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New pier in Tortola
#52587
04/30/2015 07:35 PM
04/30/2015 07:35 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,884 St. Thomas, USVI
Nutmeg
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 5,884
St. Thomas, USVI
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An article in the Virgin Islands Daily News today about the new dock in Tortola. A bright future is ahead...
[color:"red"]NUTMEG[/color] Today is the tomorrow you talked about yesterday.
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: Nutmeg]
#52588
04/30/2015 07:40 PM
04/30/2015 07:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,863 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,863
Central Florida!
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Whoa, Nutmeg, look out for cannon balls over the bow, talking about 'bright future ahead'!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />
Carol Hill
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#52589
04/30/2015 07:54 PM
04/30/2015 07:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999 Macon, Georgia
GlennA
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
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That was my first thought too. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />
I am guestimating a 35-40% increase in cruise visitors and I am not sure where they are going to put them.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: Winterstale]
#52591
04/30/2015 08:33 PM
04/30/2015 08:33 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545 Here and There
rita_irvine
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545
Here and There
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How may bathrooms facilities did they build to accomodate the new visitors? Or do they just get to squat in the bushes, or overrun local business owners restrooms. Most that go to the beaches do not buy food and drink, they bring it from the boat. They want to use the local restrooms, make a filthy mess then get back on the bus to the ship. Many never spend a dime. i do not frequent any place where cruise ship tourist are.
I know I will be flamed by some. So be it.
Rita It is better to be happy than it is to be right
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: NotquiteCapnRon]
#52599
05/01/2015 09:55 AM
05/01/2015 09:55 AM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 308 Tampa, FL
denverd0n
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 308
Tampa, FL
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DiversionsIII mentioned 1989. Now I can't possibly have y'all beat, can I? My first visit was in 1984.
Mixed feelings, personally. I expect more crowds, which is not a good thing from my own, selfish perspective. But I also expect a boost to the islands' economy, which I cannot criticize when I look at it from the perspective of the people who live there.
As a resident of Florida I live with this paradox every day. More tourists means a better economy, from which I benefit. Yet more tourists also means more crowds, dirt, delays, etc, from which I suffer. You cannot have the yin without the yang.
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: sail445]
#52600
05/01/2015 10:08 AM
05/01/2015 10:08 AM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 896
SeaSeaRider
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 896
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Everybody take a deep breath and relax.
Sorry, but I don't buy into the whole "OMG, there goes the whole BVI, I'm never going back..." thing. I just don't get that same reaction to this.
Cruise ship guests stay within a narrow range of activities in the BVI and are very easy to avoid. I don't think we've ever been impacted by cruise ship passengers in the many times we've been there (starting in 1989 on a Bimini Charters boat). They don't add volume to our ferry rides or EIS flights. They don't add traffic at the marina. Cruise ship arrivals are well publicized so it's easy to plan an itinerary around them. It's already well established on this board that the best time to visit the Baths is first thing in the morning or late afternoon, both will avoid cruise ship conga lines. Maybe we're lucky but we've never seen cruise ship crowds at CGB. Actually, I'd kinda like to do some people watching from our boat, might be interesting. By late afternoon, they're all gone anyway.
This is more of a problem for the residents of Tortola (traffic, crowds) and the restaurant/bar owners who have to put up with cruise ship customers.
So, if you don't want to go back to the BVI over this, that's certainly your choice, but that just means less crowds in the anchorages for me!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />
Rob
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: NotquiteCapnRon]
#52603
05/01/2015 10:18 AM
05/01/2015 10:18 AM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545 Here and There
rita_irvine
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,545
Here and There
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I'm sure they have a grandiose plan, just like finishing the hospital that has never happened, and upgrading the airport for the multi millionaires and the myriad of other infrastructure projects that have been planned never get done.
I am not going to stop coming to BVI, but I will avoid the areas that are over run with cruise shippers. It is not just BVI, it is anywhere where they allow an entire boatload of people to come ashore without the infrastructure to make the visit a positive one for the local economy and the tourists including the ones who spend thousands of dollars on accommodations and the local economy.
Rita It is better to be happy than it is to be right
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: sail445]
#52604
05/01/2015 11:00 AM
05/01/2015 11:00 AM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 896
SeaSeaRider
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 896
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sail445 said: I've got you beat by 19 years in the USVI and 12 years in the BVI <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Wow! You must be really old.....cause I know how old I am!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />
Rob
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: lookinatfifty]
#52608
05/01/2015 02:48 PM
05/01/2015 02:48 PM
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,100 Maryland
Twanger
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,100
Maryland
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Part of the beauty of sailing the BVI, in the past, has been the lack of hand rails, "Danger" signs, and other paraphernalia related to the management and safety of people who lack the skill and judgment necessary to embark on an adventure vacation by themselves.
Visiting the wild places on my own with no more than my wits, a chart, and a sturdy vessel under me was what initially drew me to the BVI.
I feel fortunate to have sailed the BVI in a "mostly pristine" state. As compared to our first bareboat charter in the BVI in 1984, about half of it's wildness has disappeared. When the wildness is completely gone, when the handrails are all up, the paths are all paved, and the warning signs are all in place the BVI will have lost most of it's allure to me.
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: Frank]
#52615
05/01/2015 11:04 PM
05/01/2015 11:04 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999 Macon, Georgia
GlennA
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
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Two things I think will be essential: First declare the pier park a duty free zone and rent several of the spaces to experienced Charlotte Amalie vendors who know how to separate cruise passengers from their money. That will keep more of them concentrated in Road Town.
Second, (brace yourself) Disneyfy Cane Garden Bay. Make all the taxis park in the vacant lot at the east end by the ghut and run a passenger tram back and forth from there to the Wedding Place and back making stops along the way. That will at least keep the road reasonably clear.
In the original plan (with the ferris wheel) there was a proposal for a tram to carry visitors around Road Town. That would have been an excellent idea for bringing customers to the galleries and shops on Main St and elsewhere around town and reduced the number wandering mindlessly through traffic on Waterfront but the taxi drivers shot it down.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: Manpot]
#52616
05/02/2015 12:06 AM
05/02/2015 12:06 AM
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,611 Woodstock, GA
RickinAtlanta
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,611
Woodstock, GA
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Manpot said: Some believe that cruise ships and drugs go hand in hand ..that "merchandise" is easily moved from island to island on these behemoths. One really nasty impact has been the taxi drivers..they are abusive when they block you in..they are abusive to each other when they fight for fares..and then are as nice as pie on non cruise ship days when they want your $$. During cruise ship days Soper's Hole has become impossible. We do much of our our shopping at Harbour Market but sometimes you cant get close..nowhere to park and then you are blocked in and get said attitude if you ask someone to move to let you out..as for CGB on a big cruise ship day???!!!I will be very interested to see how long this all lasts..Disney stopped coming to the BVI's because there was" nothing for kids to do"..how has that changed ??? I think you will be able to pick up a slightly used "safari bus" really cheap in a few years... Maybe listen to someone who lives there as Mal does? I hope he's right with the vision.
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: CGB]
#52619
05/02/2015 04:57 PM
05/02/2015 04:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530 Ya never know...
HillsideView
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
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Unfortunately I know way too many folks who don't come back anymore. That 3-5 month crowd is getting thinner.
My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: HillsideView]
#52620
05/02/2015 10:16 PM
05/02/2015 10:16 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,671
LBI2SXM
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,671
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Re: New pier in Tortola
[Re: Manpot]
#52623
05/05/2015 09:22 AM
05/05/2015 09:22 AM
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,392 Maryland
Kirk
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,392
Maryland
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The was a blurb on FB yesterday about Margaritaville coming to the new pier...hadn't seen that before.
Kirk in Maryland
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