Skift Take
Some Caribbean nations aren't nearly as cruise-dependent as the industry would have you believe, but others still rely heavily on the jobs and cash flow the ships provide.
The cruise industry may have suffered a serious financial squeeze and a few hard hits to its reputation in recent years, but it's still the biggest game in town for many island nations.
The industry contributes a total of $2 billion each year to the Caribbean, according to US-based Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA). Of course, much of that money never makes it into the hands of islanders, since the cruise lines' vertically-integrated services keep passengers on board for most of their meals and entertainment. In fact, the island citizens who see cruise ship revenue are a privileged few, said Manoj Shivlani, a marine affairs scholar who has studied the impact of cruise tourism on local economies.
"People aren't willing to spend that much off of the ship," he said, and when they do, "it's felt within in a very small community." Namely, the community of vendors and merchants
