While every other port of entry in The Bahamas recorded decreases in cruise arrivals for the month of February, the last month for which figures are available, there was an increase in sea arrivals to the island of Grand Bahama, official statistics show.
The Ministry of Tourismﾒs Research and Statistics Department released the figures recently. Those figures show that overall, there were 270,267 cruise arrivals to The Bahamas in February, less than the 291,706 visitors by sea who came here in February 2005.
Grand Bahama recorded a 48 percent hike in cruise arrivals to Grand Bahama this February, despite the six percent overall decrease in arrivals to the entire country. In a noteworthy development, 34,623 visitors chose Grand Bahama as a cruise ship destination, according to the industry report.
Statistics for Nassau/Paradise Island sea arrivals reflected an 11 percent decline and a nine percent decrease for the Family Islands. There were 143, 024 sea arrivals to the capital, while 92, 620 cruise arrivals were reported for the Family Islands.
In an official explanation, analysts pointed out that what accounted for the decline in cruise passengers to the main city was the fact that although a number of cruise lines increased the numbers of their overall passengers, a number of others did quite the opposite.
For instance, Disney Cruise, Costa Cruises, Holland American and Norweigan Cruises all reported increases in overall passengers over February 2005 while Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Imperial Majesty, MSC Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Silver Sea Cruises all brought in fewer passengers in February.
In the case of Grand Bahama, the explanation was that the 48 percent increase in cruise arrivals to the island was primarily driven by Carnival Cruise Lines which brought in “far more passengers” to the island in February 2006 than in the same month in 2005.
“Discovery Cruises, Fred Olson Cruises and Royal Caribbean also brought in more passengers to Grand Bahama (1st port of entry) than in 2005. Carnival Cruises brought in 66% more passengers to Grand Bahama in February 2006 than in February 2005,” according to the Ministry of Tourismﾒs report.
Analysts explained that sea arrivals to the Family Islands were down by nine percent because although cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruises both brought more passengers to the Out Islands in February than in the same month in 2005, other major cruise lines did not.
Disney Cruise lines (decreased the number of passengers by -56% over 2005), Celebrity Cruise Lines (down -100%), Holland American (down -23%), Princess Cruises (down -18%), and Radisson Seven Seas Cruises (down -100%) all decreased the number of passengers that they brought into the Out Islands by 1st Port of Entry.
The Industry Information report noted that Disney Cruise lines brought in fewer passengers to Castaway Cay (by 1st port of entry) in February 2006 because they initially stopped in Nassau and then continued to the Cay afterwards, making Nassau the first port of call and Castaway Cay the second Port of call.
Additionally it was reported that Royal Caribbean brought in more passengers (by first port of entry) to the Out Islands in February 2006 than in 2005 because they first stopped off in Coco Cay/Little Stirrup Cay, Berry Islands before they went to Nassau, making Coco Cay their first Port of Entry and Nassau their second port of call.
The Bahama Journal
