YORKTOWN, Va. — The grassroots organization "Preserve Yorktown" is continuing its push to halt a cruise stop set for this summer.
Princess Cruise Lines announced last year that Yorktown was featured in its 2024 schedule. The "Island Princess" is set to dock this June.
Princess Cruises says the stops will "result in a significant economic impact to the region, which has played an important role in American history."
But not everyone who lives in the historic community is on board.
Preserve Yorktown has been vocal in its opposition of the cruise line, collecting more than 7,000 signatures in an online petition. On Sunday, residents packed a room at the Tabb Library for the group's second public input meeting.
"We're not against tourism," said Bob Hudson with Preserve Yorktown. "There's viable tourism models that make a lot of sense for our community. This just isn't one of them."
Organizers voiced concerns about overcrowding.
Preserve Yorktown's position statement says, "The scale of tourism must be copatible with the small historic village of Yorktown."
Some residents say the Yorktown community is far too small to support the more than 2,000 passengers on the Island Princess.
"Yorktown is a very special place. We love it here. We want to care for it. We want to share it with people, but we want to share it in a responsible, sensible way," Hudson said.
Town officials created a "Princess Cruise Line FAQs" page on the town website, addressing some of residents' concerns. The page states, "York County and Princess Cruises have carefully selected dates to alleviate overcrowding." The page says only one-third of passengers will stay in Yorktown, while the others will either stay on the ship or leave town for an excursion.
Residents also voiced concerns over pollution. In 2013, Princess Cruise Lines had to pay a $40 million fine for illegally dumping contaminated waste.
One petitioner wrote, “We need to protect the ecosystem of the York River and Chesapeake Bay.”
“It’s a serious ecological problem, along with the fact that they contribute heavily toward climate change," Yorktown resident Jacques Van Montfrans previously told 13News Now.
At an informational meeting earlier in August, President of Princess Cruises John Padgett assured residents that they’ve learned their lesson. He said they now have better technology and have increased their sustainability.
Hudson said the organization is planning another meeting, but no date has been set.
13News Now reached out to Princess Cruises for comment but has not heard back.