Ships Skip Falmouth

[Mosiah]

Ships Skip Falmouth
Published: Friday | October 15, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
WESTERN BUREAU:

The first three ships scheduled to dock at the historic Falmouth Port next month have been diverted to the resort towns of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, cruise-ship officials have confirmed to The Gleaner.

The ships, Holland America's Ryndham and P&O's Aurora, were slated to call on the 18th-century commercial capital on November 3. The other vessel is Noordam, which was expected to make its maiden call on December 26. Each ship carries an average of 1,200 to 1,800 passengers per call.

"The port is not conducive to make a call," Holland America's vice-president of Caribbean affairs, Matthew Samms, confirmed, noting that he had visited the site on Monday and, after looking at the area, a decision was taken to move his vessels to the other local ports.

Future calls

He was quick to point out that he fully supports the Falmouth Port and was looking forward to making calls there in the very near future.

In the meantime, Jamaica's president of cruise shipping, William Tatham, in his response to questions from this newspaper, scoffed at suggestions by cruise-sector stakeholders that the port was not in a state of readiness to accept the calls.

According to Tatham: "Having spent so much money developing this port, our feeling was that the guest experience was more important than anything else. It was always agreed that we would deliver only at a certain level to our customers."

The cruise-ship executive said it was a mutual decision by the Port Authority of Jamaica and the cruise lines to divert the vessels.

Tatham said the first ship, Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Sea, would make a call on the port on January 7 next year

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

[MdmeX]

So what is really going on there?

[Mosiah]

Some of us feel that putting up a world class port is all we need. The town of Falmouth sucks in its present state. Cruise ship passengers are not interested in the port, but in the country and the town at which they have docked.

[MdmeX]

Got you. And the Chamber of Commerce & UDC nuh fighting over the closure of some streets to vehicular traffic?

[Islandman]

I do not understand this kind of thinking.

Shouldn't this guy Tatham be trying to find out WHY potential customers thinks the port or the town is not ready yet?

Isn't that his job instead of letting us know why HE thinks it is ready and his customers don't know what they are talking about?

[Reggaedoc]

Amazing. when I first learned of the building of a first-class port in Falmouth, for cruise ships, I was shocked. I am against Falmouth being developed as a tourist town, but because I think that Port Antonio, being the capital of perhaps the most beautiful parish, most neglected parish, and the cradle of Jamaica tourism, since the building of the Titchfield Hotel in the early part of the last century, is where the government should have spent that money and effort. The people of that parish have been left to their own devices, with terrible political representation and neglect for far too long. Despite all of the adverse economic variables, the citizens of that parish have chosen a path of civility and pride, never complaining and blocking roads, and most of all have not found comfort in slaying others as they do in other resort areas of our country. Falmouth is already close to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, two well developed port of calls, and develpoing Falmouth as another port of call would serve no useful purpose apart from boosting the ego, and pocket books of political operatives. Tourists can easily be bused from Mo Bay or Ocho to Falmouth, if there are compeling reasons for them to visit that town, and I cant think of any such reason, but that is just the opinion of one person. That decision is a fine example of government stupidity and shortsightedness, in my view.

[MdmeX]

Amazing. when I first learned of the building of a first-class port in Falmouth, for cruise ships, I was shocked. I am against Falmouth being developed as a tourist town, but because I think that Port Antonio, being the capital of perhaps the most beautiful parish, most neglected parish, and the cradle of Jamaica tourism, since the building of the Titchfield Hotel in the early part of the last century, is where the government should have spent that money and effort. The people of that parish have been left to their own devices, with terrible political representation and neglect for far too long. Despite all of the adverse economic variables, the citizens of that parish have chosen a path of civility and pride, never complaining and blocking roads, and most of all have not found comfort in slaying others as they do in other resort areas of our country. Falmouth is already close to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, two well developed port of calls, and develpoing Falmouth as another port of call would serve no useful purpose apart from boosting the ego, and pocket books of political operatives. Tourists can easily be bused from Mo Bay or Ocho to Falmouth, if there are compeling reasons for them to visit that town, and I cant think of any such reason, but that is just the opinion of one person. That decision is a fine example of government stupidity and shortsightedness, in my view.

Should I surmize that there is a new FOLLY in Jamaica. Should we call it FOLLY 2, since the most famous FOLLY already exists in Port Antonio

[Baddaz]

Some of us feel that putting up a world class port is all we need. The town of Falmouth sucks in its present state. Cruise ship passengers are not interested in the port, but in the country and the town at which they have docked.

thanks mosiah... its all about the attractions of the town... cruise ship passengers typically require safety and a clean organized environment... they want to see boutiques, jewelry stores and clean restaurants offering local food... they will spend only when they feel safe...

this could be an opportunity for the falmouth to really take it to a higher level... improve on all that is good with mobay and ochi...

[Reggaedoc]

Yeh MdMex. Folly 1 is a tourist attraction, Folly 2 is a tourist distraction.

[Islandman]

You make very good points re Falmouth.

[Assasin]

one of the reasons for developing the pier is this is partially owned by the shipping company. These company only want to call at their ports keep the money in house.

They didn't care that two ports are close by but they wanted their own. Now let us see if the shipping company and government going to do anything about falmouth.

I lived the death of Port Antonio cruise going to Titchfield at the time. It was a crying shame.

[Hortical]

In the meantime, Jamaica's president of cruise shipping, William Tatham, in his response to questions from this newspaper, scoffed at suggestions by cruise-sector stakeholders that the port was not in a state of readiness to accept the calls.

What an idiot! This joker does not have a clue, he should meet with the cruise-sector and start working on their concerns.

[Reggaedoc]

Terrible shame Assasin. The parish with the most to contribute to our tourism product, has gained the least from tourism.

The cruise want ot develop their own micrcountries within countries. Look at Haiti. The section of Haiti which is owned by Royal Caribbean is like a separate country. We shouldn't let them do the same in Jamaica. The bottom line is, Falmouth is not a beauty spot, Port Antonio is, and the cruise ship industry should not be allowed to define, or create our idea of beuaty for us. They should be promoting that which already exits as beauty.

[Mosiah]

one of the reasons for developing the pier is this is partially owned by the shipping company. These company only want to call at their ports keep the money in house.

They didn't care that two ports are close by but they wanted their own. Now let us see if the shipping company and government going to do anything about falmouth.

I lived the death of Port Antonio cruise going to Titchfield at the time. It was a crying shame.

clearly, yuh not saying that just because the shipping company wanted the port their the govt had to go along wth it, are you?

[Lazie]

Tourism Minister addresses cruise ship pull out from Falmouth
RJR

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is seeking to clarify a report that two cruise lines are cancelling what were supposed to be the first cruise ship calls at the new Falmouth Pier in Trelawny.
According to an online USA report, Holland America and P and O Cruises have reportedly said the port is not ready for visitors.
The cruise lines, which were scheduled to visit Falmouth in November and December will be rerouted to nearby Montego Bay in St. James and Ocho Rios in St. Ann.
The Gleaner quotes Holland America Vice President, who visited the port on Monday, as saying the port is not conducive to make a call.
But Mr. Bartlett told RJR News on Friday morning it was the government that had asked the cruise line to re-route to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.
Mr. Bartlett said it had been hoped that the port, which is scheduled to open in March of next year, would have been able to welcome the two lines as a trial run.
However, he says the recent torrential rains associated with Tropical Storm Nicole set back preparations for that.
But he stressed that the pier remains on schedule to open in March.
Concerns have been raised that Falmouth will be unable to accommodate the thousand of visitors that cruise ships bring.