Citing an anonymous smear campaign, the Nanaimo Port Authority has confirmed that 1/40th of a cruise ship will be docking in Nanaimo this season.

“Nanaimo will be very excited to welcome all 40 people from the Caribbean Princess,” said Port spokesman Dave McDanovich. “While of course we would have preferred to have all 1,600 aboard dock, we’re still thrilled to have anyone visit. Really. Anyone.”

An anonymous letter was written to all major cruise lines, warning the companies that Nanaimo’s port was “unsafe, stinky, and riddled with disgarded gum.”

Princess Cruises says a single tender boatload of its oldest passengers will be dropped off on July 4 at the Port at 9:30 a.m.. They will be picked up 15 minutes later at 9:45 a.m.

“We recognize the schedule doesn’t provide much time for the passengers to see much of Nanaimo, but we have hired a local expert to describe what our guests would have seen, if we had stayed longer,” said a cruise line spokesperson.

“We really think our guests will love the stories that Ms. Samra will tell them about this beautiful Island community.”

Tracy Samra, who went into the tour business shortly after her departure as Nanaimo’s CAO, is offering three programs for the cruise ship passengers: “Nanaimo’s Best Gardens and Houses I’d Like to Bomb” is said to have the highest number of pre-registrations.