Only problem Ms. Carey, while I am with you that these private cays really bring no lasting benefits to the Bahamas itself except to "say" its in the Bahamas, I am equally disturbed that such a good job is being done directing cruise ships and its visitors to Nassau. Today for example there were at least 5 ships in port in Nassau. That's today. But how many were here for the week so far? Then, how many would you say have been to Freeport for the week?

Like I say I disagree with these private cays , but I also disagree with the "Nassau centric mentality"....Spread the wealth!

Mother nature will destroy it eventually...

First hurricane! Bet they won't be around to clean up the debris!

With over 40 cruise ships under construction world wide until 2026, all of the major cruise lines will be dupilcating the developement or buying or upgrading their own private islands. While the Bahamas is blessed to have so many to chose from, the gov should 1) Mandate the percentage of Bahamians employed on each island. 2) Put policies in place to not only tax the landing head count but also Tax the use of all attractions and amenities. 3) Tax cruse ships for time spent at these islands by implementing dockage fees 4) A section of the port department should be created for inspecting and regulating the safety of attractions with bi annual inspections.5) Mandate in all agreements with all cruise lines that some ships must call at inhabited Bahamian ports in porportion to the ones stopping at the privatse islands.

Royal Caribbean passengers are the cheapest and worst passengers of any of the cruise lines. They do not spend money in Nassau and most barely even get off the boat. It's far better to have them go to a private cay and pay their departure tax. That was all the money we were getting from them anyway. Cruise ship passengers are not the kind of tourist we want in the Bahamas. We should be focusing on people who fly here, and stay here and spend money here.

Any insight as to how much pollution and reef destruction these cruise ships cause? The citizens of Venice are rallying against the mammoth cruise ships coming to their port saying they and the tourists are destroying their beautiful city and their lives!

It has all been explained before how the cruise lines benefit and the Bahamas gets miserable dregs from these private cays.

The Bahamian Government should move NOW to rescind ALL of these private cays/day resorts deals that the cruise ships have access to ........ or tax them a minimum of $50-100 million a year as rent or lease of our territory ....... The cruise ships will eventually use their cays and not stop at Nassau ...... hence creating their own tourist haven in The Bahamas ........ The lease or sale of Bahamian cays to cruise lines was stupid from Day 1 and now I hope that Minnis and DD see how dangerous it will be when The Bahamas now tries to negotiate any new taxes or revenue enhancement deals with the cruise lines.

My Comrades, some 500,000 alone viewers and listeners' will be turned into ZNS on Wednesday for what will now be PM Minnis's third lost opportunity to explain the much controversial Oban Heads of Agreement having ducked out House on the two most previous House of Assembly sessions..... it's all or nothing for the red Imperial PM .Either he explains 'everything' about Heads of Agreement cause it's will be his Oban D-Day as PM. I wish someone else was there among red MP's any more qualified to replace fumbling Minnis. What we goin' do once Minnis gone from PMO? You can only misled natives so long before they see lies in their midst.

sheeprunner12 Your totally right. The cruise ships will quit coming into Nassau in particular. They already warn their passengers that Nassau has a high crime rate. Even right off the ship. They tell their passengers to leave all money and jewelry on the ship. They have already paid for their excursion on board and they may take 20.00 with them for incidentals. Sometimes not even that. Once their off the ship they may see something that they want but they didn't bring their money. That's why they don't spend money. Some don't even bring money to tip. They like their own islands where they feed the guest and they set up a little straw market. It's boring as hell. I've been and I hated it will never go on a cruise again that's stops at their own island. Most people don't know the difference and they enjoy it. The beach wasn't even nice, it was rocky. Awful!

Government needs to negotiate where we become the 1st stop on these 7 day cruises instead of the last. By time they get to Nassau the passengers are spent (mentally and physically) and have little urge to explore or spend anymore.
Also, we need to negotiate where passengers have the option to board the ships in Nassau instead of Florida. Hopefully then some of these passengers will arrive a day or two early - stay in a hotel and enjoy what Nassau has to offer.

Doesn't matter what gimmicks you try with these cruises ........ it is a LOSING investment for our country ........ either get our max lease price for the cays now and collect FULL departure taxes and get rid of any other side deals that we have to "beg" them to come here OR we will continue to upgrade and invest in vain ....... Why are we begging cruise ships to come here????

The cruise ship business is just like the EU blacklisting ..... too many moving goal posts for us to maintain.

I like that idea boarding the ship in Nassau. I would do it.

Ma Comrades, it's with raised eyebrows I read your blogs when for years where were you when various governments all political stripes been giving away all we's cherished most prime private islands to cruise ship corporations other foreigners of all stripes. I I get the impression you cares very little about what is happening with how our our beautiful islands and beach jewels - allowed become unwelcoming we natives.We need new thinking kinds peoples take-back we islands, beaches and Freeport reconciliation government.
Amen!

Dumb activists. . .for the most part. . .they need to get up of their asses and put their minds to national use and stop "stroking their self-important" concept of themselves and do something useful!! Don't eat shark. . .don't eat turtles them. . .don't this or don't do that. These jack asses persons with their self-important hips are too stupid to see the city for the smoke it seems! For example, whale activists allow them peoples them who eat whale as a part of their culture to catch lil bit of them and them whales are very endangered. . .as with them people them who do the turtles. . .or them Chines them are still allowed to eat shark fin soup!! Their activists them seem to have some sense and less "elitist" in their thinking!! But no.. .but our activists them "cut the whole thing out" mentality just goes too damn far till it een funny!! Tell them activists them to go get a real job. . .SHUT THE HELL UP!

The tallest slide in NORTH AMERICA???????????????

Tallest slide in NORTH AMERICA???????????????

Ma comrades, you shouldn't have be a registered activist to express disgust that a water park's slide will be the tallest in the entire region,,,, too tall ever see little native child sliding down that slide. Maybe they will have special invite the native children days when the private island is empty of paying cruise ship passengers. For F#uck sake this is so reminiscent pre Pindling days coming to power, Time for a retake we islands and beaches back kinds: t's the People's time Revolution! What are we allowing to be royally done we the natives... all done under the red shirts governing lies of: It's the People's time!