Bahamas will cut off monetary incentives for major cruise lines

[Ralph&Pam]

Interesting news:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/bahamas-will-cut-off-monetary-incentives-for-major-cruise-lines/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Interesting news:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/bahamas-will-cut-off-monetary-incentives-for-major-cruise-lines/

Yeah, with the new private "island" DCL is gonna give them more money.

 

[disneylove69]

Ships may go elsewhere. They need to make the city more welcoming and safer. They should be asking why people dont get off.

 

[Intr3pid]

Ships may go elsewhere. They need to make the city more welcoming and safer. They should be asking why people dont get off.

If you read the article, you'll see that's exactly where they are looking to spend that money.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They are asking and working on it.

 

[Shanti]

This is a good decision by the Bahamian government. It's a better investment in the local community, whether or not it brings more cruise tourists in.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

There is a much more significant problem in Nassau than repaving streets and a few coats of paint. New Providence's infrastructure is sub-standard, there is little to do on the island aside from shopping and beaches (I include Atlantis here). Look for art galleries and stores in Nassau and beyond. 4 and of them, one is the Art Museum of the Bahamas and one is an arts and crafts store. How many time has Nassau made the US State Department traveler's advisory list? Too many to count. I'm sure we all have examples of the like about Nassau/New Providence.

I like Nassau. DW and I always go ashore on a Bahamian cruise. I attribute that more to my years of service in the US Navy and the expectations I developed when visiting ports overseas (with and without her) than to the amenities provided in Nassau.

This is my opinion, but Nassau presents itself as a very poor choice for fun. Compare it to Georgetown (Grand Cayman). There's no comparison. Georgetown is clean, safe, offers more to do and see than fun in the sun (which is pretty awesome on its own ).

This has nothing to do with the Bahamian people. My experience is that (on the whole) they are pleasant people who look to please and be pleased. I just think it's an unrealistic expectation of the Bahamian Ministry to expect to get cruise lines just due to geographic location. This may perpetuate for a while. Dream's bread-n-butter is the Bahamian run and must be a huge moneymaker for DCL. Cuba isn't much further south at a decent cruising speed. Not sure, but to advertise Nassau as a great place in and of itself is not in accordance with my experience.

My opinion, take it for what it's worth.

 

[Dug720]

There is a much more significant problem in Nassau than repaving streets and a few coats of paint. New Providence's infrastructure is sub-standard, there is little to do on the island aside from shopping and beaches (I include Atlantis here). Look for art galleries and stores in Nassau and beyond. 4 and of them, one is the Art Museum of the Bahamas and one is an arts and crafts store. How many time has Nassau made the US State Department traveler's advisory list? Too many to count. I'm sure we all have examples of the like about Nassau/New Providence.

I like Nassau. DW and I always go ashore on a Bahamian cruise. I attribute that more to my years of service in the US Navy and the expectations I developed when visiting ports overseas (with and without her) than to the amenities provided in Nassau.

This is my opinion, but Nassau presents itself as a very poor choice for fun. Compare it to Georgetown (Grand Cayman). There's no comparison. Georgetown is clean, safe, offers more to do and see than fun in the sun (which is pretty awesome on its own ).

This has nothing to do with the Bahamian people. My experience is that (on the whole) they are pleasant people who look to please and be pleased. I just think it's an unrealistic expectation of the Bahamian Ministry to expect to get cruise lines just due to geographic location. This may perpetuate for a while. Dream's bread-n-butter is the Bahamian run and must be a huge moneymaker for DCL. Cuba isn't much further south at a decent cruising speed. Not sure, but to advertise Nassau as a great place in and of itself is not in accordance with my experience.

My opinion, take it for what it's worth.

Disney could easily do sea days and Castaway on the closed-loop and just skip Nassau all together. (On the Magic in Feb 2017 Castaway was our one foreign port (Key West was the other port that cruise).) I would shed no tears if either of my cruises coming up that are sea, Castaway, and Nassau got changed to eliminate Nassau.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Disney won't do Cuba, though. It's still a weird situation relative to government relations. The US resumed diplomatic relations, but has maintained a full economic embargo. The US Executive and Legislative branches still support this embargo. There was some progress under 44, but 45 suspended the policy for unconditional sanctions relief for Cuba in 2017.

The major lines that are calling at Cuba right now have to make sure that all excursions meet the requirements of the people to people license - people can't just get off and look around, and they can't have free time. The lines currently calling may need to pull back some as self-certification may not be permitted much longer under the current administration. Permission to sail from US ports has been on a case by case basis, and the odds of getting that okay, let alone in the volume DCL would require to replace Nassau on Dream 3/4 Day trips, is highly unlikely right now.

 

[bumbershoot]

Permission to sail from US ports has been on a case by case basis, and the odds of getting that okay, let alone in the volume DCL would require to replace Nassau on Dream 3/4 Day trips, is highly unlikely right now.

And I believe it requires passports for the cruise...at least that's what my casual reading on cruisecritic has told me.

 

[Dug720]

And I believe it requires passports for the cruise...at least that's what my casual reading on cruisecritic has told me.

Passports AND Visas. I know when I went there with fathom they took care of the Visa (fee was part of the cruise fare), but I don't know if all the lines going include the Visa cost and handle it.

And yes - any excursion has to meet People to People requirements. At least when I went (2016) you *could* do your own thing, but you needed to get and keep receipts and keep detailed notes on what you did to prove People to People engagement.

That said, it is a beautiful country and the people are wonderful. I would love to go back. (When you talk with the people, it's clear that it is the governments that has issues with the US - NOT the Cuban people.)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

My point, really, is that Cuba's proximity doesn't mean much for DCL. Certainly not as a replacement for the Bahamas.

 

[cruiser21]

Good maybe they'll stop going to Nassau. As far Cuba goes. I'm not going to support a communist country. I would never book a cruise that stopped there. Governments in Cuba may have an issue with US, but we have an issue with them too. The people I'm sure are nice...most people are including Americans.

 

[mmmears]

I read the article and it makes sense. I don't find Nassau a great port to visit and it's sad since it's in a beautiful part of the world. My family stayed on Paradise Island for a week (back before there was the monstrosity known as Atlantis) and it was beautiful. We ventured into Nassau for the day and enjoyed ourselves. It's not nearly as nice now and I can't see spending time touring there. I hope they ask themselves why people aren't getting off the ships and find a way to improve things so that they can get the tourist dollars they need.

 

[Shanti]

As far Cuba goes. I'm not going to support a communist country. I would never book a cruise that stopped there...

Phht. It's no different than visiting Russia or China. In fact, Cuba's government has caused us a lot fewer problems than either Russia or China, yet Americans feel free to travel to those countries all the time...

 

[hanscarlet]

The headline sounds bad but the article makes sense, the money should be moved to modernize the port. We always get off in Bahamas but the port is just dirty, smelly and gross. The horses always make me sad too.

 

[mevelandry]

Interesting news:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/bahamas-will-cut-off-monetary-incentives-for-major-cruise-lines/

Not a bad strategy at all.

 

[mevelandry]

Good maybe they'll stop going to Nassau. As far Cuba goes. I'm not going to support a communist country. I would never book a cruise that stopped there. Governments in Cuba may have an issue with US, but we have an issue with them too. The people I'm sure are nice...most people are including Americans.

Canadians have been travelling to Cuba forever... While things are not perfect to this day, it's way better now. The rough dictatorship days are long gone.

 

[cruiser21]

Phht. It's no different than visiting Russia or China. In fact, Cuba's government has caused us a lot fewer problems than either Russia or China, yet Americans feel free to travel to those countries all the time...

Russia and China are nothing like Cuba. I don’t know why you would use those countries as a comparison.

 

[apathetic]

Will have extremely minimal impact on cruisers. The story says they have spent $12 million a year. That is nothing. Usually when we are in Nassau there's 5 ships with about 15k-20k passengers. That's only 1 day. I imagine cruise ship bring over 10 million people to the Bahamas every year. Even if they pass on the lost money from the Bahamas to customers, it won't be much, if anything. However, it could lead cruise lines to look at other destinations.

The biggest problem for Nassau is you are bombarded the second you get off the ship. To just get to the front of the port, you have at least 10 people try to sell you something. Many of them are very pushy and follow you around. Many people know that and don't want to deal with it. None of the tours really seem that interesting, especially if you cruise to other ports. Now that I know my fare is going up, I won't be getting off in Nassau again.