Carnival Fascination To Use Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay
 

I just learned that Carnival Fascination will be using Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay as a stop on twenty-two upcoming cruises. They will stretch from 3/11/13 through 4/28/14.

The ship was supposed to stop at Key West but the Navy has decided to stop letting private and commercial ships use the Key West pier.

Carnival is calling it by it's legal name "Little Stirrup Cay" and the stops all are on Thursdays, which I am assuming is an open day for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. Two things I'd love to know: 1. How much is Royal charging to use the island? 2. How will Carnival address the RCI logo signage on the island?

Also, since this appears to be a stopgap measure based on the Navy suddenly closing the Key West base to cruise ships, Royal had a lot of leverage. But on the larger scheme, what does the Navy's decision mean to other cruises that have Key West as a stop? This only leaves the pier in the downtown area open.

What is wrong with tendering? My first ever cruise was on the Fascination when it was based out of Miami doing the Key West - Cozumel and Nassau runs. On that cruise we were unable to dock (another ship beat us to the downtown pier), so we had to tender in.

If Key West once allowed tendering, they no longer do so.

The question is how often will they be able to make it in to the port? The Monarch of the Seas was unable to make the port stop again last week. Royal has had to cancel a lot of Cocoa Cay port stops this last year.

Certainly an interesting turn of events. Maybe it might entice Carnival to purchase its own private island? I also suppose that Freeport was out of the question.

They are stopping at Freeport and Nassau (now there's an exciting itinerary!) on the 4-nighters in the ship's 5-4-5 rotation. The 5-nighters that leave on Saturdays stop at Nassau and Halfmoon Cay.

I thought Half Moon key was considered all the Carnival Corp & PLC brands private island.

I guess the Chinese are giving us something new and exciting to look forward to with the monstrosity resort and casino they are building. The "Baha Mar" with four resort hotels, shopping, golf, and the largest casino in the Caribbean.
Baha Mar

I just read that Carnival Ecstasy will also call on Coco Cay.

I hadn't heard of Baha Mar. That is a lot of resort.