Princess Cruises exploiting and ripping off Pacific Islanders

[Brisbane41]

Just back from a recent cruise on the Emerald Princess and had an interesting discussion with the locals at Jinek Bay in Lifou.

 

For many years Jinek Bay at Lifou Island has always been managed by the locals with a $5.00 Australian entry fee to control tourist numbers and protect the reef. You would turn up, pay in cash and be given a paper bracelet and be allowed to swim at the reef. I was first there in December 2015 on Radiance of the Seas and it was a $5.00 entry managed by the locals.

 

As of this year Princess Cruises is exploiting the locals by banning them from selling tickets to cruise ship passengers. Princess Cruises is now selling tickets on board the ship for $20.00 Australian, they are keeping $15.00 in profit and only passing on the $5.00 to locals for entry to Jinek Bay. Princess Cruises is also telling the locals not to accept cash payments for tickets.

 

The locals will let you swim at Jinek Bay for free if you arrive on an early tender and can arrive before the main group arrives. It would appear that Princess Cruises is using the tickets to Jinek Bay to double as tender tickets but only after other tours depart first so this gives individuals an advantage to arrive early and swim for free.

 

Upon speaking to the locals, I was informed that representatives from Princess have demanded that they cease selling tickets and allow Princess Cruises to handle ticket sales or they will no longer bring the ship to the island. They are not happy that Princess is ripping them off by charging more and keeping a massive profit and using cruise ship visits not happening as leverage to prevent them complaining.

[Bpos]

This being the case, it is an outrageous imposition by Princess Cruises and they should be ashamed of themselves.

 

Follows on from huge increases on Visa fees for Vietnam etc that came about in recent times - again to screw passengers for the extra $?

[shireboi]

This being the case, it is an outrageous imposition by Princess Cruises and they should be ashamed of themselves.

 

Follows on from huge increases on Visa fees for Vietnam etc that came about in recent times - again to screw passengers for the extra $?

 

 

not wishing to hijack this thread - but 'huh' on the Vietnam visa fees ?? If you are talking about visa fees for cruises into Vietnam - they are only $U5 - which we paid to cover Nha Trang and HCMC in Oct 2016 on RC Voyager of the Seas. Have they changed yet again ???

[cheznandy]

Kind of the same as what some lines do on Mare, force everyone into the $20 ship bus ticket and not allowing locals to offer private transport.

 

At least at Lifou there are other nice places to swim, Mare there is nothing at the wharf area.

I would not go back to Mare for that reason, been to the beach, it was $18AUD return on the Emerald in November, imagine if you had a family what the cost would be:(

 

not wishing to hijack this thread - but 'huh' on the Vietnam visa fees ?? If you are talking about visa fees for cruises into Vietnam - they are only $U5 - which we paid to cover Nha Trang and HCMC in Oct 2016 on RC Voyager of the Seas. Have they changed yet again ???

 

All cruise lines charge differently, I believe Princess have been charging too much compared to others lines and that has been the problem.

Edited February 2, 2017 by cheznandy

[Bpos]

not wishing to hijack this thread - but 'huh' on the Vietnam visa fees ?? If you are talking about visa fees for cruises into Vietnam - they are only $U5 - which we paid to cover Nha Trang and HCMC in Oct 2016 on RC Voyager of the Seas. Have they changed yet again ???

 

Was referring only to Princess, have a look at their charges - you will be stunned at the difference.

[cheznandy]

 

For many years Jinek Bay at Lifou Island has always been managed by the locals with a $5.00 Australian entry fee to control tourist numbers and protect the reef. You would turn up, pay in cash and be given a paper bracelet and be allowed to swim at the reef. I was first there in December 2015 on Radiance of the Seas and it was a $5.00 entry managed by the locals.

 

And before that it was always free.

Was there a limit the locals let in for $5? or did they still let loads in and collect the money?

Is the $20 tickets bought onboard a limited number?

I know the cruiselines have a responsibility in maintaing the reef, I have seen people breaking bits of coral off, standing on it, and it is not the peaceful experience with hundreds of people yelling and screaming, and splashing and swimming into you:(

Sad if Princess are "ripping" off the locals and keeping the cash.

I refuse to pay to snorkel anywhere unless I am on a tour/boat with a guide and extras.

[cruisin-m]

Just back from a recent cruise on the Emerald Princess and had an interesting discussion with the locals at Jinek Bay in Lifou.

 

For many years Jinek Bay at Lifou Island has always been managed by the locals with a $5.00 Australian entry fee to control tourist numbers and protect the reef. You would turn up, pay in cash and be given a paper bracelet and be allowed to swim at the reef. I was first there in December 2015 on Radiance of the Seas and it was a $5.00 entry managed by the locals.

 

As of this year Princess Cruises is exploiting the locals by banning them from selling tickets to cruise ship passengers. Princess Cruises is now selling tickets on board the ship for $20.00 Australian, they are keeping $15.00 in profit and only passing on the $5.00 to locals for entry to Jinek Bay. Princess Cruises is also telling the locals not to accept cash payments for tickets.

 

The locals will let you swim at Jinek Bay for free if you arrive on an early tender and can arrive before the main group arrives. It would appear that Princess Cruises is using the tickets to Jinek Bay to double as tender tickets but only after other tours depart first so this gives individuals an advantage to arrive early and swim for free.

 

Upon speaking to the locals, I was informed that representatives from Princess have demanded that they cease selling tickets and allow Princess Cruises to handle ticket sales or they will no longer bring the ship to the island. They are not happy that Princess is ripping them off by charging more and keeping a massive profit and using cruise ship visits not happening as leverage to prevent them complaining.

 

On Solstice cruise 4th January the locals were charging $15usd/$20aud to every single person including first thing in the morning to swim at Jinek bay and seemed like no limit just a cash cow.

 

So saying that they only charge $5 and free in morning is a blatant lie. Princess probably takes a commission out of that, so the locals would rather sell direct.

 

The real problem is the people that step on coral and break it, absolute worst kind of people!

[cruisin-m]

not wishing to hijack this thread - but 'huh' on the Vietnam visa fees ?? If you are talking about visa fees for cruises into Vietnam - they are only $U5 - which we paid to cover Nha Trang and HCMC in Oct 2016 on RC Voyager of the Seas. Have they changed yet again ???

 

I had to pay $140AUD to get a single entry Vietnam visa just last week, although it was an express one. If you have the time the standard one is now $95AUD as of 2017.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Both times I've been to Lifou - once on Sun Princess December 2014 and once on Royal Caribbean March 2015 - it was AU $15 pp to snorkel at Jinek Bay, paid directly to the locals.

 

Carnival were offering tickets at $20 in November but the port stop was cancelled due to high winds.

 

The locals may actually prefer the cruise lines to sell the tickets - that way they don't have to deal with people walking over there and missing out because there are too many people there already. They do try to restrict the numbers to a maximum of 100 per session. Plus the cruise lines may pay them in local currency, not AUD which they then have to convert.

[Bpos]

I had to pay $140AUD to get a single entry Vietnam visa just last week, although it was an express one. If you have the time the standard one is now $95AUD as of 2017.

 

I assume you are doing a land tour and not arriving by ship but by air - totally different situation.

 

If not you should have left it to the ship to organise your visa as it would be much cheaper than that depending on what cruise line you are on.

[The_Big_M]

Agree with a couple of subsequent comments. It's always been $15, payable to locals, since it was introduced as far as I can recall.

[cheznandy]

Yes, OP says he was there on the Radiance in 2015 and it was $5, we were there on the Radiance in April 2015 and it was $15, reason we didn't go snorkelling there.

All stops for us previous to that were free, 2007 and 2009.

 

It seems all the cruise lines handle the payment and cost differently.

 

Perhaps Princess are limiting the amount of people by issuing the tickets to protect the damage........but the locals are letting people pay when they get there.....always two sides. Who really knows!!

[Aus Traveller]

We definitely didn't pay anything hen we snorkelled Jinek back when it was the ricketty ladder - must have been about... 2013? Haven't been back to Jinek since the charge - no thanks. Find a nice spot for a swim by ourselves.

We were there a couple of times when Jinek Bay was free. Then I heard it was $5 but didn't plan to go snorkelling that time. We haven't been to Lifou for a few years because we have been busy cruising elsewhere :) not because I didn't want to pay $15.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I have no issues with paying $15 or $20 to snorkel at Jinek Bay. It's very beautiful, and very easy to get in and out of the water. I'm more than happy to contribute to the local economy and, since I don't tend to buy souvenirs, snorkelling at Jinek Bay is a good way for me to so that.

 

I just wish the locals would have a couple of big guys actually in the water watching out for idiots who insist on standin on the coral because "it's too deep out here" as one guy I yelled at said.

[Brisbane41]

On Solstice cruise 4th January the locals were charging $15usd/$20aud to every single person including first thing in the morning to swim at Jinek bay and seemed like no limit just a cash cow.

 

So saying that they only charge $5 and free in morning is a blatant lie. Princess probably takes a commission out of that, so the locals would rather sell direct.

 

The real problem is the people that step on coral and break it, absolute worst kind of people!

 

I definitely paid $5.00 in December 2015 from the Radiance of the Seas cruise when the locals handled it directly.

 

There now appears to be several different people paying different prices.

[SinbadThePorter]

I definitely paid $5.00 in December 2015 from the Radiance of the Seas cruise when the locals handled it directly.

 

There now appears to be several different people paying different prices.

 

In December 2015 on Noordam, it was A$15 and it was run by the locals at Jinek Bay. No ship involvement.

 

Another point worth noting, almost all the coral in the bay out to about 10 metres from shore has been destroyed by swimmers standing on it.

 

Maybe some of that money should be going to a pontoon in deeper water to keep us tourists from destroying what we came to see.

 

The rocks around the current entry point are slick and treacherous anyway.

[cruisine21]

If not you should have left it to the ship to organise your visa as it would be much cheaper than that depending on what cruise line you are on.

 

 

A couple of years ago my dad did a cruise to Vietnam and went to the embassy for the visa despite me advising him that it was done on the ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MicCanberra]

Whenever I have gone swimming or snorkelling at Lifou, I have not paid a cent. There is nice coral out from the main beach if you go out far enough and up to around the point.:D

 

Swam around the point once to what is Jinek bay now back in 2001 and yes it was beautiful but no more so than other parts around the island.

[CassCruise]

We were there January 2016 on the Sea Princess and paid $15 direct to the locals and instead of a piece of wool recvd a colored wrist band!

[Fletch1]

Whenever I have gone swimming or snorkelling at Lifou, I have not paid a cent. There is nice coral out from the main beach if you go out far enough and up to around the point.:D

 

/quote]

 

Ditto to this. The snorkeling off the main beach is quite spectacular. I have seen more turtles in this location than anywhere else.

[MicCanberra]

Ditto to this. The snorkeling off the main beach is quite spectacular. I have seen more turtles in this location than anywhere else.

 

Plenty of fish and that includes a few reef sharks as well.

[The_Big_M]

In December 2015 on Noordam, it was A$15 and it was run by the locals at Jinek Bay. No ship involvement.

 

Agreed, there's a substantial thread back from 2013 discussing how many were paying the fee of $15, and the limit and details.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/showthread.php?t=1956568

 

This is the first I've seen someone pay $5. Maybe the locals were feeling generous? and offering a reduced price?

[aussielozzie18]

At the end of 2013 we paid $15aud to the locals. They had a good system. They were set up on the new stairs, collected the $15aud from each person, issued them with a concert type wrist band just before you climbed down the stairs into the water. There was a local on a ski paddling around keeping an eye on everyone. Another local was at the ladder, helping everyone up out the water. I thought it was was well run and worth the money.

[purpledragon]

Was referring only to Princess, have a look at their charges - you will be stunned at the difference.

 

I am heading to Vietnam next month on Dawn Princess. $56 US for the Visa. rep off, but what can we do.

[lagoon380]

Have to agree with MicCanberra & Fletch1 swim out past all the damaged coral there is plenty to see.