Do you think Carnival will remove La Romana, Domenican Republic as a port?

[coevan]

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Miami has one of the highest crime rates in the country. Do you think Carnival should stop cruising from there? Are you nervous about going on Horizon, which sails from Miami?

 

 

where did you get this statistic, I checked 5 Google searches for U.S high crime cities and can't find Miami in the top 50. also a very poor analogy

[PhillyFan33579]

16 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

where did you get this statistic, I checked 5 Google searches for U.S high crime cities and can't find Miami in the top 50. also a very poor analogy

 

You need to learn how to use google. Miami is far from a safe city, but living in Florida I likely hear a lot more about Miami than non Floridians.  However, like most major cities, there are parts of the city that are relatively safe and other parts you don’t want to go to, especially at night.  I definitely disagree with you saying it is a poor analogy.  A few deaths that happened no where near the port does not make the DR unsafe as a whole. Just like the high crime rate in certain parts of Miami does not make the entire city of Miami unsafe. 

[Countrygurl]

8th cruise coming up this fall.  The only place I don’t care if I ever return to is DR.  I’ve been to Amber Cove and La Romana.  Beautiful country but never felt safe.  When you have police escorts on both sides of your little train, you soon realize it’s no joke.  Glad I went but don’t care to ever go back!

[coevan]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

You need to learn how to use google. Miami is far from a safe city, but living in Florida I likely hear a lot more about Miami than non Floridians.  However, like most major cities, there are parts of the city that are relatively safe and other parts you don’t want to go to, especially at night.  I definitely disagree with you saying it is a poor analogy.  A few deaths that happened no where near the port does not make the DR unsafe as a whole. Just like the high crime rate in certain parts of Miami does not make the entire city of Miami unsafe. 

 

 

We lived in Miami for 8 years. The really bad areas like Liberty City and Opa Locka are way off the cruise ship passengers path. I wouldn't walk around Waterfront in St. Thomas at night either. St.Thomas has a very high crime rate for the Caribbean. However we always feel safe on the beaches in St.Thomas in the day. 

[PhillyFan33579]

2 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

We lived in Miami for 8 years. The really bad areas like Liberty City and Opa Locka are way off the cruise ship passengers path. I wouldn't walk around Waterfront in St. Thomas at night either. St.Thomas has a very high crime rate for the Caribbean. However we always feel safe on the beaches in St.Thomas in the day. 

 

Have you ever been to Paradise Point, and if so, what’s your opinion of it?

[modes]

On 6/8/2019 at 3:53 PM, mbuckles071 said:

Just curious, Does Carnival remove ports from existing itineraries? Im a little uneasy over recent news. Our cruise on the Horizon stops there during our cruise on July 27th.

 

They should that port is a dump.

[Tapi]

6 hours ago, Doggielover68 said:

Have you ever thought that the locals on the islands might actually like the chain stores? Not only do they provide employment, but the locals can enjoy restaurants just as much as tourists.

That’s actually an easy question for me to answer since I was born and raised in a Caribbean island, and most of my family still lives there, and I am there multiple times a year.

 

Yes, chain stores are everywhere. They all provide employment, and locals do frequent these establishments although there’s a huge push for people to shift support towards local businesses rather than chain stores so that money stays in the island rather than going to a large corporation in the US. 

 

With that said, when someone from the US asks me where to go and what places to visit, I don’t direct them to eat at McDonald’s or to go shopping at Wal-Mart. I tell them about the local restaurants, or the off the beaten path attractions because those are the memories that I’d want them to take home with them. I’d do the same if someone on these cruise boards asked for advice. 

 

But that’s not what I was pointing out on my previous post. What I’m pointing out is that a lack of chain stores or pretty welcome centers, or attractions within walking distance shouldn’t translate into a port of call being “horrible” or “an armpit”.  Many times, cruisers fail to research before visiting a new place and they don’t explore beyond what’s in the immediate vicinity of the port area. Many of them are quick to judge. The poster who I answered to pointed out that they didn’t even leave the ship, yet they made negative comments about a port that they didn’t even set foot on. 

 

You mention that you’ve traveled to other parts of the world. You should then know that some of the most fascinating ports of call in the world have port facilities that are located in industrial and unattractive areas, far from the main attractions. Take for example the Mediterranean and ports like Livorno, Marseille, and Civitavecchia, all which are in ugly port areas, sometimes more than an hour away from attractions. Many cruisers used to walking off the ship without any type of research and finding something to do within a few feet from the port would be sorely disappointed at some of these places. 

 

To summarize, I’m glad that there are places like Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove for people who enjoy that type of scene. But don’t condemn or be quick to judge La Romana because it’s not like them. 

[Cafedumonde]

I do not think we will get off the ship in DR again.  Awful country.

[Tapi]

6 hours ago, Cafedumonde said:

I do not think we will get off the ship in DR again.  Awful country.

Yes. It’s awful....😂

[evandbob]

19 hours ago, Doggielover68 said:

 

You make it seem like wanting to be safe on vacation is a bad thing. There's nothing wrong with the cruiseline built ports. They took a look around at what people want on vacation and took advantage of it. Just look at all of the all inclusive resort options in the Caribbean. What do American tourists do when they fly there directly? They go to a resort, sit by a pool or on the beach and drink cocktails. They don't generally go out to explore what the island has, or doesn't have, to offer. They want to relax and feel safe. 

 

I have yet to do a land vacation on any of the 15 or so Caribbean islands we vacationed on where I did not rent a car to go out exploring on our own or take an island tour of some sort. I have never gone from the the airport to an AI and then back to the airport.  I like local food and will enter the place that the locals frequent rather than a tourist or fast food chain store.

 

Funny, the only port we ever got scammed & robbed in was Barcelona last month!  I fell for the bird crap scam and had a shoulder bag disappear.

[evandbob]

8 hours ago, Cafedumonde said:

I do not think we will get off the ship in DR again.  Awful country.

 

Like Bourbon Street?

[Joebucks]

David Ortiz was just shot in the DR. While people get shot all over the place, all the time, the court of public opinion surely isn't going to like hearing this high-profile shooting shortly after the other DR blunders.

[purplephenom]

1 hour ago, Tapi said:

Yes. It’s awful....😂

 

 

Thanks for sharing these pictures.  I am excited about visiting La Romana for my first time next February on the Horizon, but every time I've mentioned it lately, it's turned into people telling me how they'd never go there and there are so many safer places.  David Ortiz getting shot last night meant it was the first thing I heard about this morning.  

[ABQrobin]

3 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

David Ortiz was just shot in the DR. While people get shot all over the place, all the time, the court of public opinion surely isn't going to like hearing this high-profile shooting shortly after the other DR blunders.

 

Ortiz is a WORLD FAMOUS baseball player, worth Millions and Millions of dollars, famous and from Dominican Republic.  Not a single person here on CC is as famous or rich, so the idea that they would be targeted just like Ortiz is nonsense.  He was probably shot in a robbery attempt, but we have to wait for the news to come out.  They say one person already arrested and have a name of the other.  It is an ongoing story, and not a random shooting of a tourist.  

[Joebucks]

3 minutes ago, ABQrobin said:

 

Ortiz is a WORLD FAMOUS baseball player, worth Millions and Millions of dollars, famous and from Dominican Republic.  Not a single person here on CC is as famous or rich, so the idea that they would be targeted just like Ortiz is nonsense.  He was probably shot in a robbery attempt, but we have to wait for the news to come out.  They say one person already arrested and have a name of the other.  It is an ongoing story, and not a random shooting of a tourist.  

 

None of those things are the point. I am a dumb internet consumer. I heard of people getting attacked recently in DR. Now I heard even famous people getting shot there? Not going!

 

On a side note, I understand your point, and the facts. Not everyone goes beyond the headline though.

[Doggielover68]

56 minutes ago, evandbob said:

 

I have yet to do a land vacation on any of the 15 or so Caribbean islands we vacationed on where I did not rent a car to go out exploring on our own or take an island tour of some sort. I have never gone from the the airport to an AI and then back to the airport.  I like local food and will enter the place that the locals frequent rather than a tourist or fast food chain store.

 

Funny, the only port we ever got scammed & robbed in was Barcelona last month!  I fell for the bird crap scam and had a shoulder bag disappear.

Good for you and I'm glad you get out there and explore. You're probably in the minority though as far as All inclusive guests go. 

 

Ah yes, that shaving cream bird crap scam in Barcelona. Haven't been there yet but read about it in a travel guide recently. 

 

 

[elcuchio24]

19 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Miami has one of the highest crime rates in the country. Do you think Carnival should stop cruising from there? Are you nervous about going on Horizon, which sails from Miami?

 

Yep, typically the most dangerous port on any cruise itin!

[eh24fan]

While it's not La Romana or Amber Cove, our family's most memorable port stop ever was Samana, DR.  We had a GREAT time and met some wonderful folks on our tour that day.  My parents took my then 13yr old on an NCL cruise in 2013 that stopped in Samana and they all loved it, my son most of all.  In fact, his insistence that we needed to see Samana was the sole reason we booked the same ship, same itinerary the following year.  One of the things we loved the most was that Samana was not ruined by the commercialism that is seen in so many other Caribbean ports these days.  No Diamonds International or Senor Frogs.  We met locals who were eager and happy to share their way of life, their foods, their livelihoods and in one woman's case, her home.  It was an amazing day and one that we would love to have done again, but most mainstream cruises aren't going there anymore. I venture to say that part of the problem would be what has been stated here repeatedly - a fear of something that isn't "pretty." 

 

The deaths in DR recently are traumatic and terrible for sure.  But is that a reason to avoid going there?  I mean, there are shootings and killings and deaths in our small town in Delaware, but we certainly don't stop shopping and going to dinner. 

[coevan]

16 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Have you ever been to Paradise Point, and if so, what’s your opinion of it?

 

 

Of course, I lived there on and off for a few years. I haven't taken the tram in many years, it's a nice ride. 

[hotsauce126]

1 hour ago, elcuchio24 said:

 

Yep, typically the most dangerous port on any cruise itin!

 

Maybe if you're hanging out in overtown or little haiti, but I wasn't aware of any cruise ships leaving from those neighborhoods

[coevan]

Port of Miami, Bayside, and South Beach are all very safe and lovely. We love the vibrant city of Miami, never felt threatened. 

[elcuchio24]

24 minutes ago, hotsauce126 said:

 

Maybe if you're hanging out in overtown or little haiti, but I wasn't aware of any cruise ships leaving from those neighborhoods

 

That is EXACTLY my point: most cruisers never venture into those bad parts of town--just like most cruisers never venture in to the bad parts of La Romana or other ports for that matter. And for the record I love Miami! :-)

[coevan]

2 hours ago, elcuchio24 said:

 

Yep, typically the most dangerous port on any cruise itin!

 

 

Why do you say this if you love Miami? I have never heard of Miami referred to "the most dangerous port"

[Organized Chaos]

2 hours ago, purplephenom said:

I am excited about visiting La Romana for my first time next February on the Horizon, but every time I've mentioned it lately, it's turned into people telling me how they'd never go there and there are so many safer places.  David Ortiz getting shot last night meant it was the first thing I heard about this morning.  

 

We're going to La Romana for our first time, too, in March (also on Horizon). If there's nothing to do at the port, or within a short walking distance, I'm not too worried about it. Maybe we'll find an excursion we like or, if all else fails, just stay on the ship. Tourists still flow into Chicago and they have several hundred murders every year. If any of these ports are determined to be truly unsafe for cruise passengers, I'm confident that Carnival, or any other cruise line, would pull them from their line-up, because no company wants that liability risk.

 

We visited Amber Cove for the first time last year and, despite all the negativity it's getting in this thread, it turned out to be my favorite port of the cruise. The scenery pulling into port was absolutely gorgeous. It reminded us a lot of the Smoky Mountains, which we love to visit. We took a taxi to the Teleferico (cable car) that runs to the top of Mt. Isabel de Torres and we had a fantastic time. Never felt unsafe...well, the traffic on the outskirts of Puerto Plata was pretty crazy LOL but I was more in awe than scared. We enjoy getting out into nature and love to hike, so we had a great time. We were ready to come back before we even left. For those who don't want to venture out, the pool area is very nice, and I'm not even the type of person who enjoys sitting around a pool. But that area is so nice, I wouldn't mind trying it out next time. And there's the usual shops in the port complex. I don't care if it's "commercialized." For people who don't want to stray far from the ship, it gives them a nice area to go. For others, you don't have to stick around. You can take a taxi or go on an excursion. There's a lot of negative talk about a man-made port like Amber Cove, but hanging out there is just one option.

 

Our tour guide up the mountain and around the beautiful gardens and hiking trails was one of the nicest people we met. And yes, there are several vendors at the top, but they weren't aggressive at all, nothing like what we've experienced in Nassau, for example. As a matter of fact, only one vendor approached us and asked us to come to his shop when we were done with our  tour and none of the others even bothered us. He was very nice, too, and when we did visit his shop, he didn't bother us while we looked. There were maybe a half dozen of them and it seemed like they had an agreement to take turns with different groups that came up there, because others would say hi but never asked us to come into their shops. It was nice not to be mobbed by aggressive vendors. We won't hesitate to go back to Amber Cove again.

[elcuchio24]

19 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

Why do you say this if you love Miami? I have never heard of Miami referred to "the most dangerous port"

 

Is that mutually exclusive, if its dangerous you cant like it? I like NYC, and Guatemala city too!