The Cayman Islands has announced that no cruise ships will be allowed to dock at the islands until next year. This is due to a lack of capacity in the ports and an increase in tourism.
The ports closed to cruise ships 2021 is an announcement that the Cayman Islands are closing their ports to cruise ships until 2021.
Despite efforts to expand international tourism, there are no plans to expose the Cayman Islands to cruise ships in any manner. Last was reinforced this week when the administration announced that a cruise ship embargo would be extended.
While the embargo is currently set to expire on December 31, 2021, the Cayman Islands are likely to continue barring cruise ships for many months beyond that while it rethinks its tourist strategy.
Are Cruises to the Cayman Islands a Thing of the Past?
Despite the fact that cruise lines spent more than $224 million in the Cayman Islands during the 2017 and 2018 cruise seasons, the Caribbean cruise destination is not willing to let cruise ships in at this time.
The cruise ship embargo, which has been in effect since March of last year, has been extended by the nation’s cabinet. The prohibition is currently in effect until December 31st. According to the Cayman News Service, the embargo may continue far into the new year, with cruise ships perhaps being banned permanently.
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com/Angela N Perryman
The administration stated in July that cruise ships would most likely not return until February of next year, but it kept the door open for an early return.
Premier Wayne Panton stated, “We will first evaluate the COVID-19 situation in a local and international context on January 27 next year to decide whether and how to continue with further easing of restrictions and travel.” “If the evaluation permits, we will begin to welcome all travelers and re-introduce cruise tourism.”
The chances of cruise ships returning to the Cayman Islands sooner have almost vanished. That, however, does not come as a complete surprise. For more than a year, the cruise sector has been in trouble with the Cayman Islands, with the local administration seeming reluctant to reopen cruise tourism on any significant basis.
Also see: What to Do in Grand Cayman While on a Cruise.
While part of this is due to the epidemic and the islands’ desire to keep any foreign diseases as far away as possible, the emphasis on other kinds of tourism and reducing emissions also play a role.
The focus will shift to overnight tourism.
In 2019, Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin applauded numerous cruise companies’ plans to construct a cruise port in Georgetown, including MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Disney Cruise Line.
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com/ericlaudonien
“These agreements, together with the financing supplied by whatever company is ultimately chosen as the preferred bidder on the project, guarantee that no public funds are needed to construct the cruise berths and improved cargo facilities,” he stated at the time.
When the epidemic struck, Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin made a fast turnaround, and despite the appointment of a new Premier, cruise tourism has no place in the Cayman Islands right now. Instead, the islands prefer to concentrate their efforts on attracting visitors who will remain for longer periods of time.
Support for the cruise industry’s presence in the region is dwindling, according to local press sources. Locals, on the other hand, want to concentrate on overnight tourism, such as diving, medical tourism, and offshore banking. On the internet, someone said:
Any proposal to prohibit cruise ship emissions should, ideally, also prohibit the viruses and other diseases that cruise ships bring to our shores. I’d be pleased if cruise ships were outlawed forever.
Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman, and Little Cayman are the three islands that make up the Cayman Islands. The islands welcomed 1.83 million cruise passengers in 2019, with 271,000 arriving in January. The islands used to be one of the top cruise destinations in the Caribbean.
The are caribbean ports open to cruise ships is a question that many people have been asking. The answer is no, the Cayman Islands says that they won’t allow any cruise ships into their ports until next year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Grand Cayman accepting cruise ships in 2021?
Is Grand Cayman allowing cruise ships?
Which cruise ships stop in Cayman Islands?
The Carnival Cruise Line ships, the Carnival Liberty and the Carnival Triumph, stop in Cayman Islands.
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