In tourism-speak, the shoulder season means those weeks outside of a traditional tourist season for Homer, Memorial Day to Labor Day when tourists brave chilly weather to visit, hoping for better rates and no crowds. In Homer, the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, running next weekend, May 8-11, often brings the first big influx of visitors.
Not this year.
Monday, the 720-foot Statendam makes its first U.S. port of call of the season at about 8 a.m. Shifting from its winter cruise schedule in Asia and Australia, the Statendam started its trans-Pacific Ocean crossing April 23 in Kobe, Japan. It also visited Tokyo and Hakodate in Japan and Petropavlosk, Russia. From Homer, the Statendam visits Kodiak, Glacier Bay and Sitka, and ends its journey and starts its summer Alaska schedule in Vancouver, B.C. The ship leaves Homer about 5 p.m. The Statendam is the first Holland America ship to visit Southcentral Alaska this season.
Holland America has been working with Homer tourism companies to keep the cruise ship passengers entertained next week. Shuttle buses will run from the Spit to downtown Homer, with stops on Pioneer Avenue, at the Pratt Museum, Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center and possibly Old Town, said Gideon Garcia, regional manager for Holland America Tours. Passengers can take shore excursions with Homer Ocean Charters to Seldovia or Gull Island. Coaches also run to Norman Lowell's Gallery north of Homer.
A Homer Artisans Showcase also has been set up at the NOMAR parking lot (see related story, page 16).
Garcia said the passengers taking the 17-day Kobe-Vancouver trip aren't th typical cruise ship passenger.
"We expect the guests coming off the Statendam to be an adventurous group of guests," he said.
Genny Lyda, a lifelong Homer resident who organized the Homer Artisans Showcase, said she hopes the Statendam visit results in visitors returning later to Homer. Lyda cited a statistic that 50 percent of cruise ship passengers do return later.
"If these people come and see the fabulousness of Homer, they might want to come back," Lyda said.
This is the only visit by a Holland America cruise ship to Homer this summer. Holland America runs motor coach tours to Homer throughout the summer, Garcia said.
"We advertise Homer as 'where Alaskans go to vacation,'" he said.
"We know our guests are going to have a good time there."
Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.
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Homer Alaska - News -
Story last updated at
8:47 PM on
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tourism season starts with cruise ship visit
Holland America Lines' Statendam docks Monday
BY MICHAEL ARMSTRONG
STAFF WRITER
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