Would you cruise if only ports were private islands?

[navybankerteacher]

 Private islands might have decent beaches - I recall Half Moon Cay as pretty good, sailing one of their Sunfish’s off the beach;  Labadee struck me as a dismal mob scene- with lots of bits of sharp coral in the sand - although the pier obviated the need for tendering-  I would not bother getting off the ship if I ever happened to stop there again (highly unlikely).  NCL’s Stirrup Cay was OK - many years ago.  But, over all, I am unlikely to cruise the Caribbean again - and certainly would not pick a cruise for just private islands.  San Juan, St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao strike me as the few ports worth hitting.

[Charles4515]

 Private islands might have decent beaches -

Labadee struck me as a dismal mob scene- with lots of bits of sharp coral in the sand - although the pier obviated the need for tendering-  I would not bother getting off the ship if I ever happened to stop there again (highly unlikely).  

There are several beaches at Labadee. Sounds like you went to Adrenaline which is the wrong one to pick. There are several very nice soft sand beaches on the other side, Columbus Cove and Nellies. Also Barefoot if you are in a suite. Labadee is one of my favorite private beach stops. Did the renewed Perfect Day at Coco Cay in January and the beaches there were pretty good but much too crowded. I would never choose a cruise for the private island but I liked Grand Stirrup, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cay as a beach day.


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[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, George C said:

 

 

 

after 50 Caribbean cruises we do Caribbean to relax , Europe is totally different I enjoy our Europe cruises but they are not relaxing. 

Almost half our cruises have been in Europe. When you do a European cruise and your DW is an art teacher, you feel you need a vacation after the cruise.😊

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

NCL’s Stirrup Cay was OK - many years ago.

 

My memory of this very primitive private island is from 1979.  What do I remember?  When we returned to the ship:  sand fleas!  A nice day on the beach; the aftermath was not great.

 

But, to give NCL some credit, I know my experience then has been seriously improved in the 21st Century.  

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, clo said:

I'd never heard of "private islands" before CC. What's so special about this one?

 

Regarding to your comment about my post about MSC's Ocean Cay:  

 

Ocean Cay is a newly developing private island out of a basically nothing in the Bahamas.  It is being designed and developed to be ecologically friendly with the attempt to establish a healthy marine environment near the island.  It seems larger with more amenities than CCL's operating companies private islands offer.  It is "still a work in progresss" as MSC admits.  But, since it just opened in late 2019 and I visited the island in January, 2020, I was impressed.  Very much impressed with its potential.

 

Check out the MSC Message Board; many comments about Ocean Cay.  And, I think, if you access the MSC web site, you might find a video or more about Ocean Cay.  

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

My memory of this very primitive private island is from 1979.  What do I remember?  When we returned to the ship:  sand fleas!  A nice day on the beach; the aftermath was not great.

 

But, to give NCL some credit, I know my experience then has been seriously improved in the 21st Century.  

Coincidentally I am wearing a tee shirt now from this island which is surprising because I did not enjoy my time there.

[rkacruiser]

32 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Coincidentally I am wearing a tee shirt now from this island which is surprising because I did not enjoy my time there.

 

I am sure your shirt has been laundered sufficiently enough times to get rid of the sand fleas.  😀

[lenquixote66]

49 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I am sure your shirt has been laundered sufficiently enough times to get rid of the sand fleas.  😀

No,it has not been worn that much in the 7 years that I have it.I have been wearing tee shirts since 1948 and have so many that I do not wear the same ones that often.

[clo]

14 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

No,it has not been worn that much in the 7 years that I have it.I have been wearing tee shirts since 1948 and have so many that I do not wear the same ones that often.

We'd have saved a lot of money if we'd been buying tourist tee shirts rather than art 🙂

 

[ilikeanswers]

13 minutes ago, clo said:

We'd have saved a lot of money if we'd been buying tourist tee shirts rather than art 🙂

 

 

That is certainly a unique looking sculpture😳. Good thing art is so diverse😂, something for everyone🤗. 

[lenquixote66]

20 minutes ago, clo said:

We'd have saved a lot of money if we'd been buying tourist tee shirts rather than art 🙂

 

In my entire life I only bought one piece of real art work and received one piece as a gift.

I have a cousin who is disabled and paints with his toes.He has several paintings at the MET.

[clo]

7 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

That is certainly a unique looking sculpture😳. Good thing art is so diverse😂, something for everyone🤗. 

His/her name is "Spike" 🙂 A horse. See the apple in the stomach. And everything you can see in that photo came from a trip. Fortunately or not, we've totally run out of space. But Bob doesn't want any tee shirts 🙂

[lenquixote66]

Just now, clo said:

His/her name is "Spike" 🙂 A horse. See the apple in the stomach. And everything you can see in that photo came from a trip. Fortunately or not, we've totally run out of space. But Bob doesn't want any tee shirts 🙂

I love tee shirts. Many of mine are message shirts from various organizations that I was either a member of or supported.I also have one that one of my daughters bought in the Czech Republic with the face of John Lennon.

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I love tee shirts. Many of mine are message shirts from various organizations that I was either a member of or supported.I also have one that one of my daughters bought in the Czech Republic with the face of John Lennon.

In a museum in the Czech  Republic, we saw a young lady in a Woodstock tee shirt. It was either an original or a reproduction as it said White Lake. As we were all being herded out of the museum just before closing, we were near her and I said we live 10 miles from White Lake and I was at that festival. She was amazed.

 

On the subject of tee shirts---I once bought a Bob Marley tee shirt in Jamaica while returning to our cruise ship. When I got home, I discovered it was made in China. (Oh well, at least I helped support the local selling it.) OTOH, the tee shirt I bought in Peru last summer (land trip) says made in Peru.

[George C]

I have a huge selection of tank tops almost all from Caribbean islands and Mexico but found one last week that I had never worn before from Barcelona, which we visited 4 years ago, in Texas I wear them 6 months out of the year. 

[Spif Barwunkel]

On 5/5/2020 at 6:35 PM, rattanchair said:

Dear GC,

     These private islands are the best destination besides the ship. No island riffraff, cleaner environment. My dream cruise ! I would only get off the ship for a private island.

Such a rudimentary response that conjures up an image of prejudice and parochialism. Probably not the best choice of words considering the present day. Or anytime for that matter. Apparently there are supporters, indicative of the pervasiveness of small-mindedness. What a shame.

 

Being fortunate to live 30 minutes from a major cruise port, we have indeed cruised for three or four days where a private island was the only stop. It is a pleasant getaway on occasion. However, our main reason to sail is based on itinerary and the ability to tour various destinations around the world. If many of those itineraries are compromised, for the time being, we shall refrain from cruising. That will leave those private islands open to....well, you know who.   

[lenquixote66]

6 hours ago, ontheweb said:

In a museum in the Czech  Republic, we saw a young lady in a Woodstock tee shirt. It was either an original or a reproduction as it said White Lake. As we were all being herded out of the museum just before closing, we were near her and I said we live 10 miles from White Lake and I was at that festival. She was amazed.

 

On the subject of tee shirts---I once bought a Bob Marley tee shirt in Jamaica while returning to our cruise ship. When I got home, I discovered it was made in China. (Oh well, at least I helped support the local selling it.) OTOH, the tee shirt I bought in Peru last summer (land trip) says made in Peru.

I believe I told you that my friend Ina and her husband owned a restaurant in White Lake .My friends who have a residence in Monticello went there very often.

Bob Marley tee shirts are sold all over the world but are almost never made in Jamaica.

My daughter and her husband were also in Peru on a land trip last summer and brought me back a shirt made in Peru.

[SNJCruisers]

3 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Such a rudimentary response that conjures up an image of prejudice and parochialism. Probably not the best choice of words considering the present day. Or anytime for that matter. Apparently there are supporters, indicative of the pervasiveness of small-mindedness. What a shame.

 

Being fortunate to live 30 minutes from a major cruise port, we have indeed cruised for three or four days where a private island was the only stop. It is a pleasant getaway on occasion. However, our main reason to sail is based on itinerary and the ability to tour various destinations around the world. If many of those itineraries are compromised, for the time being, we shall refrain from cruising. That will leave those private islands open to....well, you know who.   

So....you mean to tell me that you have never been to Montego Bay or Falmouth in Jamaica or visited the straw market in Nassau and not been harassed to death by the locals?  There are ports such as Bermuda and Aruba that are the opposite, but the bad taste of some of the ports can have cruisers longing for a private island oriented sailing.  Having sailed the Caribbean 30 times, I primarily cruise for the ship these days and choose the newer ones that the various lines offer and only get off the ship occasionally.

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

So....you mean to tell me that you have never been to Montego Bay or Falmouth in Jamaica or visited the straw market in Nassau and not been harassed to death by the locals?  There are ports such as Bermuda and Aruba that are the opposite, but the bad taste of some of the ports can have cruisers longing for a private island oriented sailing.  Having sailed the Caribbean 30 times, I primarily cruise for the ship these days and choose the newer ones that the various lines offer and only get off the ship occasionally.

Certainly you do not justify using the term "riffraff" (post #22) in describing an ethnicity or a citizenry. And most certainly, your occasional unpleasant circumstance or "longing" - as well as that of anyone else's - be damned, when used as an excuse to besmirch a collective. Where I have been and what I have experienced is not what matters here. What matters is that we all should be aware of our destination and our destiny while there.

 

You, obviously, have been to the Caribbean 29 times too many. Perhaps that qualifies you as a pseudo-pirate of sorts. Whatever the case, should you venture there again, remain on the ship no matter the port. You and the locals will be better off for it. 

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I believe I told you that my friend Ina and her husband owned a restaurant in White Lake .My friends who have a residence in Monticello went there very often.

Bob Marley tee shirts are sold all over the world but are almost never made in Jamaica.

My daughter and her husband were also in Peru on a land trip last summer and brought me back a shirt made in Peru.

I realize you do not have to go to Jamaica to get a Bob Marley tee shirt, but I do wish that if you are in Jamaica that the shirt is a local product. But, I guess these days almost everything is made in China.

[clo]

6 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Such a rudimentary response that conjures up an image of prejudice and parochialism.

^^^^

[clo]

3 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

not been harassed to death by the locals? 

Is that what one calls "riff raff"?

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I realize you do not have to go to Jamaica to get a Bob Marley tee shirt, but I do wish that if you are in Jamaica that the shirt is a local product. But, I guess these days almost everything is made in China.

Except tee shirts in Peru.

[rkacruiser]

I have never been a fan of tee shirts.  But, I have purchased some HAL ship specific ones as well as a few from very favorite ports.  When I wear them, "I am on vacation again."

 

Only one has disappointed:  a shirt that I purchased on HAL that said "dam ships" on it with a listing of the ships.  It fit when I bought it.  After one washing, it shrunk.  (And, no, I had not "expanded" during that period of time.

[ontheweb]

22 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Except tee shirts in Peru.

Yes, I was mildly surprised when I realized it was made in Peru. My purchase helped more than the merchant I bought it from.