BAR HARBOR, June 21, 2023 - The town is investigating the unauthorized visit last week by the 170-person “The American Constitution” cruise ship, interim Town Manager Sarah Gilbert announced today.
Looking at the website of that cruise company, I note that the absolute cheapest cabin on that boat goes for $7,184. Single (per person). The passengers are not folks who are "hurting." They are refined folks, I suspect typically older, or retired, with plenty of cash. Not the sort that are going to get drunk and rowdy and toss over trashcans.
Moving on to the issue of "who owns the ocean," I suspect the Town is going to have problems claiming it can control the innocent passage of a vessel. Not as if it is docking at a wharf. The whole idea of kicking vessels out strikes me as having a rather dubious legal foundation. Cheers to all.
Fred from Bass Harbor here, ready to be a lightning rod for all the cutsie comments concerning cruise ships coming to Bar Harbor. l suggested researching case/maritime law but there are those who rather attack the messenger and not the message. l'll leave "y'all" with this: George Dorr said something to the effect of welcoming all to what has become Acadia National Park. This is written in STONE. All one has to do to view it, is go to the Sieur de Mont Ranger Station and open one's eyes...
Ironically, these sorts of smaller boats are exactly the kind of lower impact and higher value tourism that many would like to encourage, as opposed to the big box low end tourism of the massive boats.
That was the Norwegian Pearl .. different ship
Looking at the website of that cruise company, I note that the absolute cheapest cabin on that boat goes for $7,184. Single (per person). The passengers are not folks who are "hurting." They are refined folks, I suspect typically older, or retired, with plenty of cash. Not the sort that are going to get drunk and rowdy and toss over trashcans.
Moving on to the issue of "who owns the ocean," I suspect the Town is going to have problems claiming it can control the innocent passage of a vessel. Not as if it is docking at a wharf. The whole idea of kicking vessels out strikes me as having a rather dubious legal foundation. Cheers to all.
Fred from Bass Harbor here, ready to be a lightning rod for all the cutsie comments concerning cruise ships coming to Bar Harbor. l suggested researching case/maritime law but there are those who rather attack the messenger and not the message. l'll leave "y'all" with this: George Dorr said something to the effect of welcoming all to what has become Acadia National Park. This is written in STONE. All one has to do to view it, is go to the Sieur de Mont Ranger Station and open one's eyes...
Ironically, these sorts of smaller boats are exactly the kind of lower impact and higher value tourism that many would like to encourage, as opposed to the big box low end tourism of the massive boats.
you are correct ...