Lobby: Great berthing need

One body that is well placed to give an opinion on possible berthing is the Association for the Advancement of Cruise Tourism, which has long lobbied for developments within the industry. 

Spokesman Robert Hamaty said that discussions on the issue had been ongoing at least since 2003. 

“We have sat down and watched cruise lines get involved in ports all around us on the Western itinerary. It is just business sense; if you have a boat full of people sailing away you have lost a financial interest,” said Mr. Hamaty. 

“That has happened to us. There are two ports in Mexico that the cruise companies are involved in, plus Falmouth, Roatan, Labadee now. So there are so many they are financially involved in and at this stage right now if the cruise lines are interested in putting a cruise berthing facility in the Cayman Islands that is definitely a great opportunity. If we miss it, we literally miss the boat.” 

He added that the days of ‘building a port and they will come’ were over, so the previous negotiations for construction with private companies were not ideal, compared to the prospect of having cruise lines involved from Day One. Cayman, he said, was geographically well-placed for cruise ships, which would rather come here than not. 

“Fuel pays a major factor. Every day those Oasis-class ships that won’t tender [due to their size and build], which replace the smaller ships, decreasing our numbers, sail pass here, from a fuel point of view [they do not want to be] passing a place where revenue is there to pick up. 

“They make money from the tours, the shopping and the passenger experience is that they love to come off the ship. They do not want to be on the ship all the time,” he said. 

In his capacity as spokesman for the Association for the Advancement of Cruise Tourism, Mr. Hamaty explained the benefits of cruise tourism to Cayman. 

“Without a doubt there are benefits; the historical data is there as to berthing in different places. Time on shore by passengers is increased, spend is increased and you have many other options. 

“Gaming in the Cayman Islands is not allowed of course but if you look at Bahamas, after a big fight they decided that if ships were berthed overnight they would be allowed to open their casinos. Local people are not allowed on the ships to gamble so it does not affect the local people. They are not allowed into the casinos in Atlantis either. The ships love to overnight as they save fuel and the passenger experience is great. They go out, have dinner, go to Atlantis – the ship becomes a hotel for the night,” he said. 

This could bring George Town alive, noted the tourism expert. 

“Think of it – we are only small. Just one ship overnighting here would bring George Town alive. The restaurants and shops would stay open later, people would be walking the streets, it would come alive.  

“We have just played around with this idea for so long that it is unbelievable but think about the trickle down effect. Taxi drivers. watersports, fishing, everything – the ship is not just shopping, there are tour excursions like Stingray City, Turtle Farm, which is dying because of numbers, two dolphin parks and not to mention the amount of shops that are closing due to falling numbers,” said Mr. Hamaty. 

This is both down to pure falling numbers but also the fact that the types of ships that have been coming to Cayman have brought passengers with access to less disposable income, he noted. 

“When people like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian started cutting back that was a big, big hurt to the Cayman Islands. That is not only berthing, it is the passenger experience. We have done a terrible job with Royal Watler. Somebody needs to address it. It is just a malfunction junction and the cruise line does not like that experience for its passengers. It is tents, concrete pillars, totally confusing. Not a great experience. 

“But it can be fixed; it just needs the proper people who want it to be done and who can get it done. The Department of Tourism has met with us and we have given some suggestions. I know there are budgetary constraints but something has to be done. 

“We should have a dedicated director of cruise tourism. The tourism department is doing a great job in air arrivals but we do not have anyone networking with the cruise lines. That is how other countries have done it and that person could also be in charge of the retail side of the port,” concluded Mr. Hamaty. 

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