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Just heard on the radio this morning that the Canadian Govt has put out a travel advisory for Jamaica due the high level of violence. We are scheduled to be in port in Ocho Rios on February 15th. We've never been to Jamaica before and are quite looking forward to it. We always find our own activities and excursions independent from the cruise line, but are quite concerned now about our safety in this port. Any advise?

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Just heard on the radio this morning that the Canadian Govt has put out a travel advisory for Jamaica due the high level of violence. We are scheduled to be in port in Ocho Rios on February 15th. We've never been to Jamaica before and are quite looking forward to it. We always find our own activities and excursions independent from the cruise line, but are quite concerned now about our safety in this port. Any advise?

 

 

 

This is in regards to Montego Bay.

 

 

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Our Harmony of the Seas is docking in Falmouth which is very close to Montego Bay. We have scheduled a tour with a guide who we have booked with previously - great tour guide - but are concerned about visiting on this trip due to the violence and military presence. Does anyone have any suggestions, experience, feedback, etc.?

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Several years ago we stopped at Falmouth as one of our ports. We went to Dunns River Falls. We had an awesome time, it was beautiful, but at the end of our tour of the falls we went through the straw market. A friend of mine warned me to just keep walking and don't go into any shops, so we did. My wife lead the way and my four sons followed her. As I walked passed one of the shops a shop keeper grabbed me and dragged me into his shop. He claimed that I didn't respect him and said I should buy something. I pushed him away and said "I don't respect you now " and walked away. Personally other than the straw market I felt safe with the group. I would never go off on my own there!

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  • 1 month later...

We have been to Jamaica a couple of times. I will say that on one of these trips, a really bad experience. It's a long story, but involves a man just starting to walk with us and saying bizarre things, trying to sell drugs, etc. He wouldn't leave our side. Then another joined him, and I immediately tried to grab a taxi to get back to the ship. Once we got in, the man jumped in the front seat with us! The taxis and the and man were in the same game! I reached to get out and there were no handles on the doors! No way to get out and they were driving. I then started yelling at him to let me out immediately. He would not, until I gave them much money! Once he let us out, I saw a policeman and I went straight to him, told him the story, and pointed to the men. They all looked at each other and smirked. They are all in the same game of intimidation for money.

 

Later that night on the ship, we were in one of the gift shops and the girl that was working in the shop was kind of crying while we were paying for our stuff. I said, "Are you okay?" She told us earlier that day she got off the ship and the taxi (same type of no door handles) took her out in the country and threatened her with a machete. She knew she was going to be raped and maybe killed. This was a girl employed with the ship!

 

Jamaica = not a fan

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I've lived in Jamaica for 10 years and have always felt safe there. Most of the violence that you are hearing about is gang related. The military presence in Montego Bay is there to crack down on that violence.

 

Stick to the tourist areas and you'll be fine. If you are going to Falmouth or Ochie they are not even near Montego Bay. If you are going to Montego Bay, either stick to the hip strip or take a tour.

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There seem to be a few reputable tour guides on Jamaica, and you can figure those out pretty quickly. Don't dare get in a car with a local who says he will show you around, and don't even take a walking tour with one.

 

IF I were going to do a tour in Jamaica, it would only be a ship organized excursion. I am not fond of Jamaica. I've been Dunns River Falls twice when we ported in Ocho Rios and both times it was not a great experience. In Falmouth, we just got out at the port and stayed within the gates of the complex.

 

To give some context to my comments, I am 48, work in legal field. Husband is 54, retired military. We don't cruise nearly as often as we would like. At least three of our cruises have been to the Western Caribbean and all of those have stopped in Jamaica. Our last stop in Jamaica was Falmouth in 2016.

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