Another cruise ship arrived in Dutch Harbor Friday the Silver Discoverer is carrying 100 passengers.  It will be in port only for the day.  It’s one of eight ships slated to stop at the Eastern Aleutian port this summer. Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Executive Director Cathy Jordan said that number is up from previous years.

 "The most ships we’ve ever had were 11 in 2009," said Jordan. "So, we are seeing a rise in ships coming this year.”

Visitors that disembark from the ship will be greeted by a new mobile visitor’s center.

 “We have been wanting a visitor booth at the docks," said Jordan.

 But this isn’t a booth, it’s a trailer on wheels.

 “So one of the issues with having a stationary booth at the dock is the ships don’t all come into the same spot, it’s a working dock so we can’t have something that’s in the way," said Jordan.

The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau spent $3600 in grant funding to purchase the trailer.  Jordan said it’s filled with all kinds of local information.

 “We stock that with our visitor guides, local maps, gift shop items form the CVB as well as some local information.”

The trailer will also be ready when the Alaska State Ferry Tustumena pulls in Saturday just in time for a busy Fourth of July weekend. Ben Bullock works for the City’s Department of Parks and Recreation. He said the annual parade will proceed at noon Saturday, rain or shine.

 “Yeah we have a lot of floats lined up and it should be a good time," he said.  

Other activities include a duck race and a carnival at the Grand Aleutian. Fireworks are scheduled for midnight.