Public outcry over proposed exclusive cruise access to The Baths & Devil’s Bay
The National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPT) said it is in advanced negotiations with an unnamed cruise line to reserve access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay on nine mornings during the peak tourism season, with public access restricted from 9:00 AM to noon. During each reserved window, fewer than 150 cruise clients would be permitted on site, with normal public access resuming at midday. Spring Bay National Park, which had been mentioned in earlier public discussion, is not part of the arrangement and would remain open as usual.
The Trust described the measure as part of a wider carrying-capacity framework designed to reduce pressure on the Greater Baths National Park and generate revenue for conservation, maintenance, additional rangers, and other operational costs.
Legal & constitutional concerns
At the heart of the pushback is the long-established principle that beaches throughout the Virgin Islands are open and accessible to VIslanders at all times. Critics argue that converting sections of two National Parks and their beaches into private spaces, even temporarily, conflicts with that principle and could raise constitutional questions under the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, which contains protections against discrimination.
Two NPT trustees, Shereen D. Flax-Charles and Lawrence Wheatley, have publicly distanced themselves from the proposal, saying they had “absolutely no prior knowledge” of any plan to establish exclusive times, zones or periods of access for cruise lines or other private entities. They stressed that while trustees are not responsible for day-to-day operational decisions—which fall to the Board of Directors and management—they do not support excluding the general public for the exclusive benefit of a private company.
“No amount of money should transform a National Park into a private playground for a select few,” Flax-Charles and Wheatley said, describing the parks and beaches as part of the Territory’s national patrimony that should not be access-controlled by economic standing.
Economic and livelihood worries
Beyond legal and philosophical objections, the trustees warned of knock-on effects for local tourism businesses. They questioned how the arrangement would affect charter operators, taxi drivers, tour companies, hotels, villas, restaurants, and others who depend on reliable visitor access to The Baths during peak season.
“What do we tell the local charter operator who has already accepted a booking? What do we tell the taxi driver whose livelihood depends upon taking visitors to The Baths?” they asked, suggesting that alternative funding models—such as higher ordinary visitor fees and direct contributions from major tourism companies to conservation and infrastructure—would be preferable to selling periods of exclusive access.
Trust defends plan amid funding pressures
The NPT, however, said the proposal is a necessary response to surging visitor numbers and rising conservation costs. It reported that the Virgin Islands received 612,263 visitors in the first quarter of 2026, up about 24 per cent from the same period in 2025, with cruise passengers accounting for 493,397 of those arrivals.
Operating the National Parks system costs more than US$3 million annually, the Trust said, while the Government’s subvention covers only 28 per cent; the remaining 72 per cent must be generated through entrance fees and other park-related revenue. With 19 of the Territory’s 22 National Parks generating no income, revenue-producing sites like The Baths and Devil’s Bay help finance the wider system.
The Trust maintains that every dollar from the exclusive arrangement would go to park operations and conservation, and that there would be no sale, lease, or transfer of any interest in the parks. It also said Virgin Islanders and residents, who currently enter The Baths free with valid identification, would continue to do so—though access would still be unavailable to the general public during the nine reserved morning periods.
Fee increases on the horizon
Alongside the exclusive-access talks, the Trust has requested a phased increase in ordinary visitor entrance fees: from US$3 to US$10 starting November 1, 2026, and then to US$20 from April 1, 2027. Cabinet has reportedly approved the increases, but they have not yet been gazetted.
Public meeting scheduled
Acknowledging that the public learned about the proposal before it was formally explained, the Board admitted the sequence was “the wrong order” and promised to publish the nine proposed dates and other key terms if an agreement is signed. A virtual public meeting is scheduled for August 27, 2026, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, when the Trust is expected to outline the proposal and hear directly from the community.
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63 Responses to “Public outcry over proposed exclusive cruise access to The Baths & Devil’s Bay”
DO NOT COMPROMISE OUR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENTS FOR A FEW DOLLARS PLEASE AT NO TIME.
You can draw your own conclusions.
Fifty years ago, Virgin Island poet Sheila Hyndman (1958- 1991) prophesied:
They will come with tools and machines.
They will bring to light your secret places,
They will demand your mysteries.
They will destroy, build up.
They will dilute your treasures,
And rob you of your chastity.
They will adorn you like ancient Jezebel,
‘Til all that’s left of your true self,
Will be an old and forgotten poem,
Like mine.
My video "Sheila Hyndman Remembered" serves as a introduction to her life and work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUb3nI3Nnkg
Jacking up the price to $20 to enter The Baths is steep. I say no to this.
Can I go to the beach at Oil Nut Bay?
In response to your other question "No, the main resort beach and the Oil Nut Bay Beach Club are private and reserved exclusively for resort guests and homeowners." The precedent is already set and the locals are excluded from the beach there . Jamaica here we come.
@John . You found real stupid... Confusion where? Some of you are full of s***.
The baths is an iconic spot and now they are trying to ruin it. Whoever is behind this needs some good hard s***$ and k***s
Four Seasons Yachts maybe. BVI appears on its 2026 Caribbean itineraries, including a Peter Island call in December 2026. 95 suites. Fits the luxury profile, but no Virgin Gorda-specific call.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection not likely. Ilma sails 20+ Caribbean itineraries Nov 2026–April 2027, with The Baths featured on multiple San Juan round trips. But Ilma carries up to 448 guests.
Other possibilities: Silversea: ultra-luxury (Royal Caribbean Group), Seabourn: ultra-luxury (Carnival Corp), Ponant: luxury expedition, French owned
This reminds me of how Jamaica sold out its citizens and made most beaches private
Ha ha. What a load of nonsense.
Be better if we proposing banning of the ships on these days we go a step further, follow NPTs idea and ban all cruise ships access.
Promoting that if people want to go to the baths they book a vacation here and then some money will flow into the VI economy instead of the Cruise ships constant drain on resources while one family gets rich.
The baths would also be a pleasant place to visit again.
And what's the net revenue projection if this new arrangement is put into place?
This government NEVER wants to provide numbers or even present basic mathematical assumptions to its citizens.
Then they call every news media they know to report their disdain, adding Mr. Wheatley to their mess and Mr. Wheatley ain't got a thing to do with them!
It have much more to this story and when it hit the fan, I hope ayo keep up the same energy! Yes, I too have my concerns, but I'm not fooled by their fake outrage at all. I waiting on facts.
Work here - terrible roads, no water, no electricity. Look at other carribean islands who do it so much better. It’s embarrassing. Direct rule from London!
It better not be less than 20 million annually!!