Is mexico safe

[PAPERBKWRITER]

I've read where Disney has withdrawn from Mazaltan, Mexico for the season and Princess and HAL have decided to skip that port for an indefinite period due to violence. I was in Acapaco about a year ago and saw lots of soldiers riding around in covered trucks. It just seems that the drug cartel's get bolder and bolder while the cops are trying to stay out of the line of fire. I love the Mexican Rivera, but is the country becoming too dangerous? I'm thinking about booking on Valor next fall but if things are too bad I'll go to the Carribean instead.

[commodoredave]

I used to love visiting Mexico, including pre or post cruise hotel stays on cruises that departed from there. I had some wonderful visits there, including a great Panama Canal cruise on the Royal Princess that departed from Acapulco back in the 1980s.

However, I will no longer visit Mexico and will not even get off a ship if I'm on one that stops there. Why? Because there are just too many other wonderful places to visit where I feel safer and have more fun.

Want some proof of how bad it is? Have a look at the hotel explosion that took place recently in Playa del Carmen at the Princess. Pretty sad.

[doe326]

Was on the 1/14 Spirit sailing to the MR. In Puerto Vallerta we left the ship and went right to a small boat for our sailing excursion. After we walked around ourside the pier area. We felt safe.

In Mazatlan we met Randi of Randi's Happy Horses right outside the terminal and I felt the vendors and cab drivers were a little pushy but I just said no thanks and they pretty much left us alone. At no time did I feel unsafe. However, I do not wear any jewely or fancy watches when I get off ships in Mexico.

La Paz was a beautiful city and we thoroughly enjoyed our day walking around. At no time did we feel unsafe. People were very friendly and helpful. Wish the cruises offered more information about it. Would go back and spend a week.

Cabo was beautiful and again we did not feel threatened or unsafe. Spent two days there and again the people were friendly and helpful. The people shouting about their excursions, etc. being the best, or number one is quite entertaining and the police make them stay behind a line. We just told them we had something booked and they left us alone. Our tour guides on both of our excursions asked us to please tell everyone that their city is safe. That they value our business and want us to come back and enjoy their city.

Yes, there are problems in Mexico as there is in every big city in the US. I am careful when I visit any large city here and do the same in Mexico. Basically if you stay in the tourist areas I think you should be safe, just be aware of your surroundings.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Unless you are a gang banger drug dealer, it is safe.

 

The solution is to cure America's addiction to drugs. Crimony, I was just reading about some have gone medieval and are now using catapults to just launch drugs over the border. When is enough too much?

[commodoredave]

If you really think Mexico is just like visiting a large US city, click on this link and discover the reality.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/25/mexico-tourism-travel-resorts.html

[G'ma]

I've read where Disney has withdrawn from Mazaltan, Mexico for the season and Princess and HAL have decided to skip that port for an indefinite period due to violence. I was in Acapaco about a year ago and saw lots of soldiers riding around in covered trucks. It just seems that the drug cartel's get bolder and bolder while the cops are trying to stay out of the line of fire. I love the Mexican Rivera, but is the country becoming too dangerous? I'm thinking about booking on Valor next fall but if things are too bad I'll go to the Carribean instead.

 

The 22.6 million visitors to that country would say yes.

 

The violence that makes the news are in the border towns.....

 

Washington DC has almost 3 times the murders a year than Mexico City.

 

There is none reported in the Yucatan.

 

Drug cartels are not killing cruise passengers. They are killing each other in cross-border violence.

 

Avoid border areas of TX, AZ and you'll be fine.

[victoryred]

Yes, there are problems in Mexico as there is in every big city in the US. I am careful when I visit any large city here and do the same in Mexico. Basically if you stay in the tourist areas I think you should be safe, just be aware of your surroundings.

 

You mean as there is in any big country don't you:p I think that is what people can't comprehend.......how big countries are.

 

And yes doe I agree with you 100%:)

 

BTW we have seen and been approached by the Mexican army riding around Mexican cities for about a decade now.......and they have always been at the entrance to the ports....this was way before this drug cartel crap started..

[jandjfun]

I guess to answer your question is to ask yourself if you are afraid. I am not afraid. Mazatlan is a place that I spend weeks on end in. It is a wonderful place and the people are very friendly. In fact, I have made friends with several of the beach vendors there.

I realize that a tourist was accidently shot while in Mazatlan a couple weeks ago and that is why the cruiselines are not going there.

But I have to wonder why they are still going to Nassau when so many more people (14) were robbed and traumatized while on a ship sponsored excursion. Or why they still go to Playa Del Carmen where a woman was raped and her boyfriend beat up by the POLICE! Or why the leave from Miami, and Long Beach. Both places are about as dangerous as it gets!

[Sargent_Schultz]

If you really think Mexico is just like visiting a large US city, click on this link and discover the reality.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/25/mexico-tourism-travel-resorts.html

 

It is just like visiting a large US city, only safer. The governor of Cancun is up to his eyeballs in corruption.

[victoryred]

I guess to answer your question is to ask yourself if you are afraid. I am not afraid. Mazatlan is a place that I spend weeks on end in. It is a wonderful place and the people are very friendly. In fact, I have made friends with several of the beach vendors there.

I realize that a tourist was accidently shot while in Mazatlan a couple weeks ago and that is why the cruiselines are not going there.

But I have to wonder why they are still going to Nassau when so many more people (14) were robbed and traumatized while on a ship sponsored excursion. Or why they still go to Playa Del Carmen where a woman was raped and her boyfriend beat up by the POLICE! Or why the leave from Miami, and Long Beach. Both places are about as dangerous as it gets!

 

Or St. Thomas where a girl was caught in a gang crossfire.......

[doe326]

If you really think Mexico is just like visiting a large US city, click on this link and discover the reality.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/25/mexico-tourism-travel-resorts.html

 

 

Yes I do think it is like visiting any US city. Have you ever been to Liberty City or Overtown in Miami? Looks just like your picture. Or did you miss what happend to the two Miami-Dade police officers last week in Liberty City? Stay on the ship or don't visit that is your choice and my choice is to visit and enjoy. In the past I have visited Mexico 29 different times and have never had any problems.

[Ine]

Apart from the thousands of cruise-passengers there are even more people from the USA, Canada and Europe for a long winterstay along the Mexican Riviera. All of them enjoying their stay.

We drive our cars, shop, eat, enjoy the beaches etc.

Incidents can happen worldwide, but since you arenot in drugs, enjoy your visits.

Shootings/problems in Mexico seem to get far more publicity then those elsewhere.

[dudeagain]

If you really think Mexico is just like visiting a large US city, click on this link and discover the reality.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/25/mexico-tourism-travel-resorts.html

 

 

This is just alarmist nonsense, it is no differnet than saying that visiting the US wasn't safe to visit after 9/11.....unfortunately bad things happen all over the world at any given time but its NO REASON to not visit there after something happens....usually after something does happen its the safest time to visit an area as the local officials are extra vigilent!

[swedish weave]

If you really think Mexico is just like visiting a large US city, click on this link and discover the reality.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2011/01/25/mexico-tourism-travel-resorts.html

 

I am attaching an excerpt from an article in www.bajainsider.com under Mexico Travel Warnings if you are interested in knowing why the media is working diligently to destroy Mexico tourism. The entire article is worth reading. -------

 

A few years back the Bush administration used similar anti-tourism tactics to pressure Mexico into selling additional crude oil to the US at prices set nearly a decade before. Tourism and foreign investment are critical in the continued growth of Mexico and both are heavily dependant on public perceptions to flourish. The answer may be as simple as to keeping every US travel dollar at home – to support a floundering US economy

--------------

In addition to this, the Mazatlan port has experienced three minor incidents involving cruise passengers with over 500,000 cruise passengers handled without incidents. Media hype has caused cruisers to be afraid of Mazatlan and so far, three ships have cancelled their stops there.

 

The true reason for the reporting may never be made public, but I, for one, will not allow this kind of hype to deter me from enjoying the ports in Mexico unless the cruise lines stop going there.

[househunter]

I've read where Disney has withdrawn from Mazaltan, Mexico for the season and Princess and HAL have decided to skip that port for an indefinite period due to violence. I was in Acapaco about a year ago and saw lots of soldiers riding around in covered trucks. It just seems that the drug cartel's get bolder and bolder while the cops are trying to stay out of the line of fire. I love the Mexican Rivera, but is the country becoming too dangerous? I'm thinking about booking on Valor next fall but if things are too bad I'll go to the Carribean instead.

 

You do realize that Mexico is a country right? Asking "Is Mexico safe?" is like asking is the United States Safe. Mexico is a huge country made up of states and cities just like here. Yes, some area of Mexico are having huge issues right now and people are deciding not to go there. But there are places here in the US that are not all that safe either. Please, please do your research, look at a map and then check out the crime stats in your own city before you start freaking out. You may be surprised. Do you think people in other countries are wondering if the entire US is dangerous because of the horrible shooting in Tuscan AZ or the crime that happens often in Tacoma WA?

[quincytoo]

The port cities on the Mexican Rivera are very safe, I just got back from a 10 day cruise and didn't see one dead headless body:rolleyes:

 

Mexico is a huge country and most of the violence is in the border towns, it is kinda like worrying about the gangs in LA when visting Napa.

 

Joking aside, I feel safer in PV or Cabo then I do almost any city in The States.

[morriscats]

The port cities on the Mexican Rivera are very safe, I just got back from a 10 day cruise and didn't see one dead headless body:rolleyes:

 

Mexico is a huge country and most of the violence is in the border towns, it is kinda like worrying about the gangs in LA when visting Napa.

.

Born in Napa and lived there 61 years - there are places you don't go in Napa too. Sad huh.

[CGinMTL]

I was in Mazatlan a few years ago & spend the day with "Mazatlan Frank".

we have stayed in contact since.

Last year, the ships pulled out for H1N1 .

Now again. I hope that the mexicain Government will use this pull-out as an incentive to clean up there act.

 

If you want to vote on whether ships should keep Mazatlan, here is a link.

 

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/01/mazatlan-mexico-cruise-ships-crime-drug-violence-disney/140433/1

[quincytoo]

Born in Napa and lived there 61 years - there are places you don't go in Napa too. Sad huh.

 

I hear you :)

 

We live in Beautiful Victoria and there are a few parts of Victoria I would not be visiting at all. Every paradise has it's bad side.

 

We LOVED Napa BTW

[morriscats]

I hear you :)

 

We live in Beautiful Victoria and there are a few parts of Victoria I would not be visiting at all. Every paradise has it's bad side.

 

We LOVED Napa BTW

And I love Victoria. My former DH and I took an Alaskan cruise in 93 and we stayed in Anne Hathaway's cottage for a couple of days. So beautiful.

[gomexico]

I'd post some responses to the discussion but this same topic is the focus of many recent other discussions, so if anyone interested in reading the wide-range of viewpoints in addtion to what's already posed here you have a look at some of them when you click on the links I'm inserting below:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1346136

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1341449

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1335419

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1337708

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1335443

[STARFISH*4]

my concern is if the other lines feel the need to pull out of Mazatallan why hasnt NCL made the announcement or something to the fact that they dont feel the need to...no word has me a bit concerned.

 

i have been to Maz and the MR 4 other times the only place i was "uneasy' in was Acapulco.

 

just kinda concerned with our stop in Mazatallan considering the other ships have pulled their stops here!!

[doe326]

my concern is if the other lines feel the need to pull out of Mazatallan why hasnt NCL made the announcement or something to the fact that they dont feel the need to...no word has me a bit concerned.

 

i have been to Maz and the MR 4 other times the only place i was "uneasy' in was Acapulco.

 

just kinda concerned with our stop in Mazatallan considering the other ships have pulled their stops here!!

 

 

Do you have an excursion planned in Maz? We went to Stone Island and rode horses with Randi's. Didn't particularly like the area where the ship docks (once you are outside the terminal) but didn't feel unsafe or threatened. As I said before I don't wear anything flashy or expensive and keep my eyes opened and keep aware of the area. I think you will be fine, if your ship docks there.

[Cruiser63]

Mazatlan is safe even though there is a big issue here and some ships have pulled out. No cruiseship passenger has been shot in Mazatlan, but how about this:

 

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2010/07/shooting-death-of-cruiser-in-st-thomas-comes-as-killings-on-island-soar/99978/5?csp=obinsite

 

I wonder if the ships will be pulling out from there. :confused:

 

Louis

[realmccoy]

Mazatlan is safe even though there is a big issue here and some ships have pulled out. No cruiseship passenger has been shot in Mazatlan, but how about this:

 

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2010/07/shooting-death-of-cruiser-in-st-thomas-comes-as-killings-on-island-soar/99978/5?csp=obinsite

 

I wonder if the ships will be pulling out from there. :confused:

 

Louis

 

That was in July 2010 and yes the cruise ships made changes and removed Coki Beach from there excursions for awhile.