Cruise Town

Imagine a small Alaskan capital city where, in a single year, the number of visitors stepping off cruise ships dwarfs the local population by a factor of thirty-five to one. That’s the reality for Juneau, and it’s the central question of Cruise Town. Produced by KTOO, this series digs into the complex, daily life of a community transformed by tourism. You’ll hear from residents, business owners, and workers navigating the seasonal flood, exploring the tangible impacts-both economic and social-of this dependence. The podcast doesn’t just document the present; it traces the historical decisions that steered Juneau toward this identity and grapples with the pressing uncertainties about what comes next. Each episode offers a grounded, human perspective on the noise, the opportunity, and the challenge of living in a place that temporarily becomes someone else’s destination. It’s a nuanced portrait of a city at a crossroads, asking what sustainable growth really means when the ships just keep getting bigger. Tune in for a local’s view of a global phenomenon, where the story is as much about community and landscape as it is about an industry.