Stopping in Nicaragua

[JimnKaren]

We are scheduled to stop in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua on our Island Princess itinerary (October 3). The US State Department has issued warnings. See: https://ni.usembassy.gov/updated-travel-advisory-nicaragua-level-3-reconsider-travel-july-6/

When do you think that the folks at Princess will take action? Or not?

Jim

[kendon]

After reading the State Dept. site, I imagine IMMEDIATELY.

[jasbo49]

Wow! I loved San Juan del Sur. I thought it had a great laid back vibe.

Me too. It was probably our favorite stop on our Fort Lauderdale to L.A. canal cruise.

 

Jim

[1AL]

Wow! I loved San Juan del Sur. I thought it had a great laid back vibe.

 

Well, if you consider the poor guys there whose only form of entertainment is watching the cruiseship come in port and departing the port while here we are indulging in all the luxuries that a cruiseship offers.

Within 2 minutes of getting off the ship I had already been "propositioned" by two females who looked like

a mother/daughter duo! So sad, so very, Very, VERY SAD!

You have to be heartless to see such abject poverty and consider it a "great laid back vibe"!

[msmoger]

Well, if you consider the poor guys there whose only form of entertainment is watching the cruiseship come in port and departing the port while here we are indulging in all the luxuries that a cruiseship offers.

Within 2 minutes of getting off the ship I had already been "propositioned" by two females who looked like

a mother/daughter duo! So sad, so very, Very, VERY SAD!

You have to be heartless to see such abject poverty and consider it a "great laid back vibe"!

I will enjoy watching the replies. ;):D

[skynight]

It is a tender port. Stay on board, lots will if you stop there.

[1AL]

It is a tender port. Stay on board, lots will if you stop there.

 

oops....I must be getting senile then....I guess I have confused this port with the actual port we

stopped at twice on Princess....I now think that it was Corinto we actually stopped at, not San Juan del Sur.

Apologies to everyone.

[Griller]

Me too. It was probably our favorite stop on our Fort Lauderdale to L.A. canal cruise.

 

Jim

 

We didn't have any problem there, we rather liked it, it seemed nonthreatening and a nice walk along the promenade with benches to sit on if you wanted a rest.

the local kids were playing soccer and there were local families strolling about, better than many places we have visited like Guatemala and El Salvador which was the worst for us in any cruise.

 

Anyway that was several years ago, reading the state dept link above the trouble seems to be in Managua, not San Juan del Sur, in San Juan del Sur there seemed to be many expat residents from US and Canada and Europe who seemed pretty happy with life, still I guess its probably best to stay away.at least for the time being.

[riffatsea]

I would imagine that Princess would wait and see the situation closer to the time of the cruise. We are due to stop there in December. Sometimes these problems quiet down and sometimes they don't.

We shall see!

[satxdiver]

Princess will monitor the situation at the port and modify the excursions as needed. They may decide to bypass the port. We have been there twice. The first time we took a ship tour to Masaya and Grenada including the volcano. The tour was interesting but the abject poverty was very noticeable. Last time we stayed in the port area walking around. Nicaragua has a long history of political unrest aided in part by our CIA and government who earlier wanted to put a canal in the southern part before deciding on Panama.

[beg3yrs]

We were on the May 14th voyage of the Pacific Princess that was scheduled to stop in San Juan del Sur. Shortly after leaving Cabo our captain announced we were not going there due to the unrest. Instead we went to Puerto Chiapas in Mexico. It's an up and coming port with the nearest large city being Tapachula. Excursions to the Mayan ruins were the most popular.

[1AL]

Princess will monitor the situation at the port and modify the excursions as needed. They may decide to bypass the port. We have been there twice. The first time we took a ship tour to Masaya and Grenada including the volcano. The tour was interesting but the abject poverty was very noticeable. Last time we stayed in the port area walking around. Nicaragua has a long history of political unrest aided in part by our CIA and government who earlier wanted to put a canal in the southern part before deciding on Panama.

 

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Nicaraguan government is actually still building that canal afterall. If my memory does not fail me yet again, I seem to remember the Chinese will be building the canal

for them, the Chinese will in return be given a 50-year "lease" to operate the canal on behalf of the Nicaraguan

government.

But then again, I could be wrong and it would not be the first time that I am...lmao

[Tripmaven]

My DH and I are also fans of San Juan del Sur. We spent a week there 5 years ago at the Pelican Eyes Resort. Many people don't know that it has a significant population of US retirees living in the area. The retirees are very active in helping the local people, specifically the school age children. Pelican Eyes employs the locals and gives them an opportunity to learn a trade and, of course, improve their English language. You also may remember that the TV show Survivor was filmed in the vicinity for 2 or 3 seasons. Is it completely safe? What country can claim that title? Common sense rules apply. So, if Princess decides to keep this as a place to visit, I wouldn't have concerns.

[Griller]

We were on the May 14th voyage of the Pacific Princess that was scheduled to stop in San Juan del Sur. Shortly after leaving Cabo our captain announced we were not going there due to the unrest. Instead we went to Puerto Chiapas in Mexico. It's an up and coming port with the nearest large city being Tapachula. Excursions to the Mayan ruins were the most popular.

 

Interesting! Last time I was on a cruise and docked in Acapulco in Mexico was the day 30 headless bodies were found there.

Mexico a safer choice?????????

[Safety Squirrel]

I have been following this post. As you can see, I am Canadian. Canada has posted the following advisory

 

Nicaragua - AVOID NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

 

Avoid non-essential travel to Nicaragua due to civil unrest, which has been occurring throughout the country since April 2018.

 

When I was renewing my annual medical insurance, the agent asked if I would be travelling to any countries listed in Canadian advisories regarding non-essential travel. FYI - she advised me that if we did stop in Nicaragua and I went ashore, if anything happened to me medical wise - I would not be covered. However, if I stayed on the ship (Emerald), my coverage would still be valid.

 

So, if this advisory is still in effect, reluctantly I will stay onboard. It was one stop that I had not been to and was looking forward to it. I realize that something happening while on a shore excursion (ship or otherwise) is unlikely but I will not take the chance.

This is just a FYI post and not one to start a discussion on whether the port is safe/unsafe, or to get into a discussion on insurance.

[pompeii]

My DH and I are also fans of San Juan del Sur. We spent a week there 5 years ago at the Pelican Eyes Resort. Many people don't know that it has a significant population of US retirees living in the area. The retirees are very active in helping the local people, specifically the school age children. Pelican Eyes employs the locals and gives them an opportunity to learn a trade and, of course, improve their English language. You also may remember that the TV show Survivor was filmed in the vicinity for 2 or 3 seasons. Is it completely safe? What country can claim that title? Common sense rules apply. So, if Princess decides to keep this as a place to visit, I wouldn't have concerns.

When we stopped in San Juan del Sur on our PC transit cruise in 2014, we went horseback riding and galloped on the beach where Survivor was filmed. We had a wonderful day there and would love to go back. The ranch we visited to go riding is owned by an ex-pat, Canadian iirc, and was beautiful. Yes, the area is poor like most central american nations, but everyone was very friendly and we did not feel uncomfortable at any time.

 

Obviously though, 4 years have passed, so ymmv.

[JimnKaren]

I was on the Pacific Princess, when the captain announced that we would stop at Puerto Chiapas instead of Nicaragua. I had been to both ports, but I had a plan. My plan was dashed.

 

So, now I have the Island Princess booked for September/October. Will my plans be dashed again? Will I be sitting at a bar on the ship, wishing I was sitting at a bar on shore?

 

The situation is bad enough that at least the Canadian and United States people in power have indicated it is not a wise idea to stop there. Will Princess be pro-active enough to cancel that port and substitute something early enough for me to come up with a plan? I sent Princess an email about that...no response (yet).

 

I cannot imagine that civil unrest, as it has been occurring in Nicaragua, would be stabilized within 90 days enough to make it a 'safe' port of call.

My arms are up in the air. I am anxious. (Of course, Karen things I am just seeking fame.)

Jim

[OCruisers]

:( Sad!

We've been to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua on two ports stops and really enjoyed being there.

[msmoger]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Nicaraguan government is actually still building that canal afterall. If my memory does not fail me yet again, I seem to remember the Chinese will be building the canal

for them, the Chinese will in return be given a 50-year "lease" to operate the canal on behalf of the Nicaraguan

government.

But then again, I could be wrong and it would not be the first time that I am...lmao

When we were there during our Panama Canal cruise our tour guide told us the same thing about a new canal. I'm skeptical it will ever happen, especially with the new locks already in service in Panama.

[Thrak]

Our cruise stopped at San Juan del Sur in 2015 and it was a pit. Glass and trash on the beach. Church torn apart and being rebuilt due to damage from the civil war. We didn't go far into town as it looked like the bad part of Ensenada. We're scheduled to stop there again this November but I don't think Princess will actually make the stop. I read somewhere here on CC where it was skipped recently.

[bluegiraffe]

I would guess that Princess may wait and see since your cruise is not until October. But I believe most of the excursions from San Juan del Sur go to Granada and Masaya, yes? Those two places have been the scene of a lot of the recent unrest (as well as Leon and Managua, or so the BBC world news tells me). Ortega said no to recent demands for early elections next year, so unfortunately, I don't think the unrest is going to stop immediately.

[thinfool]

When we stopped in San Juan del Sur on our PC transit cruise in 2014, we went horseback riding and galloped on the beach where Survivor was filmed. We had a wonderful day there and would love to go back. The ranch we visited to go riding is owned by an ex-pat, Canadian iirc, and was beautiful. Yes, the area is poor like m!ost central american nations, but everyone was very friendly and we did not feel uncomfortable at any time.

 

We did the same...tho it was 2012...one of our best excursions!

[TheRabbit]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Nicaraguan government is actually still building that canal afterall. If my memory does not fail me yet again, I seem to remember the Chinese will be building the canal

for them, the Chinese will in return be given a 50-year "lease" to operate the canal on behalf of the Nicaraguan

government.

But then again, I could be wrong and it would not be the first time that I am...lmao

This Link indicated it was cancelled. Sound like no work was ever done.

 

LINK

[Thrak]

If they skip San Juan del Sur on our cruise we won't mind. They could substitute Puerto Vallarta and many onboard would be good with that. The fear is that they will skip it and substitute Ensenada. Bleh...

[TheRabbit]

During some of the biggest protests in Turkey in 2013, with the state department warnings, we still stopped in Istanbul. Company reps on the ground assured the company all their tour would be unaffected. As it turned out, our guide was actually one of the protesters.