Bahamas Mess
 

So, do they have reduced fee if the boat isn't going to fish??

I have given up fishing since I'm not a good fisherman and the 'cross
boarder' and individual state fees are too much of a nusense.. I just don't
keep any fishing gear on the boat.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Bahamas Mess
 

x-no-archive:yes

"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

Bahamas Mess
 

x-no-archive:yes

"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

Bahamas Mess
 

x-no-archive:yes

"Steve" wrote:

So, do they have reduced fee if the boat isn't going to fish??
No

I have given up fishing since I'm not a good fisherman and the 'cross
boarder' and individual state fees are too much of a nusense.. I just don't
keep any fishing gear on the boat.

Most of the people that go to the Bahamas go for the fishing. We
don't fish either, but I guess almost anyone can catch a fish in the
Bahamas.

Here in Florida (where we are now) you don't have to have a fishing
license if you are over 65 and a Florida resident.


grandma Rosalie

Bahamas Mess
 

x-no-archive:yes

"Steve" wrote:

So, do they have reduced fee if the boat isn't going to fish??
No

I have given up fishing since I'm not a good fisherman and the 'cross
boarder' and individual state fees are too much of a nusense.. I just don't
keep any fishing gear on the boat.

Most of the people that go to the Bahamas go for the fishing. We
don't fish either, but I guess almost anyone can catch a fish in the
Bahamas.

Here in Florida (where we are now) you don't have to have a fishing
license if you are over 65 and a Florida resident.


grandma Rosalie

Bahamas Mess
 

What does it cost a family of four Bahamians to get visas to enter the US?
Looks like $100 for each application, non-refundable if denied:
http://travel.state.gov/vofees.html Then there's the time involved:
How long does it take to get a visa?

a.. Processing times are difficult to predict for an individual applicant.
For many applicants, a personal appearance interview is required as a
standard part of visa processing. For travelers, the need for an interview
will mean additional coordination with the embassy or consulate, is required
to schedule an interview appointment. If additional processing is needed,
visa applicants are informed at the time they submit their applications.
While most additional processing takes 30 days or less, a small percentage
may take considerably longer.
b.. Advance planning is a key ingredient for successfully having your visa
when you want it. If you wish to visit the U.S., plan to submit your visa
application well in advance of your departure date.
So it makes sense to not go somewhere where the fees or hassles are more
than its worth, I think it helps to keep it in perspective by looking at
what the good old USA does to potential visitors.

Paul
"Steve" wrote in message
...
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.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Bahamas Mess
 

What does it cost a family of four Bahamians to get visas to enter the US?
Looks like $100 for each application, non-refundable if denied:
http://travel.state.gov/vofees.html Then there's the time involved:
How long does it take to get a visa?

a.. Processing times are difficult to predict for an individual applicant.
For many applicants, a personal appearance interview is required as a
standard part of visa processing. For travelers, the need for an interview
will mean additional coordination with the embassy or consulate, is required
to schedule an interview appointment. If additional processing is needed,
visa applicants are informed at the time they submit their applications.
While most additional processing takes 30 days or less, a small percentage
may take considerably longer.
b.. Advance planning is a key ingredient for successfully having your visa
when you want it. If you wish to visit the U.S., plan to submit your visa
application well in advance of your departure date.
So it makes sense to not go somewhere where the fees or hassles are more
than its worth, I think it helps to keep it in perspective by looking at
what the good old USA does to potential visitors.

Paul
"Steve" wrote in message
...
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.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Bahamas Mess
 

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
......
Here in Florida (where we are now) you don't have to have a fishing
license if you are over 65 and a Florida resident.
This applies only to residents, so visitors from the Bahamas are still
required to get a license. Looks like $31 a year from their web site. So FLA
charges for licenses much like Bahamas do.

Paul

Bahamas Mess
 

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
......
Here in Florida (where we are now) you don't have to have a fishing
license if you are over 65 and a Florida resident.
This applies only to residents, so visitors from the Bahamas are still
required to get a license. Looks like $31 a year from their web site. So FLA
charges for licenses much like Bahamas do.

Paul

Bahamas Mess
 

x-no-archive:yes

"Paul L" wrote:


"Rosalie B." wrote in message
.. .
......
Here in Florida (where we are now) you don't have to have a fishing
license if you are over 65 and a Florida resident.

Well I said here in FLORIDA you don't have to have a fishing license
if you are a RESIDENT.

This applies only to residents, so visitors from the Bahamas are still
required to get a license. Looks like $31 a year from their web site. So FLA
charges for licenses much like Bahamas do.

This was in response to Steve who asked if you could get a discount on
the Bahamas entry permit fee if you didn't get the fishing license,
and said he didn't fish anymore because he wasn't very good at it.
He's in California - or anyway on the left coast.

I was not saying that a visitor wouldn't have to have the fishing
license in the Bahamas, but it is part of the entry permit fee and not
separated out.

I don't know why anyone from the Bahamas would come to Florida to
fish, but if they aren't on a head boat or charter boat they would
have to get a license like anyone else.

grandma Rosalie