Dangerous Caribbean/Mexican Ports - Which ones?

[CleoSushi]

Hi there,

Ive seen a post for friendliest ports, how about a list of which ports were not too friendly (i.e. dangerous, crime areas, hostile, etc.). Thanks,:cool:

[klfrodo]

New York City

Los Angeles

Long Beach

Miami

Seattle

 

 

There is danger lurking everywhere, not just in ports outside the U.S.

[blindrid]

Hi there,

Ive seen a post for friendliest ports, how about a list of which ports were not too friendly (i.e. dangerous, crime areas, hostile, etc.). Thanks,:cool:

 

I agree. I think all ports can be if you are stupid. On the other hand, if you just pay attention it's no big deal as I've never felt threatened.

[DanJ]

Colon Panama isn't very safe. Not sure what it's like now, but when we were there 6 years ago, guards with machine guns were on the corners outside the terminal plaza telling us not to go across the street.

 

Limon Costa Rica is pretty blue collar and you don't want to wander off the beaten track.

[abitaturbodog]

New York City

Los Angeles

Long Beach

Miami

Seattle

 

 

There is danger lurking everywhere, not just in ports outside the U.S.

 

 

How true!

[BobBeaSea]

All of them & none of them...if you pay attention to what you are doing as well as your surroundings :)

[CleoSushi]

Thanks, so true though about paying attention to your surroundings.

The only port i felt uncomfortable in was in Nassau and only because of the pushy vendors.

Thanks a bunch.:o

[bububr]

"The only port i felt uncomfortable in was in Nassau and only because of the pushy vendors."

 

I would suggest then that you stay FAR AWAY from any port in Jamaica.

 

Dave:eek:

[Trevoli]

The OP's thread is entitled "Dangerous Caribbean/Mexican Ports..." , not which U.S. cities are unsafe. While we can all agree that you need to watch your back ANY place you go and use common sense, that doesn't address the subject at hand here.

 

While I have never had any bad experiences, I have read of scary happenings in Jamaica. There was even a ship-sponsored tour that was attacked, and if I remember correctly, a ship's passenger was badly hurt or killed (I think one of the perps was killed too).

 

When we were in Caracas many years ago, there were men in military uniforms with what looked like machine guns slung over their shoulders. Luckily, we didn't see any action.

 

I can see where over-zealous vendors can be frightening to some people. Some of them are very aggressive and are hard pressed to take NO for an answer. The best you can do is to remove yourself from the environment.

 

T

[GCurry]

While I have never had any bad experiences, I have read of scary happenings in Jamaica. There was even a ship-sponsored tour that was attacked, and if I remember correctly, a ship's passenger was badly hurt or killed (I think one of the perps was killed too).

Out of Galveston off the Conquest, on a plantation tour 17 people robbed at gunpoint but unhurt. One of the robbers was later killed by police.

 

Belize City outside the Cruise Compound can be dangerous from Street Gangs. Once away from there on tours, you have a wonderful time.

[newmexicoNita]

I don't worry to much unless the cruise line has advised us to be careful; I have only seen this once that I remember: it was last year in Panama. it was suggested we not venture any futher than the market at the port unless on a organized tour. I guess Montego Bay might be the other place, but we haven't been there in years.

 

Nita

[cruiseapril]

The U.S. Dept. of State has travel warnings listed on its website. Colombia and Haiti, in the Caribbean area, are listed.

 

We would not return to LaGuaira/Caracas, Venezuela. Isla Margarita was a far better port stop than LaGuaira.

[Grandpaul]

A few years ago we were doing the Mexican Riviera and we stopped at Zihuatanejo. We got to the end of the pier and there were maybe 6 guys in uniform with machine guns. I thought maybe they knew who I was. Turns out the Mexican President has a house there and they were his guards. I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

[Sea Breeze]

I don't worry to much unless the cruise line has advised us to be careful; I have only seen this once that I remember: it was last year in Panama. it was suggested we not venture any futher than the market at the port unless on a organized tour. I guess Montego Bay might be the other place, but we haven't been there in years.

 

Nita

 

I have to agree with Panama.. DONT depend on the ship warning you... Which I feel is wrong..

I was there last November 06, and we got off and walked around near the ship. We felt very unsafe.. ( you know the feeling hair standing up on the back of your neck) I was on a celebrity cruise ship, and NOTHING was said of how unsafe this stop was. I put that down on my comment card,, For people that are unaware as I was should be warned. There were many guards with machine guns.. and they kept an eye on us.. We walked fast and back on the ship... No thanks to Panama... for me anyways..

[clearwaters]

New York City

Los Angeles

Long Beach

Miami

Seattle

 

 

There is danger lurking everywhere, not just in ports outside the U.S.

LOL LMAO (I'm in Los Angeles).

[Ephraim]

It might be easier to ask which ports are particularly safe.

 

Charlotte Amelie is particularly dangerous if you go one or two more streets into town. Definitely not the place to just meander around town.

 

Jamaica is particularly dangerous, especially if you are Gay or even thought that you might be. On Valentine's Day a lynch mob of over 200 formed seeking out three allegedly Gay men in Jamaica. The police were summoned to extricate the three men from a pharmacy where they took refuge. The police came to rescue them but also taunted them with name calling in the car on the way to the police station, where they were released and warned never to return. Over 40 people have been murdered in Jamaica because they were supposedly Gay with no prosecution of the incidents. Jamaica has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the Caribbean. (On World AIDS day in 2005, the head of the Jamaican AIDS Support for Life was shot to death. In 2004 the head of the Jamaican Gay Association was murdered, to give two examples of high profile murders.)

[rlkubi]

Out of all my cruises the only place that I would not want to return would be Jamaica. I just felt uneasy while we were there.

[cruisemom42]

Ocho Rios. The constant hassling to buy drugs or sex is extremely unpleasant.

[LHP]

I don't do Jamaica.

 

I don't do Belize (outside the fence) with out an organized tour. Independent tours are fine as long as you are not wanting to go to far from the ship (the roads are not good). If you are wanted to go somewhere far from the ship, definately do a ship's tour.

 

 

The rest are great to just ok:

 

Cozumel is my favorite. LOVE IT

Costa Maya (when it was operational) was fun. We joined the "hole in the fence" gang.

Grand Cayman is fine, but expensive.

St Thomas and St Marteen are both tourist friendly.

Playa Del Carmen is ok. IMHO, not as good as Cozumel. We tendered in right at Senor Frogs and spent the day there.

San Juan did nothing for me.

Nassau is ok. We always go to The Dig so our son can see the fish.

Freeport will be a "sea day on the ship" for us from now on.

LaRamona is ok. We went to the Artists Village. It was just different having a taxi driver stay with you instead of just grabbing one to drop you off and one to take you back to the ship.

Martinque - no opinion either way...we basically stayed on the ship

 

I am sure there are some I have forgotten...but that is a start.

[CaptData]

My daughter was in Mo Bay Jamaica at the pier area. She was thinking of going on a tour when someone reached through the fence and grabbed her arm and said his taxi was available. She screamed and a guard came running. He used the butt of his rifle on the guy. My daughter came back to the ship and told me I was right that she should not go anywhere there. We stayed on board.

[cruiselover49]

On our second trip in the caribbean we went to Caracas. We were the first ship to be there since their uprising. We were in a jewelry store and someone yelled "down". At that point gunfire started from all directions. Ater we got home (before digital era) we were looking at pics and our bus had many bullet holes along each side. On our 3rd trip to the soutern caribbean we went to Guadaloupe. We toured a rum factory out in the middle of a sugar cane field. The workers chose that day to go on strike. They burned the only bridge that connected the area we were in to the ship port. We (about 100) were held hostage by them for over 8 hours. The landowners finally got together and in groups of 3 escorted us through the fields to get back to the ship. When in Jamaica a few years back on the way to Dunns River Falls from Mo. Bay one of the tour busses (probably 6 busses altogether) was held up. No one was injured but they did manage to rob everyone. I'm sure I'll never go to those places again but I do now how to stay on the ship and have a fun day without having to tour.

[Jeanie821]

My daughter was in Mo Bay Jamaica at the pier area. She was thinking of going on a tour when someone reached through the fence and grabbed her arm and said his taxi was available. She screamed and a guard came running. He used the butt of his rifle on the guy. My daughter came back to the ship and told me I was right that she should not go anywhere there. We stayed on board.

 

Kind of makes me want to stay on board too. I'll be in good company... a friend is traveling with a service dog, and since she can't disembark there with the dog, I'm sure that she and I will have lots of fun, having pretty much the run of the ship.

[Jimmers]

My God people, listen to yourselves. If you have to live life in that sort of fear you may as well stay in your homes with the alarm on and windows barred.

 

How on earth do you ever fly. Don't you realize that planes crash once in a while............. just like there are tourist related crimes ONCE in while.

 

Don't you watch the news or read the papers. What about the crime ON the cruiseships. If you believe the news, people are being murdered and raped and robbed on those things.

 

There are places in any city in the world that you don't want to go into unless you have a police escort. A smart person visiting these cities knows to keep away from them. That is where the bulk of the violent crime takes place. Not in the tourist areas.

 

But yes, there are risks anywhere you go, in this country or another country. You accept those risks just like you accept the risks of air travel, etc.. You go with organized tours or with guides. You travel in groups and you don't carry anything you're not prepared to lose.

 

 

Regards,

Jimmers:)

[justme75]

I agree it pays to be smart when you are anywhere out and about.

 

My experience as a solo traveler..... the shore excursion desk or customer service usually levels with me when i ask if it's safe to go to a port. (I tend to be a solo traveler).

 

So far I've been warned to be careful in St. Croix (was actually one of my favorite islands.... but there was definately an anti-tourist sentiment there in 2001ish). The other port was Jamicia. I was very much warned by the cruise line staff to not go outside the guarded area by myself.

 

Incidentally I also really enjoyed Jamicia and the tour that I did there. In fact one of the most memorable moments I've ever had - in a good way!

 

So if feeling unsure ask the cruise staff. But don't let the fear ruin a trip.... I would have missed some really memorable experiences if I had stayed on board.:D

 

Sorry for the bold print.... seem to be having font issues :rolleyes:

[LHP]

My God people, listen to yourselves. If you have to live life in that sort of fear you may as well stay in your homes with the alarm on and windows barred.

 

How on earth do you ever fly. Don't you realize that planes crash once in a while............. just like there are tourist related crimes ONCE in while.

 

Don't you watch the news or read the papers. What about the crime ON the cruiseships. If you believe the news, people are being murdered and raped and robbed on those things.

 

There are places in any city in the world that you don't want to go into unless you have a police escort. A smart person visiting these cities knows to keep away from them. That is where the bulk of the violent crime takes place. Not in the tourist areas.

 

But yes, there are risks anywhere you go, in this country or another country. You accept those risks just like you accept the risks of air travel, etc.. You go with organized tours or with guides. You travel in groups and you don't carry anything you're not prepared to lose.

 

 

Regards,

Jimmers:)

 

My question is why should we "support" these kinds of ports with our tourism dollars. Why should we reward them for holding people hostage with guns?

 

Now THAT is crazy!!

 

We travel alot. And we do not "scare easily". We took our family and flew to Israel in 2000...grabbed a taxi from the BG Airport to Tel Aviv. The next day we walked form Tel Aviv to Jaffa on our own for 5 miles one way along the boardwalk before our tour started the next day. I felt safer than walking the streets of sections of Memphis, Tenn. We walked 10 miles that day and not one person bothered us. Never felt uncomfortable.

 

However, I would not do that in Jamaica or Belize.