ROCKLAND, Maine — The city for many years has had cruise ships make regular stops in this mainland Penobscot Bay port, but starting Friday it will have one vessel calling Rockland its homeport.
The Grande Caribe will depart from Rockland on Friday for a 12-day cruise that will end in Saint John, New Brunswick, on Aug. 9. The 83-passenger vessel will then follow a reverse itinerary that will be completed in Rockland on Aug. 22.
The 183-foot-long Grande Caribe is docked at the Journey’s End Marina adjacent to the Coast Guard base.
The trip starting Friday will be the inaugural embarkation of the Blount Small Ship Adventure Line’s U.S. flagged ship. This will be the ship’s one trip out of Rockland this season, with one trip also ending in the city.
“We have great respect for the Blount family. Their ties to Maine run long and deep,” Amy Powers, director of CruiseMaineUSA, said in an email statement.
The company has had its vessels cruise the coast of Maine for 45 years. Blount also has built most of its passenger and car ferries at Maine shipyards and in its Rhode Island shipyard, according to Powers.
“Watching the family step outside the box and diversifying the Grande Caribe’s itinerary to include Rockland as a starting point is inspiring and refreshing. This is also a testament to the workhorse capability of Rockland’s waterfront and the local attractions as it relates to the cruising,” she said in the news release.
Tom Peaco, the executive director of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, said having Grande Caribe start a cruise in Rockland was exciting.
“Witnessing the renaissance of Rockland as a passenger ship starting point reinforces our work as a multi-disciplined vacation destination,” Peaco said. “Our desire is to wholly accommodate the needs of all of our visitors — whether they are arriving by land or sea. We look forward to working with Blount Small Ship Adventure Line and Journey’s End Marina to ensure that this is a successful partnership.”
Peaco said being the starting point for the cruise or the ending point means that visitors may come a few days early to explore the local communities. He said he hoped this would be a trend of cruise ships making Rockland its homeport.