How Bad is Jamaica?

I’m looking at different itineraries for my next cruise, the only western ports I have been to are Cozumel & Key West. All 7 night cruises seem to include Jamaica and I know it gets a bad rap. When I was a kid and cruised with my family my dad was adamant we never went there, is it really as bad as people say it is?

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There are locals that can be pushy to the point of aggressive - like standing in the roadway for money or demanding money for a photo we took of rocks. But is is a lovely island and most of the people are lovely as well. We just either book a private guide or would do a shore excursion.

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I will say that Jamaica is the only port I have ever stayed on the ship. The very first time we went off the ship there were armed guards, with machine guns. That alone made me a bit nervous. We went on our own to Margaritaville assuming that this would be a safe place, and it was. Hubby and I got drinks and our son (8) played on the man-made beach and we swam for hours. Had a great time! However, getting a taxi back we were told one price and halfway through the ride, we were told another (price doubled). The driver made it very clear that we would not get back to the ship unless we paid..... I believed him. That was the last time we ever got off in Jamaica.

If you go, please be careful. There are several people that love it, but if you go - go with an excursion. Hopefully a larger group. I know crime can happen anywhere, but I've never had an experience like the one I had there.

Beyond Dangerous !!!!! If you visit do a Carnival excursion and stay away from the locals. This coming from a person that's does not do Carnival excursions

We go on lots of cruises that have stops in Jamaica and we remain perfectly safe staying on the ship.

We have never had a problem in Jamaica, we have been there on cruises and on land vacations, we always have a blast—no problems. You just have to be firm and say “No Thank You”. As with all islands, common sense prevails. There are armed guards in Belize also.

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Wife and I LOVE Jamaica! We walked outside the gates by ourselves and never felt in danger.

We also saw a truck full of armed guards in Cozumel. In a truck with a mounted .30 no less.

Did a private excursion in December and ship sponsored in April. Beautiful scenery and felt welcome and safe the entire time. So glad I didn't miss this stop due to worry from postings about this island.

Did a private excursion in December and ship sponsored in April. Beautiful scenery and felt welcome and safe the entire time. So glad I didn't miss this stop due to worry from postings about this island.

I agree with this. There are several reputable tour operators with tons of glowing reviews here on CC, or do a ship's excursion. We've done the latter on our last 3 trips to Jamaica and have never experienced any of the usual complaints about Jamaica. I actually experienced much more harassment from the locals on Labadee! I've also never seen people with machine guns.

Jamaica is also a pretty popular destination for resort land vacations - a friend was at a resort the same time our cruise ship stopped there in April. She and her family did several excursions while staying at the resort (which looked amazing in her photos) and never encountered any negatives. They can't wait to go back.

If you're apprehensive, start with a ship's excursion - but I would recommend getting off and seeing the island. Most islands have some form of extreme poverty and it's not uncommon to see armed guards in many of the popular, well-traveled Caribbean destinations.

We booked an excursion outside the cruise line. We went to Sunscape Splash, which was an all inclusive resort for the day. We had no problems getting there and back. They did have armed guards going out and coming back into port but you will see that in a lot of other countries. Once we arrived back in port they parked us on the end where there was a dozen or so vendors set up in tents or like little sheds. They are very aggressive at wanting, almost begging you to buy from them but I didn't find it scary at all. Just say no and keep walking or bargain with them and get some great deals.

We've been to Jamaica several times and have never had a problem. We say no to locals trying to sell stuff and have used a very reputable local for excursions. In fact, we are planning on going in January to an all inclusive with a big group of friends! It's a very beautiful island and if you stick to a tour, you'll be fine. That is the case with MOST islands in my opinion. Don't wander off the beaten path alone in another country period. I never felt unsafe and I'm a chicken haha. I felt a lot more unsafe in Mexico.

last January my wife and I took a shuttle bus to Doctor's Cove beach (not Carnival-sponsored, it was on our own) and didn't have any problems!

While at the beach, there was a guy walking around selling starfish and something else, and he tried telling me that I dropped one of his wares into the water (I didn't) -- I think he was trying to trick me into paying for it. I just kind of laughed it off and avoided him, wasn't a big deal.

My friend and I had a Jamaican vacation about 5 years ago and were picked up at the airport by an American expat who has lived there for about 20 years. She drove us down to Westmoreland where we were staying (far off the beaten path) and gave us EXCELLENT advice regarding Jamaican locals. She told us that Jamaica is culturally different from America. People don't have the same social mores in these 2 countries. Jamaicans are perceived as being far more "pushy" than American people, and won't pick up on subtle social queues that they are making you uncomfortable that Americans would notice right away. They are just far more direct about what they want than we are, and don't have any filters that would stop them from asking for what they want. She told us to be just as direct in return. If you want someone to stop doing something or to leave you alone, you have to shake off the American social norms that make you feel awkward in saying something, and just be as direct as you can and say what you want. This advice worked so well for us when we were there. It was very much on point. We had a wonderful trip, just loved Jamaica, and are planning a return trip for 2020. :)

Jamaica is the only port we've ever stayed on the ship, it was fantastic having the whole ship to ourselves and we decided to stay onboard due to safety concerns. LITERALLY WITHING 1-2 hours people were flooding back to the ship talking about how unsafe they felt. People were being harassed for money for taking photos with their own cameras, being yelled at, called racist, etc. etc. All in all I would definitely skip getting off the boat there.

Try going to an all-inclusive in Jamaica....our opinions have changed toward Jamaica since we discovered their beautiful resorts!

Try going to an all-inclusive in Jamaica....our opinions have changed toward Jamaica since we discovered their beautiful resorts!

We are looking for an all adult great resort there if you here of any! Not the clothing optional ones, just regular ;p. We have been to fantastic ones in Cancun but want to switch it up a bit.

We are looking for an all adult great resort there if you here of any! Not the clothing optional ones, just regular ;p. We have been to fantastic ones in Cancun but want to switch it up a bit.

I think most of them are clothing optional. We love Couples in Ocho Rios. They have an actual nude island accessible by boat, so there was no nudity at the actual resort, you had to go to the island.

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I think most of them are clothing optional. We love Couples in Ocho Rios. They have an actual nude island accessible by boat, so there was no nudity at the actual resort, you had to go to the island.

 

 

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Oh wow, thanks! I have talked to several people that have gone and have not heard them mention that their resorts were clothing optional :o. I thought there was a certain area where this was the case but I guess I'm wrong! Thanks for the info.

We are looking for an all adult great resort there if you here of any! Not the clothing optional ones, just regular ;p. We have been to fantastic ones in Cancun but want to switch it up a bit.

We went to Hilton Rose Hall the last time we were there and it was great. We arranged private pick up with Pete (I think) Taylor and gave our driver a pick up time to which he arrived. It was a great day, I would even consider going back there for a land trip.

I went to downtown Detroit for a baseball game, and there were armed guards on every corner. (POLICEMEN!!!) And some people were asking me to give them money. I will never go back down there again. (unless there is something I want to do)

I'm more scared of Mexico than Jamaica. Jamaica is one of my favorite places to go. We have been on an ATV tour and to Hyatt Ziva and Hilton. Never for a minute did we feel unsafe.

My husband and I LOVE Jamaica. We have been three times staying at all inclusive(Sandals) and more than 3 times on cruise stopovers. If you go to a plantation or jungle tour BOOK A CRUISELINE EXCURSION. Or in other words, just be smart. Remember, we may be on vacation. but this is their way of life. It's a poor country so they may be pushy but it is beautiful and worth getting off the ship for in my opinion.

Extra caution is needed in Jamaica and Mexico. Protect your wallet and purse. Be aware of your surroundings. Understand the culture is different and their selling may seem aggressive but just say no thanks. Then enjoy.

Any help on which vendor to use if not using ship vendor for Dunn river falls?

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Beyond Dangerous !!!!! If you visit do a Carnival excursion and stay away from the locals. This coming from a person that's does not do Carnival excursions

Somewhat over dramatic.

Millions of people visit Jamacia every year and have a fantastic time.

Maybe half a dozen times myself both by air and sea.

Looking forwards to visiting again in October.