By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive says there “is no reason” to alter its forecasts despite the latest delay to the cruise industry’s return leaving no margin for error.

Michael Maura, pictured, the cruise port operator/developer’s top executive, told Tribune Business that the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) decision to extend the ‘no sail’ order imposed on the industry until September 30 should be viewed in a positive light because it could have pushed it out even further.

The cruise port, in its recent $150m bond offering, projected that cruise ships and their passengers would return to Nassau starting in the 2020 fourth quarter which begins on October 1 - the day after the ‘no sail’ order presently stands to be lifted.

This means that Nassau Cruise Port’s restart forecast has no room for any further “no sail” extension, with the government’s newly-imposed block on commercial air and sea travel between The Bahamas and the US a further potential complication if it remains in place for any length of time.

However, Mr Maura said: “While no one wants to see the ‘no sail’ order extended, I guess my perspective is I would look on that position the CDC took on July 16 as being somewhat positive news. It could have extended it much further beyond September given that there’s been such a spike and surge in COVID-19 cases in Florida.

“At this point, based on the discussions we continue to have with the cruise lines, they’re obviously committed and need to implement the necessary COVID-19 related health and safety protocols on board their vessels and at their terminals.

“In the continued communications we continue to receive from all the cruise lines they are requesting berth availability in October. We have no reason to amend our forecasts at this point.”

Nassau Cruise Port, in its bond offering projections, forecast that the cruise industry would return to Prince George Wharf after “six months of nothing” in the 2020 fourth quarter with much-reduced passenger numbers.

Some 635,000 cruise arrivals were forecast to come during a final quarter that includes the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. “In the first quarter we handled on average 76,000 passengers a week,” Mr Maura told Tribune Business at the time. “In the fourth quarter we’re looking at handling approximately 48,000 passengers a week. That’s after six months of nothing....

“We said we’re going to look at the fourth quarter. I have spoken to, and had the benefit of speaking with, every cruise line that comes to The Bahamas. They say The Bahamas is significant and strategic in their return to the water.

“They see themselves calling on The Bahamas first because of the three to four-day cruises, enabling them to offer two to three calls in the same itinerary, and with only one head (departure) tax needing to be paid.”