No more cruisers! Top Maine port votes to severely restrict cruise ship visitors
The citizens of Bar Harbor, Maine, have had it with cruise ships and cruisers.
By a wide margin, they voted on Tuesday to severely restrict the number of cruise passengers that could visit the resort town on any given day, in a move that could have a significant impact on cruises to the region.
The voters passed a citizens initiative that would limit the number of cruisers and cruise ship crew who can come ashore in the town to just 1,000 a day, far fewer than currently visit Bar Harbor on some days during the the peak summer tourist season.
Some cruise ships that visit Bar Harbor such as Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas can carry nearly 5,000 passengers.
The vote, which came in the wake of growing complaints about cruise-ship visitors in the town, could mean many of the vessels that currently stop at Bar Harbor will no longer be able to call there. It amends the town's municipal code.
The ballot measure exempts cruise ship visits that already were on the books as of March 17, the date when the measure was first submitted for inclusion on Tuesday's ballot.
About 58% of 3,053 residents who voted Tuesday were in favor of the measure, with roughly 42% against it — a 16-point margin. Bar Harbor has a population of around 5,000 people.
The vote came just two months after Bar Harbor's town council voted to implement limits on cruise-ship passengers that were strict but not nearly to the degree of what was laid out in the citizens initiative.
The town council in September officially approved an agreement with the cruise industry that placed caps on cruiser arrivals during the tourist season of between 30,000 and 65,000 a month starting in 2023. The agreement included daily caps in cruise visitor arrivals that ranged from 3,500 to 3,800 people a day, depending on the month.
The agreement also banned ship arrivals during the shoulder-season tourism months of April and November.
Related: 6 ways you can ruin your cruise in an instant
“We have had a clear message from the public that they want cruise ships decreased,” Bar Harbor town council member Erin Cough said at the time. "We've been asked by our community to do something, and this is our best effort at doing something that is reasonable."
Both the town council's effort to limit cruiser visits and the success of Tuesday's ballot measure come amid growing unease in the town about soaring numbers of cruise visitors. Some residents have called for a complete ban on cruise ships, while others have wanted to see significant cutbacks in ship arrivals, citing growing congestion in the town.
The number of vessels visiting Bar Harbor, the gateway to Acadia National Park, has grown rapidly in recent years, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, when the COVID-19-related shutdown of the cruise industry caused ship arrivals to decrease.
In 2019, Bar Harbor welcomed 157 cruise ships that carried 250,164 passengers. This year, projections called for 174 cruise ships to arrive carrying 292,212 passengers. Final numbers for 2022 have not yet been released.
In a 2021 survey of Bar Harbor residents and business owners, 55% of respondents said they viewed cruise ships as having a negative impact on the town.
Bar Harbor is just one of a growing number of destinations including Venice, Italy, and Key West, Florida, where residents have been calling for limits on ship arrivals, citing congestion and other detrimental effects.
Cruise lines that operate voyages with stops in Bar Harbor include Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Oceania Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Windstar Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Tuesday's vote to severely limit cruise ship passenger arrivals to Bar Harbor could face legal challenges from the cruise industry.
A similar measure to restrict cruise ship visitors on the ballot Tuesday in Portland, Maine, failed by a significant margin.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.