What Ports Should be Eliminated??

[sail7seas]

I saw a similar thread on another Board and thought it interesting.

 

Which port(s) do you think could/should be removed from HAL itineraries?

 

Any?

None?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Montego Bay

 

Cartagena

 

Caracas

 

(Think I had them in a different order on that site.)

[lka1012]

What ever port I that have to disembark the ship at! :D

[airlink diva]

Grand Caymans!

In 2005 I was on the Westerdam and there were seven additional ships there also. The tendering situation was a mess, it took hours for people to get off the ship. One lady that I befriend on the ship had a 10 a.m. ship tour and they didn't get off until close to noon. The last tender was to leave at 3:30 p.m., but the line for the tenders was beyond the boarding area. Let's not forget that it was over 28,000 people among the ships and it was next to impossible to move about.

Frankly I think that HAL should not stop here when there are more than two other ships.

[sail7seas]

Montego Bay

 

Cartagena

 

Caracas

 

(Think I had them in a different order on that site.)

 

 

 

I agree and add Ocho Rios to your list.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Grand Caymans!

In 2005 I was on the Westerdam and there were seven additional ships there also. The tendering situation was a mess, it took hours for people to get off the ship. One lady that I befriend on the ship had a 10 a.m. ship tour and they didn't get off until close to noon. The last tender was to leave at 3:30 p.m., but the line for the tenders was beyond the boarding area. Let's not forget that it was over 28,000 people among the ships and it was next to impossible to move about.

Frankly I think that HAL should not stop here when there are more than two other ships.

 

 

Were you on the January Westerdam cruise? Ours was a mess in 2005 as well.

Have you been there since the new pier was built? It is really nice.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree and add Ocho Rios to your list.

 

I don't mind Ocho Rios -- it is an easy walk to the Village Marker (not certain of the name). We usually have an early lunch at Jimmy Buffets and sit right by the beach.

[RevNeal]

Ocho Rios ... definitely Ocho Rios.

[airlink diva]

Were you on the January Westerdam cruise? Ours was a mess in 2005 as well.

 

Have you been there since the new pier was built? It is really nice.

I was there in October 2005. Due to the tender situation, I don't look at a cruise that stop in that port!

[mamaofami]

Jamaica...not safe at all.

[mountainmare]

St Thomas!!!! Too many ships!!!

[themerle]

My vote would be for Ocho Rios and Montego Bay to be removed!

[airlink diva]

St Thomas!!!! Too many ships!!!

Oh no!! As many cruises that I sailed on, this is my first to St. Thomas and there are three other ships in port on the day that we are there. I really wanted to head to Sapphire Beach for a relaxing day. I might just take the ferry to St. John instead.

[sail7seas]

Three ships are fine. St. Thomas can handle that. We've been there with six and seven. You'll be okay.

 

Are you on an HAL ship? If so, it is likely you'll dock at Crown Bay. :(

[airlink diva]

Three ships are fine. St. Thomas can handle that. We've been there with six and seven. You'll be okay.

 

Are you on an HAL ship? If so, it is likely you'll dock at Crown Bay. :(

Yes, I'm on the Maasdam!! Thanks for answering the question on were we will dock! I just found out that there are two piers.

[cp556]

I like Cartagena.

 

I don't like Nassau much ... maybe too many 3-4 nt cruises earlier in life ... lol.

[cruznon]

Haines, ALASKA

[kryos]

What ever port I that have to disembark the ship at! :D

I second that!

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

St Thomas!!!! Too many ships!!!

I agree. I think St. Thomas should be a port skipped if there are maybe more than five or six ships already scheduled to be there that day. Pouring that many people into the local economy in one day is just too much on the infrastructure of any island community. It also detracts from the enjoyment anyone will get from their day's visit there.

 

That's where I think ports should be eliminated. The cruise lines need to work together to ensure that no island community is overrun with tourists on any given day. They need to see which ships are in port and how many people those ships hold ... and then work together to have the optimal amount in port at any given time.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[twinkletoes4445]

Grand Caymans!

In 2005 I was on the Westerdam and there were seven additional ships there also. The tendering situation was a mess, it took hours for people to get off the ship. One lady that I befriend on the ship had a 10 a.m. ship tour and they didn't get off until close to noon. The last tender was to leave at 3:30 p.m., but the line for the tenders was beyond the boarding area. Let's not forget that it was over 28,000 people among the ships and it was next to impossible to move about.

Frankly I think that HAL should not stop here when there are more than two other ships.

 

It is really too bad they are allowing so many ships there on certain days. I did read that recently they set a limit on how many ships they'd allow each day. Looking at their port authority website, it looks like most days in late 2008 and early 2009 have 4-6 ships a day.

 

One time when we were there for a week we counted 11 ships. Talk about a zoo. At that time we told the people at the condo we rent that it's really getting too crowded for us to keep coming there. It's not cheap to stay there, food and housing is very expensive and it was to the point that we were thinking about looking for another island to visit. It's bad on the people on the cruise, and it's bad for those of us who are on a land vacation when there are too many people on the island. We love Grand Cayman, so I am glad to see that they made some changes. IMO, 6 ships is still too many. I think 5 should be the limit considering how big some of these ships are these days.

[twinkletoes4445]

As for skipping an island...I'd say skip St. Thomas if there are too many ships in port. The day we were there, there were 5 ships in port and the place was packed. Not fun at all, IMO.

[pvlover]

St. John´s Newfoundland. Rarely been in a drearier place.

[cruz chic]

Acapulco....

[c-cruise]

See no reason to go back to Grand Turk again. Absolutely nothing of interest there (ok, maybe the Margaritaville).

 

I actually wish HAL had more itineraries stopping in Ocho Rios. Climbing the falls is one of my favorite cruising memories.

[Maryandi]

Luckily, we are on such great ships that we don't have to even get off !! Or not take that itinerary !! But if you must, it's better to be docked rather than tendered.

 

On that note, There is no excuse for Grand Caymen, as wealthy as that island is, and all the port charges people have paid , that they have not built docks for the cruise ships. !! They have docks on the backside for goods to come in. I do not get off in Grand Cayman because they are taking advantage.

 

The ships want to stop at clean islands (mixed in with the 'others') but enough is enough.

 

MaryAnn