NCL Pearl Crew member killed in Roatan?

[swedish weave]

I am very disillusioned with some ot the negativism expressed here about NCL and wonder what inspires some to think that NCL would abandon the employees body and his family. Is there an explanation for this type of thinking ?

 

Others have jumped on the statement that Roatan would be skipped for one week. That statement was made quickly and can be changed just as quickly.

 

Why all the negativity about NCL???

Edited April 9, 2014 by swedish weave

[Midwestgal]

Didn't NCL buy an area near Belize last year for their private island, Harvest Caye?

[peg013]

Didn't NCL buy an area near Belize last year for their private island, Harvest Caye?

 

Yes, they did. And the Star is scheduled to be the first to call there Fall 2015.

Edited April 9, 2014 by peg013

[The Mister]

Didn't NCL buy an area near Belize last year for their private island, Harvest Caye?

They have the beginnings of a web page for that port on their website.

There is a news article from last August here on Cruise Critic.

A number of groups oppose the development (examples here and here). (Others support it, I'm sure. I'm just providing what Google gave me on the first page.)

Here's

of the caye pre-development.

[rvsullivan]

There is no new private island. NCL is helping develop a new port on the mainland about 35-40 from Roatan. It's called Banana Coast and already has cruise ships scheduled there. Mentioned a time or two on this post as well.

 

 

Yeah, I forgot about the big issue about that Cay. Scheduled for 2015 if it goes as planned. Sorry.

[Bluewake]

This is a tough one for me. I was in Roatan for the first and only time this past August on Carnival. We did a private tour with Victor Bodden and also spent time at the Mahogany Bay port area which is fenced off for cruise passengers (as seems to be case on more and more islands). It was our favorite stop on the cruise and we never felt unsafe. We absolutely loved walking around West End Village, in particular. I will say, however, that when we were returning to the ship we passed through Coxen Hole, which I think is where NCL docks, and it looked kind of dirty and "run down" with a lot of guys just standing around hanging out staring at us as we drove by. Of course, poor doesn't mean dangerous but it just seemed to be a place I'd want to be on the alert side. It just had a whole different "vibe" than West End Village.

 

Over the past 3-4 years, I've read of murders involving tourists on several islands (St. Thomas, St Lucia to name two) and cruiselines continued to stop in those ports. Perhaps the situation in Roatan has worsened since I was there in August and that, in combination with the tragic murder of the crew member, led NCL to its decision. Not saying it's a good or bad decision, just that I wonder what went into it. I really do think that stopping at Coxen Hole would have been a very different experience that what we found at Mahogany Bay. I hope the police can restore order and safety on Roatan.

[cruisingparents2014]

Apparently, murders over iphones has been an issue in the past. I wonder if it was the same guy?

 

Thoughts and prayers to the family, friends, and co-workers of this young man.

 

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-man-killed-in-honduras-over-iphone-1.1003267

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1725218

[TravelinFam]

Not sure if it is poor wording, but the above statement doesn't sit right with me.

 

It sounds like the poster was categorizing all Hondurans as animals. I don't think that is what the poster meant, but it certainly reads that way.

 

I must agree with you. That post was upsetting and turned me off in a big way.

 

I also agree...it might have been a poor choice of words...it appears as if it were a generalization about people in Honduras.

 

This has been happening all over the US...especially in the and around the big cities. I worry about my son when he goes to school with his iPhone...because IT HAPPENS OFTEN in the USA.

[Laszlo]

I do not remember so many pot holes in the streets. There were men filling the holes.

 

When we were there in November on the Dawn we saw 8-12 children, 8-10 years old filling in the holes then flagging down the van to ask for money. We were on our way to the beach in the West End

[TravelinFam]

Didn't realize those animals could afford bullets down there.

 

Jacob can remind everyone of an important lesson: never argue with a gunman. Your phone simply isn't worth it. Sounds so cliche, but apparently, it needs to be said.

 

Sorry to hear this terrible news.

 

Just out of curiosity...what was meant by "those animals"...criminals who own guns? Just to see how you were misunderstood.

 

 

As I mentioned before this happens often in big cities in the US...Miami, LA, Chicago, NY...etc

 

More often than reported...my nephew was walking home after baseball practice...it was around 5PM and still daylight...I guy walked right up to him (busy street-heavy traffic) pulled out a gun and demanded his iPhone. My nephew gave it without heistation. Everythng happened too fast. But I've read enough reports of ppl getting shot or stabbed over electronics.

 

Really...what is this world coming to??? :mad:

[Bluewake]

When we were there in November on the Dawn we saw 8-12 children, 8-10 years old filling in the holes then flagging down the van to ask for money. We were on our way to the beach in the West End

 

Laszlo - just curious. did you actually experience the begging children in West End Village or was it somewhere on the road while you were headed there? I ask because after reading your post, it sounded very different from what I experienced and it got me thinking. I just realized that I may have been incorrect when I wrote in a prior post that we loved "West End Village". In fact, we must have been in "West End Bay". We spent about 20 minutes chatting with folks in the Coconut Tree Divers...great guys. It was in the early afternoon and it seemed like sort of a quiet village with several dive shops, bars/restaurants. My wife and I walked around and were never approached by anyone. Sorry if I got my "West Ends" confused!

Edited April 9, 2014 by Bluewake

[MzMelissa26]

I was in Roatan a week and a half ago on 3/30/14 on the Pearl. This was my 5th trip to Roatan and noticed a difference while there. I do not remember so many pot holes in the streets. There were men filling the holes. The tour guide mentioned that some of the men working are not legitimate and actually bandits who block the street and steel. She said we will not stop if one tries to block us. I was shocked because I never heard of that happening in Roatan. Maybe Kevin Sheehan knows more than we do.

 

 

Ellen

 

You are right. I was there last week and my driver commented how the ex mayor built a place on the little Island that you can see from the lookout point he stopped at. Says he charge cruise patrons $100 each for a boat ride over. He said no money is ever used to fix the streets and on the way back one guy was shoveling dirt into the holes and trying to stop cars so they could pay him for doing so.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

While similar stories still different than what we were told 2 weeks ago while Roatan. We were told the new Mayor is spending money to fix the roads while the old Mayor who was corrupt had not spent a dime on the roads and pocketed the money. He said that some residents have taken it upon themselves to go out and take buckets of dirt to temporarily fix roads that they took frequently. We drove past several if which our driver would wave at. He also showed us areas is where the road had already been fixed. Our driver was quite proud of the new Mayor and what was trying to be accomplished

 

 

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[rolloman]

Our driver was quite proud of the new Mayor and what was trying to be accomplished

 

 

 

I wonder how proud he is today?

[Guest 2000]

Laszlo - just curious. did you actually experience the begging children in West End Village or was it somewhere on the road while you were headed there? I ask because after reading your post, it sounded very different from what I experienced and it got me thinking. I just realized that I may have been incorrect when I wrote in a prior post that we loved "West End Village". In fact, we must have been in "West End Bay". We spent about 20 minutes chatting with folks in the Coconut Tree Divers...great guys. It was in the early afternoon and it seemed like sort of a quiet village with several dive shops, bars/restaurants. My wife and I walked around and were never approached by anyone. Sorry if I got my "West Ends" confused!

 

Coconut Tree Divers is in West End. There is a road between the shops and the sea.

 

In West Bay the beach is between the resorts and the sea.

[Laszlo]

Laszlo - just curious. did you actually experience the begging children in West End Village or was it somewhere on the road while you were headed there? I ask because after reading your post, it sounded very different from what I experienced and it got me thinking. I just realized that I may have been incorrect when I wrote in a prior post that we loved "West End Village". In fact, we must have been in "West End Bay". We spent about 20 minutes chatting with folks in the Coconut Tree Divers...great guys. It was in the early afternoon and it seemed like sort of a quiet village with several dive shops, bars/restaurants. My wife and I walked around and were never approached by anyone. Sorry if I got my "West Ends" confused!

 

It was on the way to the beach, maybe 5 minutes before you got to the zip lines. The area had pretty bad roads going up the long curvy hill. No children we saw in the village itself. This was kids just lined up along the road. When they saw a car or van coming they would run off the side of the road grab some dirt and throw it in a pot hole

Edited April 9, 2014 by Laszlo

[cruisevital]

I found what happened to the poor man in honduras tragic however I can't digest the reaction NCL or the management team . In their official statement they're saying that they are cancelling will the port for few weeks while clearly what happened is quiet critical and a clear sign that there is a potentiel danger for visitors . But what I find very hard to accept and understand is that for Tunisia they cancelled the port for good with no chance for returning back only because 7 people who did not have visa were denied access. How do you interpret this !!! one of your employe dies you cancel the port for 2 weeks and 7 passengers denied access in another port you cancel it for good. This is what I call hypocrisy .

 

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Edited April 9, 2014 by cruisevital

[PCLMassachusetts]

I am very disillusioned with some ot the negativism expressed here about NCL and wonder what inspires some to think that NCL would abandon the employees body and his family. Is there an explanation for this type of thinking ?

 

Others have jumped on the statement that Roatan would be skipped for one week. That statement was made quickly and can be changed just as quickly.

 

Why all the negativity about NCL???

 

I am not being negative about NCL. In fact, if you check my signature they are actually my line of choice. I may not have been on 100's of cruises but I plan on cruising with them for the foreseeable future.

 

However, I do have the ability to not be strictly a cheerleader and state when I find faults. Yes, the statement by NCL about skipping the port was made quickly. However, the statement about never going to Tunisia ever again was made just as quick. Why the difference? Step off the cheerleading soap box for a second and try to think about it from a neutral perspective.

[The Mister]

How do you interpret this !!! one of your employe dies you cancel the port for 2 weeks and 7 passengers denied access in another port you cancel it for good. This is what I call hypocrisy.

No.

 

"Hypocrisy" means holding others to a higher standard than you hold yourself to, i.e., failing to practice what you preach and being OK with it.

 

The current situation is nothing like that. This is, at worst, "lack of consistency". The two reactions seem disproportionate, but not hypocritical.

 

A hypothetical example of hypocrisy would have been if, when this happened, NCL made an announcement that recommended all cruise lines should cancel stops in Roatan for the safety of their guests and employees, but NCL didn't actually cancel the stops themselves.

 

While I can certainly appreciate the frustration you and others are feeling regarding these two situations, it does not help anyone's case to make accusations with words that mean something other than what you intend.

[Bluewake]

Coconut Tree Divers is in West End. There is a road between the shops and the sea.

 

In West Bay the beach is between the resorts and the sea.

 

I see....thank you. I got West End/Bay confused.

[swedish weave]

I am not being negative about NCL. In fact, if you check my signature they are actually my line of choice. I may not have been on 100's of cruises but I plan on cruising with them for the foreseeable future.

 

However, I do have the ability to not be strictly a cheerleader and state when I find faults. Yes, the statement by NCL about skipping the port was made quickly. However, the statement about never going to Tunisia ever again was made just as quick. Why the difference? Step off the cheerleading soap box for a second and try to think about it from a neutral perspective.

 

I may agree with you if NCL sends ships back to Roatan next week without some official response from the authorities.

 

I don't expect this pullout to be for only one week, so don't be so quick to condemn NCL until you see what happens. As of now, my soapbox is very comfortable for me.

 

There is no reason nor justification in comparing the Tunisia problem with Roatan. Tunisia was an act by the governing body. Roatan was not !!

Edited April 10, 2014 by swedish weave

[djacobson]

I may agree with you if NCL sends ships back to Roatan next week without some official response from the authorities.

 

I don't expect this pullout to be for only one week, so don't be so quick to condemn NCL until you see what happens. As of now, my soapbox is very comfortable for me.

 

There is no reason nor justification in comparing the Tunisia problem with Roatan. Tunisia was an act by the governing body. Roatan was not !!

 

Someone on the roll call for next week's cruise on the Jewel called NCL this afternoon and was told the ship isn't going to Roatan. They were told NCL would be sending an e-mail when a decision is made an alternate port of call of whether it will be an additional day at sea.

[RDC1]

I found what happened to the poor man in honduras tragic however I can't digest the reaction NCL or the management team . In their official statement they're saying that they are cancelling will the port for few weeks while clearly what happened is quiet critical and a clear sign that there is a potentiel danger for visitors . But what I find very hard to accept and understand is that for Tunisia they cancelled the port for good with no chance for returning back only because 7 people who did not have visa were denied access. How do you interpret this !!! one of your employe dies you cancel the port for 2 weeks and 7 passengers denied access in another port you cancel it for good. This is what I call hypocrisy .

 

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Forums mobile app

 

Actually it is not surprising and there is a logical reason for it. The crew member was killed during a criminal act. A criminal act can and does occur in every country around the world. They stopped cruises in the short term to bring attention to safety around the port. If they beef up security then the ships return. If they permanently stopped visiting any country in which someone has been killed in a criminal act then they would not be visiting any countries.

 

The act in Tunisia was a last minute action taken by the government. Israeli passengers were allowed off on previous cruises. It is unclear concerning if they had visa's in advance or not. That was specifically mentioned in the articles concerning the incident. Since it was a government action the decision was made to terminate visits. Cruise lines need stability and cannot deal with last minute changes by the governments in the countries they visit.

[mitsugirly]

I have only read one post that mentioned that they caught the killer, so I'm still wondering if this is true or if someone just said it. (I think it was on the site under the comments). Does anyone know if this is true or has there been any reports of capturing the killer yet confirmed?

[robinbtigger]

Someone on the roll call for next week's cruise on the Jewel called NCL this afternoon and was told the ship isn't going to Roatan. They were told NCL would be sending an e-mail when a decision is made an alternate port of call of whether it will be an additional day at sea.

Hmmm ... I'm on the 4/13 Dawn and we are supposed to be in Roatan earlier than the Jewel. I called 2 days ago and was told there was no change in our itinerary I was really looking forward to Roatan and I don't mind skipping it for safety reasons but I just wish they would come out and tell us if they are going to skip the port already. My husband and daughter have their only dive scheduled that day and we will have to adjust out Belize or Costa Maya plans so they can get a dive in.