22 Carnival Cruise Passengers Robbed in Puerto Vallarta

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

Our last trip to St. Lucia our tour driver was an off duty police officer. He told us that several of the tour operators hire police as driver because it deters crime.

 

Now I really like that idea. A tour driver packing heat.

[twinklen01]

and I htought the carnival excursions were suppose to be safe. Well if PV is taking off the itin. then what will they give us on the west coast. Would they do the canada itin. that they did for swine flu? What other options? I would love to do the hawaii but cant do 2 weeks.

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

and I htought the carnival excursions were suppose to be safe. Well if PV is taking off the itin. then what will they give us on the west coast. Would they do the canada itin. that they did for swine flu? What other options? I would love to do the hawaii but cant do 2 weeks.

 

A thread about that...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1580599

[CruiseHealing]

In my opinion Carnival, RCL, NCL and DCL needs to send a very serious message to the nation of Mexico that if they do not get control of these thugs, the cruise lines will find another destination in the caribbean or another tropical paradise.

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

In my opinion Carnival, RCL, NCL and DCL needs to send a very serious message to the nation of Mexico that if they do not get control of these thugs, the cruise lines will find another destination in the caribbean or another tropical paradise.

 

That is much harder to do than to just say. Mexico is in a world of hurt with all the drug cartels and doesn't look like its going to end anytime soon. You think these drug cartels and robbers (which one way or the other are probably tied to them) are going to just roll over and play dead. The "nation of Mexico" has bigger problems then to just worry about a couple of cruiselines. Removing the cruiselines will only hurt the direct tourist ports that they call on. Nothing else.

[cdamion]

I would certainly be interested in your sources for this comment so I can plan my vacation accordingly.

 

Ask and you shall receive (these are specific to cruisers and don't even count non-cruiser incidents):

 

Bahamas:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?id=3563

 

http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1992105,00.html

 

Jamaica:

 

http://www.travelblog.org/Topics/5764-1.html

 

St. Lucia:

 

http://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/LatestMemberStories/Andreas_Westby.html

(cruise hate sites have more details about apparent cover-ups of a couple more cruise excursion robberies in St. Lucia, but I can't - and don't want to post links to those individuals)

 

St. Kitts:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4232

[dasmonkey]

It can happen anywhere.

 

Standard line, and technically true, while the reality is it happens in some places more so than others. Right now the incidence of violence is higher in Mexico and specifically the west coast side.

 

To ignore that reality is naive.

[CupKayke]

We did a 9-day Mexican Riviera cruise last year. We will not go back to the Mexican Riviera.

 

We are now rethinking our plans for Progresso next week, too.

 

We would LOVE to do a cruise from the West Coast that hits ports such as Catalina Island/San Francisco/Seattle/Victoria (alllll day)/Vancouver etc...

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

We did a 9-day Mexican Riviera cruise last year. We will not go back to the Mexican Riviera.

 

We are now rethinking our plans for Progresso next week, too.

We would LOVE to do a cruise from the West Coast that hit ports such as Catalina Island/San Francisco/Victoria (alllll day)/Vancouver etc...

 

Check out the Princess itineraries.

 

Did anything happen on your cruise to make you decide about not taking anymore MR cruises?

[Maya57]

Ohhhh that's not good. It will be interesting to see what all cruise lines do about this one. Will also be interesting to see how the Mexico government does about it.

 

Royal caribbean stopped sailing to Western Mexico about 6 to 12 months ago. I think I read about another cruise line eliminated their Mexican riveria intinerary. Can't exactloy remember which one.

 

Don't be shocked if carnival also stops.

[cdamion]

Here is more info for Carnival's most common ports in Mexico and the Caribbean directly from the State Department (complete with links so you can for yourself). This is quoting the US Government's own website and as such is part of the public domain, so no copyright infringement.

 

Bahamas:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_989.html#crime

 

"High crime rate with three separate groups of tourists robbed near Nassau, plus rise in violent crime recently."

 

Belize:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1055.html#crime

 

"Armed robberies of tourists remain a possibility at archeological sites, national parks, and other areas frequented by visitors"

 

Jamaica:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1147.html#crime

 

"In several cases, armed robberies of U.S. citizens have turned violent when the victims resisted handing over valuables. Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and often ineffective."

 

St. Lucia:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1027.html#crime

 

"Crime, including armed robbery, does occur and is rising in St. Lucia"

 

Honduras (Roatan):

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1135.html#crime

 

"Crime is widespread in Honduras and requires a high degree of caution by U.S. visitors and residents alike. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes."

 

"An October 2011 United Nations report on crime and drugs ranked Honduras as having the highest per capita homicide rate in the world at 82.1 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants."

 

"Copan, Roatan/Bay Islands, and other tourist destinations have a lower crime rate than other parts of the country, but thefts, break-ins, assaults, and murders do occur."

 

St. Kitts:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1026.html#crime

 

"St. Kitts and Nevis experienced an increase in violent crime in 2008. Also, petty street crime and burglary continue to occur."

 

Mexico:

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html#crime

 

"The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors traveling to major tourist destinations. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes. Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems."

 

Barbados & Cayman Islands: Appear to be the safest places in the Caribbean to visit - particularly the Cayman Islands.

[cdamion]

Royal caribbean stopped sailing to Western Mexico about 6 to 12 months ago. I think I read about another cruise line eliminated their Mexican riveria intinerary. Can't exactloy remember which one.

 

Don't be shocked if carnival also stops.

 

Princess is continuing a few per year. NCL is coming back in 2013 including Mazatlan. Disney is pulling out.

[FightOnRon]

We would LOVE to do a cruise from the West Coast that hits ports such as Catalina Island/San Francisco/Seattle/Victoria (alllll day)/Vancouver etc...

 

When I cruise, I love being on the ocean. I could go nowhere.. My wife however, HAS to go to new places all the time so finding a differnt cruise she will go on is though. After my upcoming Mexican cruise we may not go back as it won't be new.

 

Of course as most of us on the left coast, I have been to all those places mentioned above but if there were a roundtrip from LA to those places,,I would have to twist her arm into going,,,,I love everyone of those cities.

[cdamion]

We did a 9-day Mexican Riviera cruise last year. We will not go back to the Mexican Riviera.

 

We are now rethinking our plans for Progresso next week, too.

 

We would LOVE to do a cruise from the West Coast that hits ports such as Catalina Island/San Francisco/Seattle/Victoria (alllll day)/Vancouver etc...

 

I used to live across the water from Victoria in NW Washington for a while. Victoria is my favorite city in North America. I spent many weekends there because it was a relatively short ferry ride away.

 

Luckily I just got scheduled for a business trip to San Francisco the week before my Splendor cruise, so I will be there for business and then head straight to Splendor for vacation. Cool cities to be sure.

[Arwen]

Hubby and I are longtime cruisers and I have been a member of the CC board for at least 7 yrs, and generally hang out at the HAL forum.

 

I agree that crime can strike anywhere when traveling. We all know of a story of an individual being mugged, pickpocketed, etc

 

What is very disturbing about the PV robbery is that it was 1. A sponsored cruise shore excursion 2. It was a bus full of passengers held up! This to me was a very grave situation.

 

We have cruised to Mexico three times. On a shore excursion out of Topolobampo, we boarded a bus that did not look maintained. The guide spoke poor English and was not at all like the other Mexican tour guides we had had before...(.all extremely knowledgeable and fluent in English.) I began to wonder if the guy had "bribed" his tourist guide license!:eek:

 

Then to make matters worse, the bus driver drove like a Bat out of H*ll. For the first time on any shore excursion, I was terrified. We were on really windy roads, too. Then, to make matters worse, the little bus "potty room" had a sticky door. I had trouble getting out (it was at least 90degrees in there) and I thought I would die before getting out :rolleyes:

 

I was able to get out after about five minutes of sheer panic and adrenaline. Hopefully, if I had not shown up back in my seat, my hubby would have come to save me? :D

 

I reported all of this on the final survey. Hopefully, that tour company got dumped....as perhaps this most recent one, should.

 

We are heading for another Mexican cruise, and I am really only interested in getting off in Cabo. The cruise lines and the Mexican tourism office need to get their act together.

[cdamion]

Hubby and I are longtime cruisers and I have been a member of the CC board for at least 7 yrs, and generally hang out at the HAL forum.

 

I agree that crime can strike anywhere when traveling. We all know of a story of an individual being mugged, pickpocketed, etc

 

What is very disturbing about the PV robbery is that it was 1. A sponsored cruise shore excursion 2. It was a bus full of passengers held up! This to me was a very grave situation.

 

We have cruised to Mexico three times. On a shore excursion out of Topolobampo, we boarded a bus that did not look maintained. The guide spoke poor English and was not at all like the other Mexican tour guides we had had before...(.all extremely knowledgeable and fluent in English.) I began to wonder if the guy had "bribed" his tourist guide license!:eek:

 

Then to make matters worse, the bus driver drove like a Bat out of H*ll. For the first time on any shore excursion, I was terrified. We were on really windy roads, too. Then, to make matters worse, the little bus "potty room" had a sticky door. I had trouble getting out (it was at least 90degrees in there) and I thought I would die before getting out :rolleyes:

 

I was able to get out after about five minutes of sheer panic and adrenaline. Hopefully, if I had not shown up back in my seat, my hubby would have come to save me? :D

 

I reported all of this on the final survey. Hopefully, that tour company got dumped....as perhaps this most recent one, should.

 

We are heading for another Mexican cruise, and I am really only interested in getting off in Cabo. The cruise lines and the Mexican tourism office need to get their act together.

 

If you look a few posts back at the news articles posted re the other islands, all of those were cruise sanctioned excursions for various lines, but somehow that doesn't bother people. Also, the people on the mexico tour reported it was a single person on a trail, not a group on the bus.

 

I do agree that the Mexican govt needs to get its act together because when they lose the tourists they've lost the war.

[CCLNCLRCICRUISER]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0227-carnival-robbery-20120227,0,2212072.story

 

"We are working with local officials as the investigation continues, and we do not have any itinerary changes as it relates to Puerto Vallarta at this time," Gulliksen said.

[vinandsyl]

for those interested it was the jungle tour which had the issue..it was a CCL excursion...it could/can happen anywhere...we did the Los Veranos zip line tour very good..after we got back to ship we change talk with a taxi driver who took us to eat and waited for us to bring us back to ship..

[Boatdrill]

Princess is continuing a few per year. NCL is coming back in 2013 including Mazatlan. Disney is pulling out.

 

Holland America is still going, and sailing full from San Diego.

[Davey Interweb]

And guess where the bandidos get their guns.

 

Please, Sargent_Schultz, tell us where the 'banditos' got their guns; I can't wait to hear

[boltnut55]

HECK YES I want Carnival to cruise to the Pacific Northwest! Best 7-day cruise I've ever taken: Long Beach - Astoria, OR - Victoria, BC - Vancouver, BC - Long Beach, when they diverted the Splendor away from Mexico during the swine flu scare. (Thank you, hamthrax, for that awesome itinerary at $389pp/balcony).

 

I would cruise that itinerary at least once a year if they offered it.

 

I'd want to do this too, but add a stop in San Francisco to pick me up!

 

We go in 6 weeks on the 7 day MR cruise during the Easter Break with my own family and my husband's brother's family. If the in-laws weren't going, I would not have picked this as we had already done a longer MR cruise a couple of years ago that I thought was just okay.

[SkuBdo]

I am that person you are referring to, and when someone can give me a logical explanation as to why the treatment differ between one incident and another, then perhaps I'll be able to understand, especially since one incident was more drastic then the other.

 

My hope is that one of the passengers is a CC member and will post on here so we can get the accurate details of what happened.

 

And I am not worried about my real estate investment in Cabo, I am very happy there and have no intention of selling for a very long time. My heart goes out to the people of Mexico who are suffering due to an out of control situation, which, and some will agree, is being sensationalized by the media.

 

I think the point you are missing is that "Cruise passengers were targeted". That is much different than a random act. They were sought out. It was planned.

 

Until the Mexican Gov't can get their drug cartels behind bars and stop the drug trafficking violence, we will avoid Mexico.

[elcuchio24]

If you look a few posts back at the news articles posted re the other islands, all of those were cruise sanctioned excursions for various lines, but somehow that doesn't bother people. Also, the people on the mexico tour reported it was a single person on a trail, not a group on the bus.

 

I do agree that the Mexican govt needs to get its act together because when they lose the tourists they've lost the war.

 

You have to look at the bigger scope of the country. I don't see reports of dozens of dismembered bodies being dumped in St. Thomas, or judges being gunned down in Grand Turk....or did I miss those headlines?:rolleyes:

[treasure4two]

I waved goodbye to Splendor on Sunday-- who knew this cruise would be making the news (AGAIN)?

 

I think the Splendor is jinxed-- NY can have her!:cool:

 

I hope not-we were on this cruise where the quests were robbed and we booked a portion of the South America cruises-Cabo was great for two days and this thing in PV was unfortunate but can happen everywhere.

We did the Whales, Dolpins, and snorkeling excusrion in PV and has one of the best tours ever, so please do not make PV sound worse than any other place.

[cdamion]

You have to look at the bigger scope of the country. I don't see reports of dozens of dismembered bodies being dumped in St. Thomas, or judges being gunned down in Grand Turk....or did I miss those headlines?:rolleyes:

 

No, what is happening in Mexico is horrendous. But you kind of prove my point. There are no headlines in other places because people are scared to write about it. Just because there are no headlines doesn't mean things arent happening. Honduras is more unsafe than Mexico on the whole - nobody knows if the bodies are dismembered because they just simply disappear. Disagree with the wrong person in power and you are gone. Jamaica has a ton of violence too. Just because it is not in the headlines doesn't make them any more safe for tourists.

 

Secondly, the acts you speak of in Mexico occur far from the tourist areas - at least for now.

 

I just don't understand why the same people that will not go to Mexico have no problem going to the Caribbean islands that have had more incidents against tourists than Mexico has.