33 Caribbean ports, anymore planned?

[peaches from georgia]

This Cuba situation has gone on far too long. Its time for the USA to end the Cold War, and enter into the reality of the 2st century. Cuba would be a cruiser's paradise with the new ports that would open, and the proximity to Florida's cruise ports would make it economical. ;)

When we were cruising last year we became friends with a couple in their 40s from the south FL Cuban-American community. Our whole table discussed this issue with them during dinner one night and they were adamant not to blame their age group and those younger, all of whom were born here, and realize our unrealistic policy as regards relations with Cuba. Their attitude was to blame the FL politicians who are still kowtowing to their parents and grandparents for votes. It will still take a few more years as the original C-A population dwindles and realistic policies that the younger generation knows is the right thing to do for both countries can be implemented.

[JJPacer]

Hal does not sail to Belize. (at least the last time I checked) I would like to see HAL go there. We are going to go soon. We'll have to go on Celebrity or Princess.

[bobpell]

I agree with cruiseapril on staying overnight at certain locations.

Going for an after dinner walk in san Juan or along the beach in the Turks would be novel.

[Koshlong]

I just wish HAL would go to Tortola and Virgin Gorda more and St. Thomas less. Since even HAL's largest ships can get into a lot of ports where the monster ships can't go............why isn't HAL taking advantage of this to give us some more creative itineraries?

 

I just used one basic itinerary change as a suggestion, but why do we HAVE to follow the monsters and fight our way through crowds of rude passengers and vendors. Why can't they give some of the smaller guys some of the business...................and us some peaceful, interesting, perhaps only mildly plastic ports to visit?

[cruz chic]

Hal does not sail to Belize. (at least the last time I checked) I would like to see HAL go there. We are going to go soon. We'll have to go on Celebrity or Princess.

They did on the Ryndam in 2010. Don't know if they still do.

[sammygoose]

When we were cruising last year we became friends with a couple in their 40s from the south FL Cuban-American community. Our whole table discussed this issue with them during dinner one night and they were adamant not to blame their age group and those younger, all of whom were born here, and realize our unrealistic policy as regards relations with Cuba. Their attitude was to blame the FL politicians who are still kowtowing to their parents and grandparents for votes. It will still take a few more years as the original C-A population dwindles and realistic policies that the younger generation knows is the right thing to do for both countries can be implemented.

 

I find these two posts interesting albeit from a Canadian perspective so feel free to respond but please be gentle :)

Why would the US need to change their policies towards Cuba? The tail doesn't wag the dog in this case. There is no economic reason that I am aware of to do so. What if Cuba changed to embrace the economic advantages they could have due to their close proximity to the US? I have no idea how much money they receive in support from other communist countries but that pie can't be getting bigger? I can freely travel to Cuba and also to the Dominican Republic and it strikes me that the DR is actively starting to court the cruising community by building cruise ship ports while Cuba is stuck in a type of no mans land. There's a lot of potential money to be made if Cuba changed. Will they blink first?

[bishop84]

Hal does not sail to Belize. (at least the last time I checked) I would like to see HAL go there. We are going to go soon. We'll have to go on Celebrity or Princess.

 

Westerdam has 2 calls this month but nothing else for this year. I remember that they were proposing a pier for Belize City did that go ahead or is it still a tender port?

[JJPacer]

I'll check the Westerdam and Ryndam itineraries.

 

I would like to see Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and St. John USVI as ports. I know you can ferry to St. John USVI from St. Thomas, but I mean actually make St. John USVI a port day. We stopped there on Azamara and it was great.

[lovetocruise2020]

They're going to have to build more islands. Haul down some landfill. Plastic trees. More shops. And lets not forget a Margaritaville. We can call it Grand Turk. Oh, wait. Carnival already did that without the landfill.

 

Uhhhhh, you must be misinformed.

Grand Turk was a divers paradise wayyyy before Carnival built the dock.

Grand Turk is the capital of the TC islands and has a reef so large that people say its second only to the Great Barrier Reef. The sand is amazing and the people are kind and generous. We plan cruises around this stop. If you hate it, more sand for us!

 

It takes 5 minutes to walk past Margaritaville. Salt Cay can be gotten to in 20 minutes. Maybe u havent explored.

[peaches from georgia]

I'll check the Westerdam and Ryndam itineraries.

 

I would like to see Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and St. John USVI as ports. I know you can ferry to St. John USVI from St. Thomas, but I mean actually make St. John USVI a port day. We stopped there on Azamara and it was great.

Seabourn Caribbean cruises stop at St. John in addition to Azamara. One or 2small ships is one thing, but development for large cruise ships is another thing altogether. StJ is the smallest Virgin Island with 60% of it a state park. If a plastic port was built for large cruise ships with thousands of pax and crappy shops it would be a crime. This is what would happen with more and larger ships; it always does. Access is already available for cruisers from St Thomas for those that want to enjoy its natural beauty. JMHO.

[CruiseWhere]

Once again! Excuse my stupidity, but what is a "plastic port/enviroment"?:confused:

[Floridiana]

I would call a 'plastic port' places that are built specifically for cruiseship passengers such as Costa Maya in Mexico and Mahogany Bay on Roatan. St. Kitts has such a touristy shopping area between the pier and the 'real town'. Philipsburg on St. Maarten has the same. They are all pretty in a Disney kind of way, clean and have very similar or even the exact same shops.

[DeepWaterMariner]

I would like to see Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and St. John USVI as ports. I know you can ferry to St. John USVI from St. Thomas, but I mean actually make St. John USVI a port day. We stopped there on Azamara and it was great.

 

The small Azamara and their kin in the Princess fleet (R class ships) carry less than 800 passengers which makes tendering much easier than for most large cruise ships. They also can call at St Barts for the same reason. I've docked at Tortola a few times and done tendering into Virgin Gorda. Neither island, and especially Virgin Gorda, has the infrastructure that would be attractive to larger cruise ships. Very limited tour options in both and tendering at Virgin Gorda was into a marina with very little room for maneuvering the rather unmaneuverable ship's tenders.

 

Large ships need islands that offer tour options that appeal to the differing interests and physical abilities of their thousands to passengers, not just those passengers looking for a different island. Tortola could eventually become such a port call given enough interest and investment, but I can't see Virgin Gorda ever being a good choice for large cruise ships.