Just read about “anarchy” in Haiti due to gas prices ..

[Ret MP]

12 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Cruise passengers have been going to Labadee since 1986. Over 30 years Royal has been stopping there. I was there the first time in 1996. Nothing has ever happened there to any cruise passengers nor have they been harmed by locals. But of course many Americans can not read maps, only headlines so it must be dangerous despite all empirical evidence otherwiseat.

 

I repeat, that's their decision.  AND, as I said, I'd go, with my family, to Labadee.  But, I won't find fault with those that won't.

 

 

Cruise line excursions are overpriced and over promised. That is why I book my own at the ports. But of course many are risk adverse, they don't fathom that the cruise line excursion is not done by the cruise line, the cruise line is booking from local tour operators and taking a cut. 

I will not take an excursion that isn't booked through the cruise line.  Why?  Because of the protection of not being left behind if the excursion is late getting back to the dock/pier.  I've been late coming back from a cruise line excursion about 2.5 hours late, in Panama, fortunately, I booked it through the cruise line and the ship was waiting on us.  I've witnessed the "Pier Runners" not making it back to the ship on time.  I've watched the many Youtube videos of "Pier Runners".  For that reason and that reason only, I use the ship sponsored excursions, when I do take an excursion.

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Ret MP

[Moltar]

19 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

I just watched a video this week from a man that went to Haiti for a few days. It is really sad what is happening there. They cannot get fuel as the gangs are stealing it all as soon as the tankers hit port. They then deliver the fuel in drums to local gas stations and sell it there on the black market. It is killing all businesses there. Cabs, trucks and those who depend on generators are in deep trouble. 

Indigo Traveler.

[A&L_Ont]

On 9/18/2022 at 7:57 AM, Cruise a holic said:

We were in Labadee in August.  We used to enjoy it.  Found it full of sand fleas- bring bug spray.  The (suite) lunch also had many insects flying about.  We really enjoyed coco Cay and will try to pick cruises that stop their instead of labadee.  Or no longer get off the ship in labadee.  Too bad as the beach is nice.

We saw the great relatives of those flies in March 2019 at the same suite lunch buffet. Not much has changed. 

[A&L_Ont]

15 minutes ago, Moltar said:

Indigo Traveler.

I watched that too. Contractors we know here used to be part of a humanitarian group that used to go to Haiti. They stopped in the early 2000s because of safety. They flew in on commercial air and they supplies they were sending in came in on Canadian Military planes.  Their local politicians would help to arrange free cargo space for humanitarian work. 
 

They arrived the day before, and supplies were loaded from the plane directly onto their pick-up trucks. If they didn’t supplies had been known to disappear.  They immediately left the airport for the churches that they worked with far away from Port au Prince. They said they constantly heard gun shots while driving out of town and didn’t feel safe until they were well in their way. That was almost 20 years ago.

 

After watching Indigo Traveller I could only fathom what it would be like today. 

Edited September 20, 2022 by A&L_Ont

[Charles4515]

28 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Why?  Because of the protection of not being left behind if the excursion is late getting back to the dock/pier.  I've been late coming back from a cruise line excursion about 2.5 hours late, in Panama, fortunately, I booked it through the cruise line and the ship was waiting on us.  I've witnessed the "Pier Runners" not making it back to the ship on time.  I've watched the many Youtube videos of "Pier Runners".  For that reason and that reason only, I use the ship sponsored excursions, when I do take an excursion.

 

Those pier runners are not likely to have been on independently  booked excursions. They were in a bar or took a taxi somewhere and lost track of the time. I rarely book cruise line excursions and I have been on over 60 cruises in North America and Europe. Never came close to missing the ship. Those independent excursions were both better and less expensive than cruise line excursions. But hey it is your choice to buy into the cruise line propaganda about being left behind. I do research and book with known reliable tour operators. If they brought you back late their name would be mud on the internet so they don't screw up. By the way the ship excursions have left people behind, they will get you back to the next port but sometimes they do have to leave people behind. 

[Ret MP]

24 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Those pier runners are not likely to have been on independently  booked excursions. They were in a bar or took a taxi somewhere and lost track of the time. I rarely book cruise line excursions and I have been on over 60 cruises in North America and Europe. Never came close to missing the ship. Those independent excursions were both better and less expensive than cruise line excursions. But hey it is your choice to buy into the cruise line propaganda about being left behind. I do research and book with known reliable tour operators. If they brought you back late their name would be mud on the internet so they don't screw up. By the way the ship excursions have left people behind, they will get you back to the next port but sometimes they do have to leave people behind. 

Well, I know what I know and I know that many of those pier runners are coming back from independent tour operators.  Is there propaganda?  Hell yes there is.  On both sides of the issue.  And, yes, ships have left those behind that were late and on cruise line sponsored tours.  But, every story that I've read about is because of extreme circumstances, like weather moving in, scheduling issues and so on.  In those cases, the cruise line arranged and paid for transportation to the next Port of Call or home port.

 

Yep, we are all entitled to our own opinion.  

 

EDITED IN:  Was it propaganda when we were 2 and a half hours late/beyond departure time and the ship waited on us, in Panama?  I was severely grateful that they waited as Panama at night, being a foreigner, not speaking Spanish, at that pier isn't a place to be left high and dry with no guaranteed assistance or travel arrangements paid for.

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Ret MP

[Moltar]

I Keep checking for Episode 4. He is going to be in Cape Haitian or however you spell it.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Moltar

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

Well, I know what I know and I know that many of those pier runners are coming back from independent tour operators. 

There was a long thread recently on the subject and none reported being on an independent tour and missing the ship. The pier runners were not coming back from indepndent tours. But you are entitled to live the fear and keep taking the cattle tours. I will stick to private tours like where 4 of us get to see the Hermitage and see what we want to see while the cruise line excursion has 30 people wearing wireless headphones chasing the tour guide and trying to keep up with her. I will stick with quality. You probably would be one of those who pays the cruise line in Bermuda $150 to get to Horseshoe Bay which is a $32 taxi ride because you imagine it safer. 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, Moltar said:

Indigo Traveler.

I watched some of his videos of hitchhiking through Iran and Iraq. Interesting but I got tired of his outlook. There are bunch of YouTubers doing adventure travel that pushes the boundries. They do have support though. Local contacts who help them. 

[Ocean Boy]

25 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

You probably would be one of those who pays the cruise line in Bermuda $150 to get to Horseshoe Bay which is a $32 taxi ride because you imagine it safer. 

It is a much less expensive public bus ride.

[Ret MP]

27 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

There was a long thread recently on the subject and none reported being on an independent tour and missing the ship. The pier runners were not coming back from indepndent tours. But you are entitled to live the fear and keep taking the cattle tours. I will stick to private tours like where 4 of us get to see the Hermitage and see what we want to see while the cruise line excursion has 30 people wearing wireless headphones chasing the tour guide and trying to keep up with her. I will stick with quality. You probably would be one of those who pays the cruise line in Bermuda $150 to get to Horseshoe Bay which is a $32 taxi ride because you imagine it safer. 

I finally figured out how you get your daily exercise:  You jump to conclusions and race to labels.

 

In fact, I take, and it is well documented in here, the public transportation (bus), for just a few bucks, and walk.  

 

I'm glad you read one lengthily thread, I'm sure you are the most enlightened person in the Internet.  However, I've seen it more than once, people running off of buses, shuttles, trams to try to make it to a ship that is already off the dock and I've read/watched the video of it many many times.

 

I don't fear being left behind, just like I don't fear a fire in my home.  But, I do have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen and I know how to dial 911. 

 

If a captain of a ship is willing to leave behind people that are coming from the bars, shopping, and/or fell asleep on the beach, what make you thing that he/she aren't willing to leave behind those that were on an independent tour as the cruise line made no guarantees to them and have no responsibility to them?

 

BTW, why do you care which excursions I take and why?  Does it offend you?  Do you feel superior because of your opinion?  I don't understand!

 

Okay, I've said my peace, so let's end this here.  I have my opinion and reasons and you have yours.  It doesn't mean that we have to spread hate (yes, a strong word, feel fee to insert whatever you want).  So go ahead and say your and let's be done with it.

 

 

[BirdTravels]

On 9/19/2022 at 7:54 PM, kitkat343 said:

It is completely safe at Labadee because the general public does not have access to Labadee.  The only Haitians who can enter are those who work for RC or those who have been screened and are allowed to sell local handicrafts in the marketplace.

It's perfectly safe... but, there are armed guards at the perimeter gates,,, just in case it is not perfectly safe,,, and to give the passengers time to run back to the safety of the ship. 

[mpdog42]

23 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I finally figured out how you get your daily exercise:  You jump to conclusions and race to labels.

 

In fact, I take, and it is well documented in here, the public transportation (bus), for just a few bucks, and walk.  

 

I'm glad you read one lengthily thread, I'm sure you are the most enlightened person in the Internet.  However, I've seen it more than once, people running off of buses, shuttles, trams to try to make it to a ship that is already off the dock and I've read/watched the video of it many many times.

 

I don't fear being left behind, just like I don't fear a fire in my home.  But, I do have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen and I know how to dial 911. 

 

If a captain of a ship is willing to leave behind people that are coming from the bars, shopping, and/or fell asleep on the beach, what make you thing that he/she aren't willing to leave behind those that were on an independent tour as the cruise line made no guarantees to them and have no responsibility to them?

 

BTW, why do you care which excursions I take and why?  Does it offend you?  Do you feel superior because of your opinion?  I don't understand!

 

Okay, I've said my peace, so let's end this here.  I have my opinion and reasons and you have yours.  It doesn't mean that we have to spread hate (yes, a strong word, feel fee to insert whatever you want).  So go ahead and say your and let's be done with it.

 

 

Don't sweat it Sarge...Civilians🙄