Carnival Replaces Authentic Counter-Culture Key West with Ersatz Private Beach as Port of Call

Ever heard of Coco Cay in the Bahamas? You probably haven't, because that little strip of land is scarcely inhabited and belongs -- lock, stock and barrel -- to Royal Caribbean Cruiseline, which operates bars, cafes, and shops alongside its beaches. Royal Caribbean has now entered into an agreement with Carnival permitting Carnival to dump passengers from two of its cruise ships for a full day on Coco Cay (aka Little Stirrup Cay), instead of sending those passengers for that day to Key West, Florida. Instead of enjoying an authentic experience of a celebrated and rather eccentric U.S. city, Carnival's passengers will now spend that day on a private beach of a private island.

Instead of going to Nassau, Freeport, and Key West, passengers on five-day cruises will go to Nassau, Freeport, and "Coco Cay."

All sorts of explanations of the change have been offered by Carnival. But the real reason is undoubtedly money. Coco Cay is only 50 miles from Nassau, the preceding stop. Key West is some 260 miles from Nassau. Carnival will be spared the expense of sailing some 200 miles.

I believe I may be the only writer who has railed and shouted about this use of private islands as the "foreign destinations" for many cruise passengers. The policy transforms a travel experience into something wholly trivial. The rest of us should be absolutely firm against ever booking a cruise that substitutes a phony travel experience for a real one.