Front Street's Future?

[bdaguy]

hey tpk sounds like they interviewed you and i for this article!

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d77bb33003001f&sectionId=65

[TPKeller]

hey tpk sounds like they interviewed you and i for this article!

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d77bb33003001f&sectionId=65

Interesting! Maybe they read Cruise Critic too! :)

 

At the end of the article there was a blurb saying there would be another article by the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, let us know when you see that one!

 

Theron

[Writeratsea]

Interesting! Maybe they read Cruise Critic too! :)

 

At the end of the article there was a blurb saying there would be another article by the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, let us know when you see that one!

 

Theron

This is a very tricky situation for the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and the city of Hamilton. I can understand trying to increase business. But I don't think shifting the cruise ships to only the dockyard and St. Georges is going to generate extra business. Especally if the cruise is one day in Bermuda at the dockyard. Most people will just go to Horseshoe bay and forget about Hamilton. I don't think they will take a chance on the ferry and possibly missing their ship. What they could potentially see or buy is not worth that risk. Previously I had my own retail business, and it was always difficult to cultivate enough repeat customers to sustain the business. You learned to value such customers. Now Bermuda wants to throw those hard earned customers away without any forseeable replacement in mind. Last year when we were on the Majesty, we moved to Hamilton from St. George last year due to high winds. Since we were unexpectedly in Hamilton, it was easier to just go shopping as the stores were right in front of us. We spend a lot more time and money in those stores than we would have otherwise because of the convenience. I noticed that the Mayor of Hamilton, Sutherland Madeiros is not too happy about this, and I think he is very intellegent and observant about the ramifications. I wonder if anyone asked the taxi drivers based in Hamilton what their opinions would be. I know if I were one, I would shift to the dockyard or St. George looking for business, creating a glut of taxis for a smaller pool of tourists.:)

[celbercrz333]

I am so glad we went to Bermuda when we did--Oct 2003. It was our first cruise for our 25th anniversary. We docked right there in Hamilton across from Trimminghams. So many good memories. I am not sure I'd want to go back simply because I want to keep my memories. However, we didn't get to see either end of the island, just all the in between sections.

[bdaguy]

This is a very tricky situation for the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and the city of Hamilton. I can understand trying to increase business. But I don't think shifting the cruise ships to only the dockyard and St. Georges is going to generate extra business. :)

hey writer, read my post in this thread

[Writeratsea]

hey writer, read my post in this thread

I did read the articles. I am guessing that the cruiselines opted not to renew the contracts as they are not keeping the smaller ships such as the Crown. I understand the size limitation of the ships in Hamilton harbor. I wouldn't want to damage any of the precious coral, which takes years to grow, to enlarge the harbor. I guess, we as consumers need to show with our wallets how we feel. I can understand about expanding the cut in St. George is the same problem. You cannot do so without serriously damaging a lot of the coral that surrounds the island. I cringed when I read about the cruise ship (I believe it was the Dawn), ended up on a reef at the dockyard. I am sure that was damage to the coral. The ship can be repaired easily but not the coral. I hope this is the right interpretation of your comments and the articles.:)

[bdaguy]

I did read the articles. I am guessing that the cruiselines opted not to renew the contracts as they are not keeping the smaller ships such as the Crown. I understand the size limitation of the ships in Hamilton harbor. I wouldn't want to damage any of the precious coral, which takes years to grow, to enlarge the harbor. I guess, we as consumers need to show with our wallets how we feel. I can understand about expanding the cut in St. George is the same problem. You cannot do so without serriously damaging a lot of the coral that surrounds the island. I cringed when I read about the cruise ship (I believe it was the Dawn), ended up on a reef at the dockyard. I am sure that was damage to the coral. The ship can be repaired easily but not the coral. I hope this is the right interpretation of your comments and the articles.:)

it was ncl's crown that went aground last year. luckily there wasn't a lot of reef where the ship went aground, rsulting in minimal damage to both. quick fact for you - it takes about 100 years for brain coral to grow to the size of a basketball.

[Writeratsea]

it was ncl's crown that went aground last year. luckily there wasn't a lot of reef where the ship went aground, rsulting in minimal damage to both. quick fact for you - it takes about 100 years for brain coral to grow to the size of a basketball.

We went to the Bermuda Biological Institute for a tour last year. I found it very interesting, especially the research they are doing on coral. How it grows, reproduces and how under stress from environmental factors such as polution and acid rain that many coral reefs the world over are dying. As you say they are so slow growing that it takes years to rebuild the reefs. The native Hawaiian culture reveres coral and gets mad when any of the divers are seen breaking off coral formations and removing them from the ocean. It is amazing that the coral are living creatures and the reefs are their skeletons which remain after they die.:)

[bdaguy]

here's the latest ramblings about front street

 

http://www.theroyalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d77d3730030007&sectionId=65

[garcia1012]

Bdaguy,

 

I'm sure that you will agree with me that Bermuda is moving away from the tourism industry and more into the service and financial industries as their source of revenue. It is a shame that they are doing this, as this is a beautiful island with alot to offer, especially since it is so close to the states. Where about in Paget do you live? I have family in Paget and may be visiting there in Nov for a couple of day. Do you pass Johnny Barnes everyday on your way into town?

[bdaguy]

Bdaguy,

 

I'm sure that you will agree with me that Bermuda is moving away from the tourism industry and more into the service and financial industries as their source of revenue. It is a shame that they are doing this, as this is a beautiful island with alot to offer, especially since it is so close to the states. Where about in Paget do you live? I have family in Paget and may be visiting there in Nov for a couple of day. Do you pass Johnny Barnes everyday on your way into town?

while it is true that bermuda's tourism industry is second to finance/insurance after being #1 for decades, i definitely don't see any evidence to suggest that we are moving away from tourism. there's more for visitors to do here than ever before. i do agree that the finance industry is booming and for two decades our tourism numbers have been waning, but it's not from lack of effort to promote the island. we have been showing improvement in arrivals, and we spend millions upon millions every year to promote ourselves. so much in fact, that a couple of years ago we spent enough advertising dollars to offer everyone who came that year a free ticket!

[Pleiades]

Ah, the Crown running aground, I remember it well. I even went a little off course myself that day; the rain was so heavy you couldn’t see 100 feet. I doubt they could see much of the water at all from all the way up on the bridge of the ship. Of course, I don’t have GPS or radar or depth sounders on board, just my trusty compass. Whoever was at the helm on the Crown paid their instruments no heed.

[Coli]

Ah, the Crown running aground, I remember it well. I even went a little off course myself that day; the rain was so heavy you couldn’t see 100 feet. I doubt they could see much of the water at all from all the way up on the bridge of the ship. Of course, I don’t have GPS or radar or depth sounders on board, just my trusty compass. Whoever was at the helm on the Crown paid their instruments no heed.

 

LOL The Crown & the 'sandbar' - riiiiight....good day out at Dockyard that was for the locals!

[Writeratsea]

LOL The Crown & the 'sandbar' - riiiiight....good day out at Dockyard that was for the locals!

The locals had a lot of fun setting up their chairs and watching the show. The only sad thing was a lot of people lost so much of their precious time in Bermuda trying to tender to the dockyard. It was amazing that only a little damage was done to the ship and the coral reef. It certainly made for some very dramatic pictures.:)