Two ports in the United States are slated to charge modified cruise passenger fees beginning in 2025.
Catalina Island in California will increase its current $5 fee per passenger to $7.50 beginning 1st January 2026.
According to the Avalon City Council which oversees the port in Catalina, funds raised through the charging of modified fees will be used to maintain existing facilities and pay for necessary improvements. The Council expects to raise an additional $900,000 per year thanks to the adjustment.
Likewise, the Council ended a programme wherein 50 percent of fees collected for a second ship visiting the island at least 50 times a year would be returned to its cruise line. This is due to the fact that no cruise line has qualified for a refund since 2019.
Up in Haines
Meanwhile, the Alaskan port of Haines plans to introduce its first ever cruise passenger fees in 2025 and may incrementally raise it well into 2029.
While the port is one of Alaska’s less popular destinations, the Haines Assembly will charge $9 per passenger beginning in 2025. Over time, it will be raised to $12 by 2027, then to $13 come 2029.
While the Assembly has not specified what earnings from those fees will be used for, federal law requires any income to be used for maintenance and improvements to aid those travelling on cruise ships.
