Key Aspects:
- Portland, Maine, will increase cruise passenger and infrastructure fees beginning in 2027.
- The new port tariff was approved by the city council in February 2026.
- The per-passenger fee will rise from $18 to $24 by 2030.
Passengers visiting Portland, Maine, will soon face higher fees as city officials move to adjust tariffs tied to the fast-growing cruise tourism sector.
The Portland City Council announced on February 19, 2026, that Tariff 11, the port’s updated fee schedule, will take effect January 1, 2027, gradually raising cruise ship charges through the end of the decade.
The changes raise both per-passenger fees and infrastructure tariffs for ships carrying more than 1,000 passengers.
Under the new schedule, the per-passenger fee will rise from $18 today to $24 by 2030, while the existing infrastructure fee will increase from $3 to $7 per passenger over the same period.
City officials say the changes are meant to balance Portland’s growing popularity as a cruise stop with concerns raised by residents about environmental impacts and harbor traffic.
The updated tariff system also includes an environmental incentive to encourage cruise lines to switch to cleaner fuels while visiting the port. Ships that use lower-sulfur fuels like marine gas oil while docked or anchored in Portland Harbor will receive a $2 per-passenger discount.
Portland does not currently offer shore power for cruise ships to plug into to shut down their engines while in port. This means ships calling in Portland must run engines or generators for onboard electricity.
District City Councilor Wes Pelletier said the changes, “will help fund our working waterfront while incentivizing cruise ships to keep Casco Bay clean.”
Under the new fee structure, Portland could see several million dollars more in annual port revenue. In 2025, the city hosted about 100 cruise ship visits, with larger vessels carrying upwards of more than 4,000 passengers.
Read Also: When Is the Best Time to Go on a Cruise for Each Region?
Ships call in the New England port from spring through late fall, with vessels like MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway, and Princess Cruises’ Majestic Princess among the largest to visit.
These ships carry 4,488, 3,903, and 3,560 passengers at double capacity, respectively.
Rising Cruise Traffic and Coastal Tensions
Portland’s decision to raise cruise ship tariffs comes as cruise tourism continues to expand along Maine’s coast, bringing larger vessels and growing passenger volumes to ports across the state.
But the industry’s growth has drawn scrutiny from some residents and environmental advocates. Portland Cruise Control, for example, has been urging city leaders to strengthen environmental rules for cruise ships visiting the harbor.
The group is asking the city to ban scrubber wastewater discharge, arguing the contaminated wastewater could harm marine life in Casco Bay.
Environmentalists are also concerned with other coastal ports in Maine, where growing cruise traffic has become a concern. In Bar Harbor, voters approved a citizen initiative that limits cruise guest disembarkations to 1,000 people per day to protect the small town’s waterfront.
The rule has sparked a continuing legal dispute between the town and business groups that argue the restrictions could hurt tourism and local businesses.
Portland is also not the first American cruise port to adjust cruise fees as they look for ways to fund environmental initiatives. In Hawaii, lawmakers proposed a new “Green Fee” for visitors, including for cruise guests, in an effort to raise money for environmental protection and climate resilience projects.
In Juneau, Alaska, local officials also raised cruise passenger fees to help pay for environmental mitigation, infrastructure, and services needed to manage the city’s large number of cruise visitors each summer.
In cases of raised tariffs presented to cruise ships, cruise lines pass these on to guests with higher cruise fees.
