pbmsmile Posted March 14, 2012 #26 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Carol & I never felt more uncomfortable than when we visited Ocho Rios, but this was one week after a major "robbery" incident involving a Carnival excursion bus. We were phyically and verbally threatened several times just walking from the pier to the Jimmy Buffets (may 300 yards). However, our last cruise included Belize. We stayed within the gated area, but our son-in-law and daughter left the area in search of some shoes (he left his in a Tampa hotel). They told us that they were cursed at and approached by many people who were very forward and nasty. Ultimately, a man in his twenties approached them and "escorted" them to and from the area where there were some stores. They bought shoes and gave him a nice "thank you" tip. We also were outside the fence in Belize and a local teen came up and escorted us to the water taxi and helped us buy a ticket. I did not feel threatened...but I was jumpy and definately not at ease outside the gate. HOWEVER.... we took that water taxi to Caye Caulker and experienced one of the best days of snorkling ever! We went with a local man (little blue shack on the right hand side after leaving the taxi) who seemed to be the fish wisperer...we were swarmed and swam with about 20 nurse sharks and stingrays out by the reef and swam for miles.....WONDERFUL DAY!!! If you like to snorkle it is a must not miss!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMSACE6 Posted March 14, 2012 #27 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Colon Panama. But I think Carnival no longer goes there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beanersmom Posted March 14, 2012 Author #28 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I guess I didn't add mine....lol....I would have to say St.Lucia on NCL. We went on a tour to the pitons, beautiful but I have never seen so much poverty before. The people were sooo pushy and angry when you didn't want to give them money. I gave a few dollar bills to some children but got out of there when some men saw me doing so. We also went snorkelling on the tour and a couple of guys came up to us on homemade kayaks and kept bugging my husband to give them his sunglasses. My husband later told me that he thought he was going to get hit over the head with a paddle.....yikes! It is too bad because St.Lucia has always been my dream destination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzegurl104 Posted March 14, 2012 #29 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Ochos Rios. 2008. Carnival Triump Western Carribean cruise. The worst (frightening) experience I've ever had. DH & I were walking back to the port area from the Taj Mahal area & were approached by some random guy. Said random guy had a visible pocket knife & was opening and closing the blade in front of us, asking if we wanted a "local tour". DH (police officer), protectively stepped in front of me, and said no thanks and we kept walking. He followed us all the way to the security tent yelling obscenities & I was never so thankful than to see the armed police men at the entrance. They saw him & and point blank stated that he needed to leave the area. They seemed familiar with this man, that's all we could assume. We then proceeded to get an ice cream cone up on Lido. That's when a bee stung sweet hubby on the neck. :eek: definitley think the man with the knife was worse tho:rolleyes: I don't care to ever go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JUGGER Posted March 14, 2012 #30 Share Posted March 14, 2012 My family was planning on going on the Magic next month beacuse we haven't been to GCI yet. We decided to go on the Miracle because we weren't sure about Jamaica...hmmm....now that I have been on these boards for a few months I get the feeling that it is just the wrong place at wrong time for some of the violent encounters vacationers have encountered. I am not here to bash any countries but now that I am a mother to a young child these kinds of things seem to matter a little more. Anyone have a port that stands out in your mind that you would NOT return to? HI--THIS IS IRENE AND JOHN (jugger) we have had 49 cruises and we would not visit jamaica and belize again. the people were too agressive and rude---and one thing - - do not wear any jewelry on any of these is islands--and if you do---book thru carnival--some friends of ours did not--and their bus was hi-jacked--the bus driver was in on the whole thing. better yet--stay on board--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogetter Posted March 14, 2012 #31 Share Posted March 14, 2012 My family was planning on going on the Magic next month beacuse we haven't been to GCI yet. We decided to go on the Miracle because we weren't sure about Jamaica...hmmm....now that I have been on these boards for a few months I get the feeling that it is just the wrong place at wrong time for some of the violent encounters vacationers have encountered. I am not here to bash any countries but now that I am a mother to a young child these kinds of things seem to matter a little more. Anyone have a port that stands out in your mind that you would NOT return to? I would never ever go to BELIZE again.............after 15 cruises ...........forget it...... Ocho Rios IMHO was ok........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debster11 Posted March 14, 2012 #32 Share Posted March 14, 2012 La Romana, Caracas (which I don't think they even go to anymore) and Ocho Rios. Any place where I get off the ship and see men with machine guns, I worry. Ocho Rios didn't have that, but the other two did. If I am on a ship that goes to any of these ports, I don't get off the ship. Just me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IGottaP Posted March 14, 2012 #33 Share Posted March 14, 2012 i am surprised to hear so many people say Jamaica i think its more so the aggressiveness in there accents why people may feel a type of way but i have never felt unsafe or uncomfortable in Jamaica i go every year and have been to several different places in Jamaica. my May 6th cruise stops in ocho rios and i plan on taking a taxi to dunns river fall... well to each there own i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetcurves Posted March 14, 2012 #34 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm a wee bit nervous about Ocho Rios but I think we are going to book an excursion that will keep us busy for most of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzegurl104 Posted March 14, 2012 #35 Share Posted March 14, 2012 i am surprised to hear so many people say Jamaica i think its more so the aggressiveness in there accents why people may feel a type of way but i have never felt unsafe or uncomfortable in Jamaica i go every year and have been to several different places in Jamaica. my May 6th cruise stops in ocho rios and i plan on taking a taxi to dunns river fall... well to each there own i guess. I'm sure tons of ppl have had fabulous times in Jamaica. Im sure its not all the same. And im sure that maybe we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I've never really been fearful. That day, I was scared. To see someone standing in front of you with a freakin' KNIFE, that's offering you a "tour"... That's a tour I'll skip!!:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russianmom Posted March 14, 2012 #36 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Jamaica hands down- the worst stop ever. Rude aggressive locals and very dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiraryker Posted March 14, 2012 #37 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Belize by far was horrible. I thought it was the armpit of the Caribbean. Some people from our group had a positive experience but they had excursions that wisked them away as soon as they stepped foot on land. Others of us will never step foot on that place again. I would rather stay on the ship. Funny my family LOVED Belize!!! We went cave tubing with cavetubing.bz it was beautiful and fun But La Romana is another story! Glad we didn't have the kids along that time - pretty icky would never go back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriciaEMTB Posted March 14, 2012 #38 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Not on a Carnival, but on Royal Caribbean years ago, Puerta Plata Dominican Republic.You had to have a guide to keep people off you , I mean physically. And a guy offered to sell us a baby. I think it was a joke but I never have been sure... My son did not like Nassau at all. We were walking to the Queen's Staircase and he was worried that we might be jumped. Glad I am not alone in that feeling! I felt the same way, it was scary and uneasy. Others have told me their walk to the staircase was pleasent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maldenmusic Posted March 14, 2012 #39 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Ocho Rios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoriTX Posted March 14, 2012 #40 Share Posted March 14, 2012 It would be Jamaca - BUT it was ONLY in the security area! Once out of there and on our tour everything was just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ksea1961 Posted March 14, 2012 #41 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Montego Bay = our worst vacation ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPete Posted March 14, 2012 #42 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Caracas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elcuchio24 Posted March 14, 2012 #43 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I've never been in a port that felt unsafe/uncomfortable. We've spent alot of time in central america away from the touristy areas in panama, guatemala, mexico where there is alot more danger so maybe our threshold is just higher than most. Jamaicans can be pushy, and you may be offered drugs but that's status quo for most places in the carribean. You have to remember that the 'built for gringo' cruise stops for the most part are very sheltered, so if you see anything different it can seem dangerous. As far as poverty goes, I don't really see who people get upset over that....I mean if just SEEING poor people ruins your day, I guess that's a YOU problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old sole Posted March 14, 2012 #44 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Belize is the only port where I had a a sense of needing to be on heightened alert. The area inside the fence is very nice, a couple of enjoyable bars/restaurants there. Walking outside the fence at the port was a no-go, and we usually are pretty adventurous. On a city tour excursion we got off the bus to visit the oldest church in the city and I wandered about a block away to snap a few pics. At one point the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. No visible threat, no one close to me, just a few stares from people a block or so away. You have to listen to that inner voice and I did, and returned to re-join the group. Only time I have had that reaction, and I have been to most of the ports others have mentioned on this thread, and have toured the Yucatan penninsula by rental car, wandered on my own in Caracas and Valencia, Venezuela and enjoyed a few other places friends & family have told me I shouldn't have done. (By the way, I saw Samantha Brown describe this exact sensation in one of her travel shows - also in Belize. She too hurried back to her group). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicasarita Posted March 14, 2012 #45 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I've never been in a port that felt unsafe/uncomfortable. We've spent alot of time in central america away from the touristy areas in panama, guatemala, mexico where there is alot more danger so maybe our threshold is just higher than most. Jamaicans can be pushy, and you may be offered drugs but that's status quo for most places in the carribean. You have to remember that the 'built for gringo' cruise stops for the most part are very sheltered, so if you see anything different it can seem dangerous. As far as poverty goes, I don't really see who people get upset over that....I mean if just SEEING poor people ruins your day, I guess that's a YOU problem. I second this. It's probably because we have a similar background- as I have traveled independently throughout most of Latin America via local bus. Belize didn't phase me on our last trip. I'm actually planning a solo trip there this summer. I have however been mugged once in Atlanta and once in Europe- so I honestly feel safer outside the developed world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancindukes Posted March 14, 2012 #46 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Been to Belize 2 x and had a wonderful trip. Did snorkeling both times. The only place I really did not like, years ago was Martinique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncbeachteacher Posted March 14, 2012 #47 Share Posted March 14, 2012 No problems with Belize! We love it! Ocho Rios would be the port I have to really on on my game. Very aggressive folks trying to sell you something and then when you politely decline, you get verbally assaulted (our experience!) For the most part, the tour operators and others we have met there are wonderful, it is just having to walk the gauntlet! :(:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitsguy2001 Posted March 14, 2012 #48 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I'm booked on the Magic, which goes to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. I'm surprised that people find Jamaica to be so bad (I've never been there). What excursion do you recommend in Jamaica? When you say avoid Mexico, I assume you're not including Cozumel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runner15km Posted March 14, 2012 #49 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Miami, felt like I was in another country.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserChloe Posted March 14, 2012 #50 Share Posted March 14, 2012 By far, the worst port I have ever been to was Acapulco, Mexico. Never again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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