Rio Robbery Warning

[Bollinge]

Yesterday's Daily Mail had the following story:

 

A group of British horse racing fans were on an organised tour of South American race meetings. They landed at Rio airport and were en-route on the main highway to the Copacabana Palace Hotel when their charter bus was held up at gunpoint. A shot was fired to open the bus door, and the bus hijacked some five miles to a quiet part of town where the passengers were relieved of all money and valuables. Fortunately no-one was harmed.

 

One guy had been lucky at the races in Buenos Aires and had £22,000 ($38,000) in cash stolen. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away............

 

The group are now trying to obtain replacement travel documents to return home, and have hired bodyguards to accompany them on their peregrinations around the city.

 

We are in Rio for four days in April, so it's definitely food for thought!

 

Any thoughts on how to stay safe there, short of hiring a close protection team?

[mufi]

We were there last month on QE2 and one of the passengers was mugged in the port area. They were after his camera and when he resisted they bit him. I would say be very cautious of the areas you walk in, and if you want a taxi get it from the port terminal building. Obviously don't take any valuables with you, and if possible keep cameras etc. out of sight.

 

Most of this would apply to London and all cities in UK and many others in the world.

 

David.

[Druke I]

Rio has long had the reputation (well earned) of being fairly dangerous.

 

When we were there in Mar 98, on the late great Royal Princess, there were sub-machine gun toting Federales on the cog railway up to the Christ the Redeemer Statue, and were also visible on many street corners. We were told of an armed robbery on the cog railway just the week before - hence the heightened security.

 

Travel can be an adventure!

[avalon1025]

was in Rio a few weeks ago on the Silver Cloud, enroute to my hotel (Cesar Park: mediocre hotel), street kids would try to get in your cab at stop lights, always lock the doors. Its a great beach, but there are many cities with great beaches that you do not have to feel like you have to be on guard.

[JGR01]

Rio has had a bad reputation for years.. stories of people loosing their gold neck chains at a stoplight when sitting by an open window on the bus....

 

While the main tourist attractions (Christ the Redeamer and Sugar Loaf) are prime locations for problems it surprises me that the docks for the cruise ships are not better protected. THAT is more the port authorities fault as well as the cruise line for not providing sufficient security.

 

There are two 'tourist' areas for hotels .. Ipannema Beach and Copa Cabana Beach. Copa is far more 'sleazy' and older than Ipa .. I stayed at Ipa at the Ceasar Park there (and thought it was quite fabuous tho did pay for a Jr Suite). They provided me with tours during the day and walking-distance dinner reservations at night [the best tour was the Jeep tour of the rain forest]. They said if I wanted to go to the disco I should hire a car for the evening as things were quite distant.

 

I certainly hope those pax on the QM2 who are making their first stop in Rio do not panic because of this posting.

 

Any city can have 'issues'. I think that it should be up to the cruise line and their tour company to manage the security issues sufficiently. I guess if you look like a tourist (two cameras and a 'Rio' t-shirt or even a QM2 shirt) you will have trouble. Looking like a local, having the directions written out for taxis (or hired cars) and not flashing money/blingbling you should be OK.

 

One other hightlight of Rio (for me) was the H.Stern factory tour and shop. While the QM2 has a H.Stern shop onboard, the true Rio factory is FABULOUS. I did not feel uncomfortable walking into or out of their factory (yes my purchased were delivered to the hotel and I did not carry the bags from the factory) .. and walking 4-5 blocks back to my hotel.

 

I say ENJOY RIO!

[avalon1025]

I too paid for a Jr Suite at the Ceasar Park and ended up with a city view room as they overbooked the hotel. Also the floor I was on and the one above was under construction so beware. Also, when I was "downgraded" they never adjusted the price, I had over $30 in calls to Amex platinum travel to straighten it all out. The cruise ended in Buenos Aires and the 4 Seasons there was heaven in comparison. Though the Copacabanna is in a sketchier part of town, those on the ship that stayed there raved about it.

 

The whole town is sketchy and the port is really sketchy, we had two passengers that never got their luggage after leaving with the luggage people at the cruise terminal (gone!). Overall , nice to see but there are so many nicer cities than Rio

[carlmm]

Probably the best advice is not to look like carrying valuables and a lot of money and indeed not to do so.

And be self-confident. I went of the ship in Rio and walked to nearby sights - no problem.

When I came for a land stay to a hotel at Copacabana I was uneasy even to walk alone 50 meters from the busstop to the hotel because of the frightening stories. Yet, after talking to people and inquiring a bit the pictures changed.

Using local buses after making sure to know which one to take - no problem.

Walking along Copacabana at night - no problem.

Visiting museums, churches and other sights - no problem.

 

This is not to say you shouldn't be cautious, but it is also not like 99 out of 100 tourists get mugged the moment they leave the hotel.

[Rotterdam]

I have a friend in Rio.....he advised me not to carry a camera, absolutely no jewelry(not even a wrist watch), just wear a bathing suit to the beach. Even tho he & his family are quite wealthy they drive junk cars to avoid attention.

 

Its very a dangerous city with a corrupt gov't.

[highcbob]

I have a friend in Rio.....he advised me not to carry a camera, absolutely no jewelry(not even a wrist watch), just wear a bathing suit to the beach. Even tho he & his family are quite wealthy they drive junk cars to avoid attention.

 

Its very a dangerous city with a corrupt gov't.

 

 

I was in RIO several years back - there were signs all over the path

that lead out of the hotel to the beach stating "WARNING: do not

take ANYTHING of value to the beach" "LAST WARNING..." etc.

I was dressed in only my swimsuit, shorts, I threw a towel over

my shoulder and went barefoot off for a swim. Yep!, you guessed

it - they stole my shorts. :(

[Bollinge]

The dear old BBC now have the story three days later than "Cruise Critic":

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4638150.stm