Old Harbor hosted its first commercial cruise ship ever earlier this month on Aug. 2. Prior to that, the Alutiiq community, roughly 40 miles southeast of Kodiak, hadn’t hosted any cruise ships in 30 years since a Marine Expeditions vessel with 40 passengers visited in 1997, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
The MS Roald Amundsen, HX Expedition’s hybrid battery-powered cruise ship, brought roughly 500 people to Old Harbor for a Sunday, Aug. 2, according to the company.
Kristina Woolston, the CEO of Old Harbor Native Corporation, said roughly 360 passengers and crew from the cruise ship came ashore – nearly twice as many as the number of people that live in Old Harbor. The visitors walked through seven stations featuring authentic Alutiiq culture, the Russian Orthodox religion and local traditions according to Woolston.
“There was a station along the shoreline where you could look across the Sitkalidak Island, and we had a station with a bison head and some fur there to talk about our bison herd, which provides for food security locally … And then you go onto another station and you visit the small boat harbor and you talk about the commercial fishing industry with one of our local guides there," said Woolston. "And the next stop was viewing the Koniag Glacier."
The international visitors also got to tour the local hydroponic farm Sitkalidak Sunrise, shop at an artisan craft fair in the Nuniaq Community Center and listen to stories from Alutiiq Elders.
In preparation for the Amundsen’s arrival, local residents and archaeologists reconstructed a traditional log house with whale bones mounted to the front walls and roof, known as a ciqlluaq. Old Harbor’s Alutiiq Dancers performed traditional dances in front of the home for the cruise ship passengers on Aug. 2.
According to a press release from HX Expeditions, the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor approved a resolution to formally support the cruise ship’s visit and its relationship with Alaska Nuna Adventures. Woolston said Old Harbor Native Corporation, Alaska Nuna Adventures, the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor and the City of Old Harbor all partnered to coordinate this month’s historic cruise ship visit.
“We have a handful of tours, Indigenous tours that we’re offering right now. Leaning into cultural tourism and Indigenous-led tourism is, it’s having a moment, and rightfully so, and we think it’s a model that will see success long into the future," she said.
The cruise ship’s visit this month on Aug. 2 brought in sales tax revenue and dock fees for Old Harbor, according to a press release from the Native Corporation. Woolston said hosting the community’s first cruise ship in decades was an opportunity to test the waters and figure out what could be improved for next time.
“The one thing we heard from passengers over and over was, ‘Where are the Kodiak bears? Where can we see the Kodiak bears? It's such an iconic representation of Alaska and the wildlife that we get to share with the world, and we don't yet have a mechanism to safely allow bear viewing in the community," Woolston said. "So that’s one thing that we’re exploring.”
Aside from bear viewing options, she said Old Harbor is also looking at making improvements to the city’s multi-use dock so that longer cruise ships can tie up there in the future.
Before sending off the Amundsen, the tribe’s Chief, Jeffrey Peterson, gave the cruise ship’s captain a ceremonial paddle. He said in a press release that it’s a traditional symbol of friendship, safe passage and welcome. The cruise ship’s next stop was Katmai National Park, the next day on Aug. 3.
HX Expedition cruise ships are already scheduled to visit Old Harbor next summer, according to the company. Both the MS Roald Amundsen and the MS Fridtjof Nansen are scheduled to stop on Kodiak Island in 2027 according to HX Expedition’s website.
