The Bahamas has long been a favorite destination for cruise passengers, benefiting from its proximity to the U.S. and its turquoise waters.
The cruise industry drives significant economic activity, creating jobs and contributing billions to the country’s GDP. But not everyone is on board with the industry’s expansion.
Bahamian Joseph Darville, 82, says, “It’s a tragedy” that cruise companies have been able to buy up large swathes of beachfront land and islands for private destinations.
Bahamian Opposes New Private Destination Developments
While this has happened for decades, Darville cited Carnival Cruise Line’s upcoming Celebration Key destination and two other recent projects. He tells The Guardian it’s a conservation and sovereignty issue.
Cruise companies could “come in and eat what’s left of our country,” he says. Darville is chair of the environmental group Save the Bays, which opposed the Celebration Key development, and Disney’s Lookout Cay, which opened earlier this year. The group also lobbied against Royal Caribbean’s Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island.
He believes it’s fast approaching saturation point. “It has to stop somewhere; we have to preserve something for our future generations, for our own native Bahamians,” Darville told The Guardian. “We cannot always be seduced by these cruise lines.”
Due to their economic impact, the government supports cruise port and private destination developments in the Bahamas. In 2023, a record 7.8 million cruise guests visited the country.
Read More: What to Do in Nassau, Bahamas
According to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s recent economic impact study, the industry supports 13,846 Bahamian jobs and generates $655 million for the local economy.
However, the report shows an 8% decline in average cruise passenger spending since the FCCA published its last report in 2018.
Job Creation is the Key Focus
Still, tourism minister Chester Cooper has cited a Tourism Economics study conducted for Carnival that says the Celebration Key development, which is set to open in mid-2025, would create thousands of local jobs and up to $1.5 billion for the Bahamas’ GDP.
Darville acknowledges that the government’s main focus when greenlighting new developments is job creation, which he believes is at the expense of environmental protection.
“The first thing the government looks at, and the people generally, is how many people will be employed, what economic benefits we’re going to derive,” he added.
Current Cruise Line Destinations in The Bahamas
The Bahamas is home to several high-profile cruise line developments, which are used for many short cruises.
Some of these include Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay, and Holland America Line’s Half Moon Cay, which is also used by Carnival ships.
Royal Caribbean boasts Perfect Day at CocoCay and is developing the Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island, set to open in 2025.
Other destinations include Princess Cays on Eleuthera, MSC Cruises’ Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, and Disney’s recently opened Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Should the Bahamas continue welcoming private cruise developments for the economic boost, or is it time to draw a line to protect its natural beauty and sovereignty for the future? Let us know your thoughts.
