3 Cruise passengers missing in Ocho Rios?

[tpiper55]

We've been to Jamaica once (Ocho Rios) and NEVER again. There are too many other fabulous ports of call in the Caribbean where the citizens are civilized. We've steered everyone we know, who travel by ship, to avoid Jamaica.

 

WOW, just WOW!!!

[tpiper55]

Wow - feed the "sky is falling" theory.

 

I would sleep in the middle of the road in Ocho before going near mexico any time soon-- the worst thing would happen is somebody would try to force me to buy a bracelet or some pot muffins. These people left with ALL their luggage getting off the ship?

 

We've had 5 land-based vacations - once accidentally been to the "back alley" of jewelry and drugs in MoBay and lived to tell about it - a very firm "No Thanks, I'm Good", and keep walking

 

We've been to the remote areas and vendors are only a one time NO instead of 2-3.

 

It's sad

but it's like going to the pound to get a buried treasure.

I got my puppy, he's created a lot of great memories for me --

but in my journey I had to bypass many sad other puppies to get mine. Does that mean I should never go to the pound again? Because it's a little sad and somewhat scary? I might get bit, might get a tick, probably not going to get rabies and DIE.

 

 

Thou shall not base an entire country on the 1 mile radius of a cruiseport in one of the poorest yet beautiful islands.

Anyone else on my side here? :confused::confused::confused:

I am, but unfortunately you will not find many on your side here. Unfortunately most people have a hard time relating to, or drumming up empathy for those whose struggles they don't understand and who might look a bit different. It's one of those truths that us 'privileged' Americans don't like to face. Slam away

[luvdisney2010]

The sad part is simply that some individuals would not try to sell ganja if they did not have success selling it to tourists, namely Americans. Can you really blame them? I can't. We saw poor areas of Jamaica, but we saw beautiful areas of Jamaica. It is really no different than any other country you might visit. There are safer areas and not so safe areas. As a PP said, it really is no different than several cities in the states. I have a friend that goes for a week and stays at an all-inclusive on a regular basis. She loves Jamaica. We saw several resorts where we might consider staying. We find vendors in Cozumel pushy, but that doesn't stop me from visiting there. It comes down to personal preference.

[vivavegas]

So sorry to hear this. Hope they are OK!

[OCruisers]

Have there been any NEWS updates on the "missing three"?

[lady_cruiser]

It will be interesting to see what happens to mom, pop and daughter. If they had missed the ship they would have notified someone and let them know that would catch up with the ship at the next port-of call.

 

Any way it is good to hear that they are OK.

[beachbum6264]

Found...

 

http://www.karnnewsradio.com/rssItem.asp?feedid=113&itemid=29884264

 

disembarked and checked into a resort. :confused:

[OCruisers]

Found...

 

http://www.karnnewsradio.com/rssItem.asp?feedid=113&itemid=29884264

 

disembarked and checked into a resort. :confused:

 

Thanks for the link!

 

That's really odd behavior! :confused:

[Buffettfan 225]

LOL! It wouldn't matter. Does anyone recall the Carnival banana plantation tour where they held guns to passengers heads during a robbery? Jamaica has always been dangerous.

I recall that ..any excursion can be overcome with someone wishing to do no good,harm,robbery.

[kcdancerkc]

Is it legal to go to a resort off a ship

and not enter through customs in JA?

 

We've always flown in - but what if you could save a few hundred on airfair? Or just want to cruise a couple days and get to your favorite island? Legal Eagles out there?

[wrigley80]

I hope everyone is OK and they are found safe and sound. Ocho Rios is NOT a place that I will ever venture out on my own

[Simplertimes]

We went to Mo Bay - some of us went on a dolphin swim excursion and then to Doctor's Cove (Cave?) Beach. The ones who didn't go on the excursion met us there. On the way to the beach, we stopped at some shops. Walked around, but didn't get hassled after saying "we're just looking". Along the way, saw some beautiful views. Also saw the poverty that some people live in - just made me sad.

 

At the beach, we went out to some shops - again, no hassle past the initial pleading. One store we were offered weed and I asked, "where would we smoke it?" Jokingly. Really. I was told at the back of their store. From the smell, it seems others had taken them up on their offer! :eek: But, all the people we spoke with were friendly and joking around. Not once did I feel threatened.

 

Anyway, I loved Jamaica and when we were talking about doing an AI, I mentioned Jamaica. But, we're back to a cruise! So maybe another time.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Is it legal to go to a resort off a ship

and not enter through customs in JA?

 

We've always flown in - but what if you could save a few hundred on airfair? Or just want to cruise a couple days and get to your favorite island? Legal Eagles out there?

 

Something I'm curious about too. One of the articles linked said the family was being detained by the police for questioning. Possible charges to be filed. As you disembark the ship on a port day, you may walk by customs but your passport is not going to be stamped. The only time my passport was stamped exiting the ship was when I disembarked a transatlantic in Dover early (official end of cruise was next day in Amsterdam) - I had cleared it with the downlining department of the cruise line in advance. So when we boarded the flight for our return home, our passports already had a stamp that we were in the country legally. If you sneak off the ship, you don't have that stamp.

[Goldwolf]

WOW, just WOW!!!

 

I'm glad it's not just me who found this thread a pretty depressing read, a family decide to stay in Jamaica for a bit longer than was intended (weird, but hey) and that's enough excuse for the entire island to be character assassinated.

 

You know, and with due respect, if I believed everything I heard on the TV I'd never leave the UK and come to the USA for fear of being shot. Luckily I know in reality it's a great place to visit and I'm looking forward to my trip to Las Vegas, Hawaii and LA in 2 weeks immensely (not a cruise).

 

I don't want to offend anyone, but some of you need to take a look in the mirror. If you want to see the world, you have to take the world as it comes. I found Eygpt to be pretty intimidating in places last year, but as per the good advice that can be found on the thread I was just firm, polite and got on with things. You miss out on so much the world has to offer if you are scared of things being different to that you are used to.

[oncruisecontrol]

The sad part is simply that some individuals would not try to sell ganja if they did not have success selling it to tourists, namely Americans. Can you really blame them? I can't.

 

So true. My first time in Jamaica was back in 1999. In fact, it was my first time ever leaving the United States. We were staying at an AI resort in Negril for 10 days, but flew into Montego Bay. It was something like an hour and a half shuttle bus ride from the airport to the hotel. Along the route, the bus had to slow down to something like 15 mph because of potholes in the road. At one point, we came to a complete stop, and all of a sudden, these guys (like 4 or 5 of them) came rushing out of the woods toward the bus. I was thinking uh oh, we're being ambushed! Well nothing could have been further from the truth as I soon realized that many of the passengers on the shuttle bus had cash in their hands that they were handing out the windows to the guys who simultaneously were handing them the largest, stinkiest buds I have ever seen or smelled. And I have NOT seen or smelled many as I do not smoke. But, there was no mistaking what it was. As we pulled off, some of the passengers admitted that they were regulars at the resort (stay 2 or 3 times a year), and they knew to have their money ready along that route.

[luvdisney2010]

Is it legal to go to a resort off a ship

and not enter through customs in JA?

 

We've always flown in - but what if you could save a few hundred on airfair? Or just want to cruise a couple days and get to your favorite island? Legal Eagles out there?

 

 

DH asked me the same question. He wondered if they could get kicked out of Jamaica because they had entered the country illegally or on false pretenses (maybe analogous to overstaying on a VISA here in the US). DH also commented that when we entered Jamaica via the airport, we had to go through customs, etc. This family did not go through all that. I would be curious if anyone knows the answer as well.

[RRLLAL]

11 Carnival cruises. Jamaica was pretty much our worst port stop yet. To each their own.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[Lady_831]

I'm glad it's not just me who found this thread a pretty depressing read, a family decide to stay in Jamaica for a bit longer than was intended (weird, but hey) and that's enough excuse for the entire island to be character assassinated.

 

You know, and with due respect, if I believed everything I heard on the TV I'd never leave the UK and come to the USA for fear of being shot. Luckily I know in reality it's a great place to visit and I'm looking forward to my trip to Las Vegas, Hawaii and LA in 2 weeks immensely (not a cruise).

 

I don't want to offend anyone, but some of you need to take a look in the mirror. If you want to see the world, you have to take the world as it comes. I found Eygpt to be pretty intimidating in places last year, but as per the good advice that can be found on the thread I was just firm, polite and got on with things. You miss out on so much the world has to offer if you are scared of things being different to that you are used to.

 

THANK YOU!!! I read this thread the other day and I said to my husband that people outside of this country can say the same thing about parts of the U.S., especially considering the recent tragic events in Colorado. I am pretty sure these people who act as if Jamaica is hell on earth would be offended if they heard other citizens of the world putting down the U.S. in the same way.

 

It's a shame that due to the actions of these three people, an entire island and their residents had to be insulted, maligned, and called uncivilized by at least one person.

[LynnTTT]

Found a beach villa. Maybe they just hated the ship? More to foolow I hope

[FiremanDan]

They really must of hated their cruise...can't wait to read their review.

 

I hate Jamica too but can't believe any ship would be worse.

 

Was it the:

Food

Service

Chair hogs

Towel Animals

Or just the spirit of adventure...:p

 

This could be a great story.

[celticd1]

I'm glad it's not just me who found this thread a pretty depressing read, a family decide to stay in Jamaica for a bit longer than was intended (weird, but hey) and that's enough excuse for the entire island to be character assassinated.

 

You know, and with due respect, if I believed everything I heard on the TV I'd never leave the UK and come to the USA for fear of being shot. Luckily I know in reality it's a great place to visit and I'm looking forward to my trip to Las Vegas, Hawaii and LA in 2 weeks immensely (not a cruise).

 

I don't want to offend anyone, but some of you need to take a look in the mirror. If you want to see the world, you have to take the world as it comes. I found Eygpt to be pretty intimidating in places last year, but as per the good advice that can be found on the thread I was just firm, polite and got on with things. You miss out on so much the world has to offer if you are scared of things being different to that you are used to.

 

Great post!

 

Enjoy your visit to the US! :)

[Sh1035]

Excellent post!!! We are glad to have you visit! If I. Hear one more person say it looked poor or people were trying to sell things I. Am going to scream.

 

Roatan 10 years ago they locked up all the street begger kids when a ship came in. It was 10x more depressing then today. But I found it 10x more beautiful then today. Have you ever been pickpocketed in Italy....plenty of people have but oh is so nice....heck I was robbed at gunpoint 3 blocks from the whitehouse!

[CWcruisers]

I'm glad it's not just me who found this thread a pretty depressing read, a family decide to stay in Jamaica for a bit longer than was intended (weird, but hey) and that's enough excuse for the entire island to be character assassinated.

 

 

I live part time in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I understand character assassination, the entire country of Mexico is drug through the mud on a regular basis on these boards even though the Drug Cartel activity is focused only in certain areas of Mexico. But Carnival will yank a ship in a moments notice if they even have a slight indication of their perceived definition of "unsafe".

 

I am curious as one other poster said as to how they were able to leave the ship with all their luggage. I tried to take a suitcase of goods to my home in Cabo when I was on a girlfriend cruise and was stopped, sent back to Guest Services who had to call the port agent and get clearance for me to bring the suitcase into the country. Your stuff has to go through customs. I was met by the port agent who examined the goods and sent me on my way. So why were they not stopped leaving with all their luggage?

 

Since most ships do two days in Cabo, it's not uncommon for people to stay the night, at their own risk of being able to re-tender the next day. All that's asked is that you inform Guest Services so they don't waste time looking for you.

[floss]

THANK YOU!!! I read this thread the other day and I said to my husband that people outside of this country can say the same thing about parts of the U.S., especially considering the recent tragic events in Colorado. I am pretty sure these people who act as if Jamaica is hell on earth would be offended if they heard other citizens of the world putting down the U.S. in the same way.

 

It's a shame that due to the actions of these three people, an entire island and their residents had to be insulted, maligned, and called uncivilized by at least one person.

 

Well said . As someone from the caribbean ( Third World ) who has spend a lifetime in the( First World ) and who deals with a lot with visitors comments such as uncivilized are uncalled for.

Sure some speak from experiences but there are issues where ever we go . We have not created the perfect world yet.

Jamiaca is one of the most beatuiful island in the region but has a serious crime issues some of which follows the pattern and learnt from the so called civilized.

[arby70]

I have to say when we to Ocho Rios in 2000, I didn't feel safe at all. That place scared the crap out of me. I hope they find this family safe.

 

It seems like the entire island is that way. MoBay is full of aggressive vendors. My daughter and SIL went there on the Conquest in 2007 and even the cab driver was trying to sell them drugs.:eek: I have always thought Jamaica would be a neat place to visit, but not any more.:(