I recently had a truly unique experience in downtown Portland, Maine, that I initially thought might just be my imagination. Wandering through the city, I was suddenly struck by a familiar tune echoing through the air. It was unmistakable – the iconic theme song from the beloved TV show, ‘The Love Boat’! But this wasn’t coming from a radio; it was being played by a ship’s horn.
This was genuinely one of the most unexpected and delightful things I’ve ever encountered! It took me a moment to realize what I was hearing, and by the time I fumbled for my phone to capture the moment, the melody had finished. It was a real “did that just happen?” moment. After doing a little digging, I discovered that certain Princess Cruise ships are known for playing the ‘Love Boat’ theme song on their horns. Ships like the Royal Princess, Sky Princess, Regal Princess, and Emerald Princess all participate in this charming tradition. As it turns out, the Emerald Princess had docked in Portland, Maine on Tuesday, October 22nd. It seems my ears weren’t deceiving me; the Love Boat had indeed come to Portland, Maine!
It made me wonder if other cruise lines visiting Portland, Maine, also treat locals and tourists to nautical musical performances. While the Emerald Princess, which has visited Maine several times, seems to be the only one serenading the city with tunes, other cruise lines have their own sonic trademarks. Disney Cruise ships, for example, are famous for playing songs like ‘It’s a Small World’ on their horns. Imagine the surprise of hearing that classic Disney tune booming across the harbor from a massive cruise liner! Unfortunately, no Disney ships were visiting Portland during my trip.
Portland, Maine, is clearly a sought-after destination for cruise ships. Last year, nearly 380 ships made their way to various ports throughout Maine, and this year is proving to be just as popular. Interestingly, while summer is a busy season, fall is when Maine’s harbors truly come alive with cruise activity. In September alone this year, Portland hosted a cruise ship on 23 out of 30 days! It would be incredible if more of these majestic vessels decided to share a little musical joy with the city through their powerful horns. It certainly adds a unique and memorable element to the cruise ship experience and a fun surprise for those on shore.
