Jamaica - Safety

[navybankerteacher]

sail7seas and cruisemom42: Thank you for these reports. I now have a better feel for what has occurred and may occur in (well, outside) some Jamaican port areas.

 

Does anyone have any theories on why locals might be so threatening? In other words, seeing a man walking on the street with a machete in Jamaica (even in the city, frankly) would not seem, on the surface, too strange -- it is a tropical country, after all, and it might be no different than a man walking down the street in an American city with a hammer or an electric drill in his hand -- he's on his way to the hardware store or to work.

 

But if folks in Jamaica are likely to be high on drugs, for example, or if the Jamaican enforcement and justice systems are absent or so flawed that a local has nothing to restrain him and/or nothing to lose from violence against strangers, those are different matters altogether. (As would be the American man with a hammer, if there was anarchy.)

 

As I said in a previous post, I guess I had better do some reading up! It is not that I am necessarily tempted to go out and about in these port areas, but I certainly want to know whether Jamaica is even a place I would want to visit on a cruise, if I felt forced into staying on board, taking a ship excursion or shopping inside the gates at the port (which isn't for me...)

 

You have already identified two of the reasons a tourist should be more careful in Jamaica than in most other places. Perhaps the primary one is the very high level of drug use, followed by the flawed political system where violence is a frequent part of political campaigns - with the accompanying tendency of the police to ignore what Rudi Giuliani referred to as "quality of life crimes": simple harassment.

 

Just because Jamaica is a tropical island, where sugar cane grows, it is more than a little naïve to think nothing of seeing a man walking on a city street carrying a machete.

 

Yes, there is a lot to see in Jamaica, and you should not be scared of looking about - but you should be prepared to need to resist very aggressive solicitation -- which, as others have noted, is often openly threatening.

 

You should, of course, read up and make yourself aware of whatever area you intend to visit.

[SMerritt]

We RARELY take a ship tour - feel comfortable on most all islands.......

 

I was so happy for Cruise Critic - we took a ship tour to Dunn's River falls, sight-seeing, and a short shopping stop. Our tour guide even warned all of us of the very aggressive vendors.

 

Seeing the falls was great! Viewing some of the island and the short shopping stop, everyone on the bus agreed - we will be happy to get back on the ship ASAP.

[davyslala]

Let me be another voice cautioning you about 2 lone females in Jamaica (or lone males for that matter). Our first stay in Jamaica was in 1972, even then it wasn't wise to travel alone or off the beaten path, now it is foolish. Ships tours or group tours are OK but going out on your own is just asking for trouble. I simply don't take a cruise which stops in Jamaica, if I did I would stay on the ship that day and enjoy having a huge cruise ship practically to myself!

[davyslala]

Had to mention that the people living in Jamaica have huge prison-like metal gates built into the walls of the doorways leading to their bedrooms which are closed and locked at night for their personal safety. Jamaica has a lot of extreme poverty, high rate of drug use and graft in the political/judicial systems; all of these combine to create an unsafe situation for travelers (and I suspect natives as well). I am not afraid of aggressive vendors on the whole, in Jamaica aggressive takes on a whole new meaning, it often becomes threatening; I suspect if you go out alone in Jamaica you will regret it, especially if your only traveling companion is a 17 or 18 year old female.

[Langley Cruisers]

..I suspect if you go out alone in Jamaica you will regret it, especially if your only traveling companion is a 17 or 18 year old female.

 

Oh my goodness, I totally agree!

 

OP, I'm sure you will do what's best for you and your daughter.

 

.

[Cruisin' Chick]

sail7seas and cruisemom42: Thank you for these reports. I now have a better feel for what has occurred and may occur in (well, outside) some Jamaican port areas.

 

Does anyone have any theories on why locals might be so threatening? In other words, seeing a man walking on the street with a machete in Jamaica (even in the city, frankly) would not seem, on the surface, too strange -- it is a tropical country, after all, and it might be no different than a man walking down the street in an American city with a hammer or an electric drill in his hand -- he's on his way to the hardware store or to work.

But if folks in Jamaica are likely to be high on drugs, for example, or if the Jamaican enforcement and justice systems are absent or so flawed that a local has nothing to restrain him and/or nothing to lose from violence against strangers, those are different matters altogether. (As would be the American man with a hammer, if there was anarchy.)

 

As I said in a previous post, I guess I had better do some reading up! It is not that I am necessarily tempted to go out and about in these port areas, but I certainly want to know whether Jamaica is even a place I would want to visit on a cruise, if I felt forced into staying on board, taking a ship excursion or shopping inside the gates at the port (which isn't for me...)

 

I certainly would think it's strange to see someone walk down a street holding a hammer or drill (and I live in a relatively safe area). I can see if construction is going on at a location and someone is walking with a tool from one part of the building or another, but even then, most people in construction would utilize their tool belt or carry their tools in a carrier to hold their tools while walking. May be a bit safer for the worker. Most likely if someone is working on a plantation, they might use a machete, but they probably wouldn't be carrying it about away from the plants they're working on.

[SeagoingMom]

I certainly appreciate the insight "y'all" have provided to me on this thread. I have learned a lot. I will have to decide how Jamaica plays into my future cruise plans.

[zephyrgirl]

I have never visited Jamaica on a cruise but I've done an AI there. I only left the resort on excursions as I was travelling solo. Jamaica is a beautiful country and I highly recommend getting off the ship and doing something there. If you go on an organized tour you will be just fine. Generally when I travel solo in the Caribbean I use some common sense and don't go out alone and never at night. But I don't let the fear of something happening stop me from experiencing the place altogether. Not getting off the ship to me is like going to an AI and never leaving the resort. Why bother going? Just my two cents.

[Langley Cruisers]

Not getting off the ship to me is like going to an AI and never leaving the resort. Why bother going?

 

Many people do this, trust me. :)

[notentirelynormal]

A couple of points: Let's be honest about AIs in Jamaica. You are highly advised to not leave the complex alone and there are guards stopping the locals from coming in. What does that tell you? I read it as even the locals don't think tourists are safe.

 

My teen daughter had long blonde hair. Man did they love to touch it. So if your daughter has blonde hair they will have her hands all over her in swarms.

 

We once traveled with a 24 YO that did body building. He was so rattled about the aggressive people that he stuck with our family group and wanted to go back to the ship. Big guy and he was nervous. Same cruise talked to an older couple that were terrified. The sales people don't just get aggressive, they keep touching you, pushing a little on you. Swarming. God forbid you should actually appear interested in something.

 

They sell drugs pretty much everywhere. Once when my brother was there he watched the drug dealer walking down the beach selling his drugs and the cops coming right behind him, arresting the tourists that bought it and gave it back to them. Yup, what a country! We went to the local grocery store to check out what was different. We were told by our taxi driver to pick out what we wanted, they will ring it up and put it aside. We take the receipt next door to the bank and get Jamaican money. OR you could go to that guy over there. The drug dealer gave a better exchange value.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

No problem man ..:):)

[SadieN]

I'll stick with the Mexican ports, thank you.

[nycglitter]

Thank you to everyone for the responses. I would only consider a cruise tour, but now I'm not sure I am comfortable with that. I did want to see Jamaica but not at the risk of putting myself and my daughter in any danger.

[lifes-a-beach]

my wife and i were there on a cruise and had scheduled a trip to hilton rose hall for the day. resorts for a day picked us up in a comfortable motor coach, drove us to the resort and returned us to the ship in plenty of time. the time spent at the resort was too short and really changed my opinion of going ashore in jamaica. a walking tour or renting a car is absolutely out of the question and ive been in some very sketchy places.

[navybankerteacher]

Thank you to everyone for the responses. I would only consider a cruise tour, but now I'm not sure I am comfortable with that. I did want to see Jamaica but not at the risk of putting myself and my daughter in any danger.

 

I think it might be an over-reaction to not see Jamaica at all. An organized tour offered by the ship should be fine. I believe most of the warnings here have been against wandering around on your own.

[OCruisers]

I think it might be an over-reaction to not see Jamaica at all. An organized tour offered by the ship should be fine. I believe most of the warnings here have been against wandering around on your own.

 

A tour offered by the ship or a reputable independent is the way to go in Jamaica! :)

LuLu

[cello56]

My DH and I left the shopping enclosure at Falmouth just one time. The level of aggression of the vendors was over the top. We walked a couple of blocks to an internet cafe that a crew member told of us. Once we found it, DH insisted that we return to the ship without even going in, as he was very uncomfortable with the local area. DH is 6'3" and almost 300 pounds and HE was nervous! We have never wandered outside the Falmouth gates again!

[griffy116]

We have visited almost all of the Caribbean islands on cruises, and we've visited the Med on cruises, including Turkey where we have felt perfectly safe. Jamaica, however, is one of the few places that I would recommend an organized tour. In spite of its beauty and some wonderful people, it has some problems with its reputation that it has earned and that's unfortunate.

[nycglitter]

I have booked a ship excursion to Rose Hall. The reviews I found online all seem favorable so we are going for it. We have travelled extensively in Europe and spend a ton of time in NYC. I'm pretty good at navigating in sketchy places, just not looking for trouble.

 

Thanks for all the help. I am looking forward to the cruise and the sights!

Edited May 19, 2014 by nycglitter