Wannacruise81 Posted June 22, 2020 #1 Share Posted June 22, 2020 When cruises resume, do you think the cruise lines should use their private islands as destinations first before they sail to "mainland" destinations? I think there is more of a controlled environment and reduces exposure when most of the staff on the island are coming from the ship. Yes there are locals who also work on the islands, but will the cruise lines reduce the number of locals working in the straw markets and other venues when they first open? Yes they can screen all passengers at the embarkation port but once passengers visit a destination, it kind of resets the whole screening because they can be exposed to so many people when ashore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipgeeks Posted June 22, 2020 #2 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Makes sense to me. And I would be very happy to have a 7-night cruise with only private island and sea days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zalusky Posted June 22, 2020 #3 Share Posted June 22, 2020 The Bahamas or other governing districts of these private islands have to approve it. Maybe they will but its not Royals decision alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Newleno Posted June 22, 2020 #4 Share Posted June 22, 2020 38 minutes ago, shipgeeks said: Makes sense to me. And I would be very happy to have a 7-night cruise with only private island and sea days. Ditto, Ditto, Ditto 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mac_tlc Posted June 22, 2020 #5 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Doesn’t sound like the government in the Bahamas is too keen on a “private-island-only” itinerary: The closed country of Bahamas is dealing with a much different issue. Several major cruise lines—including Disney and Royal Caribbean—own or lease isolated private islands here, like Disney’s Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay. Officials are trying to ward off any temptation by the lines to do short itineraries from South Florida that visit only places under cruise line control, bypassing the country’s largest city, Nassau. The local Bahamas Tribune newspaper quoted Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas minister of tourism, as saying that bypassing the capital city—where shops, restaurants, tours, and attractions draw visitor dollars—would not be allowed. And so the saga continues....... mac_tlc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spurschick Posted June 22, 2020 #6 Share Posted June 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, mac_tlc said: Doesn’t sound like the government in the Bahamas is too keen on a “private-island-only” itinerary: The closed country of Bahamas is dealing with a much different issue. Several major cruise lines—including Disney and Royal Caribbean—own or lease isolated private islands here, like Disney’s Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay. Officials are trying to ward off any temptation by the lines to do short itineraries from South Florida that visit only places under cruise line control, bypassing the country’s largest city, Nassau. The local Bahamas Tribune newspaper quoted Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas minister of tourism, as saying that bypassing the capital city—where shops, restaurants, tours, and attractions draw visitor dollars—would not be allowed. And so the saga continues....... mac_tlc Bahamas opens to commercial travelers July 1st. If it is needed to visit Bahamas as a condition to go to private islands I am sure it won’t be an issue to cruiselines if it means they can sail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx121 Posted June 22, 2020 #7 Share Posted June 22, 2020 I would definitely do a 7 night trip to Coco Cay and Labadee. 👍 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time4u2go Posted June 22, 2020 #8 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Does Coco Cay count as a distant foreign port for the purposes of the PVSA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Georgia_Peaches Posted June 22, 2020 #9 Share Posted June 22, 2020 2 hours ago, mac_tlc said: Doesn’t sound like the government in the Bahamas is too keen on a “private-island-only” itinerary: The closed country of Bahamas is dealing with a much different issue. Several major cruise lines—including Disney and Royal Caribbean—own or lease isolated private islands here, like Disney’s Castaway Cay and Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay. Officials are trying to ward off any temptation by the lines to do short itineraries from South Florida that visit only places under cruise line control, bypassing the country’s largest city, Nassau. The local Bahamas Tribune newspaper quoted Dionisio D’Aguilar, the Bahamas minister of tourism, as saying that bypassing the capital city—where shops, restaurants, tours, and attractions draw visitor dollars—would not be allowed. And so the saga continues....... mac_tlc Of course, nobody wants to miss out on tourist $$$. The think is, if other islands like Cozumel open to ships, they won't need a private island stop and Bahamas still loses the tourist dollar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONECRUISER Posted June 22, 2020 #10 Share Posted June 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Newleno said: Ditto, Ditto, Ditto Only Book Cruises with average 50-50 Port and Sea Days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timf2001 Posted June 23, 2020 #11 Share Posted June 23, 2020 6 hours ago, time4u2go said: Does Coco Cay count as a distant foreign port for the purposes of the PVSA? Distant foreign port is only for sailing between two different U.S. ports. All you need is any foreign port for a round-trip, and yes it counts. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted June 23, 2020 #12 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Another site said president of roatan said no cruise ships for the rest of 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted June 23, 2020 #13 Share Posted June 23, 2020 4 hours ago, timf2001 said: Distant foreign port is only for sailing between two different U.S. ports. All you need is any foreign port for a round-trip, and yes it counts. You explained that very well. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted June 23, 2020 #14 Share Posted June 23, 2020 4 hours ago, firefly333 said: Another site said president of roatan said no cruise ships for the rest of 2020. Roatan is an island in Honduras. There is no president of Roatan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted June 23, 2020 #15 Share Posted June 23, 2020 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said: Roatan is an island in Honduras. There is no president of Roatan. You are right, but same result. Went back thru posts and this is a copy and paste. I've been going there since rcl started going there before it got so commercialized. I'm well aware it's a island. Doesnt change the outcome of what I posted. I've been there 15 times, or more. Back when I started going to roatan they used old yellow school buses for the excursions. One wrong word. My favorite port. --------------- FYI if you are trying to book cruises with Roatan as a stop in 2020 its not happening. Our friend and guide in Roatan messaged us this weekend to say the Mayor put an article in the news paper there saying there would be NO cruise ships until sometime in 2021. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. Edited June 23, 2020 by firefly333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigrednole Posted June 23, 2020 #16 Share Posted June 23, 2020 If cruising on RCL starts by November and they choose their private islands only, I would not be against stopping at Labadee and CocoCay. If the Bahamas required stopping in Nassau to do it also, I would not be opposed. A day trip to Atlantis or snorkeling excursion there would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted June 23, 2020 #17 Share Posted June 23, 2020 1 hour ago, firefly333 said: You are right, but same result. Went back thru posts and this is a copy and paste. I've been going there since rcl started going there before it got so commercialized. I'm well aware it's a island. Doesnt change the outcome of what I posted. I've been there 15 times, or more. Back when I started going to roatan they used old yellow school buses for the excursions. One wrong word. My favorite port. --------------- FYI if you are trying to book cruises with Roatan as a stop in 2020 its not happening. Our friend and guide in Roatan messaged us this weekend to say the Mayor put an article in the news paper there saying there would be NO cruise ships until sometime in 2021. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up. I'm booked jan 3rd on Liberty OTS and one of the ports is Roatan So when a tour guide emails that the MAYOR says no cruise ships into 2021, worrying. I just hope doesnt get cancelled. We have a nice little roll call for that sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatour Posted June 23, 2020 #18 Share Posted June 23, 2020 20 hours ago, Spurschick said: Bahamas opens to commercial travelers July 1st. If it is needed to visit Bahamas as a condition to go to private islands I am sure it won’t be an issue to cruiselines if it means they can sail. If it is okay to the Bahama gov't for them to stop at both Nassau and and the private islands then the cruise lines will. The thinking with just stopping at the private islands is that it may it more palatable to the Bahama gov't by reducing the potential to spread covid to their citizens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare orville99 Posted June 23, 2020 #19 Share Posted June 23, 2020 9 hours ago, bigrednole said: If cruising on RCL starts by November and they choose their private islands only, I would not be against stopping at Labadee and CocoCay. If the Bahamas required stopping in Nassau to do it also, I would not be opposed. A day trip to Atlantis or snorkeling excursion there would be nice. We have two Allure western Caribbean cruises booked for next year that have both Labadee and Coco Cay as port stops. If it wasn't for the fact that Jamaica is the stop between the two private islands, I'm not sure it would even qualify as a western, since the other stop is Nassau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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