Private islands-First Cruise ports when cruises resume?

[Wannacruise81]

When cruises resume, do you think the cruise lines should use their private islands as destinations first before they sail to "mainland" destinations?

I think there is more of a controlled environment and reduces exposure when most of the staff on the island are coming from the ship. Yes there are locals who also work on the islands, but will the cruise lines reduce the number of locals working in the straw markets and other venues when they first open?

Yes they can screen all passengers at the embarkation port but once passengers visit a destination, it kind of resets the whole screening because they can be exposed to so many people when ashore.

 

[shipgeeks]

Makes sense to me.  And I would be very happy to have a 7-night cruise with only private island and sea days.

[zalusky]

The Bahamas or other governing districts of these private islands have to approve it.  Maybe they will but its not Royals decision alone.

[Newleno]

38 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Makes sense to me.  And I would be very happy to have a 7-night cruise with only private island and sea days.

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto 

[mac_tlc]

Doesn’t sound like the government in the Bahamas is too keen on a “private-island-only” itinerary:

 

 

 

The closed country of Bahamas is dealing with a much different issue. Several major cruise lines—including Disney and Royal Caribbean—own or lease isolated private islands here, like Disney’s Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay. Officials are trying to ward off any temptation by the lines to do short itineraries from South Florida that visit only places under cruise line control, bypassing the country’s largest city, Nassau. The local Bahamas Tribune newspaper quoted Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas minister of tourism, as saying that bypassing the capital city—where shops, restaurants, tours, and attractions draw visitor dollars—would not be allowed.

 

And so the saga continues.......

mac_tlc

[Spurschick]

2 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

Doesn’t sound like the government in the Bahamas is too keen on a “private-island-only” itinerary:

 

 

 

The closed country of Bahamas is dealing with a much different issue. Several major cruise lines—including Disney and Royal Caribbean—own or lease isolated private islands here, like Disney’s Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay. Officials are trying to ward off any temptation by the lines to do short itineraries from South Florida that visit only places under cruise line control, bypassing the country’s largest city, Nassau. The local Bahamas Tribune newspaper quoted Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas minister of tourism, as saying that bypassing the capital city—where shops, restaurants, tours, and attractions draw visitor dollars—would not be allowed.

 

And so the saga continues.......

mac_tlc

Bahamas opens to commercial travelers July 1st.  If it is needed to visit Bahamas as a condition to go to private islands I am sure it won’t be an issue to cruiselines if it means they can sail.

[tx121]

I would definitely do a 7 night trip to Coco Cay and Labadee. 👍

[time4u2go]

Does Coco Cay count as a distant foreign port for the purposes of the PVSA? 

[Georgia_Peaches]

2 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

Doesn’t sound like the government in the Bahamas is too keen on a “private-island-only” itinerary:

 

 

 

The closed country of Bahamas is dealing with a much different issue. Several major cruise lines—including Disney and Royal Caribbean—own or lease isolated private islands here, like Disney’s Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay. Officials are trying to ward off any temptation by the lines to do short itineraries from South Florida that visit only places under cruise line control, bypassing the country’s largest city, Nassau. The local Bahamas Tribune newspaper quoted Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas minister of tourism, as saying that bypassing the capital city—where shops, restaurants, tours, and attractions draw visitor dollars—would not be allowed.

 

And so the saga continues.......

mac_tlc

Of course, nobody wants to miss out on tourist $$$.  The think is, if other islands like Cozumel open to ships, they won't need a private island stop and Bahamas still loses the tourist dollar.

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, Newleno said:

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto 

Only Book Cruises with average 50-50 Port and Sea Days

[timf2001]

6 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Does Coco Cay count as a distant foreign port for the purposes of the PVSA? 

Distant foreign port is only for sailing between two different U.S. ports.  All you need is any foreign port for a round-trip, and yes it counts.

[firefly333]

Another site said president of roatan said no cruise ships for the rest of 2020.

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, timf2001 said:

Distant foreign port is only for sailing between two different U.S. ports.  All you need is any foreign port for a round-trip, and yes it counts.

 

You explained that very well.  🙂 

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Another site said president of roatan said no cruise ships for the rest of 2020.

 

Roatan is an island in Honduras.  There is no president of Roatan.

[firefly333]

18 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Roatan is an island in Honduras.  There is no president of Roatan.

You are right, but same result. Went back thru posts and this is a copy and paste. I've been going there since rcl started going there before it got so commercialized. I'm well aware it's a island. Doesnt change the outcome of what I posted. I've been there 15 times, or more. Back when I started going to roatan they used old yellow school buses for the excursions. One wrong word. My favorite port.

 

---------------

 

FYI if you are trying to book cruises with Roatan as a stop in 2020 its not happening.  Our friend and guide in Roatan messaged us this weekend to say the Mayor put an article in the news paper there saying there would be NO cruise ships until sometime in 2021.  Just wanted to give you guys a heads up.

Edited June 23, 2020 by firefly333

[bigrednole]

If cruising on RCL starts by November and they choose their private islands only, I would not be against stopping at Labadee and CocoCay. If the Bahamas required stopping in Nassau to do it also, I would not be opposed. A day trip to Atlantis or snorkeling excursion there would be nice.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

You are right, but same result. Went back thru posts and this is a copy and paste. I've been going there since rcl started going there before it got so commercialized. I'm well aware it's a island. Doesnt change the outcome of what I posted. I've been there 15 times, or more. Back when I started going to roatan they used old yellow school buses for the excursions. One wrong word. My favorite port.

 

---------------

 

FYI if you are trying to book cruises with Roatan as a stop in 2020 its not happening.  Our friend and guide in Roatan messaged us this weekend to say the Mayor put an article in the news paper there saying there would be NO cruise ships until sometime in 2021.  Just wanted to give you guys a heads up.

I'm booked jan 3rd on Liberty OTS and one of the ports is Roatan

 

So when a tour guide emails that  the MAYOR says no cruise ships into 2021, worrying. I just hope doesnt get cancelled. We have a nice little roll call for that sailing. 

[gatour]

20 hours ago, Spurschick said:

Bahamas opens to commercial travelers July 1st.  If it is needed to visit Bahamas as a condition to go to private islands I am sure it won’t be an issue to cruiselines if it means they can sail.

If it is okay to the Bahama gov't for them to stop at both Nassau and and the private islands then the cruise lines will.

 

The thinking with just stopping at the private islands is that it may it more palatable to the Bahama gov't by reducing the potential to spread covid to their citizens.

[orville99]

9 hours ago, bigrednole said:

If cruising on RCL starts by November and they choose their private islands only, I would not be against stopping at Labadee and CocoCay. If the Bahamas required stopping in Nassau to do it also, I would not be opposed. A day trip to Atlantis or snorkeling excursion there would be nice.

We have two Allure western Caribbean cruises booked for next year that have both Labadee and Coco Cay as port stops. If it wasn't for the fact that Jamaica is the stop between the two private islands, I'm not sure it would even qualify as a western, since the other stop is Nassau.