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Maine’s Rockland breaks into big-ship arena Credit: Anne Kalosh, Seatrade Insider Royal Caribbean International has booked two calls at Rockland in 2009, marking the first time a big-ship line will visit the Maine destination known for windjammers, lighthouses and art. Grandeur of the Seas is set for a June stop, with Jewel of the Seas to call in October. The community of Rockland is ‘extremely excited’ about the Royal Caribbean business, according to Bob Hastings, ceo of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce. Rockland has been on the charts of operators like American Cruise Lines and American Canadian Caribbean Line for years and hosted two dozen small-ship calls in 2007. Royal Caribbean passengers will tender to the dock at Rockland Harbor Park Center, where more than 25 restaurants, 18 galleries and two museums are within a four-block walk. Rockland plans to close its Main Street to create a pedestrian mall when the Royal Caribbean ships are in port, Hastings told Seatrade Insider. Attractions include the Farnsworth Art Museum with its noted collection of American Art and the Maine Lighthouse Museum with the world’s largest collection of Fresnel lenses and lighthouse artifacts. ‘The art galleries downtown are truly exceptional and represent hundreds of artists,’ Hastings added. Amy Powers, director of CruiseMaine, called Rockland one of the state’s emerging cruise destinations. ‘It’s going to be a really great port of call. The 60-mile radius around will afford many opportunities for visitors,’ she said. Possibilities include wine tastings, day sails on tall-masted schooners, Camden and the artists colony on Monhegan Island, the historic Bath Iron Works shipyard, whale watching, visits to offshore puffin colonies, kayaking and inland fly fishing and striper fishing.
The CruiseMaine Coalition in partnership with the Maine Port Authority and the communities of Bangor, Belfast, Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbor, Bucksport, Camden, Eastport, Freeport, Kennebunk-Kennebunkport, Portland, Rockland and several Associate Members including Chase Leavitt & Co., Discover New England, Down East Magazine, FlyBangor, GetEtched, Maine & Co., Maine Office of Tourism, Maine Tourism Association, Maine Department of Transportation, Penobscot Bay & River Pilot’s Association, and the Washington County Commissioner’s Office works to promote these communities to the travel trade, travel media and cruise industry as attractive cruise destinations. We also provide the relative community and business support necessary for these areas to become and remain viable, productive cruise destinations while promoting cultural preservation and responsible tourism.
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