Beware in dominica beware in antigua

[Minoushka]

Do be careful in both those places .In Antigua a TAXi scam exists be careful on LONg Bay Beach .Taxi takes you says will charge you on return ,DOes not pick up on time we choose other cab ...he is thretened by them NOT TO TAKE US BACK Friends on beach pressure you to pay him instead ..object is to collect twice or 3 times ...talk of going to POLICE station ...RING A BELL re couples from Brooklyn thrown in Jail by such a scam DO BE CAREFul We had a 3 RING circus about this with loads of people arguing about who we had to pay ...VERY SCARY !!!! NO MORE ANTIGUA FOR US!!!!

Also in Dominica lady police officer came in our van an "FOUND " a joint in the glove compartment where our friend had been sitting ....Why come into our van????Why open the glove compartment???Could it be SHE put it there ...it was NOT OURS!!!!

Potential SCAM ..we were late getting back to ship ...pay up or else???? Do not sit in front seats of cabs ...if need be get BIGGER CABS or Vans !!!!

 

2 scary experiences DO BE CAREFUL!!!

 

Michele

[Tralynn]

Very odd. Sorry you had these experiences. That had to be scary. We've been to those islands a few times and never ever had an issue.

[FLACRUISER99]

Very odd. Sorry you had these experiences. That had to be scary. We've been to those islands a few times and never ever had an issue.

I also have never had a problem.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

We are all open to be scamed, we are warned about taking taxis, how many cities have you been two and passed the same shop twice,

 

never good when it happens, when picking a taxi, we try and use a offical

ones, those allowed in to the port area and not theones outside the gates,

 

however have been left on a beach with no return taxi had to go to local bar and get the barman to shout out anyone want $20 to take these folks to the port.

 

we got back just in time.

 

hey in in FT L we asked a taxi to take us to a shopping mall can not recall its name but hotel told us about it, taxi dropped us off behind the place and told us just go up lane, so we did we landed up in a closed business area more like warehousing had to walk miles to a large hotel and ask them to call a taxi, they told us the area was not safe after dark,

 

yours Shogun

[FLACRUISER99]

Hi All

 

We are all open to be scamed, we are warned about taking taxis, how many cities have you been two and passed the same shop twice,

 

never good when it happens, when picking a taxi, we try and use a offical

ones, those allowed in to the port area and not theones outside the gates,

 

however have been left on a beach with no return taxi had to go to local bar and get the barman to shout out anyone want $20 to take these folks to the port.

 

we got back just in time.

 

hey in in FT L we asked a taxi to take us to a shopping mall can not recall its name but hotel told us about it, taxi dropped us off behind the place and told us just go up lane, so we did we landed up in a closed business area more like warehousing had to walk miles to a large hotel and ask them to call a taxi, they told us the area was not safe after dark,

 

yours Shogun

I agree except in Dominica and Antigua you get the cabs on the street not inside the port area.

[gooch47]

I know that 99.9% of the time taxi excursions like this are OK, but it only takes one time for you to either miss the boat, get mugged, stranded or whatever and that is enough for me to stick with the ship's excursions.

[JEH]

Even in the good old USA taxi drivers work scams. How many of us have been taken via the Tunnel in Las Vegas to the Strip ? Not worth having a vacation ruined by using port cabs for excursions.

[Ontario Cruiser]

I know that 99.9% of the time taxi excursions like this are OK, but it only takes one time for you to either miss the boat, get mugged, stranded or whatever and that is enough for me to stick with the ship's excursions.

Ship's excursion in St Kitt's was held up at gun point in November so I guess that anything can happen any time any where.

Ontario Cruiser

[Minoushka]

EXACTLY what I was going to add ...things happen EVEN onship shore excursions

Those wer close calls but it was OK in the end .I for one will stay on board in Antigua

[lovetocruise99]

Don't stay on the ship in any port. Antigua is very beautiful. Take Eli's Eco Tour and you can get on the boat right on the pier.

[HeadingSouth]

I personally lived in Dominica for a year doing volunteer work and never heard of any of these things......travelled to Antigua a few times while there too and no problems.

 

Sorry you had the bad luck - but I have had terrible experiences here in my own hometown too....doesn't mean it isn't a good place to come.

 

I'd suggest being cautious anywhere you go, especially if you're in a different country/culture. But as for Dominica, they are some of the nicest, kindest people I've ever met.

 

Looking forward to going there for a port of call in a month's time!! :)

[Miss Vickie]

Do be careful in both those places .In Antigua a TAXi scam exists be careful on LONg Bay Beach .Taxi takes you says will charge you on return ,DOes not pick up on time we choose other cab ...he is thretened by them NOT TO TAKE US BACK Friends on beach pressure you to pay him instead ..object is to collect twice or 3 times ...talk of going to POLICE station ...RING A BELL re couples from Brooklyn thrown in Jail by such a scam DO BE CAREFul We had a 3 RING circus about this with loads of people arguing about who we had to pay ...VERY SCARY !!!! NO MORE ANTIGUA FOR US!!!!

Also in Dominica lady police officer came in our van an "FOUND " a joint in the glove compartment where our friend had been sitting ....Why come into our van????Why open the glove compartment???Could it be SHE put it there ...it was NOT OURS!!!!

Potential SCAM ..we were late getting back to ship ...pay up or else???? Do not sit in front seats of cabs ...if need be get BIGGER CABS or Vans !!!!

 

2 scary experiences DO BE CAREFUL!!!

 

Michele

 

Sorry you had these experiences. These are two of our favorite islands, we choose itineraries to go back to them. The best way to avoid issues like this is to do your research (books, these boards, TripAdvisor, etc...) and then make arrangements with reputable operators or individuals, rather than just grabbing a cab when you get to the port.

[lovetocruise99]

I But as for Dominica, they are some of the nicest, kindest people I've ever met.

 

Looking forward to going there for a port of call in a month's time!! :)

 

Couldn't agree more! Dominica is my favorite of the Caribbean islands because it is so lush and beautiful.

[Alexia68]

:(Sorry to hear someone had a bad experience on a shore of Dominica. This was my favorite island, so natural and not spoiled by industrial development. We met only kind and attentive people, proud of their island and its history.:)

[griffy116]

We were a little intimidated in Dominica also. I woke up sick and we were trying to find a pharmacy to get OTC meds. We weren't able to find anything and ventured into areas that weren't really tourist friendly. While we ran into some local folks who were friendly, we saw areas that we didn't feel safe in. We ended up in what I will assume was a local grocery store. They had bars on the windows, you had to check your purse at the door into a cubbie on the wall and we felt we should have gotten a taxi. I had to put some cash in my pocket and leave a couple of our family outside with our purses. We just didn't feel we should check our purses into those unattended cubbies. We had asked a local policeman where to go and he completely ignored us, which was very concerning. My SIL went diving and found the island one of the best and most beautiful. The area we ended up in would never have been described as beautiful. If we are on an island we aren't familiar with, we now go on a ship-sponsored excursion. Even if there have been incidences on ship-sponsored tours, the chances of 4 women safely exploring the island is better. Everyone on the ship's excursions came back with wonderful things to say about the island. Lesson: don't go wandering around in an area you aren't familiar with..island or here in the U.S.

[Hotshot80]

We visited Dominica in December last year and walked a short distance to the Botanical Gardens where I got some great shots of hummingbirds. Unfortunately while we were in the Gardens, a fellow passenger was robbed at knife point a short distance away.

[oldstubblejumper]

I personally lived in Dominica for a year doing volunteer work and never heard of any of these things......travelled to Antigua a few times while there too and no problems.

 

Sorry you had the bad luck - but I have had terrible experiences here in my own hometown too....doesn't mean it isn't a good place to come.

 

I'd suggest being cautious anywhere you go, especially if you're in a different country/culture. But as for Dominica, they are some of the nicest, kindest people I've ever met.

 

Looking forward to going there for a port of call in a month's time!! :)

HeadingSouth,

I agree with you.

We have been to Dominica many times and find Dominica to be a very safe Island. The people are very friendly as well.

Regards,

OSJ

[ozark74]

We were in Dominica last week and did not feel threatened at all, everyone was very nice. Walked all around Roseau and did not feel we were in danger. This was our second time in Dominica. It is no more dangerous than any big city in the U.S.

[djandnic]

Do be careful in both those places .In Antigua a TAXi scam exists be careful on LONg Bay Beach .Taxi takes you says will charge you on return ,DOes not pick up on time we choose other cab ...he is thretened by them NOT TO TAKE US BACK Friends on beach pressure you to pay him instead ..object is to collect twice or 3 times ...talk of going to POLICE station ...RING A BELL re couples from Brooklyn thrown in Jail by such a scam DO BE CAREFul We had a 3 RING circus about this with loads of people arguing about who we had to pay ...VERY SCARY !!!! NO MORE ANTIGUA FOR US!!!!

Also in Dominica lady police officer came in our van an "FOUND " a joint in the glove compartment where our friend had been sitting ....Why come into our van????Why open the glove compartment???Could it be SHE put it there ...it was NOT OURS!!!!

Potential SCAM ..we were late getting back to ship ...pay up or else???? Do not sit in front seats of cabs ...if need be get BIGGER CABS or Vans !!!!

 

2 scary experiences DO BE CAREFUL!!!

 

Michele

 

I agree. These are two islands we either stay on the ship or only do ship excursions. We have a story about both islands as well, but too long to post here. These are the two worst island for 'safety' based on our many travels to all of the various islands in the caribbean. Unfortunately, it only takes one bad experience to come to that view.

[Miss Vickie]

We've also been to Antigua many times, and to Dominica twice. We're eargerly looking forward to being back in both places next January. We've never done a ship excursion on either island and wouldn't dream of staying on the ship! We've loved our visits to both places. In Antigua we nearly always book something with Eli Fuller, www.adventureantigua.com. And in Dominica we've always used Levi Baron, www.bumpiingtours.com. These two guys run the best excursions we have ever been on.

[kazu]

We've also been to Antigua many times, and to Dominica twice. We're eargerly looking forward to being back in both places next January. We've never done a ship excursion on either island and wouldn't dream of staying on the ship! We've loved our visits to both places. In Antigua we nearly always book something with Eli Fuller, www.adventureantigua.com. And in Dominica we've always used Levi Baron, www.bumpiingtours.com. These two guys run the best excursions we have ever been on.

 

appreciate you posting these two tour operators as we will be heading there next year. Thanks very much :)

[mina]

Do be careful in both those places .In Antigua a TAXi scam exists be careful on LONg Bay Beach .Taxi takes you says will charge you on return ,DOes not pick up on time we choose other cab ...he is thretened by them NOT TO TAKE US BACK Friends on beach pressure you to pay him instead ..object is to collect twice or 3 times ...talk of going to POLICE station ...RING A BELL re couples from Brooklyn thrown in Jail by such a scam DO BE CAREFul We had a 3 RING circus about this with loads of people arguing about who we had to pay ...VERY SCARY !!!! NO MORE ANTIGUA FOR US!!!!

Also in Dominica lady police officer came in our van an "FOUND " a joint in the glove compartment where our friend had been sitting ....Why come into our van????Why open the glove compartment???Could it be SHE put it there ...it was NOT OURS!!!!

Potential SCAM ..we were late getting back to ship ...pay up or else???? Do not sit in front seats of cabs ...if need be get BIGGER CABS or Vans !!!!

 

2 scary experiences DO BE CAREFUL!!!

 

Michele

 

were you on a private tour with Pepper in Dominca when this happened?

[tommy]

We were in Dominica 2 times and both times Fellow passengers reported problems with taxis wanting more money to get them back to ship on time.

[lovetocruise99]

We've also been to Antigua many times, and to Dominica twice. We're eargerly looking forward to being back in both places next January. We've never done a ship excursion on either island and wouldn't dream of staying on the ship! We've loved our visits to both places. In Antigua we nearly always book something with Eli Fuller, www.adventureantigua.com. And in Dominica we've always used Levi Baron, www.bumpiingtours.com. These two guys run the best excursions we have ever been on.

 

Definitely these two are the best to go with. Can't go wrong with either.

[Minoushka]

were you on a private tour with Pepper in Dominca when this happened?

 

Yes we were a TAD late getting back I had stayed too long in VERY hot mineral baths at SCREWS and got woozy .I needed to rest alittle .I think my BP plumetted This whole thing happened because we were late

Pepper helped us and he did say lady no longer worked at the port

His tour was awesome