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Bahama entry fees are rising, again?

3K views 29 replies 14 participants last post by  SVAuspicious 
#1 ·
Got an email from friends, one who is still traveling in the Bahamas, who have passed along the rumor of whopping increases in Bahamian entry fees.

Current rumor is that Bahamian entry fees will soon be increase to $400 for boats greater in length than 35 ft. and $250 for boats less than 35 ft. Anyone on this board confirm this?
Current $300 fee for ≥ 35ft. has definitely lowered the transient boater population for the past few seasons, a 25% increase should make anchoring in the 'usual' harbors etc. less a problem.

Can anyone else confirm these massive fee increases?

I no longer visit the T&CIs because of their ridiculous short term entry fees. I maybe will bypass the the Bahamas entirely also if their fees rise to level of extortion.
 
#3 ·
Ouch... and that's coming from one who still only pays the lower fee for a smaller boat...

Sounds like they're pretty confident Cuba won't be opening up to Americans anytime soon, that's probably our best hope at this point of keeping these increases remotely in line with 'what the market will bear'...

Current $300 fee for ≥ 35ft. has definitely lowered the transient boater population for the past few seasons, a 25% increase should make anchoring in the 'usual' harbors etc. less a problem.
I'd like to see the real numbers on that, I'd suggest that the economy in general since '08 has more to do with any downturn in recent years... In my observation, cruisers seemed to have 'adapted' to the last increase pretty quickly...

I think they're reacting to the impression I have, that people continue to show up in bigger, and more expensive boats, with each passing year... I doubt they're too worried if the diminishing percentage of people like myself, who come in on modest boats, rarely stay in marinas or spend any real serious money, and who might take a pass on the Bahamas due to a $100 increase...

I don't even want to think about what the Tipping Point might ultimately be for me, but $250 for a few months down there still isn't gonna keep me away... If any place is worth that kind of fee, it's still the Bahamas, for me...

 
#10 ·
I've been to the Bahamas countless times, by many modes of transport. Showing up in a private yacht is remarkably more expensive than by aircraft. Even private aircraft.

I didn't understand it at first, but then it dawned on me and Jon just stated it above.

.......I doubt they're too worried if the diminishing percentage of people like myself, who come in on modest boats, rarely stay in marinas or spend any real serious money.....
Cruisers often arrive fully self sufficient and self contained. The Bahamian economy receives little benefit by comparison. When a private aircraft lands, the hotels and restaurants all get business. I think the cruising fee could be more fair and consider short term layovers or weekend tours, but I acknowledge that many would abuse it and overstay, if there were a cheaper option.

I hate the tourist islands of Grand Bahama and Freeport. Why any cruiser would go to either is beyond me. Andros, Abaco, Cat Island, Long Island, Exuma, and more are far far nicer. The more remote you get, such as Cat and Long Islands, the less crime too. Nearly none existent really.
 
#4 ·
great I love the idea of spending $400 so that I can like most people I know have things stolen
While in the Bahamas. if they did more to protect us from the criminals I would say no prob to the increase but we know that will not happen so I will not revisit any more
ps for all you English majors my English lit sucks so sorry for not being able to write like Hemingway
 
#8 ·
great I love the idea of spending $400 so that I can like most people I know have things stolen
While in the Bahamas. if they did more to protect us from the criminals I would say no prob to the increase but we know that will not happen so I will not revisit any more ---
I've been going to the Bahamas for about 15 years and never had anything stolen. I've never locked anything unless I was in Nassau, which is a big city so I lock things like I do in Miami.
 
#5 ·
I am somewhat ambivalent about this. Tourism potential is the main (only) resource that the Bahamas has. In the same way that Canada sells oil and Australia sells coal, it is a way to provide income for the country. If the price of the resource becomes too high then people have the option of not buying or buying elsewhere.
 
#6 ·
Very true. The $300 is already a high price, especially for those just spending a few days, sportfishermen and the like. This may well convince many sailors to just stay in the US rather than pay this fee and then go through the hassle of clearing back into the US. Governments sure know how to stifle business.
 
#7 ·
I guess to people who only travel between the US and the Bahamas it seems extortionate, but some countries charge a lot more. Our fees in Oz were more than $500 and Panama and Ecuador were even more (and that is mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos are (much) more). At least the process in the Bahamas is straightforward. In some countries you have to hire an agent and deal with numerous officials- customs, immigration, health, biosecurity, port captain ... I am probably missing some.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Last March, I actually wrote the Bahamian Minister of tourism, not to complain about the entry fee but to complain that we as cruisers see zero indication that any of this money is ever used to improve cruising. For example there are few aids to navigation for pleasure craft. The few aids they have privately owned and maintained. There are old ones which are now hazards to navigation. The light at Little Harbour in the Abacos has not worked since the hurricane (no idea which hurricane but it's almost a year at best) There is not a single current station in the Bahamas. The best one can do when you want to transit a cut is guess. I've transited both Current Cut and Dothan Cut against the flow because we got it wrong. I was told that it would be presented to the Navigation Committee and they would look into it. So far nothing.

Last year I talked to Troy of Harbour View Marina in Marsh Harbour and the marina operators are very aware of the negative impact increasing fees will have. The main influence on the reduced number of cruisers going to the Bahamas has been the US economy and that has hit the Bahamas very hard. It's always a juggling act. The bottom line is you want to increase or maintain revenue. So if your customer base is down raise the rates but this will further reduce your customer base and in the end you could loose big time. I've heard that Bimini suffered tremendously after the last increase.

There is also a certain smugness within the Bahamas - where else are you going to go? Everything else is too far or forbidden.

I'm not so much against the fees. I just like to see something for my money.

PS here's the email address. CSands@bahamas.com
 
#11 ·
While Nassau and Freeport may enjoy revenues from the jet set, the rest of the Bahamas relies heavily on the poor cruiser. Places like Hope Town or Little Harbour would hardly exist and George Town and Marsh Harbour would still be little sleepy towns in the out islands of the Bahamas if not for the cruisers dollars.

As I said earlier, Bimini almost died after the last increase.

Don't sell your impact short.
 
#12 ·
I agree that cruisers and pilots are a big part of the out island economy. However, I still think the pilots will spend more, as a matter of necessity. Just drawing the distinction between the two cruising permit fees. I bet they collect the difference in revenue on the fuel bill alone. Maybe some stinkpotters take on fuel, not sure what those knuckleheads actually do. :)
 
#13 ·
A friend of mine watched as a mega-yacht filled up about a month ago. The bill: $70,000+. Yikes! It wouldn't take too many of those transactions to boost a local economy. We ragmen are pretty stingy in comparison.
 
#15 ·
On occasion I have noticed actual angry reactions from stinkpotters when I fill my tank with < 10 gallons. It's as if I don't really qualify for dock space for that small amount of fuel.:D
 
#16 ·
You have to remember that most of those in the Bahamian government charged with making this sort of decision, are gonna be based in Nassau... What they primarily see, is megayachts coming into marinas like Atlantis, spending perhaps a thousand bucks a night simply for dockage, and know those owners won't bat an eye over this sort of increase...

I would suspect the Out Island business community is as annoyed by this increase as we are, however, as that's where people like myself primarlly spend our money, what little we do...

Having said that, however, after visiting the Exumas 2 winters ago after not having been through there in several years, I was stunned by the increase of charter megayachts operating in those waters... Places like Highborne and Staniel Cay are profiting quite handsomely from the charter trade, and could care less about visitors like me, it's the big fish they're after...

In Nassau, when they think "cruiser", they're really thinking "Well-Heeled Vacationers" flown into yachts that charter for $100K/week, at a minimum... Such "cruisers" might spend more in one night dining at Harbour Island's Rock House, than I likely will over a lifetime of knocking about the Bahamas in my little tub...

 
#19 ·
According to waterwaycruisingguide.com/newsupdate.php?area=9 the new fees are some what up in the air. Marina Operators of the Bahamas are referring to them as unofficial but, neverthe less, are encouraging members and partners to be aware of the changes.

With this change there are 3 fee schedules and MOB advises to be prepared to pay anyone of the 3.
 
#20 ·
I know for a fact that most sport fishing boats here in Miami and southern Florida do not pay the fee. It is too high for a short visit for fishing. Bimini Island does not have a custom boat nor do they want one. They are in dire straits and will take any business that comes there from the sport fisherman. The sport fisherman fly the Bahamian flag without checking in and the officials look the other way.
Like others said, they spend a lot of money on fuel, hotel and restaurants.
The cheap sailors that come spend very little money compared to these guys plus the mega yachts. They will get there money from us one way or another.
I had a chat with the Bahama officials at the Miami boat show last Feb on this very subject. That is exactly what they told me.
 
#22 ·
This seems like a security nightmare for both countries. If boats are making crossings of international borders with no clearing-in procedures, officials "looking the other way," it is an open door for smuggling and terrorism.
 
#21 ·
There are plenty of power boat cruisers. This is not a get the sail boater fee. This is about increasing revenues and an attack on the cruising community. Power boaters are a significant part of the cruising community. Power boaters are not our enemy here.

Bimini's problems were quite different. They are primarily a fishing destination. When they changed the regulations in 2008, they required that the fee be paid every second visit - buy one visit get ONE free. It wasn't stated that way but that was the effect. As I've said before Bimini was almost destroyed after those changes but are now enjoying somewhat of a comeback because the officials are turning a blind eye to the infractions.

Spanish Cay and Treasure Cay marinas and to some extent Boat Harbour marina, sports fishing destinations are empty because of this fee structure.

The feeling in the Bahamas is that they have a monopoly on good cruising grounds in that part of the world and they can charge whatever they want. People will grumble and complain but in the end they'll come anyway. Revenues are down because there are fewer cruisers due to the down turn in the US economy and so they raised the rates.

.
 
#23 ·
I'm guessing that they figure that anyone for whom the fee increase is make-or-break, we're-not-coming-because-its-too-expensive, isn't someone who is going to be making a significant contribution to the local economy with their spending while they're over there.

(Agree with the security issues, though. Do they watch more closely for clearing in on the US side?)
 
#24 ·
There are a lot of people with the wherewithal to pay the higher fee that are offended by the increase and are planning to cruise elsewhere this year.

The Government of the Bahamas have apparently announced that they will not increase fees. They have riled up a lot of people who are now pretty cranky about the previous $300 fee. Comparisons are being drawn to the costs and benefits of other venues.

Of course not everyone will go elsewhere but in an environment of continued price sensitivity by everyone, regardless of means, I think the Bahamas have not served themselves well.
 
#25 ·
There are a lot of people with the wherewithal to pay the higher fee that are offended by the increase and are planning to cruise elsewhere this year.

The Government of the Bahamas have apparently announced that they will not increase fees. They have riled up a lot of people who are now pretty cranky about the previous $300 fee. Comparisons are being drawn to the costs and benefits of other venues.

Of course not everyone will go elsewhere but in an environment of continued price sensitivity by everyone, regardless of means, I think the Bahamas have not served themselves well.
Where are you getting any of this information? It took some effort to find any mention of the fee increase that started this thread because there has not been any official announcement. Now your saying the Bahamian Government is announcing they will not implement an increase they never announced?

The bottom line is that it would be nice to know what fees are officially in place?
 
#28 ·
It's not so bad for people who only go to the Bahamas once every year or so. It is a killer to people in Florida, who like to go a lot.

It would have been a lot better if they had figured up a discount price for a year's permit or something for people with multiple entries.

It seems like governments and businesses often subscribe to the ridiculous idea that raising prices 25 per cent has to result in 25 per cent more revenue.
 
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