Letter: Consider impacts of many more cruise ships

Published 7:40 am Wednesday, January 28, 2026

By Staff Reports

I appreciate the Port of Astoria’s efforts to restore passenger air service between Astoria and Seattle, as this could be a great convenience. I am apprehensive of the stated trade off to realize this benefit, of “50, 60 or 70” cruise ship visits a year to our little town. I hope the Port has plans to ask the citizens of Astoria if they are interested in 50, 60 or 70 cruise ships a year.

This seems a dramatic change from the historic 15 to 20 that usually occur during the shoulder seasons. I’ve visited cruise ship towns such as Skagway and Juneau, Alaska, and I certainly wouldn’t want my town dominated by the corporate, multinational behemoths that buy up all the little shops and put in trinket, T-shirt and jewelry storefronts that then sit dark and idle during the off season.

I ask the Port to do the due diligence that would demonstrate to Astorians that 50, 60 or 70 cruise ship visits a year would be a benefit to the majority of us that live here, and not just a few. I’ll happily make the drive to Seattle to catch a plane to keep Astoria, Astoria.

JACK HARRIS

Astoria