i live in port au prince, so i try to stay out of these one love bus crawl tour debates.
most people have no idea what "shanty towns" and ~poverty~ really look like. as underprivileged as some folks in negril might be, trust- it's nothing compared to genuine poverty.
Originally Posted by Accompong
Thanks for the insight, Captain. That makes sense.
Passing through Montego Bay last week, I can see the cruise port there is alive and well.
Thanks for the report. I recently watched a documentary I found on Netflix titled "Poverty Inc" . I recommend it for anyone who has a desire to contribute and help those in need. The film has enlightened me in many ways and made me think a bit deeper about what I'm doing and if my desire to help is actually hurting and keeping people in poverty. Thought provoking for sure.
As with everything in JA, it is never as simple as it appears. The Jamaica Gleaner had comments from the Falmouth Mayor stating that harassment was the reason for the ships pulling out. Now the story has been somewhat retracted and pulled back.
FIRST REPORT
Yesterday, the Gleaner published an article titled Major Cruiselines Pull Out Of Falmouth Port, Financial Fallout Expected. The article is admittedly confusing. It quotes Falmouth’s mayor, Colin Gager, referring to three ships, the "Allure of the Seas," and two unnamed ships from Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. It seems that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises changed the itineraries of three cruise ships from Falmouth at sometime in the future.
It does Falmouth Jamaica Royal Caribbeannot appear that these cruise lines are pulling all of their ships from this port. The Royal Caribbean website still lists the Independence, Liberty, Oasis, Allure, and Harmony of the Seas sailing to Falmouth in 2017 and 2018 and the Adventure of the Seas calling on Falmouth in late 2018 and 2019.
The article cites three reason expressed by the Falmouth mayor for the disruption of arrivals at the port: (1) "visitor harassment," (2) the "conduct of tour bus operators," and (3) "craft vendors leaving much to be desired."
Many cruise passengers have complained about being harassed in Falmouth, as well as other ports in Jamaica such as Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, by vendors and hair-braiders over the years. There have been many discussions between Royal Caribbean and Jamaican tourism officials about the cruise visitors' complaints of harassment.
UPDATED: Trelawny Business Leaders Say Falmouth Cruise Line Harassment Concerns 'Not Surprising'
Published:Monday | July 10, 2017 | 7:06 AM
Business leaders in Trelawny say the authorities should not be surprised tourism harassment has been cited as a concern for cruise lines.
Last week, reports surfaced that the local industry was set to suffer a major blow with the pull out of three major cruise lines, largely as a result of harassment concerns.
However, in a statement yesterday, the Port Authority disputed the reports saying that apart from the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) subsidiary Celebrity Cruises, which was late in berth reservation for 2018, resulting in the available berth going to Princess Cruises, all cruise lines remain committed to Falmouth and are still scheduled to call at the port.
"Notwithstanding, RCCL has not included Falmouth calls for its new Oasis class vessel, the Symphony of the Seas and will be repositioning the Allure of the Seas, another Oasis class vessel, after April 2018. The Allure of the Seas will return to Falmouth in December 2018," the Port Authority said.
Prior to the release of the Port Authority statement, Delroy Christie, acting president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, said while reports of a pull out were regrettable the harassment problem was becoming unbearable.
Mayor of Falmouth Colin Gager had said last week that the pull out of three vessels, which together bring in about 10,000 visitors per call to the port, would result in losses of about $5 million monthly.
Yesterday the Port Authority said that, although a decline in earnings was expected from the reposition of Allure of the Seas, the summer season generally records an approximately 40 per cent decline in cruise arrivals, compared to the winter season.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story suggested it was a fact that three cruise ships would be pulling out of Falmouth.)
Had a Captain in the Army that always used to say "Never trust the first report."
Last edited by RonMon; 07-14-2017 at 07:27 AM.
The reporter or editor who wrote this has no idea of the difference between a "cruise line" and a ship.
Three ships do not a cruise line make. Three weekly port calls are what it should have said
I could explain port call conflicts but I won't bore you.
As I previously mentioned Falmouth does have issues with aggressive vendors that must be addressed.
Cap
Last edited by captaind; 07-14-2017 at 08:00 AM.
Linston's Zion Hill Taxi
Captain Dave
Just a larger example of what the One Love Bus discussion was about. Anywhere you put tourists with money, you are going to get some aggression either from vendors or just people in general trying to get a little piece of the pie. Negril works a little better because the "money people" are generally inside AIs and don't venture out that much. Falmouth is the problem on steroids. Lots of money people dropped off in a poor parish and only a few hours to get as much as you can.
Just my opinion.
Free Opinions Offered. No tipping required. Hours: Open when I feel like it.
This is so true Accompong. Actually most of the cruise ports is like this some are just more aggressive. Go to cruise critic and you will see people complaining about Nassau, Bahamas. When those ships pull into ports the locals see 6 hrs of fast cash. I often hear my ship stopped in Jamaica and they hassled me so bad. You have to get away from the ports. In Negril you have visitors that are first timers and some of these guys like to hasssle. Then you have repeat visitors that ignore them. I got off the bus last yr and handed out $$. If I did go back I wouldn't get off the bus next time. We are just gonna sit out for awhile.
I hear what you are saying and generally agree. I remember in the 90's when I used to take the bus from the airport to Negril I most hated the drive through the streets of Lucea where I found myself looking out the bus window staring at poor people who were just staring right back at me. I just couldn't take that. Now when I travel in Jamaica, I stop off at places were obviously poor people live and work and spend a little money here and there but I don't "hand out $$" as that just sends the wrong signal. When I get asked for money sometimes I just ask back, "What are you willing to do for the money?" Usually I get this blank look and I continue, "I worked for my money, are you willing to work for yours?" Picking up plastic bottles, trash, etc. are some things I am willing to part with a couple of hundred Jamaican for. Doesn't have to be much but just showing the effort makes us both feel better about the transaction. Most don't want to beg.
If you do go back, get off the bus and mingle. A few gentle "No"'s go a long way to discourage and it gives you a moment to educate people on the proper way to interact with visitors. I live in an area where most of the time I am the only "tourist" within say 20 miles or so. I operate off of Respect. It is a two-way street with me. The more they see I am just like them and I Respect them, the more Respect they show for me. I love my little town. http://www.accompongtown.com
Respect.
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We have friends that the only one time they have been to Jamaica was by cruise ship and they said they would never return. I have tried for years to get them to return with us so I can show them a different side of Jamaica.
Same thing w some friends of ours, they don't get it. I have never met anyone that did a cruise port stop and thought it was a good idea to venture inland on a vac. There is def an issue with the cruise ports and how the guests are handled.
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