I'm with you on this one Christi. Even though I've been on a few cruises and am planning another one, having more cruise ships in Cozumel isn't good for the land based tourists OR for the there ships visiting that day. There should be a limit on the number of ships per day, not another pier to allow even more.Christi:
New Cruise Ship Pier?
- Thread starter Brules
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CozumelAntonio
Contributor
you should all know that this is not the 1st time a cruise pier in the north has been talked about, but let me point out that many of Cozumel's movers and shakers, live in the north hotel zone, I'm sure you've seen the mansions as you drive by, you think Cozumel's elite ruling class is going to allow it? guess again.....there are many "projects" that surface in conversation here and there, and are then reported as factual, the website that is quoted in this thread, in my personal opinion, is full of erroneous information, some intentional, some not...and should not be considered official information....imho....
squidguy
Contributor
Just came back from Cozumel not as a diver but as a cruise passenger on RCI Mariner of the Seas... docked at Yellow/Blue International pier by La Ceiba... wasn't there 3 yrs ago! So my question is..... can you still dive the airplane wreck off the docks!?!?!??!
squidguy:
Actually, three years ago that was the ONLY ship pier (well, maybe Puerta Maya was already there). International pier has been there for a long time actually.
International ship pier was the first, then the other two came along.
I have also heard the same thing Antonio says in his post from several other locals recently...so I am really hoping that is the case...that the new ship pier is just a pipe dream for someone! Enough is enough...three ship piers is already too many! Sorry cruisers...I don't mind a cruise ship or two...but not TEN!
OP
Brules
Contributor
Well that is good to hear Antonio and Christi!!!
Let hope it stays the way it is, though if I had my choice *I* would like to see Puerta Maya NOT rebuilt where it is, and if they had to, move up farther North AWAY from paradise reef and the protected zone. Pipe dream I know, but imagine how cool of a dive the pier remains would be!!!!
It concerns me what additional damage dredging up its debris and rebuilding it will do.
Is it safe to assume that they will rebuild it MUCH bigger than before to accomodate the new super ships?
Let hope it stays the way it is, though if I had my choice *I* would like to see Puerta Maya NOT rebuilt where it is, and if they had to, move up farther North AWAY from paradise reef and the protected zone. Pipe dream I know, but imagine how cool of a dive the pier remains would be!!!!
It concerns me what additional damage dredging up its debris and rebuilding it will do.
Is it safe to assume that they will rebuild it MUCH bigger than before to accomodate the new super ships?squidguy
Contributor
Actually Christi you are right!!!!!
Yes I do remember cruise ships near La Ceiba now! I wuz diving the plane wreck and a cruise ship started its engines.... the knocking noise was more than I could take after awhile and I had to surface. Was the terminal that gaudy yellow/blue back then.... I thought it was a new building htis time round.... or maybe the meals/drinks on the cruise were getting to me!!
The mexican naval station and punta lagostina (sp?) sure looked worse for wear when I passed by!
Yes I do remember cruise ships near La Ceiba now! I wuz diving the plane wreck and a cruise ship started its engines.... the knocking noise was more than I could take after awhile and I had to surface. Was the terminal that gaudy yellow/blue back then.... I thought it was a new building htis time round.... or maybe the meals/drinks on the cruise were getting to me!!
The mexican naval station and punta lagostina (sp?) sure looked worse for wear when I passed by!
When I was there in April, it seemed to me that there were more cruise ships than ever. One day I counted 6. One was moored close to the Villa Aldora and it was an eyesore. At Playa Mia during SI, a 3-decker party boat pulled in and a horde of drunken idiots (at 11:00 a.m.) disgorged and made it impossible to get back on our boat until they wandered away.
I noticed that there is a new public beach to the north. I hope that is not the spot they plan to build the new pier.
I noticed that there is a new public beach to the north. I hope that is not the spot they plan to build the new pier.
Brules:Well that is good to hear Antonio and Christi!!!
Let hope it stays the way it is, though if I had my choice *I* would like to see Puerta Maya NOT rebuilt where it is, and if they had to, move up farther North AWAY from paradise reef and the protected zone. Pipe dream I know, but imagine how cool of a dive the pier remains would be!!!!
It concerns me what additional damage dredging up its debris and rebuilding it will do.
I vote to leave it as is and call it an artificial reef site
Surprisingly the new-builds in the Carnival Corp fleet through 2009 are not that big relative to what's already sailing today. The 2007 and 2008 ships are just under 3000 passengers, and the 2009 one will be 3600. Three Princess ships in that time are all 3100 passengers. And Holland America's 2008 new-build is 2000 passengers.
On the other hand, RCI is coming out with two more "Freedom Class" ships and in 2009 a new-build that right now is listed to be 5400 passengers. That is just sooooo unnecessary!
The Pod people don't like it when there are too many ships in port either. I know, because I've been a Pod person 14 times. 6 ships in port at one time can really destroy the ambiance of a tropical destination. The cruise industry is rapidly heading to a point of critical mass, and will most likely have difficulty filling their ships in the future. They're running all kinds of specials this summer. I just hope, for the sake of those booking these specials, that this year's hurricane season is not up to predicted levels. The Riviera Maya certainly doesn't need any more devastation.
I've recently compared the cost of a cruise (cruise fare, excursions, liquor, etc) to land based vacations. Cruises don't give you the same bang-for-the-buck that they did a few years ago.
Whoops! Went off on a tangent! Hijack over............... I think that two piers would be more than enough; but that would probably mean more ships out in the harbor, tendering their passengers in to Cozumel. 3000 people can drop a huge amount of cash in the few hours that they're on the island, making it difficult to resist allowing more to visit.
I've recently compared the cost of a cruise (cruise fare, excursions, liquor, etc) to land based vacations. Cruises don't give you the same bang-for-the-buck that they did a few years ago.
Whoops! Went off on a tangent! Hijack over............... I think that two piers would be more than enough; but that would probably mean more ships out in the harbor, tendering their passengers in to Cozumel. 3000 people can drop a huge amount of cash in the few hours that they're on the island, making it difficult to resist allowing more to visit.
nyprrthd:
This year's "wave season," (traditionally Dec-Mar) was, for some lines, a little down from last year and for others the same or up. Almost half the wave season bookings usually come from the NE where this year the winter was relatively mild. Higher airline prices are also factoring in. But, many sailings that leave from NY are already sold out well into the year.
Cruising does continue to be the fastest growing segment of the travel industry, has the highest % of repeat customers, continues to be rated the best value relative to other vacation options. Our 2006 Market Profile study was recently completed and things are still very positive. Won't bore you all but if you're interested the report is online at www.cruising.org/Press/research/2006 Market Profile Study.pdf
The islands very aggressively solicit the cruise line business and do control how many ships make port calls. Bermuda is one of the only ports I know of who really limits the number of ships that visit. They don't want monster ports and their island overrun on a daily basis. Their piers will not accomodate the new bread of mega liners and they like it that way. Since most of the ships that currently offer Bermuda itineraries will be out of service within the next 5-10 years, they are considering building a new cruise port in the Dockyards area and moving all ships there. They will still limit the numbers and the piers won't become an eyesore because of their location. There is a waiting list of lines who would like to include Bermuda among their sailings. Unfortunately most islands aren't as well off as Bermuda and the taxes and fees along with the passengers dollars make a big difference and they will continue to grow as a cruise port until they literally burst at the seams. Eventually passenger satisfaction with a destination goes down and risks being dropped. There used to be more cruise port calls in Jamaica then just Ocho Rios, and St Croix is now lucky if they get a ship a week most months. San Juan's cruise business has also gone down in recent years.
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