The other day I noticed a post from June (yeah, I'm a little behind) about the Island Princes cruise ship harboured at the Port of Orillia. The saddest thing I've seen in a while is this change. She's now a garish green and gold, and her stately days as a cruise ship appear to have vanished.
Her cruises brought many people to the Port of Orillia just to hop on and get taken for a wonderful cruise around Lake Couchiching. It's almost heartbreaking to think I may never see her plying the waters again.
She's not exactly a derelict at the moment, but now she's called the Tiki Barge ... imagine the stately Island Princess bearing the label "barge". Ugh. It's sort of like a floating restaurant with cocktails and what seems to be "finger food" types (wraps, panini, chips, etc) which seem to be more of an appetizer type food, not actual dinner.
Okay, I know things change over time, but this is probably enough to make me wipe away a few tears. People got married on this ship; have booked it for weddings and other special events and now, the place is a Tiki Bar.
<Sigh> I have no doubt there will be people who love the change. I do not. Simply put, the colour looks like a blight on the lake. However, I wish the new owners and their endeavours luck and success. It's never bad when new business opens their doors in Orillia ... I just wish it wasn't this.
It's pretty clear I'm not on board with it (and of course, I don't have to be), but I don't want that to stop people from trying it out. My preferences are not everyone's, my opinions will differ from others, so if you happen to be down at Couchiching Beach Park, or the Port of Orillia ... stop by and give them a try. Might be nice if you welcome them to town too.
Further information on the new endeavour (along with a photo of the new (ugly) colours can be gained from the link below.
(one of these days, I'll get down to the park (once the road construction across the waterfront is done) and get my own photo of the Tiki Barge (the Island Princess should NEVER be called a barge 😡)