Why the rash of Nassau Port Cancellations

[Oldsweets]

Anyone have any idea why the rash of cancellations into Nassau by Carnival?  We are on Sunshine and in May and a month out we got our change notification and see additional ships are being diverted to Bemini.   Not a reason to cancel our cruise but we would have picked a different cruise or date had we known.  I guess it is what it is but seems odd that this is becoming a pattern.  BImini seems to be wanting to capture additional cruises so sounds more like a business decision then a needs based decision?  

Edited April 19, 2022 by Oldsweets
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[shof515]

Nassau cruise port is undergoing a massive construction project to rebuild the area. Most likely due to the work they are doing, they need to close one of the  piers which unfortunately means ships can not dock.

[Bostwick girl]

They were working on one of the middle piers when we were there last week, could be they need to close that one temporarily.

 

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

Nassau cruise port is undergoing a massive construction project to rebuild the area. Most likely due to the work they are doing, they need to close one of the  piers which unfortunately means ships can not dock.

 

It sure is massive - it is going to be a very nice terminal when it's done. Something I'm sure we never expected to say about Nassau! 

[Megan_Strick]

Not sure a cancellation in Nassau is a bad thing?

[csoud68]

Bimini is a much better destination anyway..

[Pellaz]

17 hours ago, sthrnbll said:

Not sure a cancellation in Nassau is a bad thing?

 

Oh, the BURRRRN.  😄  

 

18 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

It sure is massive - it is going to be a very nice terminal when it's done. Something I'm sure we never expected to say about Nassau! 

 

Well, if they can find a way to eliminate the pushy "salespeople" at the straw market that you have to walk through, that'd be greaaat.  

 

[mz-s]

5 hours ago, Pellaz said:

Well, if they can find a way to eliminate the pushy "salespeople" at the straw market that you have to walk through, that'd be greaaat.

 

Just learn the word "no" and repeat it as necessary.

 

The folks at the straw market are nowhere near as bad as some I've experienced in other ports of call. I do think they've finally figured out how to get people to not put bracelets on you without permission, I haven't experienced that in a couple years.

[Drazil65]

Just learn the word "no" and repeat it as necessary.

 

Or...just dont go to the straw market...these 2 options work very well 🙂

[stobe1]

6 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

Oh, the BURRRRN.  😄  

 

 

Well, if they can find a way to eliminate the pushy "salespeople" at the straw market that you have to walk through, that'd be greaaat.  

 

You dont have to walk through the straw market. Its a pretty good walk from the cruise pier and plenty of ways to avoid it.

[Megan_Strick]

6 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

Oh, the BURRRRN.  😄  

 

 

Well, if they can find a way to eliminate the pushy "salespeople" at the straw market that you have to walk through, that'd be greaaat.  

 

They aren't even the issue for me. One time my husband was offered weed. On another trip he was offered cocaine.

[1kaper]

6 minutes ago, sthrnbll said:

They aren't even the issue for me. One time my husband was offered weed. On another trip he was offered cocaine.

 

Before we got there this month, I went over how to deal with it with my 7yo, not to accept "free" stuff and just to say "no thanks" to any questions.  I didn't end up finding it too bad.  
 

We were offered weed in Jamaica once while waiting to go into the falls excursion.  Leaving, we had to walk through what felt like a maze of stalls.  That was the worst experience for pushy vendors for me.  

[Megan_Strick]

1 minute ago, 1kaper said:

 

Before we got there this month, I went over how to deal with it with my 7yo, not to accept "free" stuff and just to say "no thanks" to any questions.  I didn't end up finding it too bad.  
 

We were offered weed in Jamaica once while waiting to go into the falls excursion.  Leaving, we had to walk through what felt like a maze of stalls.  That was the worst experience for pushy vendors for me.  

Yesssss! My husband hated Jamaica for the same reason. Same place. After we left the falls.

[13cheermom]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Just learn the word "no" and repeat it as necessary.

 

The folks at the straw market are nowhere near as bad as some I've experienced in other ports of call. I do think they've finally figured out how to get people to not put bracelets on you without permission, I haven't experienced that in a couple years.

Yes have to agree, we just went to Cartagena, Columbia for a stop and they were terrible.  What made it worse was they really invaded your personal space (if u follow me), we were wearing masks and they weren't.  Don't care to go back there anytime soon.

[13cheermom]

2 hours ago, 1kaper said:

 

Before we got there this month, I went over how to deal with it with my 7yo, not to accept "free" stuff and just to say "no thanks" to any questions.  I didn't end up finding it too bad.  
 

We were offered weed in Jamaica once while waiting to go into the falls excursion.  Leaving, we had to walk through what felt like a maze of stalls.  That was the worst experience for pushy vendors for me.  

Haha, we just went to Dunn River Falls in Jamaica a few weeks ago, know exactly what you mean.  My husband couldn't get us out of there fast enough.  One vendor tried talking to him, and when he said no thanks, the vendor got really rude and ugly.  That was a maze trying to just exit the place. 😱. It's a shame such a beautiful excursion has to end like that.  

[jerseygirlinAZ]

2 hours ago, 1kaper said:

 

Before we got there this month, I went over how to deal with it with my 7yo, not to accept "free" stuff and just to say "no thanks" to any questions.  I didn't end up finding it too bad.  
 

We were offered weed in Jamaica once while waiting to go into the falls excursion.  Leaving, we had to walk through what felt like a maze of stalls.  That was the worst experience for pushy vendors for me.  

Thanks for mentioning about your seven-year old.  My daughter will be seven during our Mardi Gras cruise to Nassau, Amber Cove, and Grand Turk in July.  Guess I better start addressing the issue of taking "free" stuff sooner rather than later.  (I mean, we already talk about strangers and all, but ...)

[jerseygirlinAZ]

Any chance they'll still be working on the port in early July, lol?  I'd love to go to Bimini as we've already been to Nassau!

[ColeThornton]

9 minutes ago, jerseygirlinAZ said:

Any chance they'll still be working on the port in early July, lol?  I'd love to go to Bimini as we've already been to Nassau!

 

"It is anticipated that this game-changing transformation will serve as a catalyst for the wider development of downtown Nassau. The construction phase began in Q4 2019 and is anticipated to be completed in Q1 2023."

 

https://www.nassaucruiseport.com/about-us

[jerseygirlinAZ]

1 minute ago, ColeThornton said:

 

"It is anticipated that this game-changing transformation will serve as a catalyst for the wider development of downtown Nassau. The construction phase began in Q4 2019 and is anticipated to be completed in Q1 2023."

 

https://www.nassaucruiseport.com/about-us

Thanks for the info!

[ObstructedView2]

On 4/19/2022 at 7:15 AM, Oldsweets said:

We are on Sunshine and in May and a month out we got our change notification and see additional ships are being diverted to Bemini. we would have picked a different cruise or date had we known. 

 

 

Bimini instead of Nassau is a GOOD THING!

 

 

 

🙂

[bguppies]

Our September Sunshine cruise just got switched from Nassau to Bimini this morning and I couldn't be happier.

Been to Nassau too many times to count. Had fun every time, but love the chance to see a new port.

Especially one without all the normal cruiseport "attractions". (Diamonds International, Senor Frogs, etc.)

Edited April 21, 2022 by bguppies

[bucfan2]

20 hours ago, jerseygirlinAZ said:

Any chance they'll still be working on the port in early July, lol?  I'd love to go to Bimini as we've already been to Nassau!

They'll be working on it for many July's to come....

[Pellaz]

On 4/20/2022 at 8:31 AM, mz-s said:

 

Just learn the word "no" and repeat it as necessary.

 

The folks at the straw market are nowhere near as bad as some I've experienced in other ports of call. I do think they've finally figured out how to get people to not put bracelets on you without permission, I haven't experienced that in a couple years.

 

That IS/was a step in the right direction, yep!  

 

Worst I've heard about was at Labadee, Haiti.  They had ship's crew stationed along that "street" watching the vendors closely

 

On 4/20/2022 at 8:53 AM, Drazil65 said:

Just learn the word "no" and repeat it as necessary.

 

Or...just dont go to the straw market...these 2 options work very well 🙂

 

On 4/20/2022 at 9:18 AM, stobe1 said:

You dont have to walk through the straw market. Its a pretty good walk from the cruise pier and plenty of ways to avoid it.

 

Hmm, maybe the actual straw market is not the same place I was thinking of.  I was referring to the vendors' stalls that, at the old port of Nassau, you HAD to walk through since it was part of the terminal.  And they were VERY pushy.  

During the port construction they seemed to have gone away.  

[bguppies]

I think you are just thinking of the vendors that used to be set up in the old cruise terminal.

The straw market is a couple blocks over towards the British Colonial Hilton and the new Margaritavill;e resort.

It takes up most of a city block.

[Drazil65]

We were offered weed in Jamaica once while waiting to go into the falls excursion.  

 

Funny story, a few years ago DH and I were staying at an AI in Montego Bay (had a blast!) and we were on the private AI beach sunbathing and swimming.  No vendors of course inside the resort as the resort security guards were very vigilant in keeping the premises free of vendors.  Except...for the snorkeler that came seemingly from the middle of the ocean and walked up onto the beach area where the AI guests were hanging out.  He had a belt with several plastic packs hanging from it!  Yes, weed for sale! 

 

The AI security guards were right on it before he could even set foot on dry sand.  He turned and dove back into the water and swam away.  Craziest thing we ever witnessed but have to admire his entrepreneurial spirit to say the least.  We still laugh about that scene to this day but we had a great time overall in Jamaica and have been back to that same AI since.