Bar Harbor voters back tougher restrictions on cruise ships

[mpdog42]

8 hours ago, fenton04 said:

Most likely fresh.  We are pretty much relegated to frozen lobster around these parts. As a opposed to the fresh St. Louis style spare rib slowly hickory smoked to tasty, tender, and perfection.

Preach On!!!😁

[Joebucks]

23 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

The figure I quoted is from the US Census Bureau:

 

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/barharbortownhancockcountymaine

 

And, you may find that the median "owner occupied" (as opposed to summercators) is $297,000, and the median rent is $881.

 

Maybe "wealthy" isn't the right word. Maybe it is. I didn't mean to associate it like a Beverly Hills. Although, I believe the point still stands. At the very least, you could agree that they are well to do. Maine is a popular place for vacation homes, retirement, boating, etc. It's a beautiful place that avoids a lot of the hustle and bustle of the big cities and big tourism. Perhaps you as a retiree there could agree. I spent quite a bit of time on the East Coast these past two years. With a week in Ogunquit a few months ago. 

 

Data is also a good indicator, but doesn't tell the whole story. A property on the water can be 20x a house a mile inland. Median doesn't tell those stories. There's also data that isn't counted. Those are also numbers from 2016-2020. A lot has happened since.

[tustin3]

More like Barred Harbor now

[flamingos]

On 11/14/2022 at 12:53 AM, fenton04 said:

Kind of had my eye out for some cheap fresh lobster.  Pretty hard to get here in the Midwest.  Home of the gooey butter cake and toasted ravioli.

And Ted Drewe's.  Can't leave that out.  

 

By the way, I found gooey butter cake pastries in a bakery in Berlin, so I guess that's where it came from. 

[fenton04]

55 minutes ago, flamingos said:

And Ted Drewe's.  Can't leave that out.  

 

By the way, I found gooey butter cake pastries in a bakery in Berlin, so I guess that's where it came from. 

Ted Drewes! Achtung how could I leave the upside down concrete out of this discussion!

[TeeRick]

On 11/9/2022 at 4:07 PM, torpeedo said:

We've had the same issues with the people of Charleston SC.  They hated the cruise ships, they fly big flags out their door with a picture of the whale tail and a big x through it.  The battle went on for years.  Now there is no more home porting after a certain date but they will accept day stops but they can only accommodate maybe one ship,

Charleston SC is much larger than Bar Harbor and can accommodate a lot more tourists.  Bar Harbor has a few streets with shops, bars and restaurants.  But many ship passengers can still take excursions outside of this downtown area to local attractions like Arcadia park and many actually do so.  So perhaps ship excursions focusing on these other areas will still be allowed. 

[Biker19]

Some places are going in the opposite direction:

"

The town of Searsport, Maine, is looking to grab a share of the state’s cruise business after the local governing board voted to take steps that could eventually allow foreign-flagged cruise ships to call at its deepwater port. The move follows a recent policy that will limit daily cruise guests at Bar Harbor, a popular port nearby.

 

A majority vote by the Searsport, Maine, Select Board on May 16, 2023, paves the way for the small town to apply for required security clearances from the US Coast Guard, a precursor to enabling foreign-flagged cruise ships to call at the destination, the Bangor Daily News has reported.

 

Searsport, a tiny Midcoast town of roughly 2,600 residents, has a deepwater port in protected Penobscot Bay, about 100 miles north of Portland. It would join Portland and Bar Harbor, along with Rockland and Eastport, as the state’s ports of call for international cruise ships.

 

According to the local news outlet, Searsport’s plan is to become certified to welcome cruise ships that have cleared customs at another US port. The town operates a wharf for recreational boating and fishing, and a busy cargo port with a rail yard that enables the distribution of goods.

 

There is no existing infrastructure for docking cruise ships, so lines that choose to call at Searsport would have to tender guests ashore.

Town Manager James Gillway said that one cruise line has inquired about calling at the port in October, but he did not identify the line.

 

Searsport is located just 50 miles southwest of Bar Harbor, a port call prized for its proximity to Acadia National Park and other natural resources. Cruise lines offering New England itineraries are likely beginning to scout for new port calls in the region since Bar Harbor will implement a limit on daily cruise arrivals starting in 2024. Town residents voted last fall to cap daily cruise guests at 1,000.

 

However, a federal lawsuit filed early this year by business owners in Bar Harbor could derail the town’s plan to limit cruise arrivals.

 

The businesses involved include stores, restaurants, and companies that operate privately-owned piers and tender boats. Prior to its most recent action, Bar Harbor already had a cap on cruise ship passengers, limiting arrivals to 3,500 per day in the summer and 5,500 during the spring and fall shoulder seasons.

 

Searsport’s plan to work toward enabling cruise ships to call at its port does not so far include any cap on daily arrivals, and the town has plenty to recommend it as a cruise port.

 

Its downtown is a federal Historic District with quaint shopping and dining venues, it is home to historic sea captains’ homes, and has tourist attractions such as the Penobscot Marine Museum, the Fort Point Lighthouse, circa 1836, and the 100-acre Sandy Point Beach, with hiking trails and other activities.

Additionally, its location roughly an hour’s drive from Bar Harbor could lend itself to shore excursions that visit the town and its neighboring Acadia National Park. The park is a major attraction that welcomes more than 3 million visitors each year."

 

Maine Town Looks to Emerge as New Cruise Port (cruisehive.com)

[Biker19]

 

Just days after Bar Harbor, Maine received federal judge approval to limit cruise ship tourists to no more than 1,000 visitors per day, new details have been confirmed about how cruise ships will be handled moving forward into the 2024 summer season and beyond.

 

The Bar Harbor Town Council issued some clarifications in a statement on Wednesday, March 6, addressing items such as when enforcement will begin, how ship reservations will be handled, and the status of future reservations.

 

On February 29, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, led by Judge Lance Walker, upheld the local ordinance in Bar Harbor to limit daily cruise ship guest disembarkation to no more than 1,000 visitors. This landmark ruling gives unprecedented control to the community to decide how they will handle the ever-increasing sizes of cruise ships and their growing passenger capacities.

 

The ordinance went through the local legislature and all appropriate legal channels, including public comment periods and community surveys, though it was challenged by local businesses, many of whom rely heavily on tourism.

 

The cap of 1,000 cruise guests per day is scheduled to begin with the 2024 sailing season, which runs from early May through late October. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Gem and Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas are the first and last ships of the season, respectively.

 

Now, Bar Harbor Town Council has clarified how the ordinance will be handled as the season’s cruise ships are just weeks away from arriving.

“Enforcement will begin immediately,” the council said. “This Council has already directed the Harbor Master to cancel, or reject, requests for reservations made after the day of the vote for all ships with lower berth capacities greater than 1,000 passengers.”

 

“However, the Council will honor reservations made before the town voted. Passengers from these 2024 ships will not be subject to the disembarkation limits of the Ordinance.”

 

Any new reservations made will be confined to the terms of the ordinance. The town voted on the ordinance on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Of 3,053 total votes cast regarding the ordinance – a 61% turnout for the town’s registered voter population on that date – 1,780 (58%) voted for the ban while 1,273 (42%) voted against.

 

Because cruise lines generally plan and secure itineraries years in advance, it is likely that most of the 2024 calls will not be changed. Calls for 2025 and beyond are likely to see greater impacts and cruise lines will have to adjust their itineraries to other destinations without similar visitation caps.

 

For 2024, it is expected that the visitor reduction will be approximately 50% from peak year numbers. If the proposal were fully implemented, the reduction could be as much as 80% or higher.

 

“This will be a good opportunity for us all to experience the impact of such a reduction on our quality of life and Town operations,” the council said. “This is the fairest and most legally responsible approach, based upon careful consideration of costs and risks associated with enforcement.”

 

“Cancelling the bulk of the 2024 season now would be fundamentally unfair, would potentially expose the Town to additional legal liabilities, and would have a drastic fiscal impact on an already strained and nearly complete municipal budget.”

 

The council is already reviewing the 2025 season, confirming that reservations made and accepted after March 17, 2022 will be subject to the ordinance. If necessary, the town will pursue legal action in the event of visitor cap violations.

 

Rules for enforcement are still being drafted and will be made public as soon as they are ready for a public hearing. Should there be a need for any additional amendments to the ordinance, they will require a town meeting vote to be confirmed.

 

“The Council remains committed to listening to all individuals, parties, and stakeholders to ensure that the regulation of cruise ship tourism works for the entire community,” the statement from the town council concluded.

 

New Details Confirmed About Port Cruise Ship Limits (cruisehive.com)

[nelblu]

On my 9 niter on Liberty September’25 sail they added Sydney Nova Scotia. 

[elcuchio24]

On 11/13/2022 at 5:32 PM, chengkp75 said:

Tell that to the residents of Bar Harbor who have an average household income of $68,000.

 

I'm SURE that is yearround residents, and not summer residents....

[elcuchio24]

On 11/14/2022 at 6:24 AM, nelblu said:

They are not as cheap as you think they are.

 

During the season, typically you can get shedders at the local market for between 4.99-7.99 depending on the year. Boat price is lower if you know a fisherman. 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, elcuchio24 said:

 

I'm SURE that is yearround residents, and not summer residents....

And, how many of those summer residents are registered voters in Bar Harbor, and how many of even those few snowbirds would have voted in the November referendum.

[mets123]

3 hours ago, nelblu said:

On my 9 niter on Liberty September’25 sail they added Sydney Nova Scotia. 

It's the same for this year as well. Sydney was substituted for Bar Harbor.

[elcuchio24]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

And, how many of those summer residents are registered voters in Bar Harbor, and how many of even those few snowbirds would have voted in the November referendum.

 

I grew up up there, one island over. I can tell you with absolute certainty that alot of the big money was pushing hard for the ban. But, also, the year round residents that benefit for Cruise lines is also a very small number subsection. For the record, love to cruise, but I am 100% onboard with the ban. We have a place in Deer Isle. If any cruise ship wanted to tender there, I would want to fight it tooth and nail. 

[teddie]

We did the New England/Canada cruise some years back, and it was wonderful.  We loved Bar Harbor and visited Acadia National Park, which was amazing. 

 

Interestingly, while browsing a shop in Portland, Maine, the store owner came straight out and said to me  "we don't like the cruise ships and the passengers stopping here."  I didn't buy anything in that shop....😶

 

 

[elcuchio24]

11 minutes ago, teddie said:

We did the New England/Canada cruise some years back, and it was wonderful.  We loved Bar Harbor and visited Acadia National Park, which was amazing. 

 

Interestingly, while browsing a shop in Portland, Maine, the store owner came straight out and said to me  "we don't like the cruise ships and the passengers stopping here."  I didn't buy anything in that shop....😶

 

 

 

Portland is obviously a lot larger and easier to scatter passengers than BH, but again, not an economy counts on cruise passengers so not surprised its not always a warm welcome. Have to admit if I have to go to the oldport and there is a ship in, you certainly give a big of a sigh..

[teddie]

5 minutes ago, elcuchio24 said:

 

Portland is obviously a lot larger and easier to scatter passengers than BH, but again, not an economy counts on cruise passengers so not surprised its not always a warm welcome. Have to admit if I have to go to the oldport and there is a ship in, you certainly give a big of a sigh..

I understand the impact of the ships on the towns, expecially the smaller ones.  It was rather jarring, though, being told to your face that your patronage was not wanted.  Oh well.

 

Teddie

 

PS, Due to a storm, we were the first cruise ship ever at the time that had to dock overnight in Portland.  I guess that wasn't a thrill either 🙂

 

 

[elcuchio24]

2 hours ago, teddie said:

I understand the impact of the ships on the towns, expecially the smaller ones.  It was rather jarring, though, being told to your face that your patronage was not wanted.  Oh well.

 

Teddie

 

PS, Due to a storm, we were the first cruise ship ever at the time that had to dock overnight in Portland.  I guess that wasn't a thrill either 🙂

 

 

 

Hey its a lovely stop. Sorry you got the attitude treatment. Maine gets about 9 times our population in tourist visitors every year, mostly in the summer, and I think it grinds people down sometimes by the end of the year.

 

Ironically, I just booked bermuda cruise on NCL out of Boston for August....stops at Bar Harbor (supposedly) on the way back 😆

[Oceansaway17]

one way to solve this problem would be to only let 1000 folks off who booked shore excursions prior to the day either on line or on the ship.   At least some folks could get to go ashore. 

I mean the ship I was on last year already parked around the bend behind some rock island.

 

this way money would still flow into the town, but not the quantity of people.  just my solution not looking to argue. 

[xpcdoojk]

Money determines elections, ie not the most people benefit, but those with money.  

 

I am pretty sure the multi million dollar homes people who spend 3 weeks a year in Bar Harbor, won the election.  

 

they are the lords of Bar Harbor not the citizens.  They hate not being able to get an ice cream instantly when they are in the harbor.

 

Pretty sure the poorest residents of Bar Harbor are for more tourists.  Why wouldn’t they be?  Please tell me why this is not correct.  I bet you can’t.

 

The people who own property are happy with their house being easy to get to, to go to the store, etc.  Not sure that helps the poorer people, but who cares about them.  😂