Environmentalist claims pushback among some sectors of society, however
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Crystal Cruises has extended its new Luxury Bahamas Escapes cruise in The Bahamas, adding six seven-night voyages to its offering.
According to the cruise line, the voyages add to its Crystal Serenity’s recently announced all-Bahamas itineraries, which opened for reservations with record demand, representing the biggest single day of bookings in the company’s history within the first 24 hours of its release.
The cruise line added six new seven-night voyages, with three round-trip from Nassau on October 23, October 30 and November 6, and three round-trip from Bimini on October 24, October 31 and November 7.
Jack Anderson, Crystal’s president, said: “The terrific response to our initial deployment of Crystal Serenity’s Luxury Bahamas Escapes showcases the pent-up desire in cruising and we are equally eager to start exploring again and to welcome our guests back on board.
“The Bahamas is the perfect destination to launch our return to cruising, as it is both close to home and yet a world away, with amazing outdoor options from snorkeling and diving to eco-tours and deep-sea fishing, to just relaxing on some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.
“These itineraries are truly unique because they offer guests the chance to experience exclusive places usually only accessible by sea planes or private yachts and sailboats. We are delighted that The Bahamas has welcomed us to explore their beautiful Family Islands and we look forward to sharing their natural wonders and authentic, up-close experiences with our guests.”
The new voyages will feature a change of anchorage from Harbour Island to Spanish Wells after Harbour Island stakeholders opposed mass cruise tourism to the destination, which caters to high-end, low-density tourism.
Meanwhile, the cruise line’s decision to add Spanish Wells to its itinerary is also being met with some opposition.
Sam Duncombe, reEarth’s president, told Eyewitness News: “There is some pushback in Spanish Wells, as there should be. We should be moving away from cruise tourism and minimize how many cruise ships come here, but we’re increasing it. It makes no sense.
“We have this all backwards. Our government hasn’t seemed to look at the significant downside of this industry in terms of pollution.”
