New Cruise Ship Pier?

[scubabum2]

I remember there was a bit of an uproar when Coz built the pier just south of the Int'l Pier, right over Paradise Reef. I can only imagine how much underwater devastation there was when all of it came tumbling down except for the last column. I seem to remeber that there were some prohibitions put in place regarding building piers further south of Paradise.

Dandy Don had some great advice about the cruise ships - moon 'em. I did, and it does help take that frustration level down.

Squidguy, as for diving the airplane wreck, you can use the El Cid beach for access. There not much plane left, just one of the wings, but the coral that was around the site is still there and attracting fish. In my opinion, its still a great shore dive.

 

[TheRedHead]

Dandy Don had some great advice about the cruise ships - moon 'em. I did, and it does help take that frustration level down.

They're all drunk. They would just respond in a huge sea of flabby white butts. Ewww.

I give them the finger when they're staring at you from their little submarine.

 

[ggunn]

I just back, and there weren't many ships in port the two weeks I was there. What I was told was that the Mexican gov't and Carnival are arguing over whoever will pay for the restoration of the Puerto Maya pier, and Carnival is "punishing" Cozumel for the gov't's resistance by severely cutting back ship visits to the island. Many on the island are saying, "Please punish us some more."

 

[Brules]

Many on the island are saying, "Please punish us some more."

So are you saying they like the fewer ships in port?

And I would think insurance for whoever owns the PM pier would pay for its rebuilding? Or that they would go after whoever built it so crappily.....

 

[scubawife]

I just back, and there weren't many ships in port the two weeks I was there. What I was told was that the Mexican gov't and Carnival are arguing over whoever will pay for the restoration of the Puerto Maya pier, and Carnival is "punishing" Cozumel for the gov't's resistance by severely cutting back ship visits to the island. Many on the island are saying, "Please punish us some more."

They have recently struck a deal over the millions Carnival owes. The govt is reportedly settling for a reduced amount and Carnival now wants reduced tax and fee rates for their ships (ALL Carnival Corp, not just Carnival Cruise Lines). Carnival owns and mantains their port facility and so they feel they shouldn't pay the same taxes and fees other lines pay who don't own their own piers.

There are reasons that they are affectionately called Carnivore Cruise Corp

It's not that the money isn't available to rebuild. Even if they are paying for it and own it, it's still being built in Coz and will require the proper permits and inspections right? The govt could find 101 reasons not to issue them. I hope the govt doesn't make it easy for them. However, eventually I'd bet the govt gives in and not Carnival. When you take away Carnival, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, Windstar, Cunard, Costa, that's a big junk of business.

 

[scubawife]

So are you saying they like the fewer ships in port?

And I would think insurance for whoever owns the PM pier would pay for its rebuilding? Or that they would go after whoever built it so crappily.....

The busiest day when we were there in Feb was 6 ships. Someone had said that was the most in one day since Wilma? Except for one or two ships, passengers seemed to be off the island every day by 5-6pm.

 

[ggunn]

So are you saying they like the fewer ships in port?

And I would think insurance for whoever owns the PM pier would pay for its rebuilding? Or that they would go after whoever built it so crappily.....

A lot of folks on the island like the lower cruise ship traffic. The cruiser trade does not benefit the hotels, the restaurants, and the shops that aren't on Melgar or within a block of the square, and when several ships are in at once, it's nearly impossible for anyone to walk around town or get a taxi.

One DM I talked to went diving around the wreckage of the Puerto Maya pier, and he said that the bases of the pylons he saw were not excavated at all but just set on the bottom.

 

[Divingnthedark]

A lot of folks on the island like the lower cruise ship traffic. The cruiser trade does not benefit the hotels, the restaurants, and the shops that aren't on Melgar or within a block of the square, and when several ships are in at once, it's nearly impossible for anyone to walk around town or get a taxi.

I got an idea...they should build high walled cattle shoots for the pod people that connect directly to cruzero shops with overpasses so that locals and land based tourists can by pass them altogether