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Is it SAFE??

cruiseguyforever

By cruiseguyforever,
in Jamaica

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crazy1here

crazy1here

Posted
Posted

Some say they feel perfectly safe, some say they done, its all about ones own perception and preconceived notions really. Yes people will ask you to buy from them as per every other country you visit. A firm no thank you works well.

 

Its pretty safe tho and a lot of police will be around the strip to help you feel at ease. You'll be fine.

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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We are worried about shopping in mo-bay. Will people i.e. the locals try to sell us drugs? Do people try to rob us? Do they put stuff in your hands and want you to buy it? and say you are stealing it if you dont? Do they have clean bathrooms? What kind of 3rd world place is this?

It sounds like you have read a lot of the same posts as I have read. I am concerned about the same things. I have seen several news reports lately that don't make it sound any better(I bookmark the local newspapers and read them each day for all ports I am going to). Not sure what I will do in Jamaica when I get there, but I am hoping to at least visit a few shops. Hopefully the locals will be on their best behavior near the port. Aggressive people can most certainly ruin my day!

 

We felt very safe, tourism is a big thing in Jamaica and they make sure you do not visit any dangerous areas like Kingston. I felt completely safe on all my 4 trips to JAM :) love it!

 

Don't be so sure about it being safe just because the ship takes you there. Kingston is not the only dangerous area, according to the State Department. Even CC has a link to this. Look at threats to safety and security and crime.

It also gives tips on staying safe, and for pete's sake, DO NOT WEAR WHITE TENNIS SHOES. I thought that tip was funny, but probably true now that I think about it.

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

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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Thank you for that web site. We will go on shore to buy duty free rum and get right back on the ship. I do not want to be a victim of a crime. We live in fla. and it has nothing to offer us but cheap rum. Iam glad I saw that web site!! What a scary place it sounds like.

 

I am sure it is possible to have a safe experience there if you are careful and smart about it. Bad things can happen anywhere. Be informed of the dangers and take precautions to make yourself less of a target for crime. Book excursions with Carnival or with someone who has been recommended by friends. Don't just hop in any cab. Make sure they are reputable. Mostly my point is, don't be fooled into thinking everywhere the cruise ship takes you is as safe as home might be. I think, as Americans, we have some kind of false sense of security that does not exist when we are on our own in a foreign country. That alone can make us targets, not to mention some think we are rich because we are so self indulgent.

I have wanted to see Jamaica since I was about 6 years old and wanted this specific cruise just for that reason. It makes me sad that I will not feel free to roam around at will, but I'm trying to 'grow a set' before November and maybe enjoy the port anyway with an excursion. :)

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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I couldn't find any mention of white tennis shoes - what is that about?

 

I may have read that on the CC site. The part about being safe in ports. The idea is that US citizens stand out because of their clean, white, new looking shoes. Not me, cuz I trash my shoes, lol, but my BFF fits this profile perfectly.

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reeran

reeran

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I am sure it is possible to have a safe experience there if you are careful and smart about it. Bad things can happen anywhere. Be informed of the dangers and take precautions to make yourself less of a target for crime. Book excursions with Carnival or with someone who has been recommended by friends. Don't just hop in any cab. Make sure they are reputable. Mostly my point is, don't be fooled into thinking everywhere the cruise ship takes you is as safe as home might be. I think, as Americans, we have some kind of false sense of security that does not exist when we are on our own in a foreign country. That alone can make us targets, not to mention some think we are rich because we are so self indulgent.

I have wanted to see Jamaica since I was about 6 years old and wanted this specific cruise just for that reason. It makes me sad that I will not feel free to roam around at will, but I'm trying to 'grow a set' before November and maybe enjoy the port anyway with an excursion. :)

 

 

I agree, you have to be careful no matter where you go.

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satbeachbill

satbeachbill

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:confused:I don't get why the other person sent me a link to crime rates in ft. laud.??? maybe they can't read. I asked about Mo-Bay Jamica.:confused:

Your location shows you are from Ft Lauderdale. He sent you the Lauderdale crime rates to show you the problems are probably worse in Lauderdale than in Mo-Bay, Jamaica.

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setsail

setsail

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Your location shows you are from Ft Lauderdale. He sent you the Lauderdale crime rates to show you the problems are probably worse in Lauderdale than in Mo-Bay, Jamaica.

 

Exactly, Makes you wonder how often people really get out, even in their own cities

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JDinWA

JDinWA

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I may have read that on the CC site. The part about being safe in ports. The idea is that US citizens stand out because of their clean, white, new looking shoes. Not me, cuz I trash my shoes, lol, but my BFF fits this profile perfectly.

 

Ohhh, now it makes sense!

 

Tks :)

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  • 4 weeks later...
cruiseguyforever

cruiseguyforever

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We went to mo bay got off the ship and bought rum. Felt safe in the port but was scared to go out of the gated shops. Very poor place felt sorry for the locals. I was greatful when we left. My wife and I will never go back. I like nice places to go that are more developed than that place.:)

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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We went to mo bay got off the ship and bought rum. Felt safe in the port but was scared to go out of the gated shops. Very poor place felt sorry for the locals. I was greatful when we left. My wife and I will never go back. I like nice places to go that are more developed than that place.:)

 

Glad it went well. I kind of wish I didn't do so much research so I could just be ignorant and enjoy Jamaica...lol. After reading the Jamaica Observer for the past 5 months, I'm not too interested in venturing out too far. The gated areas for tourists actually have a special police force assigned to it and that really helps. I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised when I go to some shops. I hope I can find my DD some Rasta wear even tho it will clash with her neon pink dreads....ugh! hahaha!

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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We will be there in early Dec. and I had heard Dunn's Falls is really nice. (think that is the name) We are careful anywhere that we go. Should I be concerned and choose something els to do that day?

 

Any excursion you book with Carnival (or any other company recommended by more experienced CC members) should be fine. Just don't wander off from the tourist areas where safety could become an issue. Be aware of pickpockets and don't use a fanny pack (they refer to this as 'one stop shopping') The only thing I heard about Dunn's is the people selling crafts and such can be a bit aggressive and try to intimidate you into buying something by placing it in your hand or carving your name into something(I read this on another thread). You will probably encounter that anywhere so its not an issue for Dunn's in particular. Just say no thank you and keep moving. There are some nice videos of Dunn's River Falls on youtube.

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Newcruiser35

Newcruiser35

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The only thing I heard about Dunn's is the people selling crafts and such can be a bit aggressive and try to intimidate you into buying something by placing it in your hand or carving your name into something(I read this on another thread).

 

I had that happen in one of the shops trick was DW and I weren't using our real names when calling over to eachother across the venders. woman grabbed me an just started carving the name she heard into the wood when finished she demanded payment. I told her thats not my name an I won't pay for it a security guard got involved and asked for my ID then told me I'm free to go and don't have to pay her. Needless to say we quickly went back to the ship after that.

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Morgsmom Great Review Rare

Morgsmom

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Jamaica can be a lovely day, or it can be a scary one. You just have to keep your wits about you at all times. And I echo the "no clean white tennis shoes" comment.. and I will add "no fanny packs." (In Roatan we literally watched cruise ship guests getting pick-pocketed by the street children as if it were a game because they weren't protecting their wallets and using their hands a lot in conversation.)

 

In Jamaica we have done excursions through the ships and throgh independent operators and been offered the local smoke of choice on both.. and have wandered through shopping areas and offered the same. A firm 'NO' is good enough and if someone starts to following you a good old stare will go a long way. When you are 5 ft tall and blonde you have to learn to put on a "back off, man" face at times. But, really, no seriously dangerous things have ever happened because I have never headed off the beaten path.

 

The last time we where in Jamaica there were 'sniffing' dogs at the port; some kids who thought they could bring their stash onboard at the bottom of a can of pringles were stopped short and didn't make it back onboard.

 

You can have a nice day in Jamaica. Keep your wallet in the front, your purse across your body, say "no" to drugs even if you are tempted to relive your youth :rolleyes: and just try to appreciate the culture.

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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I had that happen in one of the shops trick was DW and I weren't using our real names when calling over to eachother across the venders. woman grabbed me an just started carving the name she heard into the wood when finished she demanded payment. I told her thats not my name an I won't pay for it a security guard got involved and asked for my ID then told me I'm free to go and don't have to pay her. Needless to say we quickly went back to the ship after that.

 

Clever!! I love that!! What is disturbing is if you were using your real names...what would the security person have done?

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Sunburns

Sunburns

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Exactly, Makes you wonder how often people really get out, even in their own cities

 

I really didn't want to go here, but now I feel like I have to defend myself.

I can honestly say, that where I live, and in this country in general I have no fear of a mob killing. This happens, at times, in Jamaica. No arrest, no witness testimony, no trial, just uncivilized vigilante 'justice', murder by citizens. I have read about 4 of them happening in just a few weeks time. The last one was Oct. 15th. One of the murdered was a school teacher. He was murdered because his step-son was a suspect in a murder(the 2 boys below). When is the last time there was a mob killing in your neighborhood? In the US?

A month or two ago, a 8 month pregnant woman was shot(twice in the head) and killed by a police officer when he reproached her for using foul language in public. The baby was not saved and the woman's sister was also shot and survived. When is the last time a local police officer shot a woman in the head for swearing where you live? In the US?

There have been countless missing children mostly aged 9-14. Another 13 year old girl just went missing today. I see report of one about every 3-4 days.

Rape is rampant. For instance, on Sept 26th in St James, near Mo Bay, 5 women were held and brutally raped by two men. One of the females was an 8 year old girl. Not long before that two young boys were kidnapped, sodomized and drown in the river. Official cause of death was drowning, even though the boys were raped to the point of having their insides coming out their ripped anuses.

I could go on all night. These examples are only a drop in the bucket.

I am not being naive by considering my safety. Even the Jamaican officials (and the US gov.)see the dangers. You are the naive one(s)

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