Bonaire's Future

[u4ia]

during last week when I was in Bonaire, I think each day there was a different gigantic cruise ship that came into port and spent the day. one day there were 2 - one large monstrosity and a smaller one. not that I am a Bonaire expert by any means, but I dont recall seeing any cruise ships on a previous trip in April 07 -- seems to me they are ramping up the visits at an alarming rate.

 

[tedtim]

From the Bonaire Reporter January 25 - February 8 edition, page 2

The TCB reports that during the 2007-2008 cruise ship
season, 156,702 ship passengers enjoyed the attractions of
Bonaire, more than double the 76,933 who arrived in the 2005-2006 cruise ship season, including Freewinds and Polynesia guests. According to sources, “This finally puts Bonaire up in the big leagues of cruise ship tourism (see chart below).” The TCB hopes for even more “cruisers” next year, at least 254,000, a jump of another 62% and desires to convert some of them to stay-over tourists. The cruise ship season is considered to run from October 31 to April 30. See comments on pages 2 and 18 for more on cruise
ships.​

In a boon for cruiseship passengers and land travelers the US government plans to offer special “passport cards” as a cheap alternative to traditional documents for Americans visiting Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean by land or sea, the State Department announced. “The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at US land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda,” the department said.

The government will begin distribution of the cards, which will not be accepted for air travel, in the spring. US citizens can apply for them starting February 1. In addition Americans will need to show proof of citizenship in addition to an identification card. The US government has been tightening travel rules since the attacks of September 11, 2001.​

Destination 2006 2007
Curaçao 174,527 204,326
St Lucia 238,823 386,504
Dominica 253,814 237,857
Barbados 351,574 402,209
Aruba 362,554 299,783
Belize 461,106. 460,927
Cozumel 668,513 874,074
Jamaica 686,774 706,384​

St. Maarten 869,866 880,246

​

 

[tvictory]

Resurrecting thread with a cellphone pic my friend just sent me from the Divi Flamingo (which is right next to the town pier if I remember correctly). Thought folks would be interested. The closer dock is the Divi dive dock where the lockers are, the boats pick you up, and you enter to visit the house reef (Callabas?))
Is it me or is that thing parked awfully close to shore / reef?

To put that picture in perspective, check out Bonaire on Google Earth and note the distance between the cruise ship pier and Divi dive dock.

 

[Trwmodela]

I was in Bonaire the second week of January 2008. During this week the Crown Princess docked at the City Pier. The crew from Buddy's Dive Boat was not happy about the ship arriving. They told us the cruise passengers DO NOT pay the $25.00 Marine Park fee that all divers are required to pay. Also, they close off the main streets downtown to all vehicle traffiic so the passengers can walk the streets. We avoided the downtown area until the ship left the dock. Oh, I could hear the ships generators running while diving at Klein Bonaire.

Remember passengers eat their meals on the ship and only purchase drinks off the ship. They would be required to pay for any drinks on the ship and are usually looking for drink deals on the islands. I enjoy crusing but Bonaire is NO PLACE for large cruise ships!

When we arrived at the Belmar Apartments they asked us to conserve water and electric. Besides the issues of the septic holding tanks needing pumped out weekly.

 

[phelana]

I am not sure why the jump from a few boats to mega ships. Perhaps the tourist board hopes that a few of the many cruise ship visitors will be enticed to return back to the island as week long guests. Who knows. Sorobon/Windsurf Beach is a mess every Wed. I avoid it like the plague. I am waiting to see the island wide response once the cruise ship season ends before I comment further.

Ann Phelan
Caribbean Wind & Sun Vacations--Your Caribbean Travel Specialist

 

[agilulfo]

the cruise passengers DO NOT pay the $25.00 Marine Park fee that all divers are required to pay.

Are you saying that divers from cruises do not need to pay the fee? That would be very unfair to those who choose to stay on the island and spend the most money to support the tourist industry.

 

[reefdiva]

Are you saying that divers from cruises do not need to pay the fee? That would be very unfair to those who choose to stay on the island and spend the most money to support the tourist industry.

Divers from the cruise ships are required to pay a ten dollar one day Marine Park Fee while snorkelers from the cruise ships are not required to pay the fee. For "land based" visitors the fee for divers is 25 dollars for a calendar year and for snorkelers it is 10 dollars for a calendar year.

 

[tvictory]

Divers from the cruise ships are required to pay a ten dollar one day Marine Park Fee while snorkelers from the cruise ships are not required to pay the fee. For "land based" visitors the fee for divers is 25 dollars for a calendar year and for snorkelers it is 10 dollars for a calendar year.

Are the cruise ship day-trippers required to do the dive "orientation" and check-out thing, even if they've been there before? I'd guess not.

 

[agilulfo]

For the sake of argument, let's say "fair enough" as they are allowed to dive only for one day. Can a land based non diver tourist take a one day discover scuba diving course and not have to pay the $25 yearly fee?

Also, is there a special tag, pass, card, for such one day divers? If not, how does the Marine Park make sure that cruise ship divers pay the fee?

Finally, isn't the purpose of the fee partially to offset the damage that divers might do to the reef? If so, shouldn't cruise ship divers pay more since they are likely the most inexperienced and thus more likely to inflict damage to the reef?

 

[reefduffer]

Saw this on bonairetalk today, it makes me very sad.
Bonaire Talk: Captain don/ answers Therega Voel ?

Rather than start a new thread I just thought I'd resurrect this related one from a few months ago. Same subject, in essence, and it seems there was interest here.

I suppose the property owners of Bonaire are entitled to maximize the value of their property, and as a once-a-year-at-most tourist I have no standing to complain. But it hurts in an almost physical way.

Maybe there's an element of hyperbole in Capt. Don's rant here, but I doubt it's all fantasy.