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"Steve" wrote:

I haven't been following this since I'm on the left coast. Just what do you
get for $300?? Is that an entry fee only.??

Yah know! I don't think I would visit any country (or port) in the world
that charged a fee that high.

Even while sailing in and out of 3rd world ports, even the most corrupt port
offical has never demanded that kinda money..

The reason the Bahamas gets away with it is because the 'well heeled' boater
pay it.. Same reason the the cost of cruising has sky rocketed. Major stop
over ports in Baja and Mexico a similar problem. Not because you get your
moneys worth, but because of the fools who continue to go to these traps and
pay the price, no matter what it is.

This rant is brought to you by a 67 yo retiree who is only now able to
cruise to these places, only to find he his retirement income budget
couldn't possibly cover a $300 fee.

Originally there was a fee for entry and a fishing license fee and
maybe some other little ones. Possibly import duties on some things
like bicycles.

A couple of years ago they consolidated it to $100 fee per visit which
covered everything including entry, exit and fishing licenses. Flat
fee. I think they maybe had a problem with people not buying the
fishing license and then fishing anyway. This new flat rate fee was
for a year's cruising in the Bahamas for (I think) up to about 4
people, and the boat stores on board.

But what they found with this $100 fee was that the folks in FL paid
the fee and then went back and forth without checking out and in and
paying the fee over again. Especially little boats that don't have to
have a customs sticker. And the folks in the big cities (Freeport and
Nassau) felt that the cruisers were taking away their business by
selling their 'boat stores' locally, or maybe that they just didn't
spend enough money. They want to concentrate on the cruise ship sheep
who (in their view) spend lots and don't use much in the way of
services.

The folks in the out islands are feeling the pinch - I don't think as
many people are going this year. We're not. We could afford the $300
(66 and 67 year old retirees), but we don't want to. Particularly
until the US stops having people have to check in with immigration in
person when we come back.






grandma Rosalie