Missing ... very sad ..

[Longsx3]

We are about to book a blue hole tour with an independent, CC reader recommended, tour operator...now I am rethinking it,

[SissasMomE]

After my last two visits, I refuse to leave the ship. Just saying.

 

Ugh - us too. I really wish the cruise lines would stop going to ports like this. Jamaica has not been safe for years.

[sunsetbeachgal]

We were in Falmouth in November and now are on a cruise in March that also visits Falmouth. On our November cruise we did a day tour to the Blue Hole. He met us inside the gates and walked us out to his vehicle. I did not feel unsafe at any point. On the way back he drove through the town of Falmouth just outside the gates, and it did not look like I wanted to spend any time there. This trip we are going to the Hilton Rose hall Resort through Resort for a Day.

 

Inside the port walls, The Falmouth cruise port has very controlled access and felt very safe with shops (mostly jewelry), a few bars and a small market type area. They had a day wifi package you could purchase. This port area was built by Royal Caribbean on reclaimed land, we were told.

Edited February 21, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[LetsGetWet!]

Ugh - us too. I really wish the cruise lines would stop going to ports like this. Jamaica has not been safe for years.

 

While we all view all the port visits as places to explore & take excursions, for the ship port calls are also used to replenish various supplies as well as offload garbage/trash. It might be logistically difficult to just stop making that port call, or to find one to replace it with on the itinerary.

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4 via Tapatalk

[WetToes]

This port area was built by Royal Caribbean on reclaimed land, we were told.

 

While we all view all the port visits as places to explore & take excursions, for the ship port calls are also used to replenish various supplies as well as offload garbage/trash. It might be logistically difficult to just stop making that port call, or to find one to replace it with on the itinerary.

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4 via Tapatalk

 

Also, as sunsetgal posted, Royal is invested in this port.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Yes, a huge investment by RCCL.

 

Several years ago Princess quit calling on Jamaica except on some of the Panama Canal cruises. It was explained to us that on the post-cruise passenger surveys Jamaica ranked very low. While I feel sorry for the Jamaican people, if cruisers are not happy with a port, the lines need to listen.

Edited February 21, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[clackey]

I thought that Jamaica was a gorgeous country when you get away from the slums, but I never did feel safe, even on an organized tour. But then, I noticed that a lot of the ports have changed as far as aggressive vendors and safety issues are concerned. If I do go back to Falmouth I will probably stay on the ship. Ocho Rios is closer to the fun stuff like Dunns River Falls, the tubing, rafting and other good stuff, but I would definately do some major research on tours.

[MrsHotrod2U]

This will be our second trip to Jamaica, Magic, Mo Bay. First time was with family and my Dad rented a taxi for the day and we went all over the island. We never felt unsafe, but were very aware of our surroundings. Not sure of the shopping area we visited, but the little booth areas some tucked away in the back did make me nervous, I keep an eye on everyone!

This trip it will be just my husband and I. He's "very prepared" that's what he calls it, I say he's too uptight and to look for the good in people....

All that being said, I was was going to talk him into go to Irie Blue Hole, but now I'm second guessing that. It's a shame, everything I've read as of reviews and the pictures are a must see tropical paradise.

HUMMMMM, so with just 2 of us taking a taxi to Dr's Cove? Safe?

[momofmab]

Although I'm somewhat wary of our upcoming port stop in Jamaica (even before this story), bad things can happen anywhere, really - even the port of Miami!

 

There's clearly more to the story that we're not getting (unless I'm missing a link somewhere)....why was he leaving the ship so late? Was he traveling with anyone and did he tell them where he was going? Like others have speculated, he couldn't have intended to go far if he were leaving the ship so late. It's also possible, although remotely, that something happened on the ship (an argument with someone maybe) and that he left the ship, fully intending not to get back on.

 

I've never been to Jamaica, but my feeling from reading on here is that it's best to be on an organized and "official" tour vs. going off on your own - however, I would take that same precaution at a lot of other ports as well - and pretty much anywhere that I travel where I am not familiar with the area.

 

I hope the family is able to get some answers on what happened...

[kpgibbs]

I hate this. I used to go to Jamaica every year and stay at Jack Tar in Montego Bay. I went every year for many years. We went so often that even the employees of the airport and Jack Tar knew us by name. I never felt unsafe. Jamaica has changed and it's sad.

 

I guess there is no update on the gentelman?

[Nhsaltshaker]

So the verdict's in?

 

Um, yeah, pretty much after the second visit. :confused:

 

Ganja-selling guy refused to take no for an answer, grabbed my arm to stop me from getting away after I told him to leave me alone. All during lunch time, at Ocho Rios, within walking distance of the ship and a cop across the busy street near bustling shops. I literally jumped into traffic in front of a bus to lose him, got on the ship, and said never again.

[WetToes]

Um, yeah, pretty much after the second visit. :confused:

 

Ganja-selling guy refused to take no for an answer, grabbed my arm to stop me from getting away after I told him to leave me alone. All during lunch time, at Ocho Rios, within walking distance of the ship and a cop across the busy street near bustling shops. I literally jumped into traffic in front of a bus to lose him, got on the ship, and said never again.

 

My response wasn't about that.

Your comment seemed to be concluding that the missing man met some fate at the hands of the locals.

The facts aren't in. We don't know this.

 

Your experience did not sound like fun.

Edited February 21, 2014 by WetToes

[OCruisers]

There's clearly more to the story that we're not getting (unless I'm missing a link somewhere)....why was he leaving the ship so late? Was he traveling with anyone and did he tell them where he was going? Like others have speculated, he couldn't have intended to go far if he were leaving the ship so late. It's also possible, although remotely, that something happened on the ship (an argument with someone maybe) and that he left the ship, fully intending not to get back on.

 

Agree with you and others who are saying there are way too many things we do NOT know to jump to any conclusions at this point. :confused:

 

LuLu

~~~

[Rickie J 2013]

Just off Celebrity Silhouette (our 2nd time in Falmouth) and the Cruise Director was warning everyone on her morning show not to leave the port unless you're on an organized tour.

 

That seemed odd for me...why are they bringing passengers there if they then have to warn them not to leave port?

 

When we went to Falmouth last year, there were no such warnings.

 

 

 

 

Maybe they want to keep all the business for them self. I was in Falmouth last August the whole day and had absolutely no problem. I wasn't on a cruise but a cruise ship was there. While is true that most of Falmouth is gritty and need improvement, I didn't see any beggars. Everybody i came up to were going about their business. At no time i did feel unsafe. There were a lot of school kids, vendors, small stores all over the place. I even went to a bank there. Falmouth is way too small for the guy to be missing there. What likely happen is either that guy took a car out of Falmouth on his own free will or somebody trick him and take him out of Falmouth.

[Rickie J 2013]

While we all view all the port visits as places to explore & take excursions, for the ship port calls are also used to replenish various supplies as well as offload garbage/trash. It might be logistically difficult to just stop making that port call, or to find one to replace it with on the itinerary.

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4 via Tapatalk

 

It's not only logistic and offloading trash but the ship also

1. Save fuel

2. Decrease food expense

3. Decrease workers hours

4. Cruise ship Make a lot of money from excursion them self

I think the cruise ship and cruise ship passengers are overplaying their hand

And will end up lose. The Islands of to

1.Build the pier

2. Maintain the pier

3. Tender in the cruise ship

3. Wave off their travel tax

In return the cruise ships promise that passengers will spent up to over

$100 dollars each but from what I am hearing on these forms it's seem

That the cruise passengers have no intention of spending that type of

Amount of money. This is the only way these islands are going to make

Back their money so sooner or later the islands are going to get feed up

And stop accepting cruise ship.

[ddaz]

I used to go to Jamaica every year and stay at Jack Tar in Montego Bay.

 

Kpgibbs,

Do you know if the Jack Tar Village in Montego Bay is still operating? Has it been renamed or opened as a different resort? This was the resort where we had stayed on our honeymoon many years ago and were thinking about going back.

Thanks

ddaz

GBY

[setsail]

Falmouth port was built by and is owned/run by the jpa. rci provided some of the funding. The port is used by several cruise lines

Edited February 23, 2014 by setsail

[tweety33]

We were on Silhouette & did not heed the warnings. Figured, "We're from NY...we're street smart...we can handle this..." OMG...NEVER AGAIN. Enough said.

Could you please elaborate with details on what happened outside the gate to make you feel this way? I have read many reviews where people felt fine walking outside the gate. We plan to take the 1 hr trolley ride from inside the terminal to around town. I hate to go into a new port and not explore there town area, but at the same time want to be safe at all times. We had considered walking into town after the trolley tour, so would love details on what is really going on.

Thank you.

[fletch1027]

We are about to book a blue hole tour with an independent, CC reader recommended, tour operator...now I am rethinking it,

 

If I were you, I would re-think a tour to Blue Hole / Secret Falls as well. There are places that you can go like Dunns River, Mystic Mountain, etc that are regulated by the government and feature things like security, first aid capabilities, etc.

 

Blue Hole / Secret Falls is NOT one of these places. I did a lot of research online before our most recent trip to Jamaica (we just got home today from Freedom of the Seas), and the only info online regarding Blue Hole is from the tour people that offer tours there, meaning it is not an official place. It's similar to a public park, which ALSO made me wonder why tour companies were quoting me admission fees to there in addition to the tour guides telling folks to tip the people that are working there. Who gets the "admission fee" when there is none?

 

We chose not go there for those reasons, as well as because it is a place where you are on your own and totally unregulated by government (either Jamaica as a whole or Saint Ann's parish), and that is more in relation to facilities as well as security.

 

It is a 15-20 minute ride over some rough roads to get there from Ocho Rios. It is a very high adventure type of area, so what happens if someone gets hurt? There is no first aid on site so it would be a while before anyone would be able to receive any type of first response / triage for an injury, which is not beyond the realm of possibility when you are doing the activities shown on the youtube video links that are posted all around the CC boards promoting tours out there.

 

In the end we took a private tour to Dunns River Falls. Yes it was more crowded, but a private tour will get you there quicker than the cruise ship tours, so it is not as crowded as it will get later in the morning...

[Shekim]

It's not only logistic and offloading trash but the ship also

1. Save fuel

2. Decrease food expense

3. Decrease workers hours

4. Cruise ship Make a lot of money from excursion them self

I think the cruise ship and cruise ship passengers are overplaying their hand

And will end up lose. The Islands of to

1.Build the pier

2. Maintain the pier

3. Tender in the cruise ship

3. Wave off their travel tax

In return the cruise ships promise that passengers will spent up to over

$100 dollars each but from what I am hearing on these forms it's seem

That the cruise passengers have no intention of spending that type of

Amount of money. This is the only way these islands are going to make

Back their money so sooner or later the islands are going to get feed up

And stop accepting cruise ship.

Where did you get this information? This will be my 3rd cruise trip to Jamaica and hubby and I did an AI some years ago and never have we been told we had to spend money on the island. I'm not sure I understand your post; it doesn't make sense to me.

[Gmanfl]

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=51131#disqus_thread

 

While on the Ruby Princess last month, our stop in Cozumel was cancelled due to weather, and we were rerouted to Ocho Rios instead. Since I've been to Cozumel before I was excited to go to Jamaica for the first time. Once docked, we walked thru the terminal area where we were immediately accosted by a vendor selling wood carvings. I told him I wasn't interested but he persisted. I turned to walk away and he muttered something about being gay because I was with a male friend and not a woman. This set the tone for the day. We proceeded to the main road where the shops and bars are and one man after another offered us a cab, or pot or coke. At the least, we were asked 10 times. At this point I had enough, so we headed to Margaritaville. Told we couldn't go on the beach unless we bought something from the bar or gift shop or we paid 3.00. We bought our t shirts and headed back to the ship, only to be pestered by more vendors grabbing our arms and stepping in front of us so that we couldn't get by. We were almost at the ship when there was a lot of police action at Margaritaville. Later that night we ran into friends who told us they were just leaving Margaritaville when someone fired off a gun in there. Thankfully, we left just in time. I get it that these people have one shot to make a sale when a cruise ship is in port but they aren't doing themselves any favors by acting so aggressive and rude. I've been to a lot of islands but never felt as unsafe as I did there. I will never go back and if a future cruise is diverted there again, I will stay on the ship.

[250373]

Do we know if they found the man?

[WetToes]

If you Google it, there is nothing new reported.

[Rickie J 2013]

Where did you get this information? This will be my 3rd cruise trip to Jamaica and hubby and I did an AI some years ago and never have we been told we had to spend money on the island. I'm not sure I understand your post; it doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

Are you kidding me. Why would a country waive their travel tax for you? Do you realize that cruise ship passengers are getting a bad reputation. The islanders are saying you don't spent money.

 

http://insidejourneys.com/a-tour-of-falmouth-pier/

 

http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2013/12/03/Critics-urge-caution-on-cruise-port-deal/

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2012/09/articles/caribbean-islands/will-jamaicas-cruise-ship-woes-be-solved-by-a-margaritaville/

[Kimnjimnkids]

Wow I'm really nervous now. Might need to cancel my excursion to avoid a 'really bad day' in Jamaica. So once we dock at Falmouth, and we walk to our 'bus/van' (or whatever vehicle is driving us to the beach excursion), we can expect to get bombarded by aggressive locals selling things right near the ship?...Or are they outside if the port gates? I'm glad I am reading this bc we have our two children w us in this cruise and I'm not about to be putting my family in unnecessary danger! We have other ports to enjoy.

We are sailing on the Freedom Of The Seas leaving next Sunday.

Thanks for any advice/feedback.

 

 

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