Coco Cay / Port Fees

[Clarea]

Is there a caretaker or manager that lives on the Island? There was a man talking to some people at one of the bars on the island telling them that he lived on the island. We didn't know if that was true or not. This was a couple of years ago.

There are RC employees that live on the island. I forget how many, but it's not just one or two.

[FLACRUISER99]

Did you read any of the listed articles? The island was owned by Neil Ruzic who had purchased the island from the Bahamian government. He then subsequently leased the island to Admiral cruises. Royal took over the lease from Admiral and then bought all but 5 acres of CocoCay from Neil Ruzic many years ago and within the last year bought the remaining 5 acres from him.

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-12-16/entertainment/9204240285_1_wonderful-life-government-science

 

http://www.bahamas.com/vendor/coco-cay-beach#zoom=14&lat=25.82003&lon=-77.93923&layers=00B0T

 

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5TADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=little+stirrup+cay+ownership&source=bl&ots=Fq6o0d7T2G&sig=z7SMoaDDSOegy0un7zu3MtEjEe8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWhbbDw9_OAhXJrB4KHe5kBHs4ChDoAQggMAM#v=onepage&q=little%20stirrup%20cay%20ownership&f=false

Only problem is that until The International Persons Landholding Act in 1993 was passed, non-Bahamians could not own real property in The Bahamas.:confused:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiejqfwxuHOAhXDJh4KHcc_DSUQFggeMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bahamas.gov.bs%2Fwps%2Fwcm%2Fconnect%2F848dd580-fcca-4781-8e8a-354f21978f01%2FIPLA.pdf%3FMOD%3DAJPERES&usg=AFQjCNHCdkXZ94ctg8d8LEl2lkGoIxJahA&sig2=fbhgubQpWbaL_Mspd1K3QQ&cad=rjt

[Ourusualbeach]

There are far, far more sources stating the land is leased to RCI than "owned". I do know the Bahamas gov't gets a per head amount per pax.

 

I have seen some links that do mention that it is leased but I have not seen one that it says it was leased from the Bahamian government. Royal did in fact lease the land from the previous owner before purchasing the island.

 

Please feel free to share your sources.

[LisaGoeke]

We missed CocoCay for the first time this past June. We were pleasantly surprised to see "GOVT PORT TAXES/FEES -$21.51" credited back to our account for each of us.

[Mark_K]

There are far, far more sources stating the land is leased to RCI than "owned". I do know the Bahamas gov't gets a per head amount per pax.

 

 

The Bahamian government will get their cut just like the government does in the US. Owning the land vs leasing doesn't exempt you from being subject to taxes/fees.

 

 

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[Scotty G]

There are RC employees that live on the island. I forget how many, but it's not just one or two.

 

It's around 40-50 not including the tender crews and straw market folks that commute by boat daily.

[Scotty G]

Is there a caretaker or manager that lives on the Island? There was a man talking to some people at one of the bars on the island telling them that he lived on the island. We didn't know if that was true or not. This was a couple of years ago.

 

The owner did commingle with cruise guests. We saw him once at the Cabana bar when we were visiting Wendell, the Cabanas Concierge.

[Scotty G]

We missed CocoCay for the first time this past June. We were pleasantly surprised to see "GOVT PORT TAXES/FEES -$21.51" credited back to our account for each of us.

 

Interesting in what may have changed. We have missed Coco Cay about 20% of the time and never saw a refund in those fees.

[FLACRUISER99]

We missed CocoCay for the first time this past June. We were pleasantly surprised to see "GOVT PORT TAXES/FEES -$21.51" credited back to our account for each of us.

Did you stop at Nassau?

[LisaGoeke]

Did you stop at Nassau?

 

No, we stopped at St. Thomas (we got there two hours earlier than scheduled) and St. Maarten.

[uksimonusa]

I think the Bahamian port fees are for visiting the Bahamas, if Coco Cay is the only Bahamian stop then, in my experience, port fees are refunded if the port is missed, if the ship stops at another Bahamian port then no refunds.

[impatientlywaiting]

On our last cruise (Freedom of the Seas), our first scheduled Port was Coco Cay. Due to rough weather (winds and uber-swells), the Captain felt we could not safely dock (it would have put the ship and port workers at risk), and as a result made it a day at sea instead.

 

Believe me, the weather that prior evening, and the morning leading up to Coco Cay was rough to say the least. Everyone understood and accepted the decision to cancel the stop.

 

As far as we could tell from our bill, there was no refund of port fees, and it made me wonder whether there even ARE any port fees for Coco Cay, and if so how much. If there are, is it firms' discretion on whether to refund those fees?

 

If any one of my fellow CCers has some insight, I'd appreciate your courtesy.

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

 

When we missed CocoCay in 2013, we were refunded a small amount for port fees.

[FLACRUISER99]

I think the Bahamian port fees are for visiting the Bahamas, if Coco Cay is the only Bahamian stop then, in my experience, port fees are refunded if the port is missed, if the ship stops at another Bahamian port then no refunds.

 

 

 

Yes, that's why I asked.

 

 

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[TigerLady]

On our last cruise (Freedom of the Seas), our first scheduled Port was Coco Cay. Due to rough weather (winds and uber-swells), the Captain felt we could not safely dock (it would have put the ship and port workers at risk), and as a result made it a day at sea instead.

 

Believe me, the weather that prior evening, and the morning leading up to Coco Cay was rough to say the least. Everyone understood and accepted the decision to cancel the stop.

 

As far as we could tell from our bill, there was no refund of port fees, and it made me wonder whether there even ARE any port fees for Coco Cay, and if so how much. If there are, is it firms' discretion on whether to refund those fees?

 

If any one of my fellow CCers has some insight, I'd appreciate your courtesy.

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

since it is owned by RCCL, I would not thinki there is port fees. The first 5 cruises my DH and I took, Coco Cay was canceled. He started joking, that it was just a make believe place... lol

[ThePNVT]

Just cause it's owned by RCCL doesn't make it it's own country. I own land in VT, but it's still part of the United States even though it's my private property. It would be so sweet if we could buy islands and then they'd be our own countries! Maybe troublesome too though. ;)