Kingofcool1947 Posted June 10, 2019 #1 Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) I’m thinking of taking an Oceania cruise to the Caribbean. My question is about the itinerary. For those of you that cruise with Oceania, have you taken an Oceania Caribbean cruise with a port of call includes the Dominican Republic? In light of recent mysterious deaths at luxury resorts, assaults, and a shooting of retired MLB baseball player, David Ortiz in the the capital, Santo Domingo, I don’t understand why Oceania makes the Dominican Republic a port of call? I am a bit worried. I usually like to walk around at ports of call to explore independently. Would you recommend instead to take a shore excursion in Dominican Republic? Did you feel safe? Thanks for your honest opinion. Edited June 10, 2019 by Kingofcool1947 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawnino Posted June 10, 2019 #2 Share Posted June 10, 2019 You'll be fine. I lived in the Caribbean six years (not DR specifically, did travel there plenty). Every island I saw has the sanitised side the tourist sees, and the sketchier areas mostly locals frequent. Things hit the news when those worlds collide and bad things happen. A person might ask "OMG is LA/Chicago/Florida safe for travellers?" after they've seen a shooting on the news in Compton/South Side/a high school. Kinda the same deal, really. Santo Domingo has its Compton. You want to stay away from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendon Posted June 10, 2019 #3 Share Posted June 10, 2019 The DR is not like many cruise ports in the Caribbean such as St Maarten or Grand Cayman where you can just wander around. I've done some charity work there a number of times in the Puerto Plata area (always accompanied by someone armed) as well as pleasure travel. On this island, it's best to stay in the port area where there are some shops, a nice restaurant, and a swimming pool OR choose a ship's excursion. Another option is to get a taxi and have the driver give you a three hour tour for a local's perspective. We've done that...just be sure to get a driver whose english is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelc Posted June 10, 2019 #4 Share Posted June 10, 2019 If you are planning on doing your own thing, then the simple answer is probably no - but that's just my humble opinion. Some of the others who visited during the same trip probably found it ok. However, the vast majority of the people I spoke too, would not want to repeat the experience. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted June 10, 2019 #5 Share Posted June 10, 2019 which port in the DR? the ship has a couple they stop at Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingofcool1947 Posted June 10, 2019 Author #6 Share Posted June 10, 2019 1 hour ago, nigelc said: If you are planning on doing your own thing, then the simple answer is probably no - but that's just my humble opinion. Some of the others who visited during the same trip probably found it ok. However, the vast majority of the people I spoke too, would not want to repeat the experience. 51 minutes ago, LHT28 said: which port in the DR? the ship has a couple they stop at Oceania itinerary says it is Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted June 10, 2019 #7 Share Posted June 10, 2019 58 minutes ago, Kingofcool1947 said: Oceania itinerary says it is Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Thanks. mostly a beach area & a tender port so you may or may not make it the seas were to rough the day we were there so not stopping just do some research on things to do in case you do make it ashore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendon Posted June 10, 2019 #8 Share Posted June 10, 2019 1 hour ago, Kingofcool1947 said: Oceania itinerary says it is Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Thanks. There are plenty of all inclusive resorts there. Could be spending a day at one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Noxequifans Posted June 10, 2019 #9 Share Posted June 10, 2019 I would not go ashore at that stop. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted June 10, 2019 #10 Share Posted June 10, 2019 18 minutes ago, Noxequifans said: I would not go ashore at that stop. From what I have been reading I do not feel DR is at all safe. Even at the all inclusive hotels. Stay Away 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyMomster2112 Posted June 10, 2019 #11 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Roads are not safe from what I’ve seen on news reports. Definitely would pick a ship excursion or probably just stay on the ship. Hard to justify leaving the lap of luxury when there’s another port in a day or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted June 10, 2019 #12 Share Posted June 10, 2019 14 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said: I’m thinking of taking an Oceania cruise to the Caribbean. My question is about the itinerary. For those of you that cruise with Oceania, have you taken an Oceania Caribbean cruise with a port of call includes the Dominican Republic? In light of recent mysterious deaths at luxury resorts, assaults, and a shooting of retired MLB baseball player, David Ortiz in the the capital, Santo Domingo, I don’t understand why Oceania makes the Dominican Republic a port of call? I am a bit worried. I usually like to walk around at ports of call to explore independently. Would you recommend instead to take a shore excursion in Dominican Republic? Did you feel safe? Thanks for your honest opinion. Because its cheap to port there..... Look at the state dept briefing on Dominican and Haiti it aint all that wonderful..... People go there because its cheap too... I plan on staying on the ship, myself Same in Guatemala and El Salvador,..... The region has the highest crime rate in the Americas..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeniEncinitas Posted June 10, 2019 #13 Share Posted June 10, 2019 On my CNN app they were letting people know how safe places were around the world with 1 safe 5 no travel (violence) I’m sorry I was glancing at over 37 areas had no idea if it was a government site. Dominican Republic was considered unsafe for travelers gave a 4 and Haiti was also a 4. For what it is worth I would play it safe and not go into town. Just my opinion. Denise😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted June 10, 2019 #14 Share Posted June 10, 2019 there are no truly safe places in the world 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted June 10, 2019 #15 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Stayed at an AI there once. One of the worst vacations I've ever had, horrible food, horrible service, horrible drinks that I had upgraded to the VIP package for. In all fairness it was a beautiful property with a great beach. Group of 6 and by the end or 3 or 4 days we were all living on Immodium, Pepcid and toast. At least nobody died like the folks there recently. I could see how someone with a weak system could. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted June 10, 2019 #16 Share Posted June 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, ORV said: Stayed at an AI there once. One of the worst vacations I've ever had, horrible food, horrible service, horrible drinks that I had upgraded to the VIP package for. In all fairness it was a beautiful property with a great beach. Group of 6 and by the end or 3 or 4 days we were all living on Immodium, Pepcid and toast. At least nobody died like the folks there recently. I could see how someone with a weak system could. N.Y. Post now reporting nearly 70 tourists sick in DR since March. Stay on boat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawnino Posted June 10, 2019 #17 Share Posted June 10, 2019 1 hour ago, ORV said: Stayed at an AI there once. One of the worst vacations I've ever had, horrible food, horrible service, horrible drinks that I had upgraded to the VIP package for. In all fairness it was a beautiful property with a great beach. Group of 6 and by the end or 3 or 4 days we were all living on Immodium, Pepcid and toast. At least nobody died like the folks there recently. I could see how someone with a weak system could. I have spoken with a lot of Canadians who have done AI in DR. It's really weird: Out of dozens of people, only one has ever told me it was OK. Either it was "Amazing! Going back ASAP!" or it was the worst vacation they ever had. With apologies to Tolstoy, the unhappy vacationers are unhappy in their own ways. There is much of the gastrointestinal carnage you describe. There is overall poor accommodation and food. There is bad service. There is "nothing to do." There were people who felt confined because the resort was in a sketchy area. As to the Big Papi shooting, last item I read speculates it is a revenge shooting because Big Papi was getting his Little Papi acquainted with the wife of a jealous man. Such things are not limited to the DR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ano Posted June 12, 2019 #18 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I went to the Dominican Republic two years ago, and after researching it, we decided not to get off the boat. It seems like its only gone downhill since then. Acapulco and Jamaica are other ports we won't visit. Why do the ships still visit? I'm sure you know the answer to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted June 12, 2019 #19 Share Posted June 12, 2019 10 hours ago, ano said: I went to the Dominican Republic two years ago, and after researching it, we decided not to get off the boat. It seems like its only gone downhill since then. Acapulco and Jamaica are other ports we won't visit. Why do the ships still visit? I'm sure you know the answer to that. Need someplace else to stop. Running out of safe ports in the Cqrib. with a lot of new ships coming out and Cuba closed for the time being. Hope that changes soon. But, some of the newer ships are nice to stay on anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted June 12, 2019 #20 Share Posted June 12, 2019 On 6/10/2019 at 4:34 AM, Shawnino said: You'll be fine. I lived in the Caribbean six years (not DR specifically, did travel there plenty). Every island I saw has the sanitised side the tourist sees, and the sketchier areas mostly locals frequent. Things hit the news when those worlds collide and bad things happen. A person might ask "OMG is LA/Chicago/Florida safe for travellers?" after they've seen a shooting on the news in Compton/South Side/a high school. Kinda the same deal, really. Santo Domingo has its Compton. You want to stay away from that. To be accurate Santa Domingo is Compton. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DOJO466 Posted June 12, 2019 #21 Share Posted June 12, 2019 We stay on the ship when at DR. Have no interest in the place at all. We have been there on 7 cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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