Opposition to the Building of new Cruise Ship Dock??????????

L

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
It has been announced that an agreement was reached to build a new docking port for cruise ships coming to Samana City. I understand there may be some environmental issues but this being said why would anyone oppose this. Potentially this could bring many dollars into the the economy of the Samana Peninsula. If the DR wants to compete globally than this is the type of project that is needed

LTSteve
 
T

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
LTSteve said:
It has been announced that an agreement was reached to build a new docking port for cruise ships coming to Samana City. I understand there may be some environmental issues but this being said why would anyone oppose this. Potentially this could bring many dollars into the the economy of the Samana Peninsula. If the DR wants to compete globally than this is the type of project that is needed

LTSteve
Click to expand...

i do not get this story. cruise ships cannot dock close to shore in Samana, because the water is too shallow. the ships dock offshore, and the passengers are brought to land by tender boats. how does 8 million dollars rectify that situation?
 
NALs

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,508
3,200
113
I think that in this day and age people are using the word terrorist way too lightly.

The tourism "plans" for the Samana peninsula is for a low volume but high income tourist base. This is why the Juan Bosch airport was built so small. Gigantic resorts of the Punta Cana types will not be mushrooming anywhere on the peninsula (well, they are not suppose to be, but wetting some officials hands could change this; lol even though its not funny.)

The only way I see that Samana could attract many more tourists is through the cruise ships. Many smaller (and more exclusive) islands in the Lesser Antilles attract most of their tourists this way, so it can be done.
 
L

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
I don't believe the Cruise ship dock is going to be anywhere near the Malecon in Samana City. It will be down the coast where there is deeper water.

LTSteve
 
E

Eddy

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
219
0
Derfish said:
We had someone, I don't recall who when the talk was of a cruise ship dock in Maimon, presenting statistics etc.. purporting to show that cruise ships are not a stimulant to the local economy. It was someone who sounded lie they knew gtheir stuff, not just someone blowing propaganda.
Der Fish
Click to expand...
Depending on what tours they offer, passangers will spend an average of US$100.00 ea. Other than the tour companies, the only people who will benefit are the shops near the port. A guesstimate from past criuse experiences, 25% stay on board, 45% take tours and the rest hangout at the bars & boutiques near the ship.
 
W

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,969
113
The Maimon project, if it ever really happens, is almost totally owned by the cruise ship company so all the money from the vendors is sent back to the owner of the company and little would be left in the DR.

Is that similar to the plans in Samana?
 
T

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Eddy said:
Depending on what tours they offer, passangers will spend an average of US$100.00 ea. Other than the tour companies, the only people who will benefit are the shops near the port. A guesstimate from past criuse experiences, 25% stay on board, 45% take tours and the rest hangout at the bars & boutiques near the ship.
Click to expand...

they might spend , on average, 100 dollars per day, but what they spend it on is what counts. surveys from other places , such as Jamaica and the other english speaking islands show that 47 dollars out of every hundred is spent on duty free items....watches, Maui Jim sunglasses, Chivas Regal, and other costly offerings. the locals make next to nothing. that is no secret. everyone knows that. now, the cruise ships want even more of the traveler dollars, so they have begun to unbundle the packages. so, what was once an all inclusive venture is less than that today. now, travelers have to pay out of pocket for stuff they used to get in the package before. ergo; less money to spend in port.
 
sankofatravler

sankofatravler

Member
Apr 8, 2005
71
0
6
I am a Travel Agent in the U.S., and have clients who fly to the D.R. for vacation - and others who take cruises throughout the Caribbean. I do not understand what Samana has to offer the average cruise passenger, aside from whale watching and the water falls. The government will need to greatly expand and upgrade the area's shopping, eating and tour attractions in order to entice people to leave the physical and social comforts of their luxury floating resort to come ashore in Samana. The area will need to have a big makeover. I can't envision it.

Besides - how would this increased big ship traffic affect the whales? Which is perhaps the area's biggest tourist attraction they have now/ Will the whales visit be disturbed?
 
R

recycle

New member
Jun 28, 2012
29
0
0
@sankofatravler


totally agree, on everything
I guess that in a few years the sanctuary of whales and all ecosystem would be completely destroyed by big ships traffic and the thousands of tourists.
We should now talk about Human well-being and progress toward sustainable development....
but is a way too far concept from a dominican point of view
 
T

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
sankofatravler said:
I am a Travel Agent in the U.S., and have clients who fly to the D.R. for vacation - and others who take cruises throughout the Caribbean. I do not understand what Samana has to offer the average cruise passenger, aside from whale watching and the water falls. The government will need to greatly expand and upgrade the area's shopping, eating and tour attractions in order to entice people to leave the physical and social comforts of their luxury floating resort to come ashore in Samana. The area will need to have a big makeover. I can't envision it.

Besides - how would this increased big ship traffic affect the whales? Which is perhaps the area's biggest tourist attraction they have now/ Will the whales visit be disturbed?
Click to expand...

maybe that is why the visitor return rate in Samana is a whopping 18%
 
Jasper

Jasper

Bronze
Jan 10, 2002
1,029
1
36
Where is 'tiro al blanco'? In my over 20 yrs living/visiting, i've never heard that referenced.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom