Larger Cruise Ships cause implications in ports

Jason · November 2, 2006

Source: Caribbean360 News

With the era of larger cruise ships, the Caribbean has been told that there could be implications for their popular ports of call.

The Chief Executive Officer of the St Kitts shipping agent, Delisle Walwyn & Co., Denzil V. Crooke said there is the potential that the gap between the luxury on the ship and quality Caribbean destinations could very well widen and this presents challenges.

He noted that earlier this year that the Freedom of the Seas was the talk of the world when the mega ship was launched by Royal Caribbean. It has a capacity of 4,300 passengers and was then the largest ship in the fleet, but that ship will soon be dwarfed by the sister vessel Genesis.

The ship will cost US $1.24-billion and is now on order by Royal Caribbean. It will have a capacity of more than 6,000 passengers. The ship will weigh about 100,000 tons based on displacement. A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier comes in at about 97,000 tons. It is due to sail in 2009 and the question is whether Caribbean countries are ready to accommodate these mega vessels.

He said the order book for cruise lines speaks of 28 vessels between now and 2009 being built at a total cost of about US $16.5-billion. Each ship averages over 2,500 passengers.

In Barbados, in order to accommodate the QM2 last year the port authority had to deepen its channel to the Bridgetown Harbour.

elfed · November 4, 2006

I think I made a comment or two about something like this a while back. However I'm dreading the day when the Super Mega Liner arrives at a port with 6000 people adding to the already overcrowded popular ports. People will be looking for the Windjammer type of cruise that calls at the lesser known islands.It's like everything else in life I guess i.e.Buisness wants more and more, bigger and better etc etc. This could lead to over saturation in the cruising industry with people turning away to other types of vacation. I really don't like what Royal Caribbean are doing.

Regards,

James.

saltydog · November 4, 2006

Ditto James,

I am afraid also that the cruise industry, especially RCI, is going to shoot themselves in the foot with this plan. I much prefer smaller ships with 1200 or less passengers if possible. I can't imagine tendering 4000 people to shore for an eight hour visit and then back again. I would never do it.

Bigger is not always better. :wink:

Cheers

Tim

Lisa63 · November 6, 2006

Every so often, I am asked if there is anything that will get me to stop taking cruises. The only answer I have is that it will happen when the ships get too large and carry too many people. Now, I don't know exactly what those cut-off numbers are, but certainly 6,000 passengers is too much for me.

PrincessOne · November 7, 2006

I have to agree....the larger sizes are getting out of hand. Honestly I like the BIG ships...but 6,000 passengers is just plain nuts! LOL!

D

DaCruzNut · November 7, 2006

When I began to cruise, in 1988, most of the ports still had their own special charm. The town of Charlotte Amalie, in St. Thomas, had great duty-free shopping in friendly little shops along the main street. Bay Street, in Nassau, was a quiet little place to shop.

Over the years, I have watched the ports all become carbon copies of each other. Cruise ships, dumping thousands of people into a port, at one time, has had an adverse effect. All of the ports have begun to look alike, with Hooter, Hard Rock, Burger King, KFC and t-shirt shops lining the streets. Even Duvall Street in Key West hasn't been spared... :sad: