Tony DeLeo, Sr. Account Executive, for Cotnract Sources, Host of an Outdoor Reception at Portland Landing on the East End of Portland Today.  In the Background is a NCL Cruise Ship Bound for Nova Scotia This Evening.  It Holds Over 4,000 Passenger, Although Passnegers Said It was Far From Full on This Trip.

Breakaway a Ship in the NCL Fleet in Portland Harbor Today.  An Initiative on the November Ballot Would Limit the Number of Passengers Allowed to Disembark on any Given Day to 1,000, if Passed, by Portland Voters.  It’s Supported by the MaineDSA and Opposed  by MHN.COM..

This Woman Who Identified Herself as a City Employee Told This Blogger To Leave the Waiting Room at the Ocean Gateway Because Political Discussions are Not Allowed on Public Poprerty. No Political Discussions Were Underway!

Richard Leeman, at the Ocean Gateway Visitorss Center This Afternoon.  “I didn’t know you werre coming back here,” Leeman said to mhn.com when Taking This Photograph of Him.

The launching of a new line of office furniture was pleasantly celebrated this afternoon at Portland Landing Park by Tony DeLeo, Senior Account Executive, of Contract Sources.  Guests included architects, interior decorators and others from the Portland and Saco areas..  The waterfront event was held under sunny skies and a cool breeze with Portland Harbor serving as a scenic backdrop.  It was tastefully catered by Mr. Tuna.

“People are still leery of traveling on cruise ships,” said Paula Raney, of Iowa, who with her husband were relaxing following a long walk down Commercial Street. The two well traveled cruise ship  passengers said that because of the fear of covid and inflation it appeared that the cruise ship was only about 60% filled.  “Cruise ships are doing a great job of sanitizing and keeping the ships clean,” she said.

Halfway through our conversation a woman who identified herself as a city employee appeared at my side.  She told this blogger to leave the terminal waiting room because political discussions are not allowed in the building.  Although political discussions are permitted in public spaces and this blogger was not involved in a political conversation, this blogger left the waiting room to move my car to a different parking space to comply with 30-minute parking signs outside  the Ocean Gateway terminatl.  The 30 minutes were almost up and it was time to move my car to another location in the area.

. When this blogger returned to the crowded waiting room at Ocean Gateway after moving my car to a different space,  the same couple from Iowa was sitting in the same chairs near the same door.  “That man in the shirt over there came over and asked us if mhn.com had been annoying us,” Paula reported pointing at Richard Leeman.  “We told him we’d had a delightful conversation with her,” she said.  “And the conversation wasn’t over.”

The conversation continued uninterrupted by the woman city employee.or by Richard Leeman.  Paula said that cruises have changed so much over the years.  “They used to be very formal.  For dinner men were required to be dressed in tuxedos.  It’s much more informal now.”  Now her husband can wear shorts to dinner unlike past years.  It’s an effort to attract more people from the middle class, apparently.

The Raney couple has taken numerous cruises in recent years since they retired. “You don’t have to be rich to go on a cruise.  Just save your money and you can afford it,” she said. They have taken numerous cruises along the west coast up to Alaska.  This is their second cruise along the Maine coast.

The waiting room of the Ocean Gateway and the area immediaely outside it was packed as the passengers who had disembarked from the Breakaway ship of the NCL fleet waited for buses taking them to various places in southern Maine.

Just be careful what you talk about in the waiting room of the Ocean Gateway terminal or Richard Leeman will accuse you, no matter how incorrect it is  Is it part of his job description to monitor visitors private conversations?  Or are employees of the city of Portland now monitoring private conversations in public places?

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Portland Harbor was the scene of a robust cruise ship port.  Shops in the area benefited from the additional business that passengers from these ships brought to them.