Is it Safe?

[Genoabay]

We are taking the Silver Whisper Cruise 4733 Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles departing Dec 19/17. We will be visiting the following ports:

Cartagena, Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, Peurto Quetzal, Acapulco, Peurto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. Are their shops and sights near the ports themselves and is it safe to venture out to see them on your own?

Any and all experience and advice would be appreciated

[Clewis104]

We are taking the Silver Whisper Cruise 4733 Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles departing Dec 19/17. We will be visiting the following ports:

 

Cartagena, Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, Peurto Quetzal, Acapulco, Peurto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. Are their shops and sights near the ports themselves and is it safe to venture out to see them on your own?

 

Any and all experience and advice would be appreciated

 

 

 

The port in Cabo San Lucas is right next to a large marina. We spent a week in Cabo in May. The marina has plenty of restaurants, bars, a mall, and many souvenir shops. Great fish tacos, guacamole, and margaritas at most places. There is also a flea market. If you walk through the marina, you will come to Medano Beach. More bars on the beach and a great place to swim.

We love to get a water taxi at the marina and go out to see the arch and sea lions. You should be able to get a water taxi to give you a nice tour of the area for about $20. We have always felt safe even though there is a visible presence of federales on foot and in helicopters patrolling for drug dealers.

[Genoabay]

Thank you very much. This is really very helpful. Appreciated.

[Tothesunset]

We are taking the Silver Whisper Cruise 4733 Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles departing Dec 19/17. We will be visiting the following ports:

Cartagena, Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, Peurto Quetzal, Acapulco, Peurto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. Are their shops and sights near the ports themselves and is it safe to venture out to see them on your own?

Any and all experience and advice would be appreciated

Of the ports listed I would advise extreme caution in Acapulco which, in 2016, was just behind Caracas and Baghdad on the murders per capita scale.

 

As for the others we took ship's tours and all seemed quite safe (although we didn't visit San Juan del Sur). And while we wandered into Acapulco there was little to see except for armed police/militia - had we known of its dangers we would not have ventured out alone.

[Candycrusher]

We love Cabo and we're about to book a trip there for next June, that is until the state department issued a warning NOT to go Cabo. So,No...not safe according to the warning and what I have read.

 

 

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[Keith1010]

Cartagena, Colombia. Love the city and gets better with each passing year. Like all cities though you need to be observant of your surroundings. You can book a tour (ship or private) and I would visit the Catholic Church that sites a top the city, the Fort and the Walled City. There are shops though right at the port and there is an area that various animals are featured.

Cabo San Lucas. Right at the tender drop off are several stores and restaurants and the downtown area which features many shops and restaurants is about a 10 minute walk from the drop tender drop off point.

Puerto Vallarta. At the pier there are outdoor stores selling mainly tourist items. We often walk outside the terminal area and make a right and then walk a few miles on the main street and feel very safe doing that. The water and beach is on that side and we will stop and walk on the beach. Across the street and over to the left is a shopping mall and we will walk over to it. I like Paddle Tennis so often pick up a paddle tennis racquet over there. I believe there is a Walmart across the street should you need anything such as toiletries.

As mentioned the State Department has issued some warnings and I am sure like other cruise lines Silversea will be monitoring this and will make itinerary adjustments as required.

Keith

[TLCOhio]

Of the ports listed I would advise extreme caution in Acapulco which, in 2016, was just behind Caracas and Baghdad on the murders per capita scale. As for the others we took ship's tours and all seemed quite safe (although we didn't visit San Juan del Sur). And while we wandered into Acapulco there was little to see except for armed police/militia - had we known of its dangers we would not have ventured out alone.

 

Appreciate these various posts and comments. We visited Cabo in March for the first time and super enjoyed this town. On our ship, they did mention that many of the other stops along the western, main coast of Mexico were being skipped by cruise lines. We will hope for the best in the future for those with upcoming visits there. The future? That's unclear.

 

Yes, Cabo was super wonderful for us during our visit for the sights, food, etc. Need evidence? Here are few of my visual samples to prove its description of "gorgeous" that many have used for this location. You can see many, many more Cabo pictures and details on page three of my live/blog at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from this live/blog at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 34,143 views for this visual sharing including Cape Town, along South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

 

Here is that famed “hole” at El Arco de Cabo San Lucas. This icon sight is shown both from the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean sides. Great “drama” on such a bright, sunny day!:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)

 

 

We were so fortunate to have some great views of seals and sea lions. Such fun as these pictures illustrate. Don’t you just love these anmals and their great facial expressions?:

 

Here is another wildlife picture from our private water taxi boat tour down to the bottom of El Arco de Cabo San Lucas. Good-looking bird?:

 

Here is one typical visual from the shopping area of Cabo as we walked after our water taxi tour down to the rocks, “hole” and back. Yes, lots of nice-looking buildings, places to spend money, etc., in Cabo. Even a big shopping mall here with many of the “usual suspects” located there, etc.:

 

My wife is enjoying her drink!! We had a brunch here and the food was super outstanding. WOW!! Great drinks, food and sights on the beach at The Office dining location! Plus, perfect weather and a wide variety of “people action”! What can be better?.:

[DCCruiser57]

The State Department posted the following Mexican travel advisory on August 22, 2017.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...l-warning.html

[rpfarris]

The State Department posted the following Mexican travel advisory on August 22, 2017.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...l-warning.html

And then this thread was started on August 25, 2017. What a coincidence!

Edited August 27, 2017 by rpfarris
Changed “post” to “thread”

[Clewis104]

The state department warning for Cabo specifies "exercise caution", not "defer travel". I would not leave the ship after dark but during the day, I wouldn't be concerned. There are thousands of tourists around the marina and beach near the port enjoying their vacations. It is such a shame that the drug dealers are trying to move into this beautiful area. the business owners are the ones that are being hurt the most, through no fault of their own. Obviously, this is a personal decision that we have made to continue to travel to this area. Everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with.

 

 

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[Stumblefoot]

The state department warning for Cabo specifies "exercise caution", not "defer travel". I would not leave the ship after dark but during the day, I wouldn't be concerned.

Agree completely.

 

 

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[TLCOhio]

The state department warning for Cabo specifies "exercise caution", not "defer travel". I would not leave the ship after dark but during the day, I wouldn't be concerned. Everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with.

 

Agree with Stumblefoot that an excellent point has been pointed out about the detailed difference of "exercise caution" . . . VERSUS . . . "defer travel". We felt very safe there during the day in March. Agree night time could be a little different.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 185,587 views for this posting.

[CruisinPashmina]

I wouldn't dream of walking around Acapulco..not even at high noon. A ship's tour should be okay, but aside for going on the SS tour including the legendary diving show, the city is kind of dirty and unattractive. When we were last there the police sirens were constant and unnerving.

 

The big bay on which Acapulco is located is lovely....I suggest getting on deck as you enter and leave the port. The views are panoramic. The Captain slowly spun the ship around as we sailed out at sunset to give us a wonderful treat.

[Genoabay]

Great suggestions and thoughtful answers. Also, love the photos!

R

[DCCruiser57]

And then this thread was started on August 25, 2017. What a coincidence!

 

I was only trying to post information for the OP.

[Isklaar]

Just to chip in about Puerto Quetzal. I was there a couple of years ago on a Seabourn cruise which had a very similar itinerary to yours.

There's nothing much close to this port which is an industrial port. You could take an excursion to Antigua, if history and architecture interest you. There is a small marina area at the port, it has a few touristy shops and restaurants but otherwise it's not a place you can walk around. I stayed on the ship that day as the tours to Antigua were very long ones, 8 hours + if I remember correctly, and I'd been taking a lot of other tours up to that point. Was ready for a 'sea day in port' :)

I've visited other places in Guatemala and would be reluctant to wander around any of them on my own or in a couple.

 

 

Cabo seemed fine when I was there, sad to read the update. It's a beautiful location but the town is very touristy and not really my cup of tea but it was ok for a walk around.

 

Cartagena, echo Keith's thoughts. I really enjoyed the city and it didn't feel particularly unsafe.

Edited September 2, 2017 by Isklaar

[Kate-AHF]

Can't help with any port other than Cartagena. LOVED that city. Felt quite safe, though there will be "vendors" that can get aggressive (i had a private guide that day, and his presence helped quite a lot), and I wouldn't abandon my usual pick-pocket protocol. I can make some suggestions... Get off the ship and out as soon as possible. It doesn't matter what time of year, Cartagena is HOT and muggy! We were off the ship at 7:30 and back on by noon, and that was quite enough. If you are going around by yourself, or with a private guise, make La Popa (the monastery) your first stop, then on to the walled city. The Gold museum is wonderful, very well curated and air-conditioned, so you might want to make that a later stop in the old city tour. There is a SUPER post on the port forum, search for it, "Cartagena on your own".