Grenada Triples Cruising Costs for Seasonal Stays

[osirissail]

The politicians in their infinite lack of reality have done it again. Like their cohorts in the BVI's, St Martin and other places they think they can increase their revenues on the backs of the cruising communities.
- - Effective immediately Grenada has terminated its "open-ended" cruising permit for visiting private vessels. For many years Grenada charged EC$75 for a cruising permit that was open-ended - good for as long as you wanted to stay. Now they have terminated that policy and are issuing only a one month cruising permit for your EC$75. Each month you have to pay another EC$75 if you want to stay in Grenadian waters. This is a new interpretation of an old law. The did exempt boats that are stored in boatyards "on the hard."
- - Besides other minor charges(about EC$20) a private boat entering Grenada paid the $75 for the cruising permit and then also got a month or two or three of free visitors visa for the people on the boat. Monthly visa extensions are still EC$25 per person. So if you stay for more than one month you could be paying EC$125 per month assuming two people on the boat.
- - I sail to Trinidad once or twice each year for shopping and other purposes and the last year I was there for 3 months and it cost me TT$50 to check in (2 people) and when we left 3 months later it cost me an additional TT$150 for a total of TT$200. TT$ are 6 to 1 US dollar which converts to US$33.33 or about US$11/month. Grenada now is charging EC$125 per month for extended stays (2 people) which in US$ is $46.88 per month - more than 4 times the cost of Trinidad.
- - Will Grenada government get any new revenue from this - NOT! And the newly imposed 15% VAT (sales tax) cannot be collected if cruisers are not there to buy groceries, parts, tours, entertainment, etc. Cruisers will stay their allotted paid for month then move on to more economical places so incoming foreign revenue from extended stays (hurricane season) will mostly likely decrease. And the workers, shops, and marine support industry of Grenada will be the ones losing tens of thousands of EC$ as boats leave and go elsewhere. You gotta love politicians . . . .

[DeepFrz]

I don't know how anyone can get excited over $46.88 per month for 2 people and a boat to cruise in a country's waters.

[waterworldly]

YEAH! Just did the conversion. Screaming over a buck something a day. I remember being in Mexico and Americans haggling over a giant terracotta sun for $5. No wonder people hate us!

[slomotion]

Most Caribbean islands that have tried something like this have come to realize that raising fees to a point that discourages transient cruisers is economically self destructive. I know nothing of Grenada politics, but I predict that this "interpretation" will be reversed.

Per the Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization:

"Yacht tourism is recognized as being the second most economically important form of tourism in the Eastern Caribbean, behind hotels but ahead of cruise ships.":

Working Together

[Rex Delay]

Last time I was there, paid the cruising permit and then went to the Tobago Cays (St. Vincent). Upon our arrival back to Grenada, had to buy another cruising permit even though I was giving back the boat that day!

[Mariness]

If the conversion is really 6:1, that doesn't sound too unreasonable. Are there a lot of people cruising to one spot and then staying for months at a time? I would have thought most cruisers wouldn't be there so much over a month anyway, before they're ready to move on elsewhere - making it a moot point for them. (Of course, if you were going to leave at 6 weeks, having paid per month might get them 2 extra weeks of you!)
You couldn't stay in a hotel for that much (at least not any hotel I'd be willing to go near), or buy a house if you were planning on moving in - by comparison it still works out pretty good, doesn't it?

[anglooff]

I am afraid that most Caribbean islands and South American countries will be following suit. However it still compares favorably to more northern islands/locations. As a Scot and a smoker I always use cigarettes as a measure of any negative cost...its the equivilent of three cigs a day... and that I can live with.

Alan

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by Mariness

Are there a lot of people cruising to one spot and then staying for months at a time?

In Grenada, yes. It is a popular place to wait out the Caribbean hurricane season and it qualifies for insurance coverage. Even well off cruisers, who may spend thousands of dollars over the course of a few months. are extraordinarily cheap about these things. Many will go to Trinidad, Margarita, or the ABCs instead.

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by anglooff

However it still compares favorably to more northern islands/locations. As a Scot and a smoker I always use cigarettes as a measure of any negative cost...its the equivilent of three cigs a day... and that I can live with.

Aye, laddie, but doesn't it cost ya only 'bout 200 USD a year in Curacao? In the Bahamas it's $300 per year for a 35+' boat, but people put up with it because it's so close to Florida and there are literally hundreds of islands. Grenada wants to start pushing $600 per year for the typical 2 people in a wee boat. The Scots will fleein' like rats in a fire an' smokin' all the way.

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by slomotion

In Grenada, yes. It is a popular place to wait out the Caribbean hurricane season and it qualifies for insurance coverage.

Well, there you go! Thanks for clearing it up - good stuff to know about

[MarkJ]

Crackers.

An extra US$44 per month for the hurricane season 6 months = $ 264

Thats a lot of dinners in Trinadad less than 100 miles away!

[SabreKai]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I don't know how anyone can get excited over $46.88 per month for 2 people and a boat to cruise in a country's waters.

Simple. Not all of us are rolling in dough. If you can afford it then go there and pay. Those of us on limited funds will go elsewhere. Grenada will lose money in the end. Instead of the government making only $75 and the locals making a few hundred or more, will now make $75 and the locals will make a bunch less because people won't stay for several months buying things from the locals. Short sighted. But expected.

Sabre

[fishwife]

A poster mentioned that the rich tend to object and be tight about paying the extra money (my paraphrase). In my experience very few people, well off or not, like the idea off paying more than the 'going rate' If there is a perception that they are being used as a 'cash cow' they get pee'd off and withhold their business. If Grenada had something that no other place, far and wide, could offer, then they could charge a prenium. As it is, I'm with everyone who thinks folks will just move along, been there, done that.

In a nut shell, people like to choose where to spend their money.

P.

[MarkJ]

Rich people didn't get rich by giving money away.

[conachair]

ec$50 for a yacht under 40´ Thats one bottle of caribe every 3 days. Not a bad price to be in a country as beautiful, friendly and welcoming as Grenada. Even better if it gets rid of some grumpy moaners. Anyway, i checked out in Hillsborough 2 days ago with no extra charges.