Teri West
In early January, the Bahamian government announced a deal to develop a port on a quiet island in the southern part of the country.
That island, Mayaguana, had fewer than 300 inhabitants during the 2010 census, and though it has pristine beaches, there's little tourist infrastructure. Frommer's advises that those who need lodgings can worry about that upon arrival: "Tourists arrive by boat and just ask around for availability ... some locals are willing to house you in one of their spare bedrooms."
Though thousands of daily guests via cruise would be a dramatic shift for Mayaguana, it's not a surprise that the Bahamian government is interested in finding a new way to cater to cruisers.
It has an important relationship with the cruise industry; Nassau welcomed more than six million passengers last year, and many cruise companies manage private islands or properties in the country.
While Mayaguana is positioned further south than existing cruise activity in the Bahamas, it is still closer to Miami than most other Caribbean nations. For the cruise industry, any new destination in that region is an opportunity to diversify offerings without having to lengthen itineraries.
Thus far, the Bahamas has shared little about the plans for Mayaguana, including the project timeline, how many cruise ships and sizes it intends to accommodate and what, if any, vacation experiences it will develop. The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association told me it has no information on the project yet.
What we do know is that the port will support both cruise and cargo. The construction of a cruise ship terminal is the second planned phase of the project, following the development of a deepwater port and temporary marine offloading facility.
After searching up some pictures of Mayaguana, Cruise.com head Jeanne Wyndrum compared it to neighboring Turks and Caicos.
"It is a beautiful destination, and that's why people go to the Caribbean: The mile-long, white beaches; to hang out and chill; and go diving and go snorkeling," she said.
Thanks to their proximity to Florida, existing Bahamian cruise ports are among the most common on Eastern Caribbean itineraries, so frequent cruisers may find them repetitive and opt to stay on the ship.
But the experiences offered during a call matter more to cruisers than just the novelty of a destination, Wyndrum said. What Mayaguana might add to itineraries depends on how it is designed as a vacation destination.
"What is that experience going to look like?" she wondered. "That really will make the difference."