The cruise ships are back !

[gopbroek]

I mentioned that I'd head that, but she said no. The Cozumel bar hop tour they booked was associated with Carnival, but it certainly took them outside of the bubble. The Costa Maya ruins tour they were too late for doesn't show to be associated with the barge company:
Turismo Chac Choben, S de RL de CV

An authorized tour in which the have a kickback is not the same as allowing them to leave the ship on their own. What you described is purely financial and not safety

 

[tridacna]

Oddly enough after the morning dive I drove past Pureta Maya and saw very little activity and minimual taxi's. Several local Islanders told me the cruise line has them in a 'bubble' and they are only allowed off the ships for designated (Carnival gets a cut from) tours and not allowed to get out on their own. Please verify with grand daughter, if possible.
The cruise lines have been slavering for this model for years and it cuts the local cities out of any economic benefit. It's a follow on to the cruise ship owned islands.

Who collects the $$$/passenger docking fee? There’s some big moolah there going somewhere local.

 

[gopbroek]

The same families that have continued to do well during the pandemic, other than have a designated son that lost an election.

 

[DandyDon]

Several local Islanders told me the cruise line has them in a 'bubble' and they are only allowed off the ships for designated (Carnival gets a cut from) tours and not allowed to get out on their own.

An authorized tour in which the have a kickback is not the same as allowing them to leave the ship on their own. What you described is purely financial and not safety

Of course, but they tell them it's for safety, like they do when they tell them which shops to visit.

 

[tridacna]

The same families that have continued to do well during the pandemic, other than have a designated son that lost an election.

Please elucidate. I have no idea of what you speak.

 

[cvchief]

The same families that have continued to do well during the pandemic, other than have a designated son that lost an election.

Fascinating though that a dedicated PRI switched to Morena because she didn't get her turn in PRI.

 

[Kimela]

This may have been addressed in the previous 6 pages, but in regards to Venice banning cruise ships:

The New York Times reported cruise ship passengers amount to 73% of visitors, but contribute a mere 18% of tourism dollars: "The proportion is inverted for people who spend at least one night at a hotel; they represent 14% of visitors, but 48% of the business." This aligns with the UN Environmental Program's estimate that "80% of what travelers spend on all-inclusive package tours 'go to the airlines, hotels, and other international companies (who often have their headquarters in the travelers’ home countries), and not to local businesses or workers."

If the biggest reason cruise ships are still invited to Cozumel is to line the pockets of the political families (in dock fees?), I don't know how to counter that. The people in charge will continue to call the shots ... unless the people of Cozumel rise up like the people of Venice did. If the actual residents/citizens of Cozumel aren't making much money from cruisers, is there a way to better promote the kind of tourism that WILL create more income for locals? My first thought is to treat cruisers so well that they will want to come back for a week long stay at a hotel, resort or rental. But that is an investment in the near term that won't produce fruit for a while. I also think Cozumel could do a lot to clean up the streets (pick up trash) and slap an extra coat of paint on strategically placed buildings. I love Cozumel, but seeing the trash on the street (every street) is heartbreaking - and it makes perfectly safe areas 'feel' unsafe to tourists. I also think that you could get a fair number of volunteers in the expat community, or even visitors, like me, to donate time to helping with cleanup - so the initial push to clean things up wouldn't necessarily have to be a huge burden to the local population. We visited a small town in Spain (Mijas) and were told that one day each year the entire town shut down to whitewash the buildings. ONLY white paint is used on the outside of the buildings, so it's easy to organize and complete the task. Do they ACTUALLY do this or was it something our tour guide said that was a nice embellishment? I don't know. But when you get the community organized to a common goal, great things can happen.

 

[kelemvor]

I'd hate to be trapped on a barge with people who weren't, and I'm sure the cruise lines don't want to deal with the risk now that we have such a wonderful solution.

So are they going? Did she give in on the jabs?

The cruise line denied the exception for my nephew who is too young for a covid vaccine. Good for the cruise lines, IMO. Sister-in-law is pretty unhappy.

So, the state laws may not allow companies to require customers to vaccinate but cruise lines are doing it anyway. I'm sure some jackass will file suit eventually if it hasn't happened already. Perhaps simply having an exception process meets the legal requirements - even if the exceptions aren't granted.

 

[DandyDon]

So, the state laws may not allow companies to require customers to vaccinate but cruise lines are doing it anyway. I'm sure some jackass will file suit eventually if it hasn't happened already.

Like the state governor? Has he?

 

[kelemvor]

Like the state governor? Has he?

I hadn't heard, but a quick google search says yes. Sounds like he's prevailing. DeSantis wins again in legal battle over COVID protocols on cruise ships, but storm clouds are on the horizon | Florida Phoenix

I don't understand why the cruise lines don't just move to a port in another state. Georgia isn't far and has deep ports...