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Latest hot cruise port: Portland
Portland a hot bed for cruises?
Maybe.
This year, 32 cruise ships called on the port, carrying 48,768 passengers, an increase of nearly 18,000 from a year ago. The total broke the previous record of 45,225 passengers, set in 2005, according to the Press Herald.
“City officials say next year should bring even more passengers. Thirty-one ships have already booked for the 2008 season,” says the newspaper.
Portland’s cruise business surged even though it was a down year for the industry in the North Atlantic market, which includes New England, Quebec and Canada’s Maritime Provinces, said Amy Powers of CruiseMaine USA, which helps Maine’s 12 ports market themselves to the industry.
Ninety ships visited the state’s top cruise ship destination, Bar Harbor, up nearly 25% from last year. Belfast, Bucksport, Camden, Castine and Rockland, served by the small ships of American Cruise Lines, each drew a record number of vessels.
“Overall, we are doing very, very well as a state,” Ms Powers said.
She said Maine is benefiting from its proximity to East Coast population centers. The rising cost of fuel is becoming a major concern for cruise lines, she said, and shorter itineraries lower that cost. Also, many passengers don’t want to travel too far from home.
According to the Cruise Lines International Association, 84% of the 12.6 million people who were expected to travel on cruise ships in 2007 live in North America.
“Americans are comfortable cruising to American ports,” said John Henshaw, executive director of the Maine Port Authority, which spends about $70,000 a year to market the state to cruise lines.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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