(Not Quite) Barred From Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor, Maine doesn't have the mansions of Newport or historic vibe of Boston, but during "fall foliage" season it can be one of the most beautiful stops on a New England/Canada itinerary. It can also be one of the most crowded.

Despite the fact that the town currently allows only two cruise ships to anchor in the harbor on any given day (or three ships if one is small enough to dock at the Town Pier), Bar Harbor residents and merchants have complained that ships have gotten so big that, even with the current limits in place, there are days when the downtown area is overcrowded and roads are congested by tour buses. What's a small town to do when the ships that are scheduled to visit can each carry more than 3,000 passengers? For example, two ships scheduled to call at Bar Harbor this season are huge; Explorer of the Seas has a capacity of 3,114 passengers and 1,185 crew and Caribbean Princess can carry 3,110 passengers and 1,142 crew.

In a move to solve the problem, the Bar Harbor Town Council recently voted to impose a daily limit on the number of passengers (not including crewmembers) that cruise ships may bring to town. Set to begin in 2010, from May 1st to June 30th and from Sept 1st to Oct 31st, passenger counts will be limited to 5,500. In July and August, the passenger limit will be 3,500 a day or, up to 3,700 at the discretion of the Harbor Master. The reasoning for the limits is sound. According to one Council member, visitors will have a more positive experience if the town is less crowded.

Bar Harbor's Cruise Ship Task Force proposal suggested that ships be allowed to visit Bar Harbor as late in the year as Nov 10th, but the Harbor Committee recommended the Oct. 31st cut-off date. They cite the need for lobster fishermen to have the harbor all to themselves during the productive fall season. That also makes sense. What would a day in Bar Harbor be like without a lobster lunch?

Photo: Golden Princess at anchor from atop Cadillac Mountain