33 Caribbean ports, anymore planned?

[bobpell]

HAL's cruise atlas lists 33 different ports their itineraries stop at. Do other locales plan to entice cruise ships to drop anchor or dock?

Does anyone go to Haiti anymore?

A titillating riposte to these and other southern destination questions is the potential opening up of Cuba down the road and the protected harbor of Havana and it's designation as an Unesco world Heritage site.

Bobpell

[Kamloops50]

HAL's cruise atlas lists 33 different ports their itineraries stop at. Do other locales plan to entice cruise ships to drop anchor or dock?

Does anyone go to Haiti anymore?

A titillating riposte to these and other southern destination questions is the potential opening up of Cuba down the road and the protected harbor of Havana and it's designation as an Unesco world Heritage site.

Bobpell

 

RCI has a private resort on Haiti that they stop at (called Labadee)

[cmdchiefthom]

HAL's cruise atlas lists 33 different ports their itineraries stop at. Do other locales plan to entice cruise ships to drop anchor or dock?

Does anyone go to Haiti anymore?

A titillating riposte to these and other southern destination questions is the potential opening up of Cuba down the road and the protected harbor of Havana and it's designation as an Unesco world Heritage site.

Bobpell

This Cuba situation has gone on far too long. Its time for the USA to end the Cold War, and enter into the reality of the 2st century. Cuba would be a cruiser's paradise with the new ports that would open, and the proximity to Florida's cruise ports would make it economical. ;)

[Kamloops50]

This Cuba situation has gone on far too long. Its time for the USA to end the Cold War, and enter into the reality of the 2st century. Cuba would be a cruiser's paradise with the new ports that would open, and the proximity to Florida's cruise ports would make it economical. ;)

 

There will have to be a change of attitude in both countries before anything will be done. They currently don't have the infrastructure to handle cruise traffic. There ports aren't big enough to handle any ship that has more about 1500 passengers.

[Hlitner]

The US Dept of State just issued a travel warninng which urges Americans to avoid Haiti because of lack of security. We do not think this impacts Labadee since that is in an isolated area and RCI has secured the entire facility. As to developing other ports, there are only so many islands that have the infrastructure to host large cruise ships...and there are other islands (such as St Barts, Anguilla, etc) they severely restrict cruise ships because they do not want hoards of cruisers.

 

Hank

[bphman]

They're going to have to build more islands. Haul down some landfill. Plastic trees. More shops. And lets not forget a Margaritaville. We can call it Grand Turk. Oh, wait. Carnival already did that without the landfill.

[sail7seas]

I have little doubt the planners and plotters in all cruise companies have scoured the Caribbean investigating any realistic options.

 

Carnival well may have a list of which island will be next to 'be developed' for cruise ships. I don't necessarily think that such a bad thing.

 

It provides revenue and jobs for the locals and we enjoy the clean, safe, 'plastic' environment on those created cruise stops where we can have sun and fun.

I fully understand those who do not like it, object to the lack of culture, history and learning one deprives themselves of by planting themselves on a chaise lounge at the pool but they are free to roam and explore, if they wish. :) Personally, DH and I have roam as much as anyone ever needs to roam on Caribbean islands for a great many years.

 

[DeepWaterMariner]

Royal Caribbean developed an additional port (Falmouth) in Jamaica to handle their Oasis class ships as well as building a pier at Labadee to handle them. Too bad that Haiti is such a mess. Years ago we did port calls in Cap Haitian and Port Au Prince and they were interesting to say the least, but not places that offer a resort experience. More third world than most current day cruisers could handle.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If the cruise lines decide to more private lines where all you have is a beach day -- possibly 2 on a cruise -- we will be done with cruising.

Our interests are in new ports where we can learn the history of the people and their culture there.

[Taxguy77]

I have little doubt the planners and plotters in all cruise companies have scoured the Caribbean investigating any realistic options.

 

Carnival well may have a list of which island will be next to 'be developed' for cruise ships. I don't necessarily think that such a bad thing.

 

It provides revenue and jobs for the locals and we enjoy the clean, safe, 'plastic' environment on those created cruise stops where we can have sun and fun.

I fully understand those who do not like it, object to the lack of culture, history and learning one deprives themselves of by planting themselves on a chaise lounge at the pool but they are free to roam and explore, if they wish. :) Personally, DH and I have roam as much as anyone ever needs to roam on Caribbean islands for a great many years.

 

 

Remember the days we could take walks without having to go through miles of shops and show ID? On our first cruise we found a church that had lists of people who had died; Died by smallpox, lost at sea, etc. Fascinating bit of history and the doors had no locks, as then no one would desecrate a church.

The last time we were in the port, I was tired before I got out of the restricted zone, and not on the only ship in port, but the smallest, even though it was bigger than the first ship.

 

It will be hard to get me back on a cruiseship, but I could be packed by tomorrow if you want me to be a guest on your small ship! (Under 250).

[Esri]

If the cruise lines decide to more private lines where all you have is a beach day -- possibly 2 on a cruise -- we will be done with cruising.

Our interests are in new ports where we can learn the history of the people and their culture there.

 

I don't cruise the Caribbean because it is, as Sail7Seas said, a "plastic resort" experience. That said, there are plenty of ports in the world that are more interesting than lying on the beach. ;) (But if what you want to do is lie on the beach, I'll be the first to say "Enjoy yourself.")

[bishop84]

The US Dept of State just issued a travel warninng which urges Americans to avoid Haiti because of lack of security. We do not think this impacts Labadee since that is in an isolated area and RCI has secured the entire facility. As to developing other ports, there are only so many islands that have the infrastructure to host large cruise ships...and there are other islands (such as St Barts, Anguilla, etc) they severely restrict cruise ships because they do not want hoards of cruisers.

 

Hank

 

I guess that's why they call it Hispaniola, the name of the island which Haiti and the Dominican Republic share, rather than just Haiti :rolleyes:

 

I believe that they beefed up the security after one of the ships crew was attacked by a local in the resort several years ago.

[sppunk]

Forget the Caribbean (which I won't pay to go back to), more Asian destinations are NEEDED. It is a shame there are so few ports offered.

[northstatefarms]

I have little doubt the planners and plotters in all cruise companies have scoured the Caribbean investigating any realistic options.

 

Carnival well may have a list of which island will be next to 'be developed' for cruise ships. I don't necessarily think that such a bad thing.

 

It provides revenue and jobs for the locals and we enjoy the clean, safe, 'plastic' environment on those created cruise stops where we can have sun and fun.

I fully understand those who do not like it, object to the lack of culture, history and learning one deprives themselves of by planting themselves on a chaise lounge at the pool but they are free to roam and explore, if they wish. :) Personally, DH and I have roam as much as anyone ever needs to roam on Caribbean islands for a great many years.

 

 

I wish we had roamed more, when the economies of these islands were good!

 

Samana in the Dominican Republic comes to mind as a recent effort to add POC's. An ongoing effort. But; they have had problems with excursion rip-off's and such. They dropped excursions and developed others. I suppose there's a point where HAL decides it's not a good or viable port. We were worried about the Haitian border and such. So were the residents.

 

Crime in St. Maarten was bad enough in recent years that some lines considered dropping the stop altogether. It's a sad state of island affairs. As the sugar went and tourism tries to grow. Many people are in bad shape. And we are obviously NOT. At least financially:D ; you don't go cruising without some financial resources.

[cruz chic]

I don't cruise the Caribbean because it is, as Sail7Seas said, a "plastic resort" experience. That said, there are plenty of ports in the world that are more interesting than lying on the beach. ;) (But if what you want to do is lie on the beach, I'll be the first to say "Enjoy yourself.")

It's nice that someone puts their money where there mouth is. I admire that. I hear people complaining about the plastic ports but their next 5 cruises are to the caribbean. I don't get that.

[trixiee]

It's nice that someone puts their money where there mouth is. I admire that. I hear people complaining about the plastic ports but their next 5 cruises are to the caribbean. I don't get that.

 

Not so much an admirer of "plastic ports", however the time my DH and I have available for a vacation is truly limited. Basically, a week in January or February. Plug that time slot into the cruise finder on the HAL website, and then click on duration 6-8 days. What do you come up with? Caribbean or Mexico.

 

I would like to put my money where my mouth is, but that ain't gonna happen for a few more years...:cool:

[cruiseapril]

Instead of newly built or developed ports in the Caribbean, we'd like to see

overnights in certain ports- Curacao and Barbados for instance.

 

Not sure how realistic it is- but when the cruise lines stop at places with 2 islands to visit- like St. Kitts & Nevis, why not stay a night so cruisers can spend time on both islands?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't cruise the Caribbean because it is, as Sail7Seas said, a "plastic resort" experience. That said, there are plenty of ports in the world that are more interesting than lying on the beach. ;) (But if what you want to do is lie on the beach, I'll be the first to say "Enjoy yourself.")

 

We aren't beach people. We used to like that thing 40 years ago.

We have toured nearly all over the world and never did beach days.

We rarely even go ashore in HMC anymore.

Because of health issues we can no longer fly distances. We would so love to get back to Europe -- but that is not to be.

For those of you who want the beaches -- go for it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It's nice that someone puts their money where there mouth is. I admire that. I hear people complaining about the plastic ports but their next 5 cruises are to the caribbean. I don't get that.

 

This is one of the reasons we have cancelled several Caribbean cruises -- we are tired of that area.

Ah to be young and healthy.

[Hlitner]

Can't resist a few comments about the comments. We have cruised to more then 100 ports (lost count) on 6 Continents (not unusual for HA cruisers) and still find ourselves going back to the Caribbean (usually once a year) for the "plastic" experience. Actually, a lot of the Caribbean is not a "plastic resort" unless you are one of those cruisers that likes to take the silly overpriced excursions (everything is plastic) or refuse to go outside the limited areas normally visited by cruisers. A good example is the island of St Maarten/St Martin. While many cruisers are content to shop in Phillipsburg or visit Orient Beach....many folks who vacation on this island avoid these places to stay away from the cruisers. When we vacation on that island we stay at Grand Case (you will seldom find a cruise passenger in that part of the island) and look forward to dining at some of the many excellent restaurants on the island (there are more then 200 decent places to eat). But, when staying on the island we avoid ever going to Phillipsburg (a shop owner who is a friend tells us its OK to drive over to Phillipsburg on a Sunday when there is no more then 1 ship in port) and normally stay away from Orient Beach in favor of other smaller beaches more popular with the residents.

 

Regarding the Dominican Republic (somebody mentioned that half of Hispanola) we have visited that island for its All Inclusives (near Punta Cana) and loved it. A couple of years ago we took a Grand Princess cruise which actually stopped at Santo Domingo...and at the time we were the largest ship to ever enter that harbor. As usual, most of the cruisers took excursions...but as usual, DW and I went off to explore the city on our own. We actually enjoyed the place, thought parts of it had a European feel, and other parts had lots of poverty. But, to us, it was a fun port. Princess had so many complaints and negative reviews that they took it off future itineraries. We heard passengers complaining that "it did not fee like the Caribbean" and there were not any good beaches close to the ship. Go figure.

 

Hank

[cruz chic]

This is one of the reasons we have cancelled several Caribbean cruises -- we are tired of that area.

 

Ah to be young and healthy.

I don't blame you. I have zero desire to go to Europe one of the reasons being the plane ride. People tell me I should go. Why? I like the heat of the Caribbean and I`m pretty ok with going there over and over.

[mamaofami]

Hank, I love Grand Case. It's the best part of St. Martin.

 

I had visited many of the Caribbean islands before I ever started to cruise. Now, when I go, all I really want is to put my feet in the sand, sit under an umbrella all lathered up with number 70 lotion, a hat on my head, and a book in my hand, and watch the ocean go by.

 

This year we'll be stopping in Antiqua, a place I visited many years ago. The resort I stayed at was destroyed a few years ago by a hurricane and it's still sitting in ruins. It was a beautiful place, on the most beautiful beach on the island, and that really makes me sad as I would have liked to go back there for the day.

[cruiseapril]

We enjoyed an island- Isla Margarita- which doesn't seem to be on many

itineraries now. Does anyone know the status of this port?

[CruiseWhere]

I don't cruise the Caribbean because it is, as Sail7Seas said, a "plastic resort" experience. That said, there are plenty of ports in the world that are more interesting than lying on the beach. ;) (But if what you want to do is lie on the beach, I'll be the first to say "Enjoy yourself.")

 

Please excuse my blondness but what is meant by "plastic resort/enviroment"?

[tip]

This Cuba situation has gone on far too long. Its time for the USA to end the Cold War, and enter into the reality of the 2st century. Cuba would be a cruiser's paradise with the new ports that would open, and the proximity to Florida's cruise ports would make it economical. ;)

 

Very, very well said!