Bar Harbor officials say the number of cruise ship visitors allowed to come ashore will be cut in roughly half this year, now that a federal district court has ruled that the town can legally impose such limits.
Voters approved an ordinance two years ago that places a cap on the number of cruise ship passengers to 1,000 per day.
Ships that made reservations before that vote will be allowed to visit this summer, and there will be no restrictions on the number of passengers that can disembark from those vessels.
Cruise ships that made a reservation after the vote will be subject to the daily passenger limits, according to a statement from the Bar Harbor town council.
The first cruise ship is expected to arrive in Bar Harbor in early May.
Starting next year, nearly all cruise ships coming to Bar Harbor will be subject to the 1,000 per day passenger cap. Draft rules to implement the passenger ordinance are in the works.
