Bar Harbor (Maine)

Bar Harbor ME is a tender cruise port, which means cruise liners anchor in Frenchman Bay and their passengers are transported to the pier via the ship's tender boats.

After the ship drops anchor, cruise passengers are ferried back and forth to one of port's 2 docks in downtown. From there, they can connect (with trolleys and buses) to local attractions, including Acadia National Park.

(NEW) Bar Harbor cruise terminal "Marine Atlantic"

As tendering passengers increase cruise companies' costs, there is a plan for conversion of port's old international ferry terminal (on Eden Street) to a combined ferry-cruise terminal facility.

The town voted on June 13, 2017 (Article 12) to re-zone the old ferry terminal. Following the vote (945 to 658), the town purchased the state-owned Marine Atlantic property (former ferry terminal) from the Maine Department of Transportation. This facility currently serves two Bay Ferries ships (The Cat, The Bluenose) connecting Bar Harbor with Nova Scotia Canada (Yarmouth).

• In February 2019 was signed a 5-year lease deal (until 2024) with annual rent CAD 264,000.
• By the lease agreement, Bay Ferries started a major terminal renovation project that includes demolition and rebuilding of Customs Plaza, as well as a renovation of outbuildings and portions of the terminal building's interior.
• Customs Plaza's renovation also includes installing new equipment (required by US Customs and Border Protection), repairs to the existing docking pier, installing a new fixed bridge section (adjacent to the pier), transfer of the floating ferry ramp from Portland to Bar Harbor.
• Nova Scotia contributed to the cost of the ferry terminal's border services. Since the Maine-Nova Scotia ferry service was resumed (2015-2018), the NS government spent CAD 32 million in subsidies.

Article 12's zoning change allows cruise (and other) vessels to dock at the ferry terminal. Several lawsuits (filed by locals) were against this port development project. As of 2019, Ferry Terminal Visioning Committee has approved the state-owned property to be used as a multi-use terminal. The current deal includes a 5-year lease for the CAT ferry providing daily connections Bar Harbor-Yarmouth. Other terminal uses could include a possible yacht marina, boat storage, overflow parking (for tourists), cruise ship tendering. 

The town has a webpage dedicated to materials developed by consultants and the local committee process. More information can be found at barharbormaine.gov/393/Ferry-Terminal. Anyone interested in this issue could follow port developments on the website.

Due to the progressing in the USA Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, in early-July, Bar Harbor decided to close its seaports to cruise ships for the remainder of 2020. On July 7, town councillors voted to ban cruise ships after ACL-American Cruise Lines announced its plan to resume sailings with some itineraries visiting several Maine coast towns.