The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister has expressed hope that cruise line home porting in The Bahamas “continues indefinitely” and does not represent a short-term industry response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, told Tribune Business he was especially hopeful that Crystal Cruises’ weekly seven-night Bahamas voyages might become a longer-term fixture given that it had never previously sailed out of south Florida.

Acknowledging that the initiatives unveiled by Crystal Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will “tide us over” until the industry resumes sailing from south Florida, Mr D’Aguilar said The Bahamas had previously enjoyed “very little success at home porting” due to its proximity to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral.

Cruise companies also have “thresholds” for the number of passengers within driving distance of their home ports, but he added: “Crystal Cruises’ ship was not ever sailing from the US. They tend to have more upmarket, older clientele and, as a result, they may be considered a little less price sensitive.

“Because they don’t home port in the US presently we probably have a better possibility with them. Time will tell. Hopefully home porting remains in place, and hopefully it continues indefinitely. That’s our primary goal.”

Mr D’Aguilar echoed Michael Maura, Nassau Cruise Port’s chief executive, who told Tribune Business earlier this week there was “a good opportunity” for Nassau and The Bahamas to hang on to both Crystal Cruises Royal Caribbean as long-term home port clients given the increasing number of new vessels scheduled to be delivered in the next few years post-pandemic.

“I think from Crystal’s perspective, based on the information they have shared, this is a long-term effort on their part and for as long as their customers demand they will continue to home port out of Nassau. They weren’t sailing from Miami,” Mr Maura told this newspaper.

As for Royal Caribbean, Mr Maura acknowledged the move was likely driven by COVID-19 and the desire to restart, suggesting that they were looking at other ports in the Caribbean besides Nassau. While the cruise giant will never abandon its Miami and south Florida base, the increase in new cruise vessels being delivered for sailing in 2022 and 2023 means it needs more berth capacity.

As a result, Mr Maura argued: “I think there’s a good opportunity for us to hold on to Royal Caribbean as a home port in Nassau because more ships need more berths. We have a good chance; we just need to do our job to the best of our ability and give passengers a great experience.”