TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Cruise ships..

There is a definite backlash against them in Europe as we cope with more and more passengers here in the BVI's. I just read that Nice is banning all cruise ships with over 900 passengers and a pal returning from Barcelona told me locals are so sick of the overhwelming crowds they are spraying passengers in open tourist buses with water pistols.Of course Amsterdam and Venice are also clamping down. Just saying...

Mal--I could be wrong, often am, but I was under the impression that there are several people in government who have concessions which cater to cruise ships??

Goes back to Premier Romney who brought them in..his company Romasco has many rights including being allowed onto the dock to pick up passengers, certain dockage fees etc.His company picks up some passengers ,takes them to West End , puts them on one of their boats and takes them to their own bar on Peter Island..getting them $$$ every way.I also heard recently ( not confirmed) that the Gov now gets $18 for every passenger that comes ashore and $8 for those that stay shipbound. The only way this will change is that we are hearing passengers complain about the overcrowding...that they are creating. That may turn away some of the ships. A bad side effect has been over aggressive taxi drivers..one nearly forced me off the cliff the other day as he drove down the middle of the road speaking into his mike.And God forbid you should try and park in CGB on a cruise ship day!!!!

i LIKE THE IDEA OF THE WATER PISTOLS. iF EVERY PERSON ON VIRGIN GORDA WOULD DO THIS CRUISE PASSENGERS WOULD DRY UP

I think some on Tortola would rather use a water cannon!!

I actually am surprised that people get away with that. That could be deemed to be a deliberate assault, and thus a criminal act, especially with people working in concert.

Knowing loving Europeans I'm sure they are just "cooling them down from the hot Spanish sun"...according to reports I have read the Mayor of Barcelona is responding to cut back tourism, especially cruise ships, following on the heels of similar protests in the Canary Islands..

They built new docs in Barcelona a few years ago, can't easily walk into town, have to take bus or taxi. Somebody is making money on that for sure

Today we may have reached saturation point..three ships with 10,500 people on board...that's almost half the population of Tortola..I rest my case..

About 2 weeks ago was lovely with light winds. Their stack gas was choking everyone in Roadtown.

What time does the cruise bunch arrive at the baths?

It depends on which ships. Last week they had them both in Roadtown and a smaller one off Spanishtown with a 4th in the Northsound. I survived that but my head exploded when we found two small cruise ships off soggy!

We’ve seen them crossing the SFD the last two nights, but just a small day boat coming to Cooper wen we left there this morning

Looks like there will be a ship in RT on two of the days of our charter. What are the ramifications that I need to consider when planning our itinerary to avoid the crowds?

We are not going to the Baths so I'm not concerned about those crowds. Probably not Cooper either. Other than those two places, do they have large excursions to other places?

We are planning on "the usuals" - Willy T, Saba, Anegada, Jost, Soggy.

Any hints on avoidance tactics would be appreciated.

Ashore at Cane Garden Bay will be impacted until mid-afternoon or so - and the anchorage is more active with jet ski activities during this time.