Our cruise in July has a port of call in Jamaica and the US government has issued a warning

[DEBBO1012]

Do you think there’s a chance the cruise line will find another port? We are wondering if we should just stay on board if they end up in Jamaica. Thoughts?

[StephPS79]

No, John Heald posted about this a few weeks ago.  There are no plans to stop sailing to Jamaica.  Stick with a Carnival excursion and you should be fine.

[cmichael1221]

Its pretty common for the government to issue warnings like this, I think they're just covering their butts.

 

[cthrn27]

After many cruises, I learned something in Jamaica: If you dont have an excursion STAY ON THE SHIP.

[DEBBO1012]

Thank you so much for the quick answers.

[lennythenose]

We love Jamaica and would not hesitate to get off the ship but I go agree that is one place we ALWAYS have an excursion. Although we don’t use Carnival excursions there. 

[coondog99]

It puzzles me why cruises still go to these places (Nassau has had a US Level 2 advisory since Oct) when it is advised against. Why put people at risk?

 

[Elaine5715]

My first port stop in Jamaica, there were Carnival crew members stationed in the little shopping plaza, preventing guests from walking out the back of the plaza and everyone's packages were searched by Jamaican officials before we left the port area to return to the ship.     

[EngIceDave]

2 hours ago, DEBBO1012 said:

Do you think there’s a chance the cruise line will find another port? We are wondering if we should just stay on board if they end up in Jamaica. Thoughts?

Don't go wandering around anywhere in Jamaica. Not near the port or any hotel/resort, unless with an escorted group, like a tour.

[EngIceDave]

52 minutes ago, coondog99 said:

It puzzles me why cruises still go to these places (Nassau has had a US Level 2 advisory since Oct) when it is advised against. Why put people at risk?

 

That is what that country is. You travel for the differences, the adventure. You can't always be coddled when traveling, there are sketchy places in the world, be careful.

 

Sometimes you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable in order to really experience certain countries.

[icft]

30 minutes ago, coondog99 said:

It puzzles me why cruises still go to these places (Nassau has had a US Level 2 advisory since Oct) when it is advised against. Why put people at risk?

 

They pretty much couldn't go to any places if they avoided places like Nassau. We feel Nassau is one of the safer places unless you seek out the slums. I've lived in New Orleans (and my wife was born and raised there) and we have walked extensively around Nassau; we were last there a couple of months ago. We feel much safer in Nassau than in New Orleans. It is easy to stay in the "good" areas in Nassau. In New Orleans the "bad" areas are interlaced with the good areas. Short stroll for the bad guys with easy egress.

 

Now Jamaica? That place is a sewer with isolated private areas with private security where you are quite safe. Having been a number of times on tours to the safe places, and been there done that, we no longer get off the ship there.

 

The only port where we don't understand why Carnival goes there is Jamaica.

[tidecat]

1 hour ago, coondog99 said:

It puzzles me why cruises still go to these places (Nassau has had a US Level 2 advisory since Oct) when it is advised against. Why put people at risk?

 

The entire nation of The Bahamas actually is under Level 2 - the reports are typically only issued country-by-country, although the advisory specifically calls out Nassau and Freeport.  France, Belize, Honduras, and The United Kingdom also have had Level 2 advisories.

 

Mexico is one of the few with a detailed breakdown - the state where Mazatlan (Sinaloa) is located is Level 4 (Do Not Travel); Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco) and Ensenada (Baja California) are Level 3; and Cabo (Baja California Sur), Costa Maya (Quintana Roo) and Cozumel (Quintana Roo) are Level 2. Progreso (Yucatan) is Level 1 (use normal precaution)

 

As a comparison, Mexico has a whole average 26.6 homicides in 2021. In 2021, Mobile, Alabama averaged 27.27 homicides per 100,000. There are some places in the world that are truly unsafe, maybe the State Department should start issuing advisories about the ones in the US.

[john91498]

Thanks for the info tidecat. My brother in law is skittish about our August Panorama cruise. I basically told him Mexico is far safer then our hometown of Los Angeles...

[EngIceDave]

7 minutes ago, john91498 said:

Thanks for the info tidecat. My brother in law is skittish about our August Panorama cruise. I basically told him Mexico is far safer then our hometown of Los Angeles...

I wouldn't walk around LA 

 

"Only a nobody walks in LA" ~ Missing Persons

 

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, tidecat said:

The entire nation of The Bahamas actually is under Level 2 - the reports are typically only issued country-by-country, although the advisory specifically calls out Nassau and Freeport.  France, Belize, Honduras, and The United Kingdom also have had Level 2 advisories.

 

Mexico is one of the few with a detailed breakdown - the state where Mazatlan (Sinaloa) is located is Level 4 (Do Not Travel); Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco) and Ensenada (Baja California) are Level 3; and Cabo (Baja California Sur), Costa Maya (Quintana Roo) and Cozumel (Quintana Roo) are Level 2. Progreso (Yucatan) is Level 1 (use normal precaution)

 

As a comparison, Mexico has a whole average 26.6 homicides in 2021. In 2021, Mobile, Alabama averaged 27.27 homicides per 100,000. There are some places in the world that are truly unsafe, maybe the State Department should start issuing advisories about the ones in the US.

Reported homicides are not the same as actual murders. Pretty sure the cartels aren't calling in CSI.

[klfrodo]

I’m more concerned for the safety of my grandkids at school than I am about tourist areas in Jamaica or Mexico

[jsglow]

The bottom line for us is not to put ourselves in some compromised situation like walking alone at night through impoverished neighborhoods or soliciting illegal activity/products. You know, kinda like not doing that in Chicago. The State Department advisory is practically useless; just like most of the government.

[MtnSeaGirl]

Our Horizon cruise in April had Jamaica on a warning.  It was not a "don't travel to" but the level before that one.  We were really thinking to stay on the ship after reading so many reviews saying just that.  But...well....we booked the trip almost 2 years prior because we had not been to Jamaica.  Right before we sailed, a few people posted about either going to Margaritaville ( turn right ) or the Public Beach ( turn left ).  Both were at the end of the pier that we docked at.  All we had to do was to walk past the tents with souvenir hawkers and turn right or left.  We watched a few you tube videos people had made to make sure we did the exact path.  We decided on the $3 pp Public Beach ( Ocho Rios Bay Beach ).  We were in sight of the ship the entire time.  I could have swam to it if I had to...well, you probably could, I'm not the best swimmer, but that ship was super close.  Of course, we had to walk to get there. It was a U Turn back as soon as you exited the port gate. Policemen and Policewomen were present both early that morning as well as when we returned around Noon.  I would not venture too far out on my own without a Carnival Excursion.  I would not just jump into any waiting taxi.  I was good with what we did and would do it again. The bottom line , though, is you need to be comfortable with what you decide. Sometimes, ports are changed. Sometimes, ports are not changed.  Take care and let us know how it works out!  

[ontheweb]

22 hours ago, EngIceDave said:

That is what that country is. You travel for the differences, the adventure. You can't always be coddled when traveling, there are sketchy places in the world, be careful.

 

Sometimes you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable in order to really experience certain countries.

We did the Carnival Bob Marley bus excursion. We both loved it. And it took us to a part of Jamaica not seen by the regular tourists who will not wander out of the sight of the ship. 😊

[ontheweb]

20 hours ago, klfrodo said:

I’m more concerned for the safety of my grandkids at school than I am about tourist areas in Jamaica or Mexico

True, and truly a shame. Prayers for the safety of all school children.

[purpleally]

On 6/4/2023 at 5:43 PM, StephPS79 said:

No, John Heald posted about this a few weeks ago.  There are no plans to stop sailing to Jamaica.  Stick with a Carnival excursion and you should be fine.

Tell that to the people on a RC excursion where they were robbed and a gun was held to a child’s head

[staceyglow]

10 minutes ago, purpleally said:

Tell that to the people on a RC excursion where they were robbed and a gun was held to a child’s head

Out of how many hundreds of thousands of cruisers who have visited Jamaica in the last year?

 

I know way more people who have been robbed at gunpoint in the U.S. than in a port of call.  If you don't want to get off the boat in Jamaica (or even choose a cruise that has Jamaican ports), that's your call.  Bur if Carnival only visited ports that had zero crime, the would not be able to stop anywhere but Catalina Island in California.

[notscb]

On 6/4/2023 at 6:34 PM, coondog99 said:

Why put people at risk?

 

Money

[adonisr]

Would never get off the ship.  Jamaica is a dump.

[cxr133]

we are also in the Horizon in July.  there are so many youtube videos about people walking to margaritaville or the beach where you can see the cruise ship.

 

 

Are you guys saying this should not be done?   whats a top excursion for a beach?

 

wife does not want to do the blue hole we jump off the rocks enough

during  our Lake Havasu trips