Big Boat in the Bay

[Roger Mexico]

6 hours ago, Banker said:

You’re right, at same time we can’t even get water fountains at airport or sea terminal!! Airport situation is ridiculous, queue at Costa for a cup of water or buy a very overpriced plastic bottle of water at shop! Only airport I’ve been to without one

A clue to what goes on may be found in discussion from a question about school meals in July's Tynwald:

Dr Haywood: [...] I would like to correct the Minister where she has told us today that water is freely available. Many water fountains are broken. We heard yesterday from Castle Rushen High School, there is no actual water available in the dining hall and there is only one water fountain working. So I wonder if she would undertake to sort that situation out over the summer while she has got time to get workmen in there and get these fixed. 

The Minister [Julie Edge]: Water is available in jugs in our schools, or should be available. If any Hon. Member has any concerns like that, please do not hesitate to let me know. However, water fountains will now be the responsibility of our Chief Minister as acting Department of Infrastructure. (Laughter) So I am happy to work with him over the summer and see what we can do within that area.

Of course one reason why good old fashioned tap water might be difficult is disclosed in a Written Answer to Jason Moorhouse who asked[1]: How many bottles of water were sold in the week following TT week in 2023 in each of her Department's secondary schools.  The result was 7741 plus whatever RGS sold as they'd gone off early on holiday.  He also asked last year and got a reply of 6164 bottles (including RGS).

That's a lot of sales.  And plastic.  No wonder it might be difficult for the DoI to provide water for free[2].

 

[1]  One of those WTF questions from Moorhouse that you suddenly realise the point of several weeks later (whether Jason realises or not is another question.

[2]  Obviously the DoI find it difficult to do all sorts of things without any incentive. But still.

[Banker]

Lots of tours Iom coaches down south today full of cruise passengers, good business for them & guides

[2112]

6 hours ago, Amadeus said:

@Stu Peters any chance we can have a couple of these fitted there? 
 

 

 No chance sadly, this water fountain is probably for the big knobs, the VIPs and our politicos. Of course our politicos will be dick waving galore over this, telling the world the island is leading the world. 

[The Phantom]

Ignoring the unsurprising horsey tram shambles, the rest of the comments seem like they enjoyed it here!

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/horse-tram-timetables-were-finalised-before-cruise-itineraries-were-known/

[emesde]

But you really cannot ignore the horsey tram shambles. I have no liking for the ridiculous idea of having horse trams  clopping down the center of the main road into our capital city and all the problems that causes for commuters. But the government insist we have this nonsence on the basis that it is a great advantage for the tourist trade and the economy. Yet on the biggest day of 1000 + american visitors,we don't even bother to run them... Not just this Monday but other Mondays I have spoken to visitors wanting to catch the trams who can't because they don't run on Mondays. It is nothing to do with one dept not knowing the schedules of another dept. It us down to incompetent and lazy management at all levels knowing they can do whatever they want whenever they want and that nobody cares any more. Don't the trams and the tourist dept all work for the same dept. Still who cares?? Sure as f... they don't. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by emesde
Punctuation

[Declan]

2 hours ago, The Phantom said:

Ignoring the unsurprising horsey tram shambles, the rest of the comments seem like they enjoyed it here!

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/horse-tram-timetables-were-finalised-before-cruise-itineraries-were-known/

You'd have thought there could have been a bit of flexibility. 

[0bserver]

2 hours ago, The Phantom said:

Ignoring the unsurprising horsey tram shambles, the rest of the comments seem like they enjoyed it here!

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/horse-tram-timetables-were-finalised-before-cruise-itineraries-were-known/

Except Manx Radio (as usual) were very selective in the comments they picked. They're nothing but a propaganda service. 

[TheTeapot]

Loads of cruise tourists around Castletown today, gangs of them. Spoke to a few americans, they were very pleased to be here. 

[John Wright]

15 minutes ago, TheTeapot said:

Loads of cruise tourists around Castletown today, gangs of them. Spoke to a few americans, they were very pleased to be here. 

Same with The Sound, Peel. But English and the Americans.

I was showing a visitor from Egypt round the South & West today.

Three coaches, one Tours, and one English, at The Sound, I didn’t count in Castletown. Peel had 2 Bus Vannin double deckers and three Tours coaches and an English one.

There were a couple Mercedes minibuses, which I think were bus Vannin, which followed us over the Sloc and down into Niarbyl

[TheTeapot]

I'm into it. 

[CrazyDave]

1 hour ago, TheTeapot said:

Loads of cruise tourists around Castletown today, gangs of them. Spoke to a few americans, they were very pleased to be here. 

Agreed.  These boats are great for the island.  I can’t get my head round people who moan about them.  It’s great to see new people exploring the place and taking pictures and spending money.

[rachomics]

I've done two staycation days this week with the baby. On Tuesday we went on the trams to Laxey and Snaefell and bumped into a couple of Americans at the top of Snaefell who had come in on that days' cruise liner. They said the IoM was the best stop on their cruise so far. I filled them in on Mannanan's Cloak and they were delighted. They'd been bussed from the Sea Terminal to the the Terminus to get the tram and were very complimentary. 

Today we went to Port Erin on the horse trams and the steam train. A few carriages were reserved for today's cruise passengers and, again, the ones I met were overwhelmingly positive about their excursions.

They might not spend much money (most had packed lunches from the ship) but they're definitely going to talk about the IoM when they get home. 

[Passing Time]

2 hours ago, CrazyDave said:

Agreed.  These boats are great for the island.  I can’t get my head round people who moan about them.  It’s great to see new people exploring the place and taking pictures and spending money.

who moaned?

[Gizo]

1 hour ago, Passing Time said:

who moaned?

He’d seen it on Facebook. But no real experience of it. 

[CrazyDave]

On 8/14/2023 at 5:26 PM, Roxanne said:

It’s not just the low spending power, or the emissions and pollution, it’s also the scarifying of the sea bed that these big cruise ships are responsible for. 

About the only good thing I can see from this is people going home and telling their pals about the Isle of Man. ‘Free’ publicity. Only, please don’t come back on a cruise ship.  

 

On 8/14/2023 at 6:11 PM, Blade Runner said:

What a crock

This is a boat full of fat american's

Some of these fat american's go for a few paid for excursions off the boat, on your island but spend the minimum because they can gorge food on their ship.

Cruise holidays used to be a class way of travel, they are now "Butlins on Sea" - My parents paid about £7K a cruise for 2 adults and 2 children in the late 70s for a proper 2 week cruise to the Med for 3 years running 

I cant be arsed but that would likely translate to about £30K plus in todays money, this lot are paying a £1grand/ £2grand at most each say £6K total for 2 adults and 2 kids........Do the Math as our USA cousins say.

The average cruise ship passenger is no longer a HNWI as they used to be- pre 80s - they are now mostly just fat Americans that don't spend money on the island , because they can eat all they like in the eat all you like buffet on board.

 

On 8/14/2023 at 11:39 AM, BillyNoMates said:

what are they spedning here if its just a cuppa and a sarneie not worth it we dont even hav e sourvenir shops so what can they abuy?

 

On 8/14/2023 at 4:16 PM, Cambon said:

Not sure. They have been banned from Venice because the ships wash was literally eroding the city. So now they dock an hour or so drive away. Similar issues are being caused in canals and rivers in other European countries so large cruise ships are not allowed. Nothing to do with net zero greenie issues. That said, it would not surprise me if the greenies were getting their own way.

 

On 8/14/2023 at 4:27 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

We don't need them...they cause pollution and don't spend much here and certainly don't warrant £millions spending on docking facilities. It's just grasping government bollox from people that can't run a bath, let alone a business...desperate to pay their own pay and pensions.

I went back two pages.  Plenty of moaning.  I could go back further but am watching the rugby.