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Cruise berthing headed to a public vote in the Cayman IslandsCruise berthing headed to a public vote in the Cayman Islands

'We are proud that our efforts have ensured the voices of Caymanians will be heard on this critical issue,' local cruise advocate Ellio Solomon said.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

February 5, 2025

2 Min Read
ACT's Ellio Solomon addressed a town hall meeting about cruise berthing in December, one of a series sponsored by his associationPHOTOS: BEVAN SPRINGER/MARKETPLACE EXCELLENCE

Cayman Islanders will get to decide whether to move forward with cruise berthing in a referendum set for April 30.

This follows Monday's commitment by the majority of Caymanian lawmakers to approve a public vote.

ACT advocacy

For months, the Association for Cruise Tourism (ACT) in the Cayman Islands has led efforts, including a series of public meetings, to bring the berthing issue directly to the people.

'This is exactly the outcome ACT has worked tirelessly to achieve,' ACT Executive Program Manager Ellio Solomon said. 'It is a major step toward aligning Cayman’s cruise berthing infrastructure with modern standards, and we are proud that our efforts have ensured the voices of Caymanians will be heard on this critical issue.'

ACT's members include tour operators, merchants, restaurants, bars and transportation providers.

Solomon expressed gratitude to the parliamentarians who paved the way for the referendum by 'refusing to bow to pressure from those who disregard the livelihoods of thousands of Caymanians connected to the cruise tourism sector.'

Solomon, a former parliamentarian, also thanked Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism Kenneth Bryan, Leader of the Opposition Joseph 'Joey' Hew and other members of the government and official opposition for supporting a public referendum.

Related:Cayman Islands meeting to address cruise 'misinformation'

Ensuring the people have a say

During Monday’s parliamentary meeting, Bryan called the bill a 'promise to our people that their voices are valued in guiding future decisions. In bringing this bill this government is doing the best to ensure that those future decisions are made not in back rooms or in isolation but in full view of and with the participation of the people that we have been elected to serve.'

And Hew expressed the commitment of the opposition party, whose support effectively gives the minority government enough votes for the bill to pass when parliament meets again on Wednesday.

Solomon said ACT will ramp up its public education initiatives and town hall meetings to mobilize support for a 'yes' vote in the referendum.

Years of debate

As a tender port, Grand Cayman is not keeping up with the Caribbean's biggest new cruise ships.

Cruise lines cite the operational challenges, time constraints and safety concerns of landing thousands of people from multiple vessels by tenders.

But numerous plans for berthing facilities have come and gone over many years, with projects sunk by concerns about the environmental impact of dredging, costs, the potential crowding of beaches and other tourism infrastructure if bigger ships are facilitated, and opposition from some hoteliers.

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About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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