Anyone else concerned about the violence in Mexico?

[Negril60]

I spent 6 weeks in Tijuana 3 yrs ago with my hubs in a cancer clinic. I was concerned at first . We were in a residential area. Within days I was out walking alone . I’m 62 and travel solo to Jamaica. I spent 60 days there last winter . You have to be aware and watch your surroundings. The Jamaican people are great. I go about 2 hours from the city . I’m getting ready to do my first Mexican Riviera cruise on the Panorama. My friend and I plan on  visiting every port , we were gonna just walk around in Cabo .  Any suggestions?  Tired of water, snorkeling adventures . 

[MSN-Travelers]

On 10/5/2022 at 9:20 AM, john91498 said:

We're looking at summer cruises next year to Mexico. A seven day on the Panorama to the Mexican Rivera.

We did this cruise a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. But this time around, the reports of the violence is scaring my wife. Especially Puerta Vallarta, one of the cruise stops, is supposedly the 3rd most dangerous city in Mexico.

Having second thoughts and might just do a week in Vegas...

The cruise industry does not stop at ports that present a danger to the crew or the passengers.  Acapulco is no longer a regular stop. Mazatlan was dropped for awhile until they got their act together.  

 

I would like to see what your source is for your claim that Puerto Vallarta is the 3rd most dangerous city in Mexico.  I know the folks in Vallarta would be surprised to hear that.

 

I, and my family, will be back in Vallarta for a month in mid-November (again). I am not making light of anybody's safety concerns. However, I feel I am in greater danger driving to Chicago's O'Hare Airport that at any location in Vallarta.   Think about it . . .  You will be in the city for 6-8 hours, in the heart of the tourist area during broad daylight, what have you heard that makes you nervous?

 

Enjoy, I know we will . . . 

 

 

[icft]

1 hour ago, MSN-Travelers said:

The cruise industry does not stop at ports that present a danger to the crew or the passengers.  Acapulco is no longer a regular stop. Mazatlan was dropped for awhile until they got their act together.  

 

I would like to see what your source is for your claim that Puerto Vallarta is the 3rd most dangerous city in Mexico.  I know the folks in Vallarta would be surprised to hear that.

 

I, and my family, will be back in Vallarta for a month in mid-November (again). I am not making light of anybody's safety concerns. However, I feel I am in greater danger driving to Chicago's O'Hare Airport that at any location in Vallarta.   Think about it . . .  You will be in the city for 6-8 hours, in the heart of the tourist area during broad daylight, what have you heard that makes you nervous?

 

Enjoy, I know we will . . . 

 

 

You have a good point about the cruise industry avoiding excessively dangerous ports. But that is only partially true. They do dock in Baltimore, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York... 😁

 

[MSN-Travelers]

3 minutes ago, icft said:

You have a good point about the cruise industry avoiding excessively dangerous ports. But that is only partially true. They do dock in Baltimore, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York... 😁

 

I heard today that crime in the USA is a myth created by one political party to scare voters. NY is the safest large city in the nation!  The folks in NY said so and that has to be true.  🤗

[Ine]

We stay in Puerto Vallarta each winter since many years. I drive around in our car, shop local, eat in local restaurants, visit the local market, walk each morning etc. and never had any problem!. So stating Puerto Vallarta is the 3rd dangerous place in Mexico is absolutely nonsense.

Apart from Vallarta we have visited many places in Mexico and also there never had any problems.

Leave your expensive watch and jewelry on  the ship, donot take more money then you might need, (cash is king anyway), donot drink too much and be aware of your surroundings as you would do at home. Most important of course is to stay away from drugs. You will enjoy Mexico and the mexicans.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Ine

[Don9992]

We were planning to do an excursion to some smaller interior towns while in Mazatlan until I read the State Department warning about Sinaloa state containing words like "tourist kidnapping".  We decided to just stay in the historic part of the city there on our January cruise.  That's the only effect te report had on our plans.

Edited November 16, 2022 by Don9992

[pppiglet]

We stayed in Puerto Vallarta for 7 days at a time 3 different trips.  We stayed at the Westin and the Marriott and took taxi's and walked all over the Malecon and the Marina area.  Never felt unsafe.  Of the 3 ports, Cabo is the one (since 2005) we are always offered to buy drugs on the beach.  My least favorite port of the 3, but we love to go to The Office and eat every time we are there.

 

We just got back from the Riviera Maya and stayed in Akumal for 10 days, (between Playa Del Carmen & Tulum). It was our 8th trip there and nothing has gotten more dangerous.  The pueblo across the highway was a little more run down due to Covid killing most of their business, but we had a great trip! 

 

For a summer cruise I would be more afraid of bad weather than crime.  

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 10/5/2022 at 7:20 AM, john91498 said:

We're looking at summer cruises next year to Mexico. A seven day on the Panorama to the Mexican Rivera. We did this cruise a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. But this time around, the reports of the violence is scaring my wife.

 

Your wife should be more scared of heat and humidity in Mexico in Summer. Same for Vegas in Summer (extreme heat, not humidity). it sounds like you are bargain hunting, if not, do an Alaskan cruise.

 

We just got back from a Mexican Riviera cruise and it was great. I regularly travel into Mexico on business and haven't had any personal safety concerns since the cartel escalation maybe 10 years ago.

[sfaaa]

Gun trucks and fully armed soldiers patrolling around Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. I felt like a well guarded VIP on a state visit. Can't ask for better protection.

[icft]

29 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Gun trucks and fully armed soldiers patrolling around Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. I felt like a well guarded VIP on a state visit. Can't ask for better protection.

Looks can be deceiving. One of my sons worked in the Tampico area for a year. While he was there the National Guard came in and did lie detector tests on all the local police. Over half the local police were fired.

 

Counting on the Mexican police to protect you is like counting on the French in a war.

 

But, if you don't look too well off and don't go looking for drugs your chances of trouble are fairly low.

[BargainMan]

We were at Mazatlan on 11Jan 2023. Everything normal, plenty of tourists, police presence at every block. Get out of cruise terminal and follow the blue lines to town ctr. We then went to watch the divers from cliff top and took local transport. All quiet and normal.

[jcc1025]

We have been down there three times in the last year and travel by car occassionaly to Baja. The issues are not in the normal tourist areas. If you are in the areas when the issues have been reported then you should know better and there is not really anything of a tourist perspective that you would want to see. So if you use cruise tours and stay in the standard tourist locations you will be fine. 

[oyme]

On 11/27/2022 at 5:50 PM, icft said:

But, if you don't look too well off and don't go looking for drugs your chances of trouble are fairly low.

 

I know a lot of people like to showboat and look expensive, but I honestly feel it's always safer to fly below the radar. Very basic tees, solid colors, no fancy jewelry, no name brands. Maybe that's just me.

 

I personally always feel safe in port and I live 2 hours from Vegas. I feel safer in Mexico, Vegas is nuts man lol. I mean it doesn't stop my fam from going to Vegas, but just sayin' it isn't the safest place to go by any means!

[cruisinfamily7609]

 

 

We’re on a cruise to Mexico in June. The last time we visited the Mexican Riviera was in 2005. I figure that the worst case scenario for us is that we’ll stay onboard the ship. For us, the itinerary chosen was out of ease based on where we live. The ship is the true destination for us, and I don’t think any of us would necessarily care if we didn’t go ashore in one place or another. 

 

Shame that people can’t just answer the question without feeling the need to apply judgment first, but that’s Cruise Critic for you. I’d forgotten how people make snark into a sport here. Time is too short for that, IMO.

 

 

[MSN-Travelers]

Rhonda . . .  Nobody can say anything that will make "feel safe".  All you can do is evaluate what people, who are there now, have to say about their experience.

 

I have just returned from a 4-week stay in Vallarta and never encountered a situation that made me feel uncomfortable.  I am out at all hours of the day and night and walk just about everywhere.

 

Here is something to keep in mind, You will spend your time in port during the daylight hours.  You will likely spend all your time ashore in a tourist area.  Cruise ships generally don't stop in ports where their passengers and crew members would be in danger.  Having said all this, I wouldn't recommend renting dirt bikes and touring the mountains outside the metro area alone.

 

Personally, I feel I am in my greater danger driving to Chicago's O`Hare airport than at any time when visiting Vallarta.

 

Enjoy . . .

 

[Queenmom1947]

Do not dismiss any of the danger in Mexico as you travel.   Sure, towns inUS have crime problems now.   However, you do not want to stress your family and friends if something happens to you.   Travel carefully!

pour cruise in April goes to Nassau ( been there, done that) as well as Cozumel.  Yes, will stay aboard at those two stops.

[Ine]

I hope you can open en and read this recent article in Travel Weekly. Excellent and actual report about the safety in Mexico. https://www.travelweekly.com/Mexico-Travel/Insights/What-to-know-about-recent-Mexico-travel-warnings

[Desert Diamond]

For travelers concerned about safety, anywhere in the world, enrolling in the U.S. State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is a good idea. If there are natural disasters, civil unrest or safety concerns, this allows them to reach you and even assist with evacuation if necessary. It's a free service.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (state.gov)