(CMR) Cayman Brac could become a cruise destination as soon as 2026, Minister of Tourism and Port Kenneth Bryan told journalists at the Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami Beach last week.
This announcement comes months after Bryan called for a referendum on building a cruise ship pier in Grand Cayman.
Minister of Tourism and Ports Kenneth Bryan told Caribbean Journal that the plan is to make Cayman Brac a boutique, small-ship destination that maintains the island’s relaxed identity and fulfills a priority of “quality, not quantity.”
“The model is not going to be the traditional model where you have big ships coming in, even with a pier. We want to keep it more toward small ships. That way, we don’t have an abundance of persons traveling over to disrupt the flavor and flow of things,” he said.
That would mean a maximum of around three to four ships each week, with ships no greater than 2,500 in capacity and an emphasis on luxury, small-ship lines, Bryan told Caribbean Journal.
“We’re planning to either build it ourselves or partner with a local business owner who is building an inland marine harbor called Port Zeus.”
Bryan said it began as a conceptual idea, and the government gauged interest from cruise lines to ensure it fit their needs. The plan is for a pier in 2026, and discussions have already begun with the cruise lines.
Bryan said a major priority is to ensure the destination can build up comfortable numbers as a more laid-back island.
“That is an attractive quality for some travelers, and we think that we can share that with them and offer up a more white-glove approach,” he said.
“Not every cruise line is going to be able to get this option because we want to keep it small. We’re doubling down on the quality over quantity concept,” Bryan told Caribbean Journal.
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