I just read Joel Bishop’s article (DP Times Vol. 3, Issue 14) about Dana Point becoming more of a destination. I agree with everything he said. Dana Point would be in bad shape if it wasn’t for tourism. It brings in a lot of revenue and it helps keep our businesses going. There is no question most would like to see more of it here, especially our harbor businesses. There are plans to revitalize the harbor, reroute the streets, have more events and so on to try and bring in more business. It seems everyone is trying to come up with a way to bring in the tourist and their money. Here is an answer I haven’t heard mentioned.

I am a dance host on the cruise ships. I have been doing this for eight years and I cruise about 125 days a year. I have watched cruise ships stop at ports that had less than one thousand people living there—Astoria, Oregon for example. There was very little to do or see, yet twelve hundred passengers got off to walk around and most came back with a bag of something they had bought. There are cruise ships with thousands of passengers with vacation money in their pockets going by our beautiful city every day. I was on a four day cruise out of LA that made a stop in Catalina. Once you have walked down and back the main street there isn’t much to see, yet fourteen hundred passengers got off and most bought something. We then made a stop in Mexico and spent a day cruising in circles off our coast. That ship could have landed here.

I have talked to some people about ships coming here and they ask what could the passengers do here? Let me paint a picture for you from what I have experienced.

A beautiful thirty-five ton cruise ship anchors off our shore in the morning. The first thing that would happen is everyone in their small boat would sail out to get a better look and wave to the passengers standing on deck. This would happen all the while the ship was here. Next the ship would lower some tenders in to the water. They would fill up with tourists coming ashore and they would land at one of our docks where busses would be waiting. Some of them would decide to walk the harbor and check the stores. The rest would board the busses for tours around the area. Some of these tours would include San Juan and the Mission, with a stop for lunch at the Ritz or one of the restaurants above the harbor. Maybe some would go to Laguna and the art shops or the Ocean Institute. There might be a tour through San Clemente or a four hour fishing trip on one of our fishing boats. Maybe some would rent a wave runner for a run around our coast. Some would just walk down to Doheny Beach and enjoy the sun. But all of them would be sure to check the stores at the harbor for a gift or memento and maybe a cup of coffee or an ice cream cone. It wouldn’t be hard to find places or things for the passenger to do or see. It would be a win/win situation for the city, the shops and for workers. The best part would be that all these passengers would get a look at our beautiful city. There is no question they will tell their friends about it and some will want to come back for a longer stay.

It’s something to think about.