Cruise ship visit overcomes snag

Although they needed to revert to Plan C, said Port of Poulsbo Commissioner Steve Swann, everyone pulled together to make sure American Cruise Line passengers had a pleasant stay in Poulsbo on May 3.

POULSBO — Although they needed to revert to Plan C, said Port of Poulsbo Commissioner Steve Swann, everyone pulled together to make sure American Cruise Line passengers had a pleasant stay in Poulsbo on May 3.

The cruise line will anchor in Liberty Bay for the next four Fridays, and will return again in the fall on its inaugural Puget Sound cruise. High winds and low tide prevented the ship’s captain, Don K. Johnson, from anchoring the ship outside the Port of Poulsbo Marina as planned.

Organizers — the port, the city, the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association, the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce and RockFish Group — had planned an elaborate welcome for the passengers, with live music from the Clam Island Band, welcoming from the Vikings and Sons of Norway youth, and many residents walking along the waterfront. Swann said plans A and B called for anchoring at different distances outside the port marina.

However, the ship anchored off of Liberty Bay Marina and about 80 passengers were taken ashore by boat, escorted by Poulsbo Police. Organizers brought in buses at the last minute to shuttle the passengers downtown.

The schedule was a little off, but the first round of passengers were delighted to be met by Vikings and views of the Olympics peeking over the trees on the west side of the bay.

The passengers were invited to shop downtown, take a walking tour with the Poulsbo Historical Society, or take a bus to the Suquamish Museum.

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