Safety in Mexican ports

:confused: Are people still flocking to Mexican ports after all of the problems Mexico is having with people being killed? I would think people would think twice before going out alone at one of the ports like Alcapolco after what has happened there last few days. I know the last time I was there I was so tired of people trying to follow me and my husband that we just went back to the ship. We just wanted to walk around. Not everyone wants to take a tour. And are the tours as safe as they used to be?

:confused: Are people still flocking to Mexican ports after all of the problems Mexico is having with people being killed? I would think people would think twice before going out alone at one of the ports like Alcapolco after what has happened there last few days. I know the last time I was there I was so tired of people trying to follow me and my husband that we just went back to the ship. We just wanted to walk around. Not everyone wants to take a tour. And are the tours as safe as they used to be?

Acapulco, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta are important ports when it comes to smuggling weapons and "product" into Mexico. Then add the turf wars that are going on after the main heads have been captured by the Mexican Government.

Please do not confused feeling safe to having no clue as to your situational awareness.

If you are going to visit these ports, do the following. Go on group tours, preferably the ones sponsored by the ship. These usually use buses rather than small vans. Do not wonder around by yourself. If you noticed that there is a police presence and suddenly there are no cops around, take cover.

1000's of people visit Mexico on land based vacations every single day on top of all of the cruiseship tousists. Please check out the crime stats of your own home town and then compare them to the stats of the tourist towns in Mexico. Do your research.

Why would the drug people want to kill tourists? They depend on tourists for some of their money.

There have been fewer tourists killed in Mexico then in the USA.

:confused: Are people still flocking to Mexican ports after all of the problems Mexico is having with people being killed? I would think people would think twice before going out alone at one of the ports like Alcapolco after what has happened there last few days. I know the last time I was there I was so tired of people trying to follow me and my husband that we just went back to the ship. We just wanted to walk around. Not everyone wants to take a tour. And are the tours as safe as they used to be?

No one will every fault you for having safety concerns for yourself and your family. Only you can ultimately decide if to want to get off the ship in any given port.

At least five ships port in Cabo, Mazatlan and Vallarta weekly (Standard 7-day MR itinerary). Another 3-5 ships stop in some of these same ports during the week (7+ day itineraries). That’s roughly 12,000-15,000 cruise passengers weekly and countless tens of thousands of resort/hotel guests weekly. (Including my family, in Puerto Vallarta, for the better part of November every year since 2000.)

Spent a day in Acapulco last March. Private van tour that traveled the city from one end to the other. Been there, done that and don't care to go back again. Never felt unsafe but it is a tired old city that is well past its prime.

I have yet to see a single report (here, Trip Advisor or any other web site) where a cruise ship passenger was the victim of a crime that involved personal injury. The occasional over-charge for taxis and less than authentic jewelry, yes … violent crime, no.

Think about it … Cruise ship passengers visit during daylight hours, travel in groups and tend to go where all the other tourists go. That’s safety in numbers and you just happen to be a significant source of income for the tourist industry in these cities. One does not abuse the Golden Goose!!!

It is no secret that the WHOLE WORLD is less safe today than it was a decade or two ago. Every city, foreign and domestic, has districts where the environment is less safe. The drug violence along the US-Mexican border is pretty brutal and it is spilling over the border too. It makes good press and sex `n violence sells papers, magazines & attracts people to tv news outlets.

It really doesn't matter where you are anymore, bad things happen to good people for no reason at all. As far as I am concerned, you have a greater chance of being a victim of crime while traveling to/from the ship in your home port than you will be exposed to while in a Mexican tourist destinations. Just use common sense.

Enjoy!!!

^ MSN-Travelers - a well-stated, informative, and courteous reply. Bravo. :)

DH and I are cruising Coral Princess in April that leaves out of Acapulco. We are flying in a day early and staying at the Grand Hotel. I decided to book this through Princess along with transfers to the hotel, then the hotel to the pier. I'm trying to be cautious.

Then DH tells me last Saturday that 14 bodies were found in Acapulco and am I sure I still want to go on this cruise? I told him of course I still want to go. Last Saturday there was the terrible tragedy in Tuscon Arizona where 6 people were killed and many injured.

So we are sticking with the original plan, leaving from Acapulco and not cancelling anything. I'm using every precaution I can think of like just staying put at the resort until we leave for the port, not roaming around dark alleys, ect. Am I making the right decision?????

DH and I are cruising Coral Princess in April that leaves out of Acapulco. We are flying in a day early and staying at the Grand Hotel. I decided to book this through Princess along with transfers to the hotel, then the hotel to the pier. I'm trying to be cautious.

 

Then DH tells me last Saturday that 14 bodies were found in Acapulco and am I sure I still want to go on this cruise? I told him of course I still want to go. Last Saturday there was the terrible tragedy in Tuscon Arizona where 6 people were killed and many injured.

 

So we are sticking with the original plan, leaving from Acapulco and not cancelling anything. I'm using every precaution I can think of like just staying put at the resort until we leave for the port, not roaming around dark alleys, ect. Am I making the right decision?????

Yes! You will Coral.

DH and I are cruising Coral Princess in April that leaves out of Acapulco. We are flying in a day early and staying at the Grand Hotel. I decided to book this through Princess along with transfers to the hotel, then the hotel to the pier. I'm trying to be cautious.

 

Then DH tells me last Saturday that 14 bodies were found in Acapulco and am I sure I still want to go on this cruise? I told him of course I still want to go. Last Saturday there was the terrible tragedy in Tuscon Arizona where 6 people were killed and many injured.

 

So we are sticking with the original plan, leaving from Acapulco and not cancelling anything. I'm using every precaution I can think of like just staying put at the resort until we leave for the port, not roaming around dark alleys, ect. Am I making the right decision?????

We were there in early December on the Spirit. Walked over to the Fort and then down to the zocalo and the church. At the zocalo, I think we were the only non-Hispanics there. Felt as safe there as anywhere else. Never had anyone coming up to us to buy something. We were more harassed at the Port by the taxi drivers and tour operators than anyone on the street.

Why would the drug people want to kill tourists? They depend on tourists for some of their money.

 

There have been fewer tourists killed in Mexico then in the USA.

How many had heads cut off?

Let's be accurate. NO tourists had their heads cut off in Mexico!! That was drug war retaliation.

You guys should read what folks say who actually live part time in Mexico. Their views seem quite different from what you might expect.

How many had heads cut off?

My reports tell me that all American and Canadians tourists return from Mexico with heads still attached, maybe a few brain cells gone through:eek:

My reports tell me that all American and Canadians tourists return from Mexico with heads still attached, maybe a few brain cells gone through:eek:

Too funny... :D

My husband and I have wandered all over Mazatlan and PV by ourselves; never got hassled by anyone (other than vendors). I love the Mexican people! The day I start worrying about what COULD happen to me when I travel is the day I might as well just stay home!

It seems that fear is easy to stir up. A report hits the news and all of a sudden the crime is everywhere. In the last year there have been more crimes perpetrated on Caribbean cruisers than Mexican Riviera cruisers. In fact I can think of no single case against MR cruisers but several in the Caribbean.

It seems that fear is easy to stir up. A report hits the news and all of a sudden the crime is everywhere. In the last year there have been more crimes perpetrated on Caribbean cruisers than Mexican Riviera cruisers. In fact I can think of no single case against MR cruisers but several in the Caribbean.

During the summer a girl that was on the Carnival Victory was shot and killed on Coki Beach in St. Thomas. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3985

It's kind of funny that no one really says that St. Thomas is dangerous, while everyone says that Mexico is dangerous (but no tourists have been killed).:confused:

St. Thomas is a US territory. I believe also that there were some issues in St. Kitts.

Yesterday's news reported a Canadian vacationing in Mazatlan, was shot in the leg.

I believe he was caught in the cross fire of some gang. He is recovering in hospital... thank goodness.

I recently emailed Mazatlan Frank to inquire about a tour..... we would like to see some of the sights . :rolleyes: Hopefully this is an isolated incident.?

anywhere there is shooting there is the possibility of innocent people being hurt

This guy was lucky he was not killed

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/b-c-tourist-shot-mexico-20110118-163458-037.html

Not just a "possibility" that the Canadian from BC was "innocent", he was. He shoved his wife to the ground when the gunfire broke-out and was shot before he could get to safety. These types of random gunfights on major streets are fairly commonplace. Many Mexicans tourists or residents have been victimized in this matter. This is one of the major risks visiting many parts of Mexico right now ... being caught as an "innocent bystander." There's no advance warning of the events and no way to prepare ahead of time, to make yourself safe ... other than to not be in these areas. All of this does make it more difficult determining where to visit and which levels of risk we're willing to accept. Each of us travels differently. Mazatlan in in the heart of the most violent cartel activity, but since the city is controlled by one principal cartel these types of street fights seem uncommon. Read the information, think about it and reach your own conclusion.

Yesterday's news reported a Canadian vacationing in Mazatlan, was shot in the leg.

I believe he was caught in the cross fire of some gang. He is recovering in hospital... thank goodness.

I recently emailed Mazatlan Frank to inquire about a tour..... we would like to see some of the sights . :rolleyes: Hopefully this is an isolated incident.?

Yes this can happen anywhere in the world. Kind of like visiting a Safeway in Tuscon AZ.

Why are we not hearing about the other countries like Columbia who have much higher murder rates per capita than Mexico? By the way, USA is 24th on the list of 62 countries.

# 1 Colombia: 0.617847 per 1,000 people

# 2 South Africa: 0.496008 per 1,000 people

# 3 Jamaica: 0.324196 per 1,000 people

# 4 Venezuela: 0.316138 per 1,000 people

# 5 Russia: 0.201534 per 1,000 people

# 6 Mexico: 0.130213 per 1,000 people

Yes this can happen anywhere in the world. Kind of like visiting a Safeway in Tuscon AZ.

Or going to school in Los Angeles. (Yesterday kid accidently shoots 2 kids in school and today cop gets shot just off school grounds by car burglar.)

I live very close to the man who was shot in bc. We are going to the mexican riviera in a few weeks. I am conserned about Mazatlan. We have booked a ship excurtion to a beach resort, but we get there by taxi's & it is in the golden zone. I just wonder if we should stay at the port this time & Cancel the excursion. It isn't just because of this shooting, I was conserned before.

Not just a "possibility" that the Canadian from BC was "innocent", he was. He shoved his wife to the ground when the gunfire broke-out and was shot before he could get to safety. These types of random gunfights on major streets are fairly commonplace. Many Mexicans tourists or residents have been victimized in this matter. This is one of the major risks visiting many parts of Mexico right now ... being caught as an "innocent bystander." There's no advance warning of the events and no way to prepare ahead of time, to make yourself safe ... other than to not be in these areas. All of this does make it more difficult determining where to visit and which levels of risk we're willing to accept. Each of us travels differently. Mazatlan in in the heart of the most violent cartel activity, but since the city is controlled by one principal cartel these types of street fights seem uncommon. Read the information, think about it and reach your own conclusion.

Yes this can happen anywhere in the world. Kind of like visiting a Safeway in Tuscon AZ.

OMG I was going to post the same thing!

It should also be pointed out that while this was close to the tourist area it was by no means the Golden Zone, the Church area(downtown ar Stone Island.

It would be like a cruiser coming here to Victoria and walking around Esquimalt not an area *I* would walk around in and feel safe yet close by the Touristy area of VictoriA

DH and I are cruising Coral Princess in April that leaves out of Acapulco. We are flying in a day early and staying at the Grand Hotel. I decided to book this through Princess along with transfers to the hotel, then the hotel to the pier. I'm trying to be cautious.

 

Then DH tells me last Saturday that 14 bodies were found in Acapulco and am I sure I still want to go on this cruise? I told him of course I still want to go. Last Saturday there was the terrible tragedy in Tuscon Arizona where 6 people were killed and many injured.

 

So we are sticking with the original plan, leaving from Acapulco and not cancelling anything. I'm using every precaution I can think of like just staying put at the resort until we leave for the port, not roaming around dark alleys, ect. Am I making the right decision?????

I do not want this taken the wrong way, but it is trully posts like these, and folks like this that our news media pick on. Our economy would not be in the state that it is in if people would not over react to everything. This is how economy works:

People make money, people spend money, people make more money, people spend money... That is the way the world works, now you have this particular couple that hear on CNN OMG the economy is baaaaad, no jobs blah blah... :eek: So now what happens? Remember how economy works?

People make money, (but because the news is saying it is a bad economy), people do not spend money. Guess what? If people do not spend money, our economy goes in the toilet...

What is my point? Our media is portraying Mexico as a bad place for some reason, and I imagine it will be our next war. Our media does this to hype up the american people, just like pep rallys at school! Think about it for a minute...

I am sure you will have a wonderful time in Mexico, please do not let our Media scare you.