I have heard so many conflicting stories about Jamaica and the safety issue

[Riley's Mom]

In the past I have heard about safety concerns in Jamaica..Is this till the case?

Also....

We are wanting to do either the Chukka Cove or the Rocky POint Riding Stables horseback riding excursion. Can anyone recommend either place?

 

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Riley's Mom

[DqALEX]

I have gone there by cruise boat, and other people I have knowen have stayed on the island. They tell me if you stay at the hotel beach you are ok. I went by cruise and I would never go again. I felt very unsafe. Im 6ft 220 and all I kept getting ask is to buy drugs, knife's, booze and when i say no I get what's the matter you dont want to spend any money in Jamaica. When you get the cruise talk the day before listen very carefully.

[klfrodo]

I'm conflicted here.

I've done land vacations in Jamiaca and loved it.

I've also made 2 ports of call in Jamaica, once in Montego Bay and once in Ocho Rios. The port call in Montgo Bay I hated for same reasons as stated above. In Ocho, we got a day pass at one of the resorts, took a cab, and enjoyed ourselves.

[hstrybuf]

We had no problems in Jamaica. We booked a tour through Peat Taylor and were taken to Dunn's River Falls, Fern Gully and the Wassi Art Pottery Factory. Peat and his son Oneil met us right outside of the pier area. We were to continue after lunch but decided to just go to the mall next to the pier and eat/drink at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. We were never harassed by the locals except at the exit from climbing the Falls. Even then, we just said "no thank you" and kept going.

[DqALEX]

I agree in the resorts you are safe there, but anywhere else I would take my chances in Newark NJ If I was a homeless Drug addict I would get to Jamiaca some how that place is junkie haven and live on the beach

[caprcorn28]

I haven't been to Jamaica yet...but feel like I have been between reading about it on the boards and with all our friends that have been there...but we are going to Ocho Rios in March. Also with some reservations.

 

Here's how I look at it. Play it safe and stick with Carnival's excursions, but if price is an issue, check out the Jamaica Port of Call boards for some recommendations for reputable operators. I would never go in to Jamaica on my own from everything that I have read/heard about.

 

What we plan on doing as of right now, is sticking to the Island Village and spending a little time in Margaritaville. We'll be leaving the kids in the care of Camp Carnival. The island village is only a three minute walk from the ship from all reports and not too difficult to deal with the locals. Then, we'll head back to the ship. I would like to see the Falls as some point, but I may just save that for another trip when the kids are not along...(I will keep a bit of an open mind though and watch the excursions offered by CCL...and maybe end up doing a ship sponsored excursion with them. I will only personally stick with a ship excursion on this island.)

 

Sorry I can't help you with the two questions about the excursions you are looking at - your best bet would be to search over in the Jamaica port of call boards.

 

Good Luck!! :)

[Cruising89143]

I've been to Jamaica about five or six times by ship and have never had a problem. I use good common sense like I would anywhere else. If it would make you feel more safe or comfortable I would suggest booking a shore excursion through the ship. That way you are with a group at all times. Jamaica is a beautiful island and it would be a shame to miss it.

[WestKYCruiser]

I agree that you should go to the port talk the day before if you've never been there before. Our port was Mo' Bay. We booked Dunn River Falls through Carnival and had a wonderful time. I will never forget climbing that waterfall. Wow!

 

Walking out from the falls people did try to sell us stuff, but we said no thanks and and kept walking. They said stuff about not spending money, blah blah... we just kept walking and ignored them. We'll be there again in two weeks. Not for sure what we will be doing.

[candigirl41]

Scariest place I have ever been. If I had a port stop there again I would probably not even get off the ship. Some people we met on board nearly got left in the jungle. The only reason we didn't get robbed was because my husbands hands were so battered (he was a mechanic at the time) and the locals said something to the effect of "you work for a living" the cruise was a present from my Mom who stayed on the ship. When they found this out they were very nice and let us be. I was very scared for my young daughter who they found very cute. Never again.

 

Candi

[Kittybork]

We didn't have any problems, but I'll admit to being nervous because of everything I've read. If you stick with a reputable group, you should be fine. Everything that I read was about people going on their own. Good luck!

[littledylansmom]

I've been to Jamaica so many times, I couldn't even tell you. We have never had any problems. We used to go 2x a year when I was growing up and we loved it! In my experience you just need to tell the locals that you have been to Jamaica before and this is not your first time...They will usually leave you alone. There are great spots in Jamaica and there are dangerous ones too...Just like here in the US. :)

[NiceLife]

I am surprised at the number of negative (and fearful) posts about Jamaica. :confused: We had a great time when we were there on the Triumph last week. We booked a tour through Marva Shaw. She met us right at the pier and gave us a very knowledgeable and professional tour guide. We drove through Fern Gully, went tubing and to Dunn's River Falls. The guides for tubing and the Falls were great, and weren't that pushy about being tipped. Yes, the vendors at the Falls were somewhat aggressive, but all you had to do is walk away. Certainly nothing unusual for anyone who has been ever been to Mexico and not as bad as the last time I was in Grenada. As someone who likes a bit of adventure it was almost too "safe and touristy" for me.

 

Another person in our group didn't go on the tour but walked around Ocho Rios. He did comment a couple of times about how aggressive the vendors were, but I didn't get the idea he was afraid.

 

From everything I have read in Frommers and elsewhere, it certainly isn't as safe as some of the other islands, but if you stay in the touristy areas you should be fine. Or book a tour, there are a lot of recommendations on the port of call forums.

[luvz2run2000]

Funny, my hubby and I were just talking about places we had been at dinner tonight and I told him if I ever went on another cruise with a port call in Jamaica (especially Montego Bay) that I would not get off the ship.

I was there 4 years ago and it was the scarest place I have ever been. We booked a tour through Carnival to Ocho Rios and Dunn River Falls. Our bus was escorted by cars filled with armed guards. We were approached by people offering us drugs at the falls and in the shopping area in town. I am not sheltered by any stretch of the imagination, I work in a school in a tough inner-city area.

[jckvpa0]

Jamaica did nothing for us either, I have no desire to go back!

[rickcop44]

Since my wife and I were literally kidnapped in Ocho Rios and threatened with jail later, I can sincerely tell you that I will never go close to the place again. Any ship that includes Ocho Rios on its itinerary will not find me booking a cruise.

[cheshyrkat]

I would say that you can't let your guard down there and I wouldn't wander off by myself or anything, but it isn't a port where you are guaranteed to be robbed or anything. If you approach your time there like you would a visit to New York City, you will be fine. Leave the expensive jewelry and wads of cash on the ship. If you don't want to buy stuff from the locals, tell them no and walk on. Don't try to explain your reasons or anything...just tell them no and keep going. They will latch onto the people walking behind you.

 

I am planning to do horseback riding through A-Z but I don't remember which stables they use. I will always have a tour of some sort for this kind of stop. I'm not familiar enough with the culture to feel comfortable going off on my own.

[Top-Cat]

Went to Mobay in 2003 on the Conquest. We took a cab to town. BIG mistake. We were there 45 minutes and that is all we could stand. We got hussled, the boys were offered drugs, even cab drivers fought over taking us to leave. finally we pick an old man who was not in the braul. We felt sorry for him as he was over powered by so many other greedy drivers, constanly in your face. We gave him an extra tip to takeus to Margaritaville.

 

As we were leaving that awful place, I turned and took a picture of the little town part. Next thing I new a lady with fruit basket on her head came to me and demanded I give her money for taking her picture.

 

We did not do any excursion so I can't comment on those. We spent our excursion money in Cozemel that year to swim with dolphins which was wonderful. We did have fun at Margaritaville, but it was very expensive. $100. for four chicken (lunch plates) and four drinks. We had a guard at Margaritaville to take us out a seperate entrance so that we would not get husseled by the rage of cab drivers on the main street.

 

We are hesitant, but are considering Ochos Rios this coming may...... I would not do Mobay again. Like some other lady here said, I wouldn't get off the boat.

[cheshyrkat]

Since my wife and I were literally kidnapped in Ocho Rios and threatened with jail later, I can sincerely tell you that I will never go close to the place again. Any ship that includes Ocho Rios on its itinerary will not find me booking a cruise.

 

What happened there??

[VonS]

I felt safer in Cartagena, Columbia than I did on Jamaica. Keep in mind, Jamaica had close to 1800 murders last year. That's a lot by anybody's standards.

[luvz2run2000]

I've been to New York city twice and would go again in a heartbeat. There is no comparison between NYC and Montego Bay.

[NiceLife]

Maybe Jamaica has gotten better recently? Our tour bus certainly wasn't escorted by armed guards and I didn't even notice any at Dunn's Falls or the shopping area. The only incident we had is my husband went into a bar to get a Coke and someone asked him if he needed a cab and then if he wanted some "smoke". He just said "no thanks, mon" and kept walking.

[cheshyrkat]

I've been to New York city twice and would go again in a heartbeat. There is no comparison between NYC and Montego Bay.

 

Just to clarify...I was not saying that NYC and Montego Bay were comparable as tourist destinations. I was trying to say that any precaution you take to keep yourself safe in a big city like NYC would be a good thing to practice while in Montego Bay. I have been to NYC many times, I have lived in Chicago in a shady neighborhood, worked in an "inner-city" neighborhood and visited tons of other places too. Montego Bay doesn't rank high up on the safest feeling place I ever visited but I have to be honest...I have felt less safe in Chicago (on occasion) than in I did when I visited Montego Bay. I took a ship-sponsored excursion. Don't know if that was why or not.

 

I find that it is important not to let the ship's atmosphere lull you into a false sense of security. Even the ship has the possibility (no matter how remote) of being dangerous. That being said, I don't think it's a particulary productive practice to be overly paranoid about places. If you've never been to Jamaica I would strongly suggest that you schedule an excursion rather than try to go it alone. I (personally) would not just advise people to stay on the ship under all circumstances when you go there...That's a personal decision you need to make for yourself based on information you will find in places like CC. The island does have some nice places to see and things to do. Just be aware of the risks.

[waterbound]

We've been to Jamaica twice and are cruising in October and going back.. Personally we enjoy Jamaica.. The first time we went when we came out of Margarittaville we were bombarded by taxi people to take their taxi back to the ship and we shared a taxi with another couple.. it was a little overwhelming.. I wouldnt characterize it as feeling unsafe, I just felt overwhelmed.. When we went in March we decided to hire Trevor Hudlin and he picked us up from the ship and took us everywhere we wanted to go that day.. He waited for us in the parking lot at each place and was right there to escort us to his van when we were leaving.. Whenever the other guys saw him with us, they left us alone.. Personally anytime we go to Jamaica we will be going with Trevor just to feel better.. We have never been confronted to purchase drugs or anything like that there.. we have in other ports, but said no thank you and kept walking..

[glrounds]

As we were leaving that awful place, I turned and took a picture of the little town part. Next thing I new a lady with fruit basket on her head came to me and demanded I give her money for taking her picture.

 

We are hesitant, but are considering Ochos Rios this coming may...... I would not do Mobay again. Like some other lady here said, I wouldn't get off the boat.

 

How ironic ! ! I had the same thing happen to me, except it happened in Ocho Rios. Big Aunt Jemima-type lady with a beatiful flowery long dress and a stack of fruit on her head. Took the pic from across the street and she came unglued, insisted on money for taking her pic. I told her to pound sand and "escaped" into a jewelry store. Couldn't get off that cesspool soon enough.

Without a doubt, the only place I've been with my family in which I was concerned for the safety of my then wife and son (and I live in LA ! ! ) :rolleyes:

 

In all fairness I should say, this all happened nearly 20 years ago on an NCL cruise.

[scooby4048]

GLROUNDS -

May I ask what you meant by 'Big Aunt Jemima-type lady' ?