Royal Palms Grand Cayman and Other Thoughts

[elaineb]

On their website they have indicated they are closing for good on April 30th.  I love that venue and we were going to visit it on our cruise in October.  I was thinking that maybe our favorite beach clubs and snorkel vendors, etc. might be out of business by the time we get back to their islands.  That is a depressing thought.  So even when the cruise ships are operating, our islands might not be thriving and not much to do.  What do you think?

[Charles4515]

On their website they have indicated they are closing for good on April 30th.  I love that venue and we were going to visit it on our cruise in October.  I was thinking that maybe our favorite beach clubs and snorkel vendors, etc. might be out of business by the time we get back to their islands.  That is a depressing thought.  So even when the cruise ships are operating, our islands might not be thriving and not much to do.  What do you think?

 

That could be true. I was at Royal Palms in January. It was my go to beach in Cayman. Royal Palms closed because the land was bought by a developer who plans to build a hotel. That was in the works before cruising was suspended. If the hotel is actually built that will be better for the Cayman economy than the use of the property for cruise ships.

 

 

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[sandycruzr]

15 minutes ago, elaineb said:

On their website they have indicated they are closing for good on April 30th.  I love that venue and we were going to visit it on our cruise in October.  I was thinking that maybe our favorite beach clubs and snorkel vendors, etc. might be out of business by the time we get back to their islands.  That is a depressing thought.  So even when the cruise ships are operating, our islands might not be thriving and not much to do.  What do you think?

I’m so sorry to hear that. We were regular visitor to that wonderful beach club. Great drinks, great food and wonderful staff.  When I was there last (2/20) they said that Dart (that owns the land on which RP sits) was eventually going to force them to close but they thought it would another year at least. Dart has a huge master plan for the whole area 
so sad!

[WonderMan3]

I thought I read that a Four Seasons was going to be built there.

[omeinv]

Your general question is very valid.  A lot of businesses we've all grown to enjoy will likely disappear.  Think back to particular destinations that lost a lot of small businesses after a hurricane.  Now, amplify that effect over the entire Caribbean.  Most islands have no economy to speak of if tourism is removed, and many of the vendors like retailers, and tour operators don't have the financial wherewithal to hold on for two months of no business, follwed by several more months of drastically reduced business. 

 

I'm a scuba diver, and over the years have developed great friendships with dive operators all over the Caribbean.  As I think of them it's difficult to imagine a way through this for most of them.  Add to that restaurants, Tour guides, taxi and bus operators, and so on.  It's a grim outlook for those folks even more than for us here in areas with a more diverse economy, and with governments attempting to buttress the businesses, and individuals. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Georgia_Peaches]

To be certain, it is a sobering thought.  Back in February we stopped in Roatan.  This little island was mighty impoverished before the pandemic.  I can't even imagine how things have been with the loss of the ships to generate port traffic.  I believe it is possible that some islands in the Caribbean will open prematurely in order to begin generating income again.  Of course, the ships have to be ready to sail...

[elaineb]

I didn't know they were closing for a reason other than Covid-19.  It was a great run!  Maybe the new hotel will offer day passes.  As for the vendors on the other islands, I suspect we may not see some of them again which would be a shame.  

[ralphd]

Grand Cayman is known for other things besides its rum cake and Pirate Festival, it is also the 5th largest financial center in the world  There’s no income tax, no property tax, and no company tax. It is a British Overseas Territory.

[EatonDoolittle]

15 hours ago, ralphd said:

Grand Cayman is known for other things besides its rum cake and Pirate Festival, it is also the 5th largest financial center in the world  There’s no income tax, no property tax, and no company tax. It is a British Overseas Territory.

 

Exactly. 

Due respect to the struggles of all tourism workers, but Grand Cayman deserves the least amount of sympathy of all the islands.  Their economy is just fine without us.