New England cruise Bar Harbor excusion

[figment9999]

Has anyone taken NCL's "An Intimate Look at Acadia National Park" excursion?

 

Does it allow time on Cadillac mountain to walk around and take some photos?

[1025cruise]

Most trips will stop at places for a few minutes or so for a restroom break and for photos. I can't imagine that they wouldn't stop at Cadillac Mountain for a few minutes for pictures.

 

With that said, are you sure you are still going to Bar Harbor with the current restictions?

[figment9999]

Princess canceled the stop so I canceled them; booked NCL. From what I've read as long as the cruise line booked a slot before the town voted restrictions, Nov 22, they will honor it for the 2024 season. After that it doen't look good.

[shof515]

15 minutes ago, figment9999 said:

Princess canceled the stop so I canceled them; booked NCL. From what I've read as long as the cruise line booked a slot before the town voted restrictions, Nov 22, they will honor it for the 2024 season. After that it doen't look good.

Norwegian Breakaway has a few Canada/New England in September and October where bar harbor is going to be dropped from the itinerary based on the port schedule. so far norwegian has not made anything official yet.

 

If bar harbor is a bucket list port for you, check the port official ship schedule to make sure the ship is scheduled to go: https://maine.portcall.com/#!?tab=2&port=Bar Harbor

 

according to Norwegian website, breakaway is scheduled to visit bar harbor on September 25, October 16 and October 23. These dates is not on the port schedule, so something is going either with Norwegian or port

[Alatraveler1]

The folks in Bar Harbor say it gets way too crowded there, so they are stopping cruise ships from calling.  I love Maine and places like Boothbay Harbor much better than Bar anyway.   So I'm going to help the Bar Harbor folks with their problem and just never go there again by land or sea.  I and my money will go elsewhere.

 

[cjacruiser]

I couldn't agree more! Love, love, love Maine! Bar Harbour, not so much.

[figment9999]

SHOF525, Thx. I had checked that site and it does show the Breakaway in Bar Harbor 10/9 do I did make the switch to NCL.

I'm figuring 90% chance it works 😀.

[realnice46]

Cross you fingers we had a port cancelled 2 weeks ago for a port on a cruise that leaves this June.

[Laszlo]

11 hours ago, figment9999 said:

Princess canceled the stop so I canceled them; booked NCL. From what I've read as long as the cruise line booked a slot before the town voted restrictions, Nov 22, they will honor it for the 2024 season. After that it doen't look good.

Sort of..... We were suppose to stop in Bar Harbor on the Gem on July 4th. We were really looking forward to it. Three weeks ago we got an email from NCL stating we would be stopping in Portland instead. NCL never said why. I did a little research and found out our cruise was Never supposed to stop in Bar Harbor..... this coming from the Harbor Master of Bar Harbor. The pier used for tenders in closed because they are using it for fireworks. What pisses me off is NCL had to know about this. As far back a February our cruise was not on the schedule to stop there.... Of course we didn't get notified until After Final Payment. Had me know we would have gone on another date, Bar Harbor is Awesome..... Portland not so much

Edited May 14 by Laszlo

[Benita]

NCL cancelled our Bar Harbor stop and substituted Boston for our October 20 sailing. It kept it for  the 3 sailings prior to that. No reason givrn.

[Menocchio]

Acadia and Bar Harbor have a wonderful bus system that will take you to the highlights of the park. I wouldn't pay for an excursion myself.

 

Well, maybe. If the park buses were over full of cruise passengers. 

 

I see where the people of Bar Harbor are coming from, is what I'm saying. 

[Laszlo]

1 hour ago, Menocchio said:

I see where the people of Bar Harbor are coming from, is what I'm saying. 

Problem is its not the businesses, its the wealthy home owners who live in and around the town

[UKstages]

some of the wealthy home owners who live in and around the town are also business owners who cater to tourists. just sayin'.

[figment9999]

Out of curiosity I Googled Bar Harbor:

Small town, population 5,535

Median household income $67,245

 

Thinking about the voters who passed the referendum w 58% "for" (1,780/1273), doesn't feel like a small, "wealthy", group could sway much. Considering the size of the town that's actually an amazing voter turn-out.

 

The rest of us can only watch and wish them well in their choices.

 

 

 

[Laszlo]

5 minutes ago, figment9999 said:

Out of curiosity I Googled Bar Harbor:

Small town, population 5,535

Median household income $67,245

 

Thinking about the voters who passed the referendum w 58% "for" (1,780/1273), doesn't feel like a small, "wealthy", group could sway much. Considering the size of the town that's actually an amazing voter turn-out.

 

The rest of us can only watch and wish them well in their choices.

 

 

 

Yes the full time population is about 5K. However the in season or summer population goes to about 20K in the area. 85% of those 15K extra people who "Summer" are not part of the median household income of 67K. I have a friend who owns a shop in Bar Harbor. All the businesses want as many people they can get since a lot are closed during the winter. He hopes they didn't shoot themselves in the foot

[figment9999]

Yea, but 5K voted and win lose is a binary outcome. For me it's like watching Maine's version of BREXIT.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Laszlo said:

However the in season or summer population goes to about 20K in the area. 85% of those 15K extra people who "Summer" are not part of the median household income of 67K.

Nor were they there to vote, so their wishes were not represented in the vote, so their income or wealth had no bearing on the result of the vote.

[wolfie11]

The road up Cadillac Mountain is severely restricted as to numbers in the summer.  You have to reserve a specific day and hour to drive up.  Unless your tour description specifically says it goes to the top, it probably doesn’t.  Of course NCL loves bait and switch, so I’m not sure I’d believe it even if it did say Cadillac Mountain was included.

[1025cruise]

I believe the tour shuttles aren't restricted to a specific time, but just a number for the day. I was once on Ollie's trolley and they decided last minute to add another trolley and were able to get a pass to go up.

[slidemaster5]

The spend from cruise visitors is not moving the needle much compared to the land visitors. The land visitors have to pay the high hotel rates and eat all their meals there while the cruise visitors may only do some eating. 

Bar Harbors biggest plus is that they are adjacent to the National Park.

Edited May 15 by slidemaster5

[figment9999]

Regarding my OP.

 

NCL chat gave me more of an opinion than an answer the other day. But I had time today, called, and was transferred to an excursion specialist. When pressed if she had a time breakdown of the excursion she looked for it and found there is a 15min photo stop on Cadillac Mountain.

 

That's the info I was looking for.

 

Thanks to all who chipped into my post. It's been interesting.

[slidemaster5]

8 minutes ago, figment9999 said:

Regarding my OP.

 

NCL chat gave me more of an opinion than an answer the other day. But I had time today, called, and was transferred to an excursion specialist. When pressed if she had a time breakdown of the excursion she looked for it and found there is a 15min photo stop on Cadillac Mountain.

 

That's the info I was looking for.

 

Thanks to all who chipped into my post. It's been interesting.

I think going 10/9 when summer tourist season is over gives you a good chance. (Columbus Day is the following weekend so that saves you.) The Cadillac Summit Road reservations are required from May 22-October 27 this year, so you are at the tail end of busy season. I will be in Bar Harbor in early June via the Gem but will not be going to Acadia since I have a land trip there in August. If I get feedback on excursions I will post it.