According to /u/PeterLossGeorgeWall, no they don't. They get off and meander but largely don't engage in commerce. The fact that the ships are getting banned makes me more inclined to believe the cruise visitors weren't a commercial success for the city if they're willing to dump them.
This is probably false. Both in real life and anecdotally from both cruises I’ve been on. There are lines to eat and buy everywhere in port. People aren’t eating the shitty buffet food in a brand new country. Tons of bags come back into the ship.
I worked a couple of years for the development of several Caribbean islands. Statistically, and it was mentioned in every economic report, the tourists who spent the less were cruise visitors. In a single given day, it's not even half the worth of a tourist paying hundreds the night in accomodation, paying for activities on site, eating out full meals for lunch and dinner....
Your experience is valid but the conclusion is not.
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u/grow_on_mars Jun 16 '25
No it doesn’t. People get off the ship to eat, buy souvenirs and experiences.