I Hope Carnival Announces this Soon

[winddawn]

With all the speculation about what's new and coming soon to Carnival, I hope this is something Carnival announces soon: opening of Carnival Cruise Line's own port in east Grand Bahama. Even though Carnival Corporation owns Half Moon Cay, it is technically Holland America's private port, and of course there's Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay and Norwegian's Great Stirrup Cay and coming soon Harvest Cay in southern Belize. I would love to hear Carnival announce plans soon of their own port in east Grand Bahama. Hopefully that would cut down on Carnival ships stopping in Freeport which tends to be everyone's least favorite port.

 

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2016/nov/08/govt-approves-200m-cruise-port-agreement/

 

What do you want to hear about from Carnival in what's coming soon to Carnival Cruise Line?

[Micahs Grandad]

Always wondered why CCL didnt develop its own private port to control all customer expenditures.

[Ohio Bucki]

I hope Carnival keeps going to Half Moon Cay.

[crewsweeper]

Based on the article, I would venture that this won't be happening soon. Lots of red tape to cut through. There's really not a lot out on the east end of GB, so I would imagine the set up would be similar to Amber Cove. Although even that would be a better port stop than Freeport or Nassau. Hopefully though not isolated on one of the small cayes there like NCL has done with Harvest Caye. Reading the reviews of that place (now open) and the inability of accessing private tour vendors or even getting off the caye isn't enticing at all.

Edited December 16, 2016 by crewsweeper

[Out of Iowa]

75 min. dinner in the Main Dining room so I can get to the evening show (drawn-out dinner was the worst part of our May 2016 cruise; if it gets close to two hours and dessert hasn't arrived, that's really poor service).

 

continued calls at Half Moon and Amber Cove;

 

no downsizing of interior cabins on new ships;

 

continued complimentary room service items without a convenience fee.

 

maybe they could start heating the pools/gym pool to a reasonable standard on European departures?

[easyboy]

I don't see any significant effect on me personally if the private port to be visited is owned by Carnival or not.

 

 

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[Micahs Grandad]

Wonder why they do not develop more of HMC so two ships come at once

[beachbum53]

Wonder why they do not develop more of HMC so two ships come at once

 

Maybe because 3,000 people from one ship is more than enough. Can you imagine what it would be like with double that amount?

[winddawn]

Wonder why they do not develop more of HMC so two ships come at once

I've been to HMC when there were 2 ships there at once. That happens frequently. It definitely gets more crowded.

[Micahs Grandad]

Maybe because 3,000 people from one ship is more than enough. Can you imagine what it would be like with double that amount?

 

Grand Turk for example gets that all the time. Seems like lots of room to enlarge the facilities.

 

HMC is a great place to go and wish more cruises go there.

[skyeman27]

If carnival could develop an island/port that is just as good or better than HMC I'd say go for it Carnival. I am a beach person and HMC has one of the nicest and largest beaches in the Caribbean that you don't have to pay taxi fare to get to. Just booked a b2b on the Elation mainly due to HMC...

[Pellaz]

It'd be nice to have an alternate, dockable port to divert to when HMC is inaccessible due to winds, water or waves.

I'm 2-for-5 on attempts to get there, and one gets tired of hearing "replaced by a sea day" so often.

[John Reid]

It'd be nice to have an alternate, dockable port to divert to when HMC is inaccessible due to winds, water or waves.

I'm 2-for-5 on attempts to get there, and one gets tired of hearing "replaced by a sea day" so often.

 

It's a "Fun Day at Sea" that is the replacement. Somehow that makes all the difference in the world. :)

[Ace5614]

It'd be nice to have an alternate, dockable port to divert to when HMC is inaccessible due to winds, water or waves.

I'm 2-for-5 on attempts to get there, and one gets tired of hearing "replaced by a sea day" so often.

 

+1 We are 0 for 2 for HMC.:(

[winddawn]

It'd be nice to have an alternate, dockable port to divert to when HMC is inaccessible due to winds, water or waves.

I'm 2-for-5 on attempts to get there, and one gets tired of hearing "replaced by a sea day" so often.

I agree that a viable, enjoyable alternative to HMC would be nice when tenders can't run. My last 4 attempts to go to HMC have been cancelled for weather, the most recently last month.

[coevan]

As a Captain, it's not as easy as you might think. CCL's number 1 concern is you, the passengers and the safety of the ship. If the Captain feels the guests are not safe, only a little, he will abort the anchoring plans. They do not want the tenders to be smashing into the ship. We withdrew from the docks at St.Martin last year after 3 tries to dock. The guests were so mad, it was unbelievable. Conspiracy theories, like Carnival makes more money if you stay on the ship. The line at the guest services desk was a comedy routine. I would never anchor in untenable waters. i need to know depth, sea state, seabed condition, wind and other variable conditions.

[cjknox]

I read somewhere that Carnival Corporation was in talks with the Haitian government to develop Tortuga Island. Last reports indicated that the negotiations hit a snag so its uncertain whether Carnival is still trying to work out a deal. It still sits undeveloped.

[winddawn]

As a Captain, it's not as easy as you might think. CCL's number 1 concern is you, the passengers and the safety of the ship. If the Captain feels the guests are not safe, only a little, he will abort the anchoring plans. They do not want the tenders to be smashing into the ship. We withdrew from the docks at St.Martin last year after 3 tries to dock. The guests were so mad, it was unbelievable. Conspiracy theories, like Carnival makes more money if you stay on the ship. The line at the guest services desk was a comedy routine. I would never anchor in untenable waters. i need to know depth, sea state, seabed condition, wind and other variable conditions.

I can remember a cruise years ago where we stopped at HMC. During the day the wind kicked up and tendering back to the ship was very rough. I remember when the tender pulled up next to the ship, the platform they put out so people could transfer over was bouncing up and down. There was a wheelchair passenger on the tender and it was very tricky for them to transfer the wheelchair over to the ship. I can also remember a couple years ago we were sitting in a wild thunderstorm just off HMC waiting to see if the Captain was going to allow us to anchor and call at HMC. I remember sitting in the dining room to eat breakfast and it was raining so hard you couldn't see anything out the windows. Lightening and thunder were almost non-stop. We ended up not calling at HMC since the storm didn't dissipate or move on.

 

It's always disappointing to miss a port of call, but I can certainly understand why the Captain puts safety first. That is just part of the cruising experience and you have to go with the flow and make the best of it. A rough day at sea is still better than a good day at work. :-)

[tidecat]

I'm surprised Carnival doesn't call on Princess Cays - given that's also under the same corporate umbrella, it would seem to make sense for Carnival to have some itineraries make calls there.

 

 

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[skyeman27]

Add a beach to Amber Cove if possible and if HMC is canceled go to Amber Cove if available. A nice beach at Amber Cove would be a big plus...

[Micahs Grandad]

I'm surprised Carnival doesn't call on Princess Cays - given that's also under the same corporate umbrella, it would seem to make sense for Carnival to have some itineraries make calls there.

 

 

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I have also wondered about this as Princess doesnt go there for major parts of the year.

[cruzeluver]

As long as its possible for me to get away from the immediate port area that they turn into ever other port they "develop" its fine with me.

[nflvikings1]

I like Freeport one of my favorite ports. No other port offers a lower price bottom fishing excursion.

 

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[leen50]

Harvest Caye in Belize has opened. I was there on NCL Dawn 10 days ago. It is NOT a private Island where they bring the big BBQ lunch etc. Everything costs $ except: beach, pool, most chaise lounges & butterfly house. Beach is loaded with seaweed. It will be nice someday when kinks are worked out. All you can drink pkg. does not work here.

[Pellaz]

As a Captain, it's not as easy as you might think. CCL's number 1 concern is you, the passengers and the safety of the ship. If the Captain feels the guests are not safe, only a little, he will abort the anchoring plans. They do not want the tenders to be smashing into the ship. We withdrew from the docks at St.Martin last year after 3 tries to dock. The guests were so mad, it was unbelievable. Conspiracy theories, like Carnival makes more money if you stay on the ship. The line at the guest services desk was a comedy routine. I would never anchor in untenable waters. i need to know depth, sea state, seabed condition, wind and other variable conditions.

 

Sure, and I don't think anyone here is advocating for any reduction in safety in reaching Half Moon Cay...hence the need for an alternate port with a dock.

 

Having a dock is still no guarantee, as you pointed out. We came close to missing Grand Turk a few years ago due to high winds from a nearby -- but receding -- hurricane (with less than 5 knots to spare). But still, taking the tendering operation out of the equation would be the best way, as Disney did with Castaway Cay.