There is a very easy way to get cruise ships back in Alaska. They need to simply change their flag to U.S. The Jones Act says if they are foreign-flagged and they start from a U.S. port then they must stop in a foreign port somewhere along the way. Then they could sail from Washington or California to Alaska nonstop.
But to change the flag, they would need all American crews, and then they would have to pay a living wage; both Medicare and Social Security would be taken out. The safety standards would have to meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements. They could not use the ocean as their septic tank and they would probably have to disclose which businesses in the local towns are owned by the cruise lines. Plus all crimes committed on board would then be subject to U.S. law enforcement.
— Louis Dupree
Homer
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