sherryf Posted August 15, 2013 #51 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Victoria BC. Don't get me wrong. It's a lovely city. But we live in Seattle and can go there easily if we want, and I'd rather go when I have time to do the things I want to do and not be dealing with hordes of cruise ship passengers. It's only on the cruise as a PVSA requirement, and only about 7 PM - midnight on the last night of the cruise. To us, it's just not worth it. The ship is nearly empty, so we can enjoy a leisurely dinner, sit in the hot tub, get our packing done, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri914 Posted August 15, 2013 #52 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Freeport Freeport is too far out and to take a tour takes too long and what a dump. Agree! Freeport is the armpit of the Bahamas. Followed closely by Nassau. :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie S. Posted August 15, 2013 #53 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I see no reason to take a cruise and not get off in a port. When we cruise it is to dive, and we get off the ship at all the ports. And, if we couldn't dive, we still wouldn't stay on the ship! Exploration is fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudscraper Posted August 15, 2013 #54 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Nassau and Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is the only port where the beer is cheaper on the ship than on land. I`ve made the same Grand Cayman comment at least 100 times. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red2black Posted August 15, 2013 #55 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Jamaica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffy116 Posted August 15, 2013 #56 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I love Grand Cayman...clean, safe, lots of cool little shops and galleries to explore. Nassau would be my pick and even there, I get off the ship and wander around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISLABONITA Posted August 15, 2013 #57 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I have only been on 2 cruises and have gotten off at each port but have vacationed in Grand Cayman 4x a week at a time and just love it there! Cozumel is a close 2nd , love the snorkeling and beaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ducklite Posted August 16, 2013 #58 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Nassau. I also am in no rush to return to Grand Cayman or, Puerto Rico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVanTuyl Posted August 16, 2013 #59 Share Posted August 16, 2013 wow I'm surprised to see Santa Barbara on the list, I grew up there and I STILL like going to see the different sights. Also the best ice cream on the planet (McConnell's) is made there, so it is always a required stop :D Thanks to those posters who said "why" certain ports are no-go's, it helps explain to newbies like me why the same ports show on the 'no' lists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bookish Angel Posted August 16, 2013 #60 Share Posted August 16, 2013 To me, there is always something to see, do, etc. That said, we try not to go on cruises that repeat ports but even familiar ports have new things to eat, browse, explore or learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tip Posted August 16, 2013 #61 Share Posted August 16, 2013 For me it's Any Jamaican ports. Same here. That is why I try to avoid any ships that stop in Jamaica. Having been on over twenty cruises, I can honestly say that I have never felt unsafe, BUT some of the characters in Jamaica really made me feel uncomfortable and I spent over twenty years when I was younger as a bouncer and wrestled with the best (or worst) of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitty9 Posted August 16, 2013 #62 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Any stop in Jamaica. Just too scary of a port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travlnblueberries Posted August 17, 2013 #63 Share Posted August 17, 2013 It's nice to see that everyone has different tastes. I'm one of the people who can't believe "(fill in any port of call)" made someone's "no-go" list. Just when you think you seen it all, you can find something else to do, you just have to want to. We get off every port and find something to do. Just remember when someone doesn't like a port...there's someone that does. So for noobs out there...just because someone has a "no go" on their list, don't avoid the port....you maybe the one that likes it.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PORT ROYAL Posted August 17, 2013 #64 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Mine Nassau Cozumel. They are on nearly every Eastern or western sailing! Ill stay on the ship! My person opinion only - Ills de Margarita - The so called beach is at the end of the town's sewer outfall and stinks - Quay side stalls sell poor quality knock offs at high prices - Why Cruise Lines go there is still a mystery to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted August 17, 2013 #65 Share Posted August 17, 2013 My person opinion only - Ills de Margarita - The so called beach is at the end of the town's sewer outfall and stinks - Quay side stalls sell poor quality knock offs at high prices - Why Cruise Lines go there is still a mystery to me. They no longer do that I know of.... :confused: LuLu ~~~~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHF Posted August 17, 2013 #66 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Key West. Been there too many times via driving. Only once during a cruise. Barbados didn't thrill me. No need to go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aplmac Posted August 17, 2013 #67 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I've never stayed on at any port. Even though I've been to Nassau 9 times, there is always interesting to see or do for me. I cruise for the ports, not the ship. I cruise for both Ship and the ports of call. I'm not spending all that money to travel all that distance -to sit on the ship and don't do at least something ashore! :cool: If worse comes to worst, take a ship's tour for safety's sake -even if it is pricey! Heck, it's only money and we only live once! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aplmac Posted August 17, 2013 #68 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I don't get why so many listed San Juan - that is an interesting old city. I so agree! :) Geez, we could wander around Old San Juan gawking at the architecture and old Spanish cultural feel, for hours but it's a free world and you're welcome to stay on board. It helps to bump up the ship's economy, instead! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marco Posted August 17, 2013 #69 Share Posted August 17, 2013 We've done an annual "Friends and Family Winter Caribbean Cruise" for over 40 years now. Started when I was a kid and went with my parents. There are just so many Caribbean ports, and some of them we've been to dozens of times so, we don't even get off the ship more often than not. . Not that we don't like a particular port, but after you've done the tours, shopped, beached, etc etc over the years, the best time to enjoy the ship's amenities is when it's in a port and everyone else is ashore. Most of the time now, we choose a ship or line, the date, the price, and really don't even look at the itinerary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepless Posted August 18, 2013 #70 Share Posted August 18, 2013 DH and I love cruising, we love the ships, and we love being in the open seas. The ship is the main reason we cruise, the ports are secondary. We do have a couple of ports we like - St. Thomas, St. Marteen, Cozumel, San Jaun, and the private islands. We do not care for Nassau or Falmouth, Jamaica. We are doing a B2B in July on the Allure. We may or may not get off in Nassau, I have stayed on the ship in that port before. If we get off, it will only be for an hour or so to walk into town for a bit. The last time we were in Falmouth, the shops were not open; vendors were selling their wares on the sidewalks. I would like to see their shops. We will not leave the gated area. After this cruise, Falmouth is another port we could enjoy from the ship. We do enjoy St. Thomas, St. Marteen, Cozumel, San Juan, and the private islands in the Caribbean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovely other Posted August 19, 2013 #71 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Gibraltar ...horrible place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruisecat Posted August 19, 2013 #72 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I cruise for both Ship and the ports of call. I'm not spending all that money to travel all that distance -to sit on the ship and don't do at least something ashore! :cool: If worse comes to worst, take a ship's tour for safety's sake -even if it is pricey! Heck, it's only money and we only live once! . It's ironic to me...because this coming cruise (Legend in Nov) we chose because we want to spend lots of time on the ship...LOL. We'll be getting off in Cozumel (heading to Nachi's) and in Roatan (Island tour) but will be bypassing Grand Caymen (been at least 7 times and just don't want to :p) and Belize (never been so fearful in my life even compared to Jamaica which also is on my "never again" list) We even booked a balcony because we knew we were planning on spending a lot of time on it! Variety...it's definitely the spice of life :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodogkisses Posted August 19, 2013 #73 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Port Canaveral. Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex81219 Posted August 19, 2013 #74 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I almost have to get off at every port because I start to go a little stir crazy. For that reason any itinerary that includes Jamaica is a nonstarter for me. A few years ago, I was on a cruise that was supposed to be Grand Cayman, Isla Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. Because of a Hurricane, it was changed to Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, and Nassau, which by the sounds of it is one of the worst possible itineraries. Jamaica is just not worth the hassle. I will say that after Jamaica, Nassau was an absolute delight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TVanTuyl Posted August 19, 2013 #75 Share Posted August 19, 2013 I've never been to most of the places described, but I just saw a short documentary about the McAfee/Belize drama, and a lot of the focus was how safe Belize is ... have things changed, or are there different areas from the cruise ports that they were saying were safe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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