For more similar blog entries from Jeff Mateja, please visit his Portland, Maine blog at
www.ILovePortlandMaine.com
Whether you've ventured down to the East End of Commercial Street, looked from the
Casco Bay Bridge up the harbor, or witnessed more of a
buzz around town with
crowded sidewalks and eating establishments, then you probably have noticed
Cruise Ship Season is in full swing in Portland, Maine.
The arrival of
American Glory, a small American cruise ship in late July, marked the beginning of the
season of cruise ship activity in Portland, which is scheduled to draw 48 vessels into Portland's harbor and just over 70,000 passengers to welcome to our wonderful city.
On Saturday, September 5,
Explorer Of The Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise liner and the
largest cruise ship (
1,020 feet,
138,000-ton and
3,114 passengers) to
visit Portland this year berthed for a 12-hour stop in the Old Port to the delight of many area businesses. You may have noticed the abundance of
guests to the shores, shops, and restaurants, while others took quick trips via
VIP Tour Buses to visit the area lighthouses, like
Portland Head Light and our popular signature store,
LL Bean in Freeport. This particular vessel plans to visit Portland three more times over the next two months.
The season could not come at a better time for the area businesses, who can expect a
steady September and October flow of guests as we will welcome 36 of the
48 total vessels to visit Portland in these two months alone. Overall, the cruise ships will introduce
just over 70,000 visitors to Portland.
According to reports from Cruise Lines International Association of Florida, Maine ranked 41st in the country in
economic benefits from cruise ships with an estimated
$24 million spent by guests during their visits here. Other industry experts believe
Portland and Bar Harbor, the
busiest Maine cruise ship destination generated more than that figure.
Either way, it's
great for the Portland, Maine economy and wonderful that visitors can experience the city along their journey.
Looking at the cruise ship schedule we can expect visits from the major cruise lines
Carnival, American Cruise, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean just to name a few. I personally cannot wait to see the
Carnival Triumph (893 feet and 101,500 tons) and
Jewel Of The Seas (962 feet and 90,090 tons). For more information on the schedule of ships, please check out;
For further information on
when to expect the next cruise ships into Portland, please check out
Port of Portland Maine Cruise Schedule
