WHO WE ARE

MISSION STATEMENT

With the guidance of its four state partners, the CruiseMaine Coalition is dedicated to the promotion, education and support of Maine communities seeking sustainable cruise ship tourism, infrastructure investment, and economic and destination development.

OUR STORY

As any resident or visitor can tell you, the coast of Maine is one of the most stunning places of natural beauty in the world. For generations, Maine has welcomed visitors arriving by sea so they can witness this stunning coastline while also gaining access to some of our most remote and charming seaside villages. Beauty is not the only reason to visit, however. The hearty, generous and authentic character of Mainers—new and old—is part of the magic that has made Maine into a favorite destination for millions each year.

CruiseMaine, part of the Maine Office of Tourism, is proud to build on this legacy as the state’s primary initiative to extend a warm welcome to cruise ship passengers and crew while also supporting our cruise communities as they seek to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cruise destinations.

Our coalition is built on a sense of partnership—between several state agencies, municipal leaders, Chambers of Commerce and individual businesses working in the thriving tourism sector of our economy. Crucially, we also partner with the cruise lines calling on our ports, to ensure their guests leave happy and our seaside villages and cities are strengthened by the economic impact while remaining a wonderful place to live and work.

SARAH FLINK

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Sarah Flink joined the CruiseMaine coalition in 2017 and has been serving as Executive Director since spring of 2018. Since coming to CruiseMaine, she has overseen an overhaul of the mission, branding and website, and helped facilitate a statewide Cruise Visitor Survey. Along with spearheading the marketing and sales efforts, Sarah continues to emphasize community engagement and partnership to expand economic benefit to the state of Maine while also addressing the challenges that come with any type of industry.

Prior to joining CruiseMaine, Sarah had extensive experience in the hospitality industry as a manager at some of the most well-known restaurants in New York City, including Blue Hill, Little Park and Lafayette. Her experience also includes work with a strategic communications firm, a tech startup and as a philosophy professor. Throughout her career, Sarah has focused on relationship building, project management and process improvement.

Originally from rural Minnesota, Sarah lives in Portland and spends as much time as she can sailing along the Maine Coast.

KADIE GLYNN

OUTREACH & EVENT COORDINATOR

Kadie Glynn joined CruiseMaine as our Outreach and Events Coordinator in February 2020. With Portland scheduled to host the next Cruise Canada New England Symposium, Kadie’s time is largely dedicated to planning the 3-day event for June 2021. She regularly interacts with port members, state partners, and other key stakeholders, keeping them up to date on what’s happening at CruiseMaine and in the industry. Kadie also supports daily operations at CruiseMaine, through research projects, media monitoring, content creation, and coalition planning efforts.

Kadie previously worked at Midcoast Humane, an animal shelter in Brunswick, Maine, focusing on development and donor cultivation before becoming their Special Events Coordinator. In that role, Kadie planned and implemented all aspects of Midcoast Humane’s flagship fundraising events, forged new partnerships with small businesses, and increased the organization's visibility in the community.

MEMBERSHIP

CruiseMaine offers many benefits to its port members, and industry members throughout the year. Rather than an extension of the cruise lines, CruiseMaine acts as a resource for the local community and businesses to help maximize economic benefits of cruise tourism, and promote infrastructure investments. CruiseMaine has two types of dues paying memberships, Port Members, and Affiliate Members which are local businesses, and industry stakeholders involved in cruise tourism.