Yarmouth ferry delays worry U.S. businesses

American business owners are hoping advertising will pick up soon for the Nova Star Cruises ferry between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth.

Business owners on Nova Scotia'sSouth Shore are gearing up, hoping the return of the ferry will bring lotsof tourists with it especially during the busy summer tourism season.

On the other side, business owners in Portlandare pinning their hopes on next year.

There is little visibility on the U.S. side with no office set up yet along the waterfront and no ferry in sight. The Nova Star ferry has been delayed on its journey from where it was built inSingapore to its new home port in Canada.

"We haven't seen the ship, so we can't effectively sell it, says Donna Hanson, vice president of The Maine Tour Connection, a company that sells tours onmotorcoachesin Eastern Canada.

She saidthere is a lot of interest, but she won't be selling tours to NovaScotiauntil 2015.

Even the companys website is behind. Nova Star Cruises still has not been able to advertise its prices or sell tickets online, meaning American tourists are less likely to be flocking to the Nova Star in great numbers anytime soon.

Unfortunately themotorcoachgroup tour ship has pretty much sailed for 2014, says Hanson. She saidshe needs the schedule to sell the programs to a tour operator, such as theAmerican Automobile Association, in order to promote it.

But she said that would have needed to happen in the late fall or winter.

• Listen: Portland slowly gearing up for ferry's maiden voyage

Olive Jones, who owns a jewelry shop in downtown Portland, saidshe finds the situation frustrating.

"I know it's starting back up but then you try to find anything about it and you can't find anything about it," she said.

Portland business ownershope once the ferry begins making the rounds for the summer, their quiet terminal will transform into a bustling travel hub.

Nova Star Cruises said it expects more than 100,000 passengers to board the ferry between Yarmouth and Maine in the first year.

The new ferry is expected inYarmouthApril 15. It will then set off to Portland for three weeks where some last-minute finishing touches to the ferry will be completed.

Nova Star Cruises expects to start advertising prices this weekendand selling tickets next week.