Have you felt in danger at a port

[one redneck cruiser]

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like, oops I think we went down the wrong way. It happened too my family and I in Cozumel. We walked out side Puerta Maya and across the street there is an ally with a large banner that reads "Calypso Welcome Center" . My wife, my 19 y.o. son, 21 y.o. son-inlaw, 21 y.o. daughter an myself walked down this alley where there were about 4 small venders. We looked around and were about to walk out when 5 local men walked out of a doorway. I know enough Spanish to know they were discussing which one was going to try to take my Cannon DSLR Camera from me. I told the girls to get behind us handed my camera to my wife, my sons flanked me and prepared for a fight. I guess the men decided we were not easy marks and scattered. I learned a couple of lessons that day 1. I leave the high dollar camera out of sight, 2 be very carefull where you go, 3 no matter what port your in you nothing more than fat rich Americans to the locals.:eek:

[cruzeluver]

Never felt unsafe, and we have walked around in some of the towns the nervous-nellies on here would swear are death traps like Belize City, different parts of Jamaica, Acapulco, Cartagena etc. Love to walk around a bit off the beaten path, get away from the tourist traps. We do our research ahead of time and have never had a problem.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been in ports almost all over the world.

We never felt unsafe in any of them

We just used common sense -- followed advised comments from the ships -- or land tour guides.

Have been to Puerta Maya a couple of times -- never had any problems there.

[CaveDiving]

I have spent a great deal of time in Cozumel as I am a scuba diver and have a condo in Puerto Aventuras on the mainland 10 miles south of Playa del Carmen. Of course I can't be certain, but it surely seems to me that this posting tells more about the writer than about the people who live in Cozumel.

 

Scott & Karen

[Husky61]

It really doesn't matter what country you are in, just exercise the same precautions you would do at home. I know many areas of South Central Los Angeles I wouldn't walk around in day or night. I also don't recommend walking around Century Blvd. near the airport at night.

 

With that said, we usually get off the tourist beat and explore the other countries.:)

[SadieN]

The sidewalks in Ensenada are troubling. Any off the main tourist street are full of open utility boxes.

 

We have had no problem taking the Blue Line thru South Central LA. We just do it in daylight.

[Hlitner]

It happened to DW and I in Tunis, Tunesia. Several years ago we were there for a long port day on the old Marco Polo. DW and I decided to walk out of the port (in the afternoon) to a nearby beach...having received assurances from the Tunesian authorities (on board our ship) that it was perfectly. The beach was gorgeous and we had a great day although DW became the subject of thousands of pairs of eyes because she was a blond and wearing a 1 piece swim suit (the locals wore there head to tow gowns in the water. But others on the beach were very friendly and actually "protected" us from some nosy children (who were really cute). So we walk back to the port and when we try to get through the main gate the security folks pointed automatic weapons at us and would not allow is back in the port. We pointed to the ship and showed them our pass (issued by the Tunisian authorities on the ship) and there answer was to cock their weapons. At that point I get angry and demanded to see an officer (I said this in lousy French). They did finally get an officer and we had some nasty words...and he finally allowed us to pass. Having served in a war zone (Vietnam) and being shot at, ducked to avoid rockets, etc....this situation in Tunesia was the scariest.

 

Hank

[nolatravelgirl]

Never carry anything that you couldn't live without. As a well seasoned traveler, I wear minimal jewelry and back up my camera card nightly. I carry one credit card, several small bills and an ID card. If it is a place where I may need more cash I hide it somewhere non-obvious on my body. Nothing in my purse is worth my life so I will gladly hand (throw in another direction) for my safety.

 

Use common sense when traveling in the US or abroad.

• Use name brand ATMs
  
• Use ATMs during daylight hours in heavily populated areas
  
• Carry only what you are willing to lose.
  
• carry big bills hidden away from your pocket money
  
• never put up a fight
  
• never carry your passport
  
• don't walk down alleys
  
• if a "local" approaches you and tells you about some aweome place then it is probably scam.
  
• Not all locals are scammers, but YOU should approach them and ask for suggestions.
  

[paul929207]

Nope. Never had a problem or felt unsafe

[Treven]

Our tour guide at Belize City would not let us out of our van during our tour of the city, such as it was. He only made one photo stop and that was at the brick church on the outskirts of town. He wouldn't drive through the main part of the city; I don't know if that was for our protection or to build up his sense of worth.

[travlnblueberries]

Once in Puerto Rico. (One of our favorite ports). Right to the point....In the wrong place at the wrong time!

[PennyAgain]

I am more concerned in the parking lot where I work than I am in most port cities. I am careful in all situations.

 

Those of us who are older folks are likely more in danger from slip and fall accidents than from muggers.

 

I've seen plenty of people fall, but have not heard personally from someone who was mugged in a cruise port.

[jean s]

We travel quite a bit and I've only felt threatened once. In Jamaica we got a little confused returning to our tour bus and took a wrong turn. Thankfully my dh is a really big guy and let the individual know he was not scared.

[euro cruiser]

I can't remember being uncomfortable at a cruise port stop, but I had a moment (or two or three) once in Nairobi, not terribly long after the embassy bombing. My driver took me to one of the few working ATMs and stood very close to me, his back to my back as he kept watch, while I got money. It was creepy and uncomfortable and sad, in the midst of such poverty.

 

Later during that same trip we boarded a ship for a Nile River cruise, and my cousin was approached by a uniformed officer at Azwan who offered to show him a fabulous view. Alone, and not thinking too much about it, he followed the guy to what was, in fact, a lovely view. Or it was until this armed guy (the officer) demanded money from him for having brought him to see it. He gave him some and got out of there.

[CruiseMan1970]

Didn't really feel unsafe but,

 

On our 08 cruise of the Mexican Riviera when we made port in Mazatlan there were about 50 very heavy armed soldiers with machine guns and dogs.

 

If you don't know in Mazatlan what you first see of the port is a container yard and you take trams to the port welcome center. But unless you know it you can only see the flags where the welcome center is.

 

Well after the ship cleared customs the Capitan made a announcement that the soldiers were just doing a training exercise at the container yard. They were doing a drug search.

 

After the announcement I'm sure a lot of people out on the deck felt a bit safer.

[NoobCruise]

In Mazatlan, we took a shorex that ended at a beach for a BBQ. We felt perfectly safe with the tour guides, until we realized there were a number of them up on the hills surrounding our beach with serious looking guns, acting as guards. We wondered why we needed armed guards.

[mikewrit]

After years of "Miami Vice," "CSI Miami" and "Burn Notice," going into town after midnight to a hotel near the cruise port was scarier than Istanbul or Port Said.

[Sailor_Sally]

 

I've seen plenty of people fall, but have not heard personally from someone who was mugged in a cruise port.

 

We were mugged in the Bahamas by an american couple on their honeymoon who unfortunately tried some local drugs that lead to aggression.My husband was beaten but I escaped and ran for help .To this day I still get nervous when someone gets too close to me.

[moesyk4]

We were walking back from the free beach in Nassau and dh had wanted to see some old churches. Right on the main touristy road there was a pretty decorative street sign pointing up a pleasant looking road advertising a couple of churches. We walked up the hill assuming since it was advertised on the main road it was safe and did see two beautiful churches and took a few pics when a lady came out of one of them and told us we weren't safe. She told us to hide our camera and immediately turn around and had back as quickly as we could. It was a long few minutes back and really freaked me out.

[sprint180]

While walking back to the bus at the Tulum ruins. My 13 yr old son picked up a string off the ground. We realized it was their fence, yes a stick and string, and he dropped it again. Someone going by on the trolly yelled at us and someone else met us and wouldn't let us leave saying we destroyed property. Finally a nice gentleman came by and talked to the guy about something. As he was walking away he heard me say to the man to leave us alone that we didn't do anything. The nice man turned around and yelled at the man detaining us and told us to keep walking. Yes at that point I felt unsafe.

[Jtangel27]

In Manzanillo, Mex, we weren't sure what to do in the city, it being our first time at that port. We asked one of the locals at the info desk on the dock what we could do for the day. He told us there was a famous plaza where there was a great big tree where all these Iguanas live in. He told us it was just down the main street, and it was only a thirty minute walk from the port. So, we go, and we're walking down the main tourist-y street, which is absolutely crowded, and honestly, quite third world. We had been to Mexico many times before and we know that, although the country is very beautiful, there are parts that have been hit hard with poverty.

 

So we go down the street, and eventually reach the plaza. The crowds had died down, and we noticed we were the only group of non locals in the area, where several men stared at us (M, D, and I) and said some things to each other. I have about nine years and counting of experience taking Spanish in school, both the language and the culture of the Spanish speaking countries, and at that moment, by what the men were saying, how they dressed and how the architecture of the buildings in this part of town were, I could tell that the area we were in was not good.

 

I told my parents about this, and my father said "How do you know this is a bad area? I'm sure it's fine!" which I replied with "I can read the graffiti," which told us that it was a bad drug area.

 

We left before anything could happen, but that was one of the first times in our cruising experience that we really felt that maybe we weren't in the right place at that time.

 

One other experience we had, which really wasn't much but has made for a great story, is when we went to Montego Bay, Jam. where went river tubing. The excursion was about a forty five minute drive away from the docks, so everyone signed up for the excursion took this old Toyota mini bus (I didn't know Toyota made buses until then!). We drove through the city for awhile, and then onto the highway which took us to this big deserted hill. We drove on for awhile, until suddenly we started smelling a sort of burning smell coming from the front of the bus. A little bit of smoke started to cover the windshield as the bus pushed up the hill, until finally the engine caught on fire and the bus died! We all had to "evacuate," the bus and had to wait on the side of the road while another bus came to pick us up. As we're waiting, some of the locals were driving by, and, well, let's just say some of them said some things to us! Some funny, some racially shocking! And then, get this, as we're waiting... it starts to rain and thunder little bit! It may sounds bad, but honestly, it was all good fun in the end, and we were able to get to our excursion on time and we had an amazing time. And it really does make for a good cruise story!

[beachchick]

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like, oops I think we went down the wrong way. It happened too my family and I in Cozumel. We walked out side Puerta Maya and across the street there is an ally with a large banner that reads "Calypso Welcome Center" . My wife, my 19 y.o. son, 21 y.o. son-inlaw, 21 y.o. daughter an myself walked down this alley where there were about 4 small venders. We looked around and were about to walk out when 5 local men walked out of a doorway. I know enough Spanish to know they were discussing which one was going to try to take my Cannon DSLR Camera from me. I told the girls to get behind us handed my camera to my wife, my sons flanked me and prepared for a fight. I guess the men decided we were not easy marks and scattered. I learned a couple of lessons that day 1. I leave the high dollar camera out of sight, 2 be very carefull where you go, 3 no matter what port your in you nothing more than fat rich Americans to the locals.:eek:

 

A good lesson learned and I'm glad you were all okay. I agree with your 1 and 2, but absolutely not with your 3. It is not true that in every port we are seen as "nothing more than fat rich Americans." Yes, there are ports where the bulk of cruise passengers are perceived (and many are) that way. Certainly Mexico and some other countries have a reputation for being unsafe for tourists, especially Americans, and sadly those reputations are often well earned. But it's insulting to locals in many, probably most, ports to treat them as if they are the enemy. In those places, we find that if we don't act like the stereotypical "ugly" American, then we are not generally going to be treated that way.

 

My hubby and I have traveled around much of the world and have rarely felt unsafe. But as others have mentioned, we always practice safety no matter where we are (even in the US). Where we will be pegged as tourists no matter what (say, in a country where my 6' blonde haired, blue eyed hubby towers over locals who are generally shorter, darker, and with different features), we make sure to follow more precautions. For all our travels, we learn something about the culture before we visit, we approach locals with a respect for their country, and we try to be friendly. There are countries we will not visit under any circumstances because we will not feel safe or comfortable; we always look at State Department travel warnings; we always note where US Embassies are located, just in case of emergency.

 

beachchick

[Aplmac]

Of course I can't be certain,

but it surely seems to me that this posting tells more about the writer

than about the people who live in Cozumel.

:D Loving your assessment! :D

 

.

[blessed0625]

DH and I have been on 8 cruises, and we generally like to pre plan our own excursions and walk thethe cities, exploring the culture on our own.

 

Don't do this in Ocho Rios! Go to Dunn's River Falls on a ship shore excursion like everyone else. This is the only port I have ever felt unsafe in...not to mention the filth, the locals even kept offering us drugs! It was terrible and we got back on the ship as soon as we could. Be cautious if you go this port and do not choose a cruise line excursion!

[tip]

We have been on many cruises and have visited dozens of ports. We have never felt at any time that we were in danger, but a couple of times we have felt a little uncomfortable. We just did not enjoy Jamaica because of this.

 

The first time we visited Cartagena, Colombia the taxi driver dropped us off several blocks from Old Town and we were a little uncomfortable due to our poor command of the language more than anything else. When we visit again this fall, we shall make sure that we are dropped off closer to our location.