What port have you felt the most uneasy??

[maxxedout2]

I did not feel uneasy but I hated Falmouth

 

what a horrible waste ....over an hour to Ochos, about an hour to Montego Bay...

nothing in the area except Royal Caribbean tours..

it is a joke

 

Falmouth looks charming, British colonial architecture, brand new but that is a facade

....every little store is cheezy, they have all the diamond/del sol, tanzanite stores etc..

 

then they have cheesy stores with all sorts of made in china junk

NOTHING says "Falmouth" except some cheap fridge magnets

 

Falmouth was built to port the huge Oasis and Allure and to make money for Royal

...what a dump it is

 

NO restaurants...no bars....no beach...

 

a couple little stands..."jerk" stand, drinks stand

 

I live in South Florida and you can see the same crap at any flea market, the same made

in China bs, the same tye dye beach coverups....the same little food stands are right at the

Swap Shop Flea market on Sunrise Blvd...same cheap stands

 

Falmouth is Jamaican for "stay on the ship"

 

Yes, Carnival has it's own "made for them" ports BUT at least they are nice

 

Grand Turk : free pool/loungers , large Martgueritaville

 

Puerto Maya Coz....3 Amigos, Fat Tuesday, some loungers on a rocky strip of sand

 

Mahogany Bay ....free loungers, beach bars

 

Costa Maya Mexico ....free pool/loungers, Margueritaville

 

Falmouth...nothing but facade, cheesy stores, huge line to get taxis and buses to pay to

get out of there or take a RCI tour at inflated rates

How anyone can think it is fun to drive 3 hours or more extra to do the same stuff you

can do right at the port in Ochos is beyond me

 

+1.

 

But I thought less about Mahogany Bay. Contrived port built

on politically connected ground...the worst place for big ships.

The channel is so narrow that a good cross wind or low visibility

conditions will keep the ships from moving either in or out. Thrusters

are not enough to keep these ships centered in a narrow channel

against a heavy cross wind.

 

Once, maybe more, a Carnival ship missed its next port because the

Princess ship couldn't move out due to marginal weather.

 

I personally will never go back.

 

Nice, honest if edgy write up you did.

 

HEY, I don't mind spending money on a cruise. I mean cruising is a

BIG business after all....not a charity.

 

But, it doesn't take much of a glance at the man behind the

curtain to figure out, despite the good positive things we enjoy

about cruising that, well, this isn't Oz.

 

GUESS WHAT....I have 4 cruises booked now....just love to cruise!

 

:D:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

We've never been anywhere where we were "uncomfortable", but Ocho Rios was close...Luckily we had an AMAZING tour guide who knew local culture and was from there. We never felt unsafe or in any type of danger. I would however, avoid Mexico until things calm down, we have chosen cruises that do not go to Mexico the past few years for this reason.

 

Nothing wrong with Mexico on the Caribbean side. Its the Mexico on the Pacific side where the cartels are war having their war.

 

Bill

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[drafterdw]

Agree with Jamica & Belieze but noticed no one metioned Limon Costa Rica....the rest of Costa Rica was fine when we were there but Limon was the dreggs and even our tour guide said that.

[jayscore]

Miami! :rolleyes:

[SMSACE6]

Agree with Jamica & Belieze but noticed no one metioned Limon Costa Rica....the rest of Costa Rica was fine when we were there but Limon was the dreggs and even our tour guide said that.

 

Well, yes I agree, it was not a place I would have wandered beyond the dock shopping area, but I did a ship tour from the dock, and nowhere along the way, or on the tour, did I feel unsafe, or uneasy, but as I said previously, even in the closed in dock area of Colon Panama, I did not feel very safe, and felt quite uneasy. So still my vote for Colon, Limon, would be a close second, and Belize a third.

[kiraryker]

So Montego Bay Jamaica is pretty much just stay on the ship port??

[IResQU]

Miami, seriously- I've been to Jamaica multiple times and never felt any more unsafe than in Cozumel. The port I feel safest in is Labadee Haiti (Private port via Royal Caribbean). In Barbados my husband was swimming in the waves and guys circled him and tried to grab his money pouch. I think knuckleheads are everywhere. Just be alert while in crowds and don't go where you don't know/isolated areas. Oh and I forgot the pick pocket in Puerto Rico who I surprised as I rapidly turned around and went after him....ER nurses are nuts. He didn't know my profession. Also full disclosure I hang out in Haiti on mission trips so fear I guess is relative. I think you go and have a blast. Relax a bit on the ship, be careful in ports.

Karen

 

As an ER nurse as well, this cracks me up! I think we are too used to restraining people, and reacting immediately, to think things through! :) Happy Cruising!

[Lakeport2739]

We were at La Romana on the Valor this Feb. This was not a nice port and we did not feel safe!! We stayed in the fenced area only briefly. Not a place we would go again!

[kiraryker]

We were at La Romana on the Valor this Feb. This was not a nice port and we did not feel safe!! We stayed in the fenced area only briefly. Not a place we would go again!

 

Couldn't agree more!! You know it's bad when the bus from the ship drops you off and tells you not to leave the market area and get back on the bus when ready to leave - of course we couldn't find it and went searching and WOW scary stuff!!

[JoanK]

Belize, hands down.

 

Never felt uneasy in Jamaica maybe because I used to work with Jamaicans and understand them.

 

Belize .. took a city tour .. all buildings including the governors have bars on the windows .. says to me lots of theft.

 

Next time to Belize in the port .. I went to look out across the street and to this day I see all these arms stuck thru the fence waving madly .. a sea of arms stretching toward me.

 

...the bars on the windows in Belize gives the home owners a reduction in Insurance rates... all related to hurricane protection. Easier to cover with plywood

 

JoanK.

[T. Advisor King]

This is true. Plus it adds another element if one has kids - obviously, their safety trumps any sense of adventure the parent may have. Which is why I think it's great that Carnival has their own 'sanctioned' excursions. :)

 

True. But I think you have to keep things in perspective. When I take my kids downtown, there is an element of danger that approaches the danger of some (many?) cruise ports. Because it is our home city, the danger is less than a stranger would perceive because we're experts about our own territory and are much better at assessing nuances than we would be when we're travelling. But I do take my kids downtown, so I shouldn't be unwilling to take my kids into cruise ports that may be somewhat unsafe, but more safe than my own city.

[war_eagle99]

Agree with Jamica & Belieze but noticed no one metioned Limon Costa Rica....the rest of Costa Rica was fine when we were there but Limon was the dreggs and even our tour guide said that.

 

Was just getting ready to. Only place my wife and I have felt unsafe.

[tdk]

Jamaica!!!! I don't think it matters which port

[douglinc@msn.com]

My family was planning on going on the Magic next month beacuse we haven't been to GCI yet. We decided to go on the Miracle because we weren't sure about Jamaica...hmmm....now that I have been on these boards for a few months I get the feeling that it is just the wrong place at wrong time for some of the violent encounters vacationers have encountered. I am not here to bash any countries but now that I am a mother to a young child these kinds of things seem to matter a little more. Anyone have a port that stands out in your mind that you would NOT return to?

 

The port I dislike more than any other is Montego Bay, Jamacia.

 

Doug

[themnms]

jamaica and belize

my two choices also!

[jjfromsd]

Being a So. Cal. girl,....quick inexpensive getaways to Mexico are often my best option for cruising. Despite all the "bad news" and Mexico bashing I find the people delightful and the ports friendly. I, of couse am glad I wasn't on that PV tour with the robbers, but I read worse in the paper every day...not to mention the evening news.

I completely concur with the post above.

 

Signed,

jjfromsd, the So Cal dude

[kiraryker]

The port I dislike more than any other is Montego Bay, Jamacia.

 

Doug

 

 

Can you explain? We will be visiting in Jan with teenagers/small kids and my father that uses a wheel chair - just wondering what is bad about this port?

[mikey49]

Belize & Ochos Rios! Hands down the 2 places out of 8 cruises that my family & I felt the most unsafe. I will never go to Jamaica again! If I go to Belize, it would be to a resort. But since my family & I will only cruise for vacations out of the U.S.A., that won't be an issue.

[Frank12]

jamaica and belize

Agree 100%. Not terrible, but felt uneasy.

[CruiseTeacher7]

We didn't book an excursion, but for the very reasons listed in this post we did not take the tender to Belize. Everything that we have heard is that unless you have an excursion, don't bother with Belize.

 

Its sad that Jamaica has been on such a decline. When we honeymooned in 1998 we went to waterfalls with an excursion and in the afternoon hired a private cab to drive us around the area. We didn't encounter any problems.

Overall it seems that many of the cruise lines are avoiding Jamaica. Its sad that the locals in any port have to be rude and agressive. Their economies are dependent on tourist dollars and if they keep robbing and harassing people word will get out.

[mikel24m]

Jamacia is the worst port IMHO --been to MO Bay and Ochos

 

Cab drivers outside the fenced in dock area are very aggressive!!!

 

We have seen all that is at both ports and do not leave ship.

 

We had the best experience in Ocho Rios when we had our other ports cancelled because of weather.I didnt have time to plan something

 

I looked for someone that looked important( I think he was the taxi manager maybe) and asked for a guide for the day and he called his son outside the gate.I guess its luck of the draw.We went on a great tour ,went shopping ,many great pictures and lunch in the fishing village

[ladybug1s]

Nassau. That place is creepy. I would never go back. Too many pushy people, too.

 

 

I had heard that Jamaica has gotten a lot better. For those who have been recently, is that true ?

are you talking about Nassau BAhamas?

[Frank12]

Miami! :rolleyes:

That got a LOL from me! :)