The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business

Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

FAMILY Island vendors yesterday said it was “not a big deal” that Crystal Cruises has suspended sailing until at least the end of April 2022 because they were not benefiting significantly from its stops.

Belinda Major, owner/operator of Bahama Mama Daquiri in Long Island, told Tribune Business that the suspension - due to the impending bankruptcy of the cruise line’s immediate parent, Genting Hong Kong - would not have a significant impact for her.

“I’m a vendor out there. At this present date we’re in between because we had a bad experience with Crystal Cruises here on the island,” she said, adding that the cruise line had brought its own entertainment and vendors to the beach, thereby cutting local entrepreneurs out of the opportunity to do business with the passengers.

Ms Major said: “They brought all of their own staff, their own supplies, their own drinks and food from onboard, and set up shop on the beach and even used other vendors’ stalls without their permission.

“They left Long Island dirty on their last trip. So we are in the middle of the road with the whole cruise ship thing because some were for it and others were against it. I was one of the ‘middle of the road’ folks.

“I was willing to give them a chance because the local economy really needed a boost. Even knowing that the cruise ship does not provide as much to the local economy, we were still willing to give it a shot,” she continued.

“The first three stops were good, but after that it all went downhill from there. I personally won’t miss them. We hoped it would have done more for the local economy, but it was not working that way for us.” Another Long Island business owner reiterated what Ms Major said, and added: “They didn’t have much of an impact anyway.”

Kimberley Cartwright, owner/operator of KC Wine and Spirits in Salt Pond, Long Island, said: “The cruise ship stopped far from where I am. I’m all the way in Salt Pond, and the ship stopped in Clarence Town, which is quite a way away from me.

“I don’t think much of the vendors were making money out there anyway. It wasn’t even worth Crystal Cruises coming over here in my opinion.” Crystal Cruises had kept The Bahamas on two of its sailing itineraries for 2022. The first, starting in New York, was to stop in Bimini, Exuma and San Salvador, with the second - leaving Miami - to call on those three islands in addition to Long Island.

However, financial strife at its immediate parent has caused Crystal Cruises, which last year pioneered home porting in The Bahamas alongside Royal Caribbean, to suspend operations until at least April 29, 2022. This was to allow management to assess the company’s business, and determine its future options, with its parent set to run out of cash by end-January.

“This was an extremely difficult decision but a prudent one given the current business environment and recent developments with our parent company, Genting Hong Kong,” said Jack Anderson, Crystal’s president.

“Crystal has been synonymous with luxury cruising for more than 30 years, and we look forward to welcoming back our valued guests when we resume operations. We wish to thank our guests and travel advisors for their incredible support during these ongoing challenging times.”

Ricardo Morley, owner/operator of Shop Rite Mart, Great Exuma, had a different take to the Long Island vendors. He feels “every little bit counts”, and that Exuma’ tour operators would feel an impact from Crystal Cruises not coming to the island.

Mr Morley said: “From what I understand it was a touch and go situation, because the people that benefited were from the tour side of it. I understand most of the guests were interested in the tour side of the trip, where they were going down and swimming with the pigs and all of that kind of thing.

“But as far as the sale of souvenirs and things like that, it wasn’t much of a big deal having Crystal Cruises come to the island.”