Touring the Caribbean

A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages the voyage itself and the ship's amenities

are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way

transportation is not the prime purpose, as cruise ships operate mostly on routes that return passengers to their originating port

Cruising in general is a large and growing industry

The Caribbean is the most popular area in the world for cruising 70% of cruises are based on North

America, with the majority of those cruising the Caribbean

Dining Pools and hot tubs Bars Casinos Spas/Fitness centres Shops Theatre

The three largest cruise operators are Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean International, and Star Cruises/Norwegian Cruise Lines

The largest cruise ship in the world is the Allure of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean 1,187 ft long, Max capacity 6,360 people

Most major cruise ship have capacity of around 3-4,000 people

Stereotypically cruise passengers are older people

There are cruises more oriented towards Families Singles Niche markets (LGBT cruises, concert

cruises, etc.)

Most ships leave from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale

Most cruises return to the same port they left from, though some are one way Ex: cruising from Miami to San Diego via

the Panama canal

Cruise ships will stop for a period of time – less than a day – at destinations

These places are called Ports of Call The port of call must be equipped to

handle the massive cruise ships Passengers disembark and can engage

in various tourist activities on shore

The busiest port of call is The Bahamas This is because its short distance from

Florida is very convenient for both short and long cruises

Other popular ports of call are the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica

Cruise ships generate a lot of waste that can result in discharges (sewage) to the marine environment

They also emit air pollutants Cruise ship waste has the potential to

threaten human health and damage aquatic life

The growth of the cruise ship industry has had a negative impact on the hotel industry in the Caribbean, as well as other businesses (restaurants, etc.)

P. 82 #15