Bahama Beware?

[ejincali]

Take a look at what I found in the news today. I've always found Nassau to be a safe place, but haven't been there in a couple of years.

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2015/09/articles/crime/bahamian-buffoonery-nassau-politicians-spat-over-carnival-cruise-crime-warnings/

[realjd]

Check your source. That one is run by the cruise ship equivalent of an ambulance chasing lawyer. He's hardly unbiased.

 

Nassau is rough in spots, but it's not stay-on-the-ship bad by any means. Pickpockets are probably the biggest worry, but that's true in many other places including most European cities. Tourists have no reason to go to the bad parts of town, and the locals usually turn around any lost tourists heading into them. Most of the crime is gang and drug related and doesn't target tourists, especially cruise ship passengers during the day.

[cb at sea]

If you stay on the tourist path...you're good to go. ALL places have crime....whether here or there.

[Tapi]

Unfortunately, the crime warnings for the Bahamas have been in effect for a very long time. Several crimes against tourists, including robberies at gun point, have been reported specially in the downtown Nassau area.

 

Like with most of these warning, tourists need to be smart to avoid being an obvious target. Don't walk alone, know where you are headed, don't be wandering around late at night, avoid crime ridden areas, etc. Personally, we were in Nassau last month but on a land vacation (we stayed over in the Cable Beach area) and we walked all around, rode the local buses, went to local businesses, and didn't feel unsafe at any point in time.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Tapi

[honestguy]

this problem could be fixed very easily. First off, how many even get excited for nassau? I don't I've been there countless times. If the CEO of carnival corp, and RCL got together, and said we are keeping our ships away until saftey improves IT would happen almost overnight. I would take a sea day over nassau any day of the week

[Tapi]

Most of the crime is gang and drug related and doesn't target tourists, especially cruise ship passengers...

 

 

Several of the crimes reported do target cruise ship tourists, many walking back drunk along the waterfront from Senor Frogs and other downtown bars.

[evandbob]

There were two armed robberies of an RCCL Segway tour a few years back. The same tour got hit during one week.

 

When you figure the odds of a cruiser being a victim of a violent crime, it's usually safer being a visitor than being in your hometown. Crime happens, be alert, don't overdrink or flash money or jewelry.

 

As far as Nassau goes, I like to visit Cable Beach, I'm surprised the cruiselines don't have buses going there.

[fin]

This is a partial cut and paste from the US Dept of State website, copied minutes ago...

 

CRIME: The criminal threat level for New Providence Island is rated as critical by the Department of State. New Providence Island has experienced a spike in crime that has adversely affected the traveling public, with a spate of more violent criminal activity between 2009 and 2013. The U.S. Embassy has received multiple reports indicating tourists have been robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint in tourist locations in the downtown areas of Nassau, to include the cruise ship docks and the Cable Beach commerce areas; several of these incidents occurred during daylight hours. Burglaries, larcenies and “snatch-and-grab” crimes happen in Nassau and U.S. citizens have been victims of these crimes as well. The U.S. Embassy has received reports of assaults, including sexual assaults, in diverse areas such as in casinos, outside hotels, or on cruise ships. The Bahamas has the highest incidence of rape in the Caribbean according to a 2007 United Nations report on crime, violence, and development trends. The majority of sexual assaults reported occurred after excessive consumption of alcohol. The loss of ability to remember facts and details due to alcohol consumption makes prosecution of sexual assaults more difficult. Much of the violent crime occurs outside tourist spots, such as in the “over-the-hill” section of Nassau (the area inland from Bay Street, to the South of Bay Street, behind the tourist district), but can occur anywhere, including in areas frequented by tourists. Home break-ins, theft, and

[evandbob]

This is a partial cut and paste from the US Dept of State website, copied minutes ago...

 

CRIME: The criminal threat level for New Providence Island is rated as critical by the Department of State. New Providence Island has experienced a spike in crime that has adversely affected the traveling public, with a spate of more violent criminal activity between 2009 and 2013. The U.S. Embassy has received multiple reports indicating tourists have been robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint in tourist locations in the downtown areas of Nassau, to include the cruise ship docks and the Cable Beach commerce areas; several of these incidents occurred during daylight hours. Burglaries, larcenies and “snatch-and-grab” crimes happen in Nassau and U.S. citizens have been victims of these crimes as well. The U.S. Embassy has received reports of assaults, including sexual assaults, in diverse areas such as in casinos, outside hotels, or on cruise ships. The Bahamas has the highest incidence of rape in the Caribbean according to a 2007 United Nations report on crime, violence, and development trends. The majority of sexual assaults reported occurred after excessive consumption of alcohol. The loss of ability to remember facts and details due to alcohol consumption makes prosecution of sexual assaults more difficult. Much of the violent crime occurs outside tourist spots, such as in the “over-the-hill” section of Nassau (the area inland from Bay Street, to the South of Bay Street, behind the tourist district), but can occur anywhere, including in areas frequented by tourists. Home break-ins, theft, and

 

Like me citing the RCCL robberies, your post is both dated by 2 years and in the last sentence states most crime occurs behind and outside the tourist district.

 

Want to see the statistics for crime around the port areas that we all use back in the good old USA? Those will be worse than the Caribbean ports.

 

The highest crime district in my local suburban area is the Palisade Mall. People keep on shopping there, go figure.

Edited October 1, 2015 by evandbob

[OCruisers]

Actually, that direct waterfront walk back to the ship from Senor Frogs is highly secured. :)

 

Problems come when folks wander off on side streets.

 

LuLu

[welldone60]

This is a partial cut and paste from the US Dept of State website, copied minutes ago...

 

CRIME: The criminal threat level for New Providence Island is rated as critical by the Department of State. New Providence Island has experienced a spike in crime that has adversely affected the traveling public, with a spate of more violent criminal activity between 2009 and 2013. The U.S. Embassy has received multiple reports indicating tourists have been robbed at gunpoint or knifepoint in tourist locations in the downtown areas of Nassau, to include the cruise ship docks and the Cable Beach commerce areas; several of these incidents occurred during daylight hours. Burglaries, larcenies and “snatch-and-grab” crimes happen in Nassau and U.S. citizens have been victims of these crimes as well. The U.S. Embassy has received reports of assaults, including sexual assaults, in diverse areas such as in casinos, outside hotels, or on cruise ships. The Bahamas has the highest incidence of rape in the Caribbean according to a 2007 United Nations report on crime, violence, and development trends. The majority of sexual assaults reported occurred after excessive consumption of alcohol. The loss of ability to remember facts and details due to alcohol consumption makes prosecution of sexual assaults more difficult. Much of the violent crime occurs outside tourist spots, such as in the “over-the-hill” section of Nassau (the area inland from Bay Street, to the South of Bay Street, behind the tourist district), but can occur anywhere, including in areas frequented by tourists. Home break-ins, theft, and

 

Is there a crime warning not to go to Chicago? 50 people were shot this past weekend, 4 dead.

[perditax]

I notice a lot of ringer threads for cruiselawnews and the Bahamas this week.

[realjd]

Several of the crimes reported do target cruise ship tourists, many walking back drunk along the waterfront from Senor Frogs and other downtown bars.

 

You replaced my "during the day" with an ellipsis. Any crime beyond pickpocketing along the quay between Señor Frogs and the pier is almost certainly late at night, and probably people who wandered off of the quay down a side street or down Bay St. Even at night there is a large police presence along the quay whenever a ship is there overnight.

[Keith1010]

If you go with the tourist route that would be fine.

 

Keith

[zqvol]

Take a look at what I found in the news today. I've always found Nassau to be a safe place, but haven't been there in a couple of years.

 

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2015/09/articles/crime/bahamian-buffoonery-nassau-politicians-spat-over-carnival-cruise-crime-warnings/

 

 

In deciding how much weight to give an article found on the Internet you should consider the source, the author, and the author's motives, among other things.

[dznymom]

I am really frustrated with all of these 'articles'. I am cruising next week with a group of friends, and because of these type of 'reports' they are leery of Nassau (and St Thomas & Tortola). And they are from just outside DETROIT! We all need to use common sense no matter where we are, but these scare tactics and over reactions make me crazy. I am far more worried about missing the ship than of being a victim of crime in any of my ports of call!

 

Sorry, back to your regularly scheduled programming....

[ejincali]

I am really frustrated with all of these 'articles'. I am cruising next week with a group of friends, and because of these type of 'reports' they are leery of Nassau (and St Thomas & Tortola). And they are from just outside DETROIT! We all need to use common sense no matter where we are, but these scare tactics and over reactions make me crazy. I am far more worried about missing the ship than of being a victim of crime in any of my ports of call!

 

Sorry, back to your regularly scheduled programming....

 

I think a key difference is when you are home, you are aware of bad areas, your surroundings etc. On vacation you just want to relax, but, its just as important to realize you also need to be vigilant about where you go, your surroundings etc.

 

Some have criticized the source that came up on my news feed, but it seems that other sources also point out the same issue concerning Nassau.

[Armedaneian]

Some have criticized the source that came up on my news feed, but it seems that other sources also point out the same issue concerning Nassau.

 

All the big money wants you (and your $$$) to stay with the cruise lines and their excursions.

 

While Detroit has "nice" places and scary places mixed together downtown, Nassau's port is surrounded by safe, touristy spots. It's much harder to step into a bad situation there, because it takes some effort to wander off the tourist path. :cool:

[Ready 2 Go]

I think a key difference is when you are home, you are aware of bad areas, your surroundings etc. On vacation you just want to relax, but, its just as important to realize you also need to be vigilant about where you go, your surroundings etc.

 

Some have criticized the source that came up on my news feed, but it seems that other sources also point out the same issue concerning Nassau.

I agree. When at home you have an idea of what to expect. Information is knowledge if not at least food-for-thought. Thanks for sharing.

Several of the crimes reported do target cruise ship tourists, many walking back drunk along the waterfront from Senor Frogs and other downtown bars.

 

 

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