Bar Harbor stop Princess 2023

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

I've seen some recent cruise videos on you tube saying that Bar Harbor is interested in curbing the amount of cruise passengers in the port.  I see that there is a thread from a few weeks ago about that but it got very confusing. I'm booked on a Canada / New England cruise starting mid Sept 2023 on Caribbean Princess.  In short, should I expect that I might not be allowed off the ship when it docks at this port?  Or, might the ship just not stop there after all?  

[Ashland]

Very doubtful this will happen...Bar Harbor depends quite a bit on the cruiseship tourists during the limited season they visit there.

[1025cruise]

7 hours ago, Ashland said:

Very doubtful this will happen...Bar Harbor depends quite a bit on the cruiseship tourists during the limited season they visit there.

Not really true. Bar Harbor itself is a vacation destination. They would be very happy if the ships actually stopped visiting.

 

To the OP, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Drill-n-Fill]

YEs, it has happened.

There was a special committee that convened and they decided that Bar Harbor will be limiting the numbers of cruiser. It will also shorten the season for cruise line arrivals; Both April and Nov are now no longer part of the season.

Check with your cruise lines as there will be changes for the next season and thereafter.

[Ashland]

9 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Not really true. Bar Harbor itself is a vacation destination. They would be very happy if the ships actually stopped visiting.

 

To the OP, I wouldn't worry about it.

So their not really going to stop this port completely...right...that was my point to the OP. We usually cruise there in early October and looking forward to it again.

[1025cruise]

15 hours ago, Ashland said:

So their not really going to stop this port completely...right...that was my point to the OP. We usually cruise there in early October and looking forward to it again.

Correct, at this point if it's on the schedule I wouldn't worry about it. My comments were based on your comments about how Bar Harbor relies on cruise traffic. Bar Harbor would be very happy if the cruise ships skipped the port altogether.

[Ashland]

8 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Correct, at this point if it's on the schedule I wouldn't worry about it. My comments were based on your comments about how Bar Harbor relies on cruise traffic. Bar Harbor would be very happy if the cruise ships skipped the port altogether.

Well that's sad...the locals always seemed to welcome the cruisers.

[1025cruise]

16 hours ago, Ashland said:

Well that's sad...the locals always seemed to welcome the cruisers.

Yes, the locals are always welcoming. Bar Harbor is a wonderful town. In addition to one cruise stop, I've visited there for a couple of long weekends.

 

Just a couple of notes:

1. The ships now "berth" behind little Bar Island, so they aren't that visible. They used to berth on the other side where they could be seen. This added time to the tender process.

2. The town actually bought the pier used by the Canadian ferry. They did this to make sure no one else bought it to make it so the cruise ships could actually dock.

[TOURMAN857]

From what I understand, specifically for September and October of 2023, Bar Harbor will be limiting the number of daily cruise passengers on shore to 3,800.  This MAY be a problem for the day my cruise visits because there ae there currently TWO ships scheduled to dock that day, and the capacity for the two ships exceeds capacity by about 450-500 passengers.  I contacted my PCC about this, and he said he was aware of it, and would keep me in the loop on what is decided.  Guess I just have to wait it out and hope they can work it out.

[TOURMAN857]

On 8/20/2022 at 10:35 AM, 1025cruise said:

Correct, at this point if it's on the schedule I wouldn't worry about it. My comments were based on your comments about how Bar Harbor relies on cruise traffic. Bar Harbor would be very happy if the cruise ships skipped the port altogether.

 

On 8/19/2022 at 2:05 AM, Ashland said:

Very doubtful this will happen...Bar Harbor depends quite a bit on the cruiseship tourists during the limited season they visit there.

 

[GTJ]

The popular attitudes in Bar Harbor exist elsewhere in the United States where there is tourism. Many local people dislike tourists infiltrating "their" home, consuming "their" resources, and otherwise getting "in the way" of their daily lives. On the other hand, the business communities generally adore tourists, who bring money to spend. Local governments like the commerce and tax revenue, but are also influenced by the votes from the many residents who dislike tourists generally and who may act emotionally rather than with fiscal responsibility, so it can sometimes be difficult to predict how local governments might respond. In addition, local governments sometimes exceed the limitations that exist on the legitimate extent of their ability to govern. In short, it is all about local politics.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

I'm a bit embarrassed to point out that my stop on Caribbean Princess in Sept 2023 is not to Bar Harbor, but to Portland, MD.  I don't know if it was always this way or if it were changed.  I may have thought Bar Harbor b/c others were talking about it in threads here.  I just wanted to correct this in case others were wondering how a Caribbean Princess itinerary would include BH when it is Portland, if Portland is typical.

[Carol28]

21 hours ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

my stop on Caribbean Princess in Sept 2023 is not to Bar Harbor, but to Portland, MD. 

We are on the September 24, 2023 Caribbean and we do stop in Bar Harbour.  We go from Quebec City to NYC. Actually, we're doing the cruisetour and we start in Toronto. Our itinerary has not changed yet, but it's over a year away!

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Maybe yours calls on Bar Harbor and mine calls on Portland because you're going the opposite direction than I am. I noticed this same thing about some of the Alaska Princess itineraries. One port was different depending on which direction you are going. I had to choose Vancouver to Whittier if I wanted Skagway as a stop because the opposite direction replaced Skagway with Icy Straight Point.