Worst Cruise Ports

[freedom750]

Jamacia. Bit of a dangerous dump full of drug dealers.

 

 

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Agree. Jamaica is bad. Rescued by an honest cop from a dishonest one who tried to lure us into a very dangerous situation.

[champagne123]

Let's be honest, Ensenada is not a great port. However the cruise lines use it to satisfy the PVSA when they are doing closed loop coastals or Hawaiian cruises from SF or LA. It satisfies the rules, otherwise they would have to divert even further. Note they do not stop there on cruises to Mexico as they have multiple other ports.

 

Correct, and this is where we stopped for our 15 day to Hawaii. Took the shuttle bus into town and I guess I have to disagree with most people. We had a blast.

Dislikes: Freeport....Ugh.

Belize...A tender port. I had a broken leg, but my husband left the ship and when he came back, he said "never again" and he likes "everything". I have never seen so many people come back to the ship so early. The pool deck was PACKED after only a couple of hours.

Edited September 17, 2016 by champagne123
ddddd

[ontheweb]

There seems to be a lot of hate for Jamaica. We had a great time when our ship docked in Ochos Rios. We took the Bob Marley Bus excursion, and it was terrific.

 

In addition to the music, we saw parts of Jamaica that tourists usually do not see. Plus all the locals were friendly.

[John Bull]

The actual port towns themselves - I'm not lily-livered but I reckon La Guairá, Venezuela (if any cruise ships still go there) and Colon, Panama are easily the most dangerous I've visited.

But not on the list :confused:

 

Ports in Jamaica (and north Africa) I rate as merely too mush hustling, but that does take the shine off what should be great stops so perhaps they should be on that list.

 

Ports like Harwich (be fair, it's only for embarkation ;)) are merely boring.

 

Don't know what the list (and posts I've seen on CC) have got against Fort de France, like a couple of others on this thread I rated it very pleasant. :)

 

But of course most ports it's a matter of personal opinions.

 

JB :)

[Swells1]

Costa Maya. I've never been so bored...

 

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[Velvetwater]

Odd that Bari is on the list. Its quite lot of bauty near port......its just not as typically Italian as the famous ones.

 

Belize is our desperate to go to Carribean port for history and its reef...weve been to Columbia so I am sure it would be fine.

 

 

Le havre (for Paris) is as boring as toffee and we are not fans of Copenhagen either.

[Roz]

I thoroughly enjoyed the French culture and language in Fort de France, Martinique. Did a walking tour with a local woman - it was interesting and educational.

 

Roz

[kristapb]

The actual port towns themselves - I'm not lily-livered but I reckon La Guairá, Venezuela (if any cruise ships still go there) and Colon, Panama are easily the most dangerous I've visited.

 

 

 

We rarely find nothing to like in a port; really enjoy just walking around and seeing the local culture. BUT, I have to second your comments on La Guaira and Colon. We went to La Guira many years ago on the SS Brittanis, and mistakenly got on a bus that went up the mountains into Caracas (instead of the beach). Were advised not to get off, and just boarded a bus back to the port. The hillside slums were so sad. In Colon we got a taxi to take us to the locks (very interesting) but for some reason the driver insisted on including a city tour. Sad, dirty, and dangerous looking place.

[Extra Kim]

I don't care for:

Colon, Panama - I have seen the Gatun locks one time and that's enough, the town is a dump.

 

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - Had high expectations for Costa Rica, if we ever stop there again I might just stay on the ship.

 

Cartagena, Colombia - The fort and the old town is nice, but when have history in Europe and I don't feel then need to go back.

 

Falmounth, Jamaica and Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas - No thanks!

[cruzeluver]

We have been to most of the ports discussed here and through abit of research have managed to enjoy them all.

 

Martinique is fantastic! Absolutely gorgeous and it has not been turned into a Disney-ized version of a Caribbean port.

 

Belize is wonderful as well. The cruise lines have done a band-up job though of scaring their customers into thinking they must book an excursion or stay inside the gates to shop at the stores that give them a kick-back. Have walked around Belize City a couple of times, and while not particularly scenic we had no problems.

 

Cartagena has amazing history and architecture. I cannot imagine going theer and not touring the old walled city.

[Donder1]

We love Ensenada. Sure, if you want to go to the beach, then I can understand why it isn't liked. But we don't care for the beach. We like the culture, the people and the stores (restaurants, markets, casinos or stores geared towards the locals).

 

Ensenada made me feel sad.

 

There were children begging for money. They were alone and with adults.

 

Stores in the main shopping area were filled with cheap articles and dust was everywhere.

 

The poverty there is real and tragic.

 

We did find a town hall with historic and interesting information and displays.

[SadieN]

If it weren't for Ensenada a whole chain of restaurants and a song wouldn't have been possible. You can still get a Margarita in the bar that invented it, Hussong's.

Agree about La Romana. That was just plain scary.

[nwcruiselover]

Jamaica and Beliza. Don't care to go back to either one and would remain on the ship if I was on a cruise that went there.

[AussieOmni]

Costa Maya. I've never been so bored...

 

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Just got to really go in to town, wish I figured this out!

Agree with folks saying Progresso, it's a good staging point for excursions to places like Uxmal (which was my favourite place on my first cruise) but the port is SO far away from Merida that it makes life difficult.

[donaldsc]

We spent 3 days in Prince Rupert on the way home from a land trip in Alaska. Ignoring the fact that it rained for the 3 days that we were there, I found it a pleasant city. It has a great museum, some interesting native craft shops, and some neat historical sites near the city. I would not mind going back.

 

DON

[Trishlo73]

Belize ... The port looks like an old foreign prison movie because of the barbed wire and steel gate. Once they open that gate to let you out then you realize why they have a big steel gate and barbed wire. Unless you have an excursion booked don't even bother getting off the ship.

Totally agree with this. We've done Belize twice, both times did one of the ruins. The bus ride there really highlights how bad it is there.

 

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[maldenmusic]

We are going to Montego Bay in December and it sounds like we might want to stay on the ship. We wee there about 10 years ago and had a great time.

[navybankerteacher]

A number of dreadful places have been nominated - I wont argue about most of them -- but I have to wonder about the selection of St. Maarten, which I would rate as one of the best, or Harwich -- the immediate cruise terminal area is one me of a nothing - but very efficient, given the rail connection to London- and the old town was actually one of the better small ports encountered.

[Cruisin' Chick]

the only one on the OP's list that we've been to is Ensenada. IMO, one time was too many. Unfortunately, living in LA, the short Baja cruises means ensenada and the Hawaii cruises mean ensenada (for the PVSA). we once did a city tour and it just wasn't that interesting. Our last two Hawaiian cruises, we stayed on board, and I think I'll be safe in saying at least 85 per cent of the passengers did so too.

[cruisemom42]

Without context, it's hard to know why they picked those specific ports. Are they only focusing on the ports themselves? Or on what activities are available from that port? Or...???

 

One could make a case that Livorno is a terrible port (industrial, huge, hard to get out of on your own), but of course it is a gateway to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, and many other pleasant places. So is it a bad port or a good port? ;)

[jocap]

Martinique was the only reason my OH managed to get me out to the Caribbean- twice!- as I'm not a fan of heat and beaches, but I'd always wanted to see the volcano. The ride through the rainforest, and the small museum about the eruption were fantastic. The next time OH took a ferry across to an island and snorkelled from a tiny beach. Using euros seemed to help. Did Europeans know that the EHIC card can be used for medical reasons there?

I was on the first cruise visit to Bari, on Aurora, Spring 2007, where we were met by the mayor and brass band. We loved the place, and especially the Norman Cathedral, with the bones of St Nicholas, ie Santa Claus. It was simple walking back to the ship from the city walls from there. There's a memorial on the dock to the devastating explosion which happened during WW2. The town was fine- at least it wasn't dodgy! :eek:

Industrial Red Sea ports aren't too good, but you're on the way to great sights;

My own personal dislike is Casablanca, which is so often used as a non-EU port so duty free can be sold. ;)

[Raxter54]

Without context, it's hard to know why they picked those specific ports. Are they only focusing on the ports themselves? Or on what activities are available from that port? Or...???

 

One could make a case that Livorno is a terrible port (industrial, huge, hard to get out of on your own), but of course it is a gateway to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, and many other pleasant places. So is it a bad port or a good port? ;)

 

Here's the URL of the original article, if you would like to see the context of their choices:

 

http://***************/advice/how-to-book/choose-a-destination/5-cruise-ship-ports-that-suck

 

EDIT : Guess that website is not-to-be-named. It's another cruise site, maybe you could search for it....

Edited September 20, 2016 by Raxter54

[WupperAV]

Obviously no one has ever been to Tianjin! We were held up by 3 guys with Uzis at the gate and the Cabbie said RUN!! So we grabbed our stuff and ran toward the terminal.

Edited September 20, 2016 by WupperAV

[John Bull]

 

Bari ..........//............and especially the Norman Cathedral, with the bones of St Nicholas, ie Santa Claus.

 

No, no, no.

Mistaken identity, Jo. :rolleyes:

 

As any six-year-old will tell you, Santa is alive and well and currently hard at work in his grotto in Greenland, wrapping presents in time for Christmas. :D

 

JB :)

[AZ Ocean Lover]

I'm not sure if this counts but Princess Cay is a complete waste of a day. I'd rather just sail around the island for the day. Bad beaches (too crowded), bad food and bad snorkeling. I know people love it however. I just don't see it.