Cruise Ships Will Make Regular Calls on St. Croix in 2009

Lets just hope there are not so many as to get so crowded as some other islands. 1 or 2 a week would be great. No more IMHO.

I'll believe it when I see it. Last time rc said they would come back we had to dredge the pier--which occured, but no ships. now they seem to want an extra 2 feet of dredging...IMO rc should foot that bill and not our port authority to garauntee that they will come if the extra space is provided.
Its not going to have any life-changing, wonder effect on the economy or provide significantly more jobs but it will help a little. The taxis will get a boost, the restaurants may hire one or two extra servers on cruise ship days-especially the west end beach bars, dive shops will get more business, shops will get additional traffic, street vendors will do well...but personally I believe the biggest value is the tourists seeing the island, then booking a week-long vacation, flying down, staying in the hotels, spending money in restaurants everyday, car rentals, diving, tours etc...that type of spending is what will stimulate the economy and tourist infrastructure...more so than a couple thousand people a week buying one pina colada and a cheapo painted trinket or t-shirt.

Let's also pray that the miscreants leave passengers and crew alone. We DON'T need anymore bad press regarding crime on our wonderful island of STX!

I know Disney will be making 5 stops here in 2009 but have not heard of anyone else making this a destination. Is this something new? I for one do not want cruise ships, if I did I would live on stt.

Betty,

http://www.onepaper.com/stcroixvi/?v=d&i=&s=News:Local&p=1206159710

Thanks for the link, but now I'm depressed.

I agree, they should pay. IF they come like they say, then and only then the VI (whatever) authority could reimburse them.

AMEN to that.

More traffic into STX will also raise housing and land prices. And result in more people living on STX..

well with mosler buying a cement company and the bypass finally being worked on something big is going on,i remember years ago when wednesday was cruise ship day and as a bartender at one of the resorts,those days were BUSY,and there is no way we'll ever be like stt or stm as far as ships go because we'll never be able to compete with all the shopping,and that really is what it's all about

I used to love once a month Harbour Nights and the special Crucian 'Jump-Up' spin on welcoming the rare cruise ships. I think STX did a great job of making our stop a little different and locals and tourists alike would come 'all the way' out to F'sted to enjoy the evening.

I'm with everyone else about not having too many, but once a week cruise ship would be pretty great for the general population I think. Our Fredericksted Fort is really a fascinating fort that many locals forget to visit (C'steds is nice too) and will be a hit with tourists, as will Whim Greathouse, the Rum Factory, Botanical Gardens, Lawaetz Museum, Mini Dive tours, F'sted beach bars, horseback riding, ....the rental car agencies will get a boost, the tour taxi's will too and finally the little shops in F'sted can open up and sell a few postcards and t-shirts. Maybe Scenic Drive will get a trim and actually provide a scenic drive. Carambola could offer 9 whole golf pkg. With 5000 passengers each spending $100.00,,,, the boost to the economy will be welcome.

I might have to get me a little Sweeny tour van and a taxi liscense so I can start up a tour business!. Working only one day a week sounds sweet!

But no more than one ship at a time and one day a week . I hate going to STT when the cruise ships are in and I get attacked by Taxi Drivers and Street Hawkers.... yukk.