By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Downtown business owners say they’re ready if and when the large cruise ships arrive, as early as July, even given the late notice of a season.
President Biden on Monday signed the legislation, sponsored by the congressional delegation, that will allow cruise ships to sail to Alaska without the required stop in Canada.
This is a 180-degree turnaround from the expectation, but Sitka retailers who spoke to the Sentinel say they will adapt to whatever the season turns out to be.
Holland America and Royal Caribbean cruise lines are advertising port calls here starting July 21.
“What a pleasant surprise,” said Chuck Trierschield, co-owner of Sitka Bazaar, a business that has been in his family for more than a century. He and his staff were ready for a busy year last year when the season was canceled due to COVID-19, which included restrictions by the CDC and Canada’s ban on cruise ships.
Canada extended its ban on cruise ships through this year, so officials and retailers had expected a similarly slow year.
Trierschield has a number of Alaska items and does a busy trade during the summer with visitors. His store remains stocked with last year’s inventory after the quiet 2020 summer. He said he’s expecting the busy cruise days this year to bring staffing challenges but is looking forward to a busier summer.
“One thing I’ve learned in the last couple of years is to be flexible,” Trierschield said. “I certainly hope we have a full year of cruise ships next year.”
Steven Eisenbeisz, co-owner of Russell’s, said his store is currently “well-stocked for an influx of independent travelers, which we expected to be up this year.”
His business is focused on supplies for the outdoors, which seems to be on the rise this year as more people are getting outdoors, hiking, camping, playing sports and fishing.
“We acquired most of the gear you need to get people outside, and expect that will continue throughout the summer,” Eisenbeisz said. “Our focus is still going to be on locals, independent and charter visitors as they seem to have more spending ability and don’t travel from town to town, spending a little at each place. (Cruise passengers) are very welcome to stop and pick up a T-shirt as well.”
It’s all new to Leslie Dupuis, owner of the Raven’s Hook craft and art supply store, which opened in June 2020. She can sense the excitement among her fellow business owners, she said, but doesn’t plan any major changes as a result of last week’s announcement.
“I’ll probably focus more on kits – things that are easy to grab and go, and things to keep kids busy,” Dupuis said.
Since this is her first time serving cruise visitors she doesn’t know what to expect, but believes they will be interested in locally made and Alaska made products.
“It’ll be interesting,” she said.
She has seen an influx of fishermen and independent travelers this summer at her shop and added, “It’ll be interesting to see if it changes when cruise people come in. ... I have no clue what to expect, being a brand-new business. But I can feel a sense of excitement and nervousness of business owners. That’s rubbing off on me.”
Jill Scheidt, owner of Abby’s Reflection Apparel and Quiltworks, said it’s been a “tough year” in many ways due to COVID and “a lot of unknowns.” She’s been pleased to see the influx of independent visitors so far this summer, and has been prepared for that level of business as she continues to serve locals.
“We’ve been dealing with a lot of unknowns for a year and a half,” she said. “Having to gear up for more unknowns is very stressful to me.”
Old Harbor Books manager Ashia Lane said the store is stocked “as if it were a normal season,” with plenty of Alaska specialty items and books; and “plenty of new releases.”
“We’re always excited about fresh faces in the downtown area,” she said.
And Harry Race Pharmacy, farther down on Lincoln Street, is expecting its usual tourism-related requests, health related and otherwise.
Co-owner Trish White said the cruise ship announcement last week is not changing the store’s plans, and the company’s custom art and clothing business adds some flexibility.
“We were fortunate to keep our folks all the way through the pandemic,” said co-owner Trish White. “We’re stocked - it would be nice to think we didn’t have enough stock. ... We’re looking forward and we’re excited.”
The cruise companies are advertising stops in Sitka, but a number of details still need to be worked out. The Assembly at tonight’s meeting will consider a resolution authorizing the administrator to sign a multiport agreement with cruise line corporations “for the purpose of satisfying requirements of the Centers for Disease Control” for cruise stops in Southeast.
The CDC has rules for large cruise companies resuming operations, including a 98 percent vaccination rate for crew and 95 percent for passengers.
A link to the resolution under consideration at tonight’s regular Assembly meeting is at cityofsitka.com. The right side of the webpage has Assembly agenda and minutes.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. and is available on the city webpage and Youtube channel.
