services since the oil industry is picking that up. I'm not aware of any huge deficit in state or local budgets resulting from the cost of the infrastructure that the cruise ships use. So, that leaves me with the third option - that this is the people of Alaska's way of telling us that we aren't welcome there.

 

I'm more saddened by that realization than by any amount of additional cost that might result from this plebiscite. I cruised to Alaska last year and I found the people quite pleasant. I had no idea that they would hang a giant "Visitors Not Welcome" sign up.

[johninwpa]

Maybe the other 49 states can decide to sell it back to Russia. It,s not the 50 per person, its the principle. Greed, greed, and more greed.

[kruisey]

Cruisers pay enough with Port Tax and the tourist dollar.

I live in Vancouver,Canada, I've never heard it discussed that we would ever charge our tourists a tax.....We just enjoy welcoming you to our city.:)

I often go to the Port and take pictures......and love chating with those of you preparing to board your cruises to Alaska.......and would be unhappy if you no longer visited our shores because of this added tax by the Alaska Goverment:( .