Coco Cay / Port Fees

On our last cruise (Freedom of the Seas), our first scheduled Port was Coco Cay. Due to rough weather (winds and uber-swells), the Captain felt we could not safely dock (it would have put the ship and port workers at risk), and as a result made it a day at sea instead.

Believe me, the weather that prior evening, and the morning leading up to Coco Cay was rough to say the least. Everyone understood and accepted the decision to cancel the stop.

As far as we could tell from our bill, there was no refund of port fees, and it made me wonder whether there even ARE any port fees for Coco Cay, and if so how much. If there are, is it firms' discretion on whether to refund those fees?

If any one of my fellow CCers has some insight, I'd appreciate your courtesy.

Thanks,

Michael

We've missed Coco Cay a couple of times and I don't recall a fee refund either.

We've missed Coco Cay a couple of times and I don't recall a fee refund either.

From what I've heard, it can be a challenging port if the weather isn't exactly up to scratch. I gather that cancelling Coco Cay happens quite frequently, at least others have said that as well.

Michael

From what I've heard, it can be a challenging port if the weather isn't exactly up to scratch. I gather that cancelling Coco Cay happens quite frequently, at least others have said that as well.

 

Michael

For us, we've missed it around 1 of 5 times.

On our last cruise (Freedom of the Seas), our first scheduled Port was Coco Cay. Due to rough weather (winds and uber-swells), the Captain felt we could not safely dock (it would have put the ship and port workers at risk), and as a result made it a day at sea instead.

 

Believe me, the weather that prior evening, and the morning leading up to Coco Cay was rough to say the least. Everyone understood and accepted the decision to cancel the stop.

 

As far as we could tell from our bill, there was no refund of port fees, and it made me wonder whether there even ARE any port fees for Coco Cay, and if so how much. If there are, is it firms' discretion on whether to refund those fees?

 

If any one of my fellow CCers has some insight, I'd appreciate your courtesy.

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

I have heard this in the past, I believe. I think from what I remember, that since it is a cruise line "private island" or so they boast, there are no port fees or taxes for this particular stop therefore you would not get any kind of a refund. Now, if it was an actual port like Cozumel, St. Thomas, etc then you would be entitled to a refund of the taxes and port charges for that stop.

I have heard this in the past, I believe. I think from what I remember, that since it is a cruise line "private island" or so they boast, there are no port fees or taxes for this particular stop therefore you would not get any kind of a refund.

Labadee is in the same category but there's a fee there.

Labadee is in the same category but there's a fee there.

Yes and No. It is my understanding that since Labadee is a part of Haiti and although they don't pay "rent to the Haitian government, they must pay a "tax per head" of passengers that they bring to the island, therefore that is why there is a port charge, where as CocoCay is truly owned by RCCL.

RCI or RCCL do not "own" Coco Cay, they lease it from the Bahamas. DCL also has a 99 year lease from the Bahamas, but NCL owns Great Stirrup Cay.

On our last cruise (Freedom of the Seas), our first scheduled Port was Coco Cay. Due to rough weather (winds and uber-swells), the Captain felt we could not safely dock (it would have put the ship and port workers at risk), and as a result made it a day at sea instead.

 

As far as we could tell from our bill, there was no refund of port fees, and it made me wonder whether there even ARE any port fees for Coco Cay, and if so how much. If there are, is it firms' discretion on whether to refund those fees?

There is no dock (for the cruise ship) - they have to tender people to the island using small boats, which was probably the main reason for the cancellation. The ship could have pulled up alongside the island, but too dangerous for the small boats to move people to shore.

There is a very high probability that there are no port fees. I'm assuming that port fees go to pay the salary of port employees and maintenance on ports. There are no port employees, etc on CoCoCay. RC either owns or leases the island for exclusive use.

Actually Cayo Coco is only leased by RCCL and the island is not owned by them only the facilities there are owned by them. This is confirm on the website linked to below.

We missed it for the only time on the first of our Freedom B2B cruises last October and we were credited the port fee, $6 or $7 each if I recall correctly. I've also read here on CC of RCI sometimes not refunding port fees for a missed port. :(

http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-CocoCay.html

Actually Cayo Coco is only leased by RCCL and the island is not owned by them only the facilities there are owned by them. This is confirm on the website linked to below.

We missed it for the only time on the first of our Freedom B2B cruises last October and we were credited the port fee, $6 or $7 each if I recall correctly. I've also read here on CC of RCI sometimes not refunding port fees for a missed port. :(

 

http://www.beyondships.com/RCI-CocoCay.html

Little Stirrup Cay (aka Coco Cay) was bought in its entirety earlier this year by RCCL (the corporation). Since then RCI (the Brand) has been doing further development of new facilities on the rest of the island.

The Bahamian government has already approved a pier for Coco Cay which we have seen a team doing prep work for using a mobile sea platform.

The original owner has been there occasionally since the sale and is having a new house built on a nearby island.

There are no port fees because it is and has been a private island in RCCL's time there!

An interesting side story: http://www.blue-n-gold.com/halfdan/bahamas.htm

... An interesting side story: http://www.blue-n-gold.com/halfdan/bahamas.htm

Thanks for this, it is interesting. I had not realized that Coco Cay came from the purchase of Admiral.

I know that there was a private residence in the middle of the island a few years ago. Crew at Coco Cay said that the owner would visit there from time to time but was not a permanent resident.

 

An interesting side story: http://www.blue-n-gold.com/halfdan/bahamas.htm

Thank you for the information and the link! :)

I'll stand by my statement that RCI bought the lease from Admiral, who had the original land lease.

RCI or RCCL do not "own" Coco Cay, they lease it from the Bahamas. DCL also has a 99 year lease from the Bahamas, but NCL owns Great Stirrup Cay.

Actually RCCL leased the island from the owner previous owner who had bought the island from the Bahamian government for a number if years before purchasing the island except for one small parcel of land. They may have since purchased that remaining area.

There was an interesting article about the previous owner and his plans for the island.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-12-16/entertainment/9204240285_1_wonderful-life-government-science

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5TADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=little+stirrup+cay+ownership&source=bl&ots=Fq6o0d7T2G&sig=z7SMoaDDSOegy0un7zu3MtEjEe8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWhbbDw9_OAhXJrB4KHe5kBHs4ChDoAQggMAM#v=onepage&q=little%20stirrup%20cay%20ownership&f=false

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5TADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=little+stirrup+cay+ownership&source=bl&ots=Fq6o0d7T2G&sig=z7SMoaDDSOegy0un7zu3MtEjEe8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWhbbDw9_OAhXJrB4KHe5kBHs4ChDoAQggMAM#v=onepage&q=little%20stirrup%20cay%20ownership&f=false

Interesting to see the prices in the ads from 20 years ago.

Teehee...Mega Ships...Grandeur & Sovereign:eek: My how times change:cool:

I still do not see any proof in any of the links on this thread, or anywhere that I have been able to find on the internet, that Royal Caribbean has PURCHASED CocoCay instead of leasing it from the Bahamian government.

I still do not see any proof in any of the links on this thread, or anywhere that I have been able to find on the internet, that Royal Caribbean has PURCHASED CocoCay instead of leasing it from the Bahamian government.

This article sheds light on the subject:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-12-16/entertainment/9204240285_1_wonderful-life-government-science

Other info on the recent sale of the rest of the island I learned while on Coco Cay several times this year.

I still do not see any proof in any of the links on this thread, or anywhere that I have been able to find on the internet, that Royal Caribbean has PURCHASED CocoCay instead of leasing it from the Bahamian government.

The Bahamas website states that Little Stirrup Cay, or, Coco Cay is privately owned

http://www.bahamas.com/vendor/coco-cay-beach#zoom=14&lat=25.82003&lon=-77.93923&layers=00B0T

RCI "purchased" the lease of CocoCay, it is still governed by the Bahamian government. But RCI has exclusive rights towards use of CocoCay. That means outsiders can't visit; you have to arrive by cruise ship. But since it is still Bahamian govt controlled it means Bahamian laws are in effect.

RCI "purchased" the lease of CocoCay, it is still governed by the Bahamian government. But RCI has exclusive rights towards use of CocoCay. That means outsiders can't visit; you have to arrive by cruise ship. But since it is still Bahamian govt controlled it means Bahamian laws are in effect.

Did you read any of the listed articles? The island was owned by Neil Ruzic who had purchased the island from the Bahamian government. He then subsequently leased the island to Admiral cruises. Royal took over the lease from Admiral and then bought all but 5 acres of CocoCay from Neil Ruzic many years ago and within the last year bought the remaining 5 acres from him.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-12-16/entertainment/9204240285_1_wonderful-life-government-science

http://www.bahamas.com/vendor/coco-cay-beach#zoom=14&lat=25.82003&lon=-77.93923&layers=00B0T

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5TADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=little+stirrup+cay+ownership&source=bl&ots=Fq6o0d7T2G&sig=z7SMoaDDSOegy0un7zu3MtEjEe8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWhbbDw9_OAhXJrB4KHe5kBHs4ChDoAQggMAM#v=onepage&q=little%20stirrup%20cay%20ownership&f=false

Did you read any of the listed articles? The island was owned by Neil Ruzic who had purchased the island from the Bahamian government. He then subsequently leased the island to Admiral cruises. Royal took over the lease from Admiral and then bought all but 5 acres of CocoCay from Neil Ruzic many years ago and within the last year bought the remaining 5 acres from him.

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-12-16/entertainment/9204240285_1_wonderful-life-government-science

 

http://www.bahamas.com/vendor/coco-cay-beach#zoom=14&lat=25.82003&lon=-77.93923&layers=00B0T

 

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5TADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=little+stirrup+cay+ownership&source=bl&ots=Fq6o0d7T2G&sig=z7SMoaDDSOegy0un7zu3MtEjEe8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWhbbDw9_OAhXJrB4KHe5kBHs4ChDoAQggMAM#v=onepage&q=little%20stirrup%20cay%20ownership&f=false

Thanks for the links.

Did you read any of the listed articles? The island was owned by Neil Ruzic who had purchased the island from the Bahamian government. He then subsequently leased the island to Admiral cruises. Royal took over the lease from Admiral and then bought all but 5 acres of CocoCay from Neil Ruzic many years ago and within the last year bought the remaining 5 acres from him.

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-12-16/entertainment/9204240285_1_wonderful-life-government-science

 

http://www.bahamas.com/vendor/coco-cay-beach#zoom=14&lat=25.82003&lon=-77.93923&layers=00B0T

 

https://books.google.ca/books?id=5TADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=little+stirrup+cay+ownership&source=bl&ots=Fq6o0d7T2G&sig=z7SMoaDDSOegy0un7zu3MtEjEe8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjWhbbDw9_OAhXJrB4KHe5kBHs4ChDoAQggMAM#v=onepage&q=little%20stirrup%20cay%20ownership&f=false

There are far, far more sources stating the land is leased to RCI than "owned". I do know the Bahamas gov't gets a per head amount per pax.

Is there a caretaker or manager that lives on the Island? There was a man talking to some people at one of the bars on the island telling them that he lived on the island. We didn't know if that was true or not. This was a couple of years ago.