Grassroots Opposition to Cruises in the Caymans Looms as Larger Warning for Industry

A judge handed down a victory on Wednesday for opponents of the cruise industry in the Cayman Islands. The government cannot move forward with a referendum on whether a new $200 million cruise berthing facility can be built in partnership with the cruise industry. It must pass additional legislation ensuring such referendums are carried out in a just and fair manner. It may seem like a minor local decision, but for the cruise industry, whose challenges are many these days, its implications could be much broader. That's because the biggest challenge to the long-term viability of cruising is not figuring out how to lure newer, younger consumers, but rather losing the willingness of desirable port communities to welcome an ever-growing number of larger vessels. This is all bubbling up as the cruise industry received a black eye from the recent coronavirus crisis that prompted lines to quarantine ships. Social media surrounding those decisions has created a new public relations night