Least Favorite Port

[RNCheryl]

Falmouth, Jamaica.  Did not look nor feel safe.  Nothing to recommend..

 

Contest the review of St. Lucia.  Our CC group took a tour of the island (Cosol) which was fantastic.  It bonded us so that we are still cruising together years later!

[simonaitch]

On 1/9/2019 at 4:53 AM, newmexicoNita said:

this question has come up  before and it is always fun and interesting to see how people feel and why. 

 

We have a few: anyplace in Jamaica; the people are so rude though there are a few neat tours

 

Samana: just feel unsafe there. Daughter bought a bottle of water at an outside market that wasn't even sealed. Needless to say she tossed it.  

 

San Tomas: went there about 18 months ago: nada, trolley trip a waste and the poverty was in your face. If they ever develop the port it night be nice. 

 

Sidney: in Canada; had a great private tour but was just not impressed with the port.

 

You can tell how subjective this is: CasinoCompChick says Dominica. It is one of our very favorite ports. 

Sidney British Columbia ? Which ship were you sailing on ?

[cruiser123!]

On 1/9/2019 at 9:31 AM, zqvol said:

Cozumel. I cannot think of one reason to go there.

This!  I hate Cozumel

[YVRBassElectric]

On 1/10/2019 at 12:39 PM, herdingdogmom said:

Puerto Chiapas

Izmir

Charlottetown PEI

I don't like most of Mexico but loved Puerto Chiapas, felt like a real city not a tourist trap

Charlottetown is to small to handle all the cruise passengers, I didn't like my shore excursion day (2015) but really enjoyed the weekend hubby and I spent in Charlottetown (2017)

[YVRBassElectric]

1 hour ago, simonaitch said:

Sidney British Columbia ? Which ship were you sailing on ?

OP said Sydney Canada - it's in Nova Scotia, it was a port added because of speed limits on the St. Lawrence River. It's been a ferry terminal for years - not set up for cruise ships. 

[GUT2407]

On 1/9/2019 at 10:54 AM, ebay33 said:

Whichever one is the disembarkation port.

Beat me to it.

[simonaitch]

22 minutes ago, YVRBassElectric said:

OP said Sydney Canada - it's in Nova Scotia, it was a port added because of speed limits on the St. Lawrence River. It's been a ferry terminal for years - not set up for cruise ships. 

No the OP said Sidney (with an i) in Canada.  Thank you for the info re Sydney, I've learnt  something  there. 

[herdingdogmom]

42 minutes ago, YVRBassElectric said:

I don't like most of Mexico but loved Puerto Chiapas, felt like a real city not a tourist trap.

As far as I know, there is no city in Puerto Chiapas.  Do you mean Tapachula?  Too big and too much traffic for us so we just walked off the ship to the restaurant/bar built for the cruise ships. 

[YVRBassElectric]

8 minutes ago, herdingdogmom said:

As far as I know, there is no city in Puerto Chiapas.  Do you mean Tapachula?  Too big and too much traffic for us so we just walked off the ship to the restaurant/bar built for the cruise ships. 

We did a tour from the port to a "chocolate factory" not sure where we were, I don't think Tapachula (checked Google, looks bigger than where we were), it was a Farmers Market, more than a factory

[NH Cruisers]

Port Canaveral,  you can't walk to see much of anything.  

[lanceholt]

On 1/8/2019 at 8:06 PM, cloud_nine said:

I have to agree about Messina! I'm also not fussed on Vigo. I found it very lack-lustre after all the hype about the "amazing shopping", but I also found this to be the case with St Thomas. Everyone said that St Thomas was a shoppers paradise, but clearly only if you're in the market for diamonds and expensive jewellery - which I wasn't.

I agree re Vigo but we took an excursion from there to Santiago de Compostela which was one of the most amazing memorable places in all our cruising, so sometimes a place you don't want to see can be a jumping off place to somwhere enchanting!

 

[trex-de]

Freeport. Enough said. 

[newmexicoNita]

11 hours ago, NH Cruisers said:

Port Canaveral,  you can't walk to see much of anything.  

very true. All they really have is a few nice seafood restaurants. 

[HAPPINESS IS]

On 1/9/2019 at 1:54 AM, ebay33 said:

Whichever one is the disembarkation port.

Oh yes, I share your sentiments!  Worst thing having to disembark!!

[mjkacmom]

On 1/9/2019 at 11:18 AM, kayteecat said:

@victory2020 apparently I can't PM you but if you Google "rum and food tasting tour Nassau" it will be one of the first results. It cost us about $70 per person and for the amount of booze, food, and entertainment we considered it well worth the money.

You can’t mention travel agents, but I believe you can name tour organizers.

[Freckle53]

We've not been to many ports yet (only 3 cruises), but least favorite would probably be Progresso, then Cozumel, Port Canaveral, Freeport, Nassau, and GSC as the best.  We've been to Nassau 2x and had a blast both times, once at Melia and another at Blue Lagoon.  Our first time was at the end of the summer in 2014 and the water temperature was perfect, the beaches beautiful, and the blue water, unlike anything we'd ever seen before.  We stopped at the McDonalds in town there as school was getting out and it was packed with kids all in their school uniforms and wew ended up in the middle of some 4 pm happy hour thing with a live DJ singing songs with customized McDonald's references and employees throwing handfuls of candy to everyone and people getting up and dancing.  And we noticed you could get a little salad instead of fries in the same sort of cardboard french fry container.  Maybe it's because it was our first tropical location (aside from Florida which we've been all over many times) it stuck with us, but I would go back anytime.

 

[BalconyGal]

Nassau.  It feels like they shove Nassau into every itinerary then can.  I've been there so many times I couldn't even give an accurate count.  And everyone is so pushy when you get off the ship that we stopped getting off several years ago. 

[kathy884]

Montego Bay, Jamaica mon  -- Although I am fine vacationing in Jamaica I absolutely hate it as a cruise port!  I feel like prey being attacked every time I am there. 

 

I'm just the normal tourist; I dress conservatively;  There is nothing about me would particularly stand out. 

 

Last time in I was there in the middle of the day visiting the very busy shopping district in the middle of the day (bad judgement on my part to go by myself).  First about five different taxi drivers honked at me and made comments.  hey also said hey you want a ride.  me -- No thanks.  I'm walking.  I want the exercise. 

 

Next, I was shopping for a watch as mine had broken on the ship and looked in about three stores before making a purchase.  Before I even went into the first store four tall men late 20s/early 30s started following me around.  They went into every store I went into, followed me in and out of each store, down each aisle I went down, etc. and eventually started taking to me -- hey you like ganga.  You like to party.  Me -- no not my thing.    Eventually they had one guy talk to me and suggest that I pay him protection money and he would protect me from all the guys following me.  Me -- no thanks.  It's no big deal.   People follow me all the time.  (I tried to be kind and confident and come across as if I wasn't bothered by all this.  I thought it was in my own best interest to be courteous and polite.  It was disconcerting to me though.).  OMG they followed me all the way back to the ship too after I purchased my watch.  I was overjoyed to be back on the ship. 

 

I've actually avoided cruise itineraries that stop in Jamaica.  I've been to the country a few times for week long visits which were ok actually, but as a cruise port I can't stand Jamaica.  I don't even like organized tours there (folks are too pushy and loud) with cruise passengers.  I unfortunately too, seem to let that put me in a foul mood.  My best bet is to totally avoid the place.  

[HAPPINESS IS]

On 1/15/2019 at 2:10 PM, HAPPINESS IS said:

Oh yes, I share your sentiments!  Worst thing having to disembark!!

[HAPPINESS IS]

On 1/12/2019 at 1:48 AM, GUT2407 said:

Beat me to it.

[RedwingHockeyFan]

I don't mind Nassau that much but I usually do an excursion that takes most of the day anyway.  I like GSC better and I'm glad they put that on Itineraries over Nassau now.

[Seacreature101]

I know I am minority, but Belize!  

 

I am also not liking the water park at Coco Cay RCI.  Have not been yet, but if I want water park, will go there, not on island.  

 Does not work for me on private island.  I do realize it is great for people with kids...

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2019 by Seacreature101
spelling

[bkrickles1]

Well my Jan, 2020 Encore cruise stops in San Juan from 5:30PM until midnight so right now that's my least favorite.

I've been there quite a few times and last time we didn't even get off the ship. The time before that my wife and sister in-law dragged me into a Marshalls store for 90 minutes and that almost ruined my entire vacation. Lmao!!

[bedfordmom]

Nassau then Freeport

[Mr.AgentMan]

Progresso is another sea day for me.  But my least favorite port ever is Sardinia.  It might not have been as bad if I hadn't been in Portofino Italy the day before and Palma de Mallorca the day after.