Cruise ships are ships specifically built to offer transportation to individuals who are visiting and traveling different parts of the world. It can be termed as a luxury ship whereby the voyage and all the people in it have a traveling experience of their lives. The Caribbean region is the area that has the Caribbean Sea and the islands that surround it makes it a cruise ship destination. Cruise ships can be traced back in the 1960’s whereby there was a noticeable shift as to how people traveled. There was the introduction of the cruise ships so that they can offer an alternative to the air transport and the ships that were not offering the luxury that people needed during those periods. There is a great difference regarding leisure traveling that was experienced during those years and the one that is currently being experienced in most economies. There has been a significant expansion regarding the quality and investment that the government has put into the tourism industry (Dowling, 2006). The following essay will, therefore, discuss the impacts that the cruise ships have on the Caribbean and how the economy of Caribbean has been affected in regards to the influence of the cruise ship tourism industry. In addition to that, the essay will also look at the social, economic and political consequences that have been brought by cruise ship industry. Finally, I will also offer highlights if there have been any disruptions or disconnections that have been introduced by the industry.
The Caribbean as was emphasized is the region that has the sea, and many Islands are surrounding it making it a prime area for tourist attraction. Over 50% of the Caribbean islands benefit from the cruise ship industry business when the travelers are off the boat; they are offered various services that they in turn pay. The flow of tourists has been supplying the entire Caribbean with the economic and also the financial strength that the country needs. In the latest development, however, the cruise ship industry has been bringing fewer benefits to the Caribbean itself since most ships are registered in other countries, and they end up avoiding taxes and the ever-upcoming increase in environmental concerns in the region. Such an imbalance is one of the major constraints that the Caribbean is facing (Pattullo, 2005).
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Overview of the Cruise Sector
It is vital to note that the cruise industry is the fastest growing sector in the economy as per the current statistics. The Caribbean and most Caribbean Islands have experienced social, economic, cultural, political and above all environmental impacts about the cruise ship industry. There have been various calls to reduce the number of the passengers on the cruise ships due to the social implications to the society, but these are some of the reason this study is trying to uncover. Most of the participants of the cruise ships tourism industry are the North Americans, but there have been various increases in demand from other regions such as Asia and Europe. Various data proves that there have been increased adverse effects as compared to the economic and cultural connections of the different people who participate in the tourism industry. The prediction is also that the demand is on the rise and much more income is expected from the sector. In response to the various companies and organizations are building voyages in anticipation of the better performance of the industry. There have been decreases of destinations of voyages to the Caribbean as they have substituted their destination choices to places such as Bahamas and Bermuda (Telfer & Sharpley, 2015).
Economic Impacts of cruise ships to Caribbean
The Caribbean depends mostly on the cruise ship tourism earnings to support its infrastructure and facilities to finance the economic activity. The amount of money that the cruise ship passengers spend at the Caribbean is a great boost to the general economy of the region. There are various incomes associated with the cruise ship tourism industry. Suppliers always sell goods to the cruise vessels, passengers, and the entire crew tends to benefit a lot from the income that they collect as compared to locals. It is, therefore, a boost to the general economy of the Caribbean. Cruise ship passengers are also spending their income in the Caribbean economy through buying products and services such as restaurant services, retail goods, and other recreational facilities when they reach the shore. All these are sources of income to the cruise ships which in turn end up benefiting the Caribbean (Dowling, 2006).
Cruise ships, once they dock at the port, they also spend quite a lot on the port costs, maintenance, marine expenses, fuel and water among other expenses. The country of origin receives this income, but on arriving at the shores, they have to refuel and all other related expenses that benefit the locals. There are however drawbacks when it comes to accounting for the income to the destination countries such as the Caribbean because of other companies, most of them cruising under the flag of convenience. The latter means that the ships employ individuals from other regions and they are exempted from tax at the destination port or Island.
Income is mostly accrued to the destination places. In the case of some Islands in the Caribbean where they do not dock at their ports, the economic benefit is lost. Hotels therefore are not able to host the tourists since they will be offered accommodations in other places. Most hotels, therefore who relies on this industry ends up being disappointed. Other cruise ships offer accommodations on board which is a negative impact to the cruise ships business in the Caribbean (Duval, 2004).
Adverse effects of the economic aspect of the cruise ships industry is the fact that the Caribbean government and authorities have been made to spend vast sums of money to ensure that there are better environments for the tourists and the locals. It is becoming, however, more expensive since the authorities are not allowed collecting enough cash to support such costs. Some of the cost includes depreciation of the port infrastructure, maintenance of the buses, taxis and public toilets that are used by the tourists. An offering of security to the visitors is also another cost that is not met by the funds that are not collected from the Cruise ship business and the cost of making the streets clean and maintaining the attractions that are visited (Dowling, 2006).
Socio-Cultural Impacts
The cruise ship tourism in Caribbean ports is faced with social issues and negative exchange of cultural beliefs and activities. In most occasions, it has been noted to have a negative impact on the social –cultural of the residents of the port. The cruise ships host a large number of people from diverse nationalities. The locals will always be forced to change or to adapt to the outside cultural activities so that they can serve them better. As a result, the culture of the inhabitants is gradually lost, and this leaves the next generations with issues of not enjoying the original culture of the Caribbean people. However, sometimes the locals are not allowed to associate with the passengers and the passengers closely also are not so often allowed to mix with the locals by the cruise ship companies. It results to a barrier in cultural exchange because it is important for one also to learn through diversification (Telfer & Sharpley, 2015).
Some research, however, has shown that the Caribbean inhabitants have been affected by the visitor languages and the locals languages are slowly fading. These are some of the adverse effects that are associated with the cruise industries. Foreign cultural effects that are mostly likely to be seen in the future among the residents is the Western culture of dressing, relationships, language, moral conduct, creative expression and how community organizations are arranged. There is also other social effects that are felt when the visitors dock at the ports. The level of congestion and pollution that is witnessed is detrimental to the growth of the entire region. A vivid example is whenever there are cruise ships passengers are more than the residents. They bring congestion and the lack of transportation, and other facilities put a strain on the residents' handle (Dowling, 2006).
Labor wages is also a major example of the social-cultural impact that cruise ship tourism has brought. It has been noted from various sources that there have been claims by the employees of the cruise ships that they are not paid well. Those employees that originate from the Caribbean including other countries have reported being raped, sexually abused, racism and all sorts of discrimination. These vices are a negative impact of the cruise ship in the Caribbean. It is also observed that when over 65% of the cruise industries come from the Caribbean, the rate of employment of the lack people is less that 10%. It paints adverse effects when other ceremonies are yielding the benefits of the Caribbean, and the residents are not feeling the importance of that activity (Duval, 2004).
Cruise ships have also largely exposed the Caribbean to various social issues such as transgender and the larger groups of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender). Various cruise ships employees and also the tourist have different sexual orientation, and this is had had an impact on the local community. The first Gay Cruise issues that were experienced in November 2007 was an eye awakening regarding how sexual orientation and religion has changed or will be affected shortly at the Caribbean. There was a massive protest on the issue of a voyage that was occupied by gays was denied docking at one of the Caribbean Islands. After intense criticism, the government allowed them to visit. When such decisions are observed at the national level the rest of the society, who felt that their rights are being suppressed ended up coming out and this has been happening since that incident. More people have been influenced to change their view towards the LGBT groups as a result of the cruise ship (Pattullo, 2005).
Environmental Impacts
When discussing the environmental implications of any form of transport, the negative consequences is the only angle that the issue can be addressed. Most cruise ships have been reported of leaving a huge junk of rubbish at the shores than even the locals when they visit various destinations. This is not an exception to the Caribbean; they have always led to the pollution of the sea waters and marine pollution. Most marine animals are being disturbed by the noises and the activities of the voyage and infrastructure damage, The Caribbean as a destination is spending vast sums of money to try to correct the situation that is caused by the tourists on transit. Just like the aircraft, since some companies are also offering options for travel such as airplanes; the smoke and the discharge of oil that is released from the engines is another source of air pollution. Thus the impact on the environment is always a significant impact that the Cruise ships have brought (Telfer & Sharpley, 2015).
As highlighted above the Caribbean mostly depends on tourism, in fact, it has been rated as depending on the activity over 50% of the rest of the economic activities. The most troubling environmental issues about the tourism effects have always remained to be an economic impact to the local operators. In the recent surveys, most companies have been supporting the need for the Caribbean to enjoy the benefits of the industry maximally but are becoming a nightmare. It is reported that most hotel industries have been adversely affected by the policies that have been regulating the industry. The Caribbean taxes that are levied by ports are not even enough to support the inflation that is on the rise in the Caribbean (Duval, 2004). There is a gradual decrease in spending by the cruise ships at the offshore, and it is becoming routine for the cruise ship operators to offer services such as restaurant services on board among others. The amount of spending by visitors at the Caribbean is reported to be below 20% and 80% when they are onboard. Such figures are causing a great alarm to the authorities, and in the future, more and strict measures should be put in place to control and increase the earnings from the cruise ships.
In conclusion, the Caribbean has been affected by different aspects of the cruise ship industry that are changing the society currently. The impacts on the economic disadvantages, social and cultural differences are among the negative issues that are affecting the Caribbean or the impacts of the cruise ships on the Caribbean. The waters are also being polluted, and this is environmentally wrong. Pollution of air and water by the tourists has significantly contributed to costs of maintaining the entire water bodies. Most cruise ships that are docking at the ports are also not ready to cooperate in paying for such expenses making the economy weaker. Inflation rates are shifting day in day out, and more has to be done so that they can be reduced. The negative impacts lately are overcoming the positive results that are in the Caribbean. It is high time that the Caribbean government takes a significant step in ensuring that the citizens enjoy full benefits of the cruise ships, an activity that they rely on earning most of the taxes. Socially, there is an interruption in the society which is impacting the morality of the local citizens. Negative effects such as environment pollutions should be controlled and yield positive results.
References
Dowling, R. K. (2006). Cruise Ship Tourism. California: CABI.
Duval, D. T. (2004). Tourism in the Caribbean: Trends, Development, Prospects. New York: Psychology Press.
Pattullo, P. (2005). Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean (Second Edition). New York: NYU Press.
Telfer, D., & Sharpley, R. (2015). Tourism and Development in the Developing World. London: Routledge
