Comments on: Opinion: “Must Not Let Mega Ship Plan Happen”

By: cicada

cicada — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 15:33:34 +0000

“much of the dredging will be into already dredged areas (and into close by areas which are largely devoid of coral life)”

This statement contradicts all evidence. They are not dredging the channels themselves, but instead coral reefs near the channels to widen the channels.

The reefs to be dredged have over 30% coral cover, which is higher than the Caribbean-wide average.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 15:08:03 +0000

By “renamed UBPers”, you must mean Furbert, Jahmal, Kim Swan, people like that, right?

By: unus sed leo

unus sed leo — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 13:27:59 +0000

we mustent do it?

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 12:29:24 +0000

I hear the voice of Former Premier Dr Brown echoing. I suppose the renamed UBPers, has changed their minds on larger ships, and the cruise industry.

By: Black Soil

Black Soil — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 02:52:26 +0000

Rachael: I appreciate your love for the environment. I might have gained a much better appreciation if you had populated your report with useful statistics which puts everything into perspective and enables the reader to think about things. For example, if you want people to take you seriously you cannot say in your report that “huge swaths of the North Lagoon” will be ruined (this is not Kindley Field II). First, that statement is wrong, and secondly when you say (fanatic) statements like that people start to discount you. I doubt ANYONE in Bermuda would want “huge swaths of the North Lagoon” destroyed. Rachael…much of the dredging will be into already dredged areas (and into close by areas which are largely devoid of coral life)…so that part of the equation needs to be factored out of the total work involved. If you want support for your crusade, then detail the square footage (or cubits) of UNTOUCHED CORAL AREA that is going to be destroyed…and place that in context with the amount of coral area that exists in the Northern Lagoon area. Getting these statistics is your responsibility if you want to be taken seriously. I am not going to allow you to work on my emotions to garner support…the PLP already did that number on me and I couldn’t take it anymore.

By: Arthur A. Francis

Arthur A. Francis — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 00:41:50 +0000

My wife and I have had many cruises to Bermuda from Boston, Massachusetts. We enjoyed the smaller ships by far. We so enjoyed docking at St. George’s and Hamilton. The nicest trips would take us to both dock sites. NCL has sold their smaller vessels, unfortunately. This year, if possible, we are planning to take Holland American since it will go to Hamilton. It would be even nicer if it went to St. George’s as well. . . . .
Maybe sometime later. Keep Bermuda like it was.

By: sage

sage — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 23:32:28 +0000

Since the material the dredging will produce is earmarked for that fancy village/island in Dockyard for the AC. you can bet your bottom dollar they will be steaming full ahead with the plan, can’t let some sea creatures or the environment stand in the way. We shall see.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:28:48 +0000

Quality wins over quantity every time.

“We don’t need ‘paperbag’ cruise lines like Carnival” That is a direct quote from none other than David Allen, PLP in the 90s when the House was debating cruise ship contract renewals.

Well, look what we have coming here today. We went from being able to pick & choose to having to take whatever we can get.

It sure would be nice to have the smaller boutique ships, as they are called today. The problem is, the well to do of the boutique ships don’t want to share beach space, or anywhere else, with passengers from the cattle boats.

Elitist? Yes they are. They pay a premium & they demand premium service to go with it.

Sorry but the north channel will have to be dredged for the post Panamax ships. Two Rock & another area going into Hamilton should be done also to accomodate larger ships.

By: Rick Olson

Rick Olson — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 21:34:29 +0000

Sign a long term deal with Carnival and limit the size of the ships.

By: Newly Optomistic Bermudian

Newly Optomistic Bermudian — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 19:52:59 +0000

If they dredge then the ship can go back to 3 ports and not 1. This will free up the transportion system by spreading it out over the island and not in one place. They must dredge to make this happen. Think the numbers in total of cruise passengers has not changes to much but since they all go to Dockyard we have had major transportion issues and balloned costs to all of us.