Falmouth cruise ship pullout a lesson for Cayman, says businessman

Three cruise ships are saying ‘adios’ to the port of Falmouth, Jamaica, citing visitor harassment and other issues.

Jamaican media is reporting Falmouth’s tourism sector stands to lose around $5 million US a month due to the pullout.

Could Falmouth’s loss be Cayman’s gain? Businessman Chris Kirkconnell thinks not. He told Cayman 27 without a cruise berthing facility, Cayman will continue to miss out on oasis-class ships.

“Cayman needs to use this as a lesson to make sure we don’t allow harassment and haggling of visitors,” he said in a text message exchange. “We are a far cry from Jamaica but we need to make sure we don’t let things get out of hand, as it can happen quickly.”

The three ships account for a combined 10,000 guests per visit to Falmouth.