Least Favorite Port and Why

[Thad409]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I'm asking again. What is your least favorite Port to visit and why. Ours would have to be Progresso if I spelled it right. We have just never found anything we were interested in doing there on any of our 3 trips. And I know there's probably some things to do that we probably overlooked. Love the Bahamas and the CCL privately own islands and well Cozumel is Cozumel

[Micahs Grandad]

Freeport for sure. If we ever went back it would be a port day for us

[clearwatergirl]

Nassau for me.  We try to avoid this when researching itineraries.  When unavoidable, we stay on board. 

[keywest1]

Toss up between Progreso and Freeport.  Nothing to do at either port without taking bus into town or taking an excursion.  

Sad because both countries can probably use all the tourism dollars they can get.

Edited August 5, 2019 by keywest1

[Saint Greg]

Freeport. There isn’t much to do there.

[VentureMan_2000]

Ensenada Mexico.

It's just a City... not a destination.  Cruise ships on the West Coast stop here because it's the nearest port to the States and US cruises have to stop at a foreign port... so very convenient for the cruise lines.

[indygirl76]

[Brace yourselves: blasphemy incoming.]

 

My least favorite port is Half Moon Cay. I went last May - never again.

* I am not a beach person, and there is nothing to do there other than lie on the beach.

* Drinks are Carnival drinks, served by Carnival bartenders, but are not included in Cheers. (Yes, I'm aware of that when I book. It's still irritating.)

* Lunch is picnic food, served buffet style. No thank you.

 

Fortunately, I would happily take a cruise-to-nowhere, so I will just stay on the ship in the future.

[Paelos]

Nassau - I'll likely never get off the boat again unless it's on a very specific excursion on the water.

 

Never been to Freeport but I've seen videos and it looks like an internment camp when you get off the ship. I honestly think the Bahamas in general is fairly awful.

[Sotermarler]

Definitely Ensenada.  Even the port area is dirty as soon as you walk off the ship.  It’s a little city with pharmacies, shops with the same old stuff and some restaurants. We went in the winter, so if there were beaches we were unaware of them. 

 

[hotsauce126]

Freeport and its not even close

 

I like ports that either 

A - have a lot of active things to do (any mountainous island usually)

B - have a unique culture (like Jamaica or Mexico)

C - Have an easily walkable city (like San Juan)

 

Freeport doesn't really have any of these things. Just tourist garbage at the port and a Senor Frogs. I know they have a couple decent excursions but I'm not really one for sitting on the beach since I can do that at home

Edited August 5, 2019 by hotsauce126

[daljcl]

For us it's San Juan.  You either get there super early and leave by 1pm or get there at 3:30 pm.....excursions were limited  on the late arrival and walking the town at night doesn't feel safe 

[hotsauce126]

5 minutes ago, daljcl said:

For us it's San Juan.  You either get there super early and leave by 1pm or get there at 3:30 pm.....excursions were limited  on the late arrival and walking the town at night doesn't feel safe 

 

I was there 8-4 on my last one

[Doggielover68]

La Romana.

 

While I had a decent time on a ship excursion, it just wasn't my favorite port. There isn't a lot available right at the port area and there is a mixture of reliable and scammer taxis. Not very tourist friendly in my opinion (near the pier at least). 

[amyotravel]

Just now, Doggielover68 said:

La Romana.

 

While I had a decent time on a ship excursion, it just wasn't my favorite port. There isn't a lot available right at the port area and there is a mixture of reliable and scammer taxis. Not very tourist friendly in my opinion (near the pier at least). 

Horrible taxi situation! I would agree.

[iheartmarshall]

Based on excursion offerings alone, for me it would be Freeport.  I hate saying that because I had a wonderful time there on my last cruise but the excursion we did is one of two I would actually want to do should we go back.  A third trip there and it'd be hard to find additional excursions of interest. 

 

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed Nassau!  Granted I've only been once but we did a DIY tour of the city, chilled at Junkanoo Beach, then visited Pirate Republic Brewing before heading back to the ship.  We'll be there again in May and I'm looking forward to it. 

[coevan]

1 hour ago, indygirl76 said:

[Brace yourselves: blasphemy incoming.]

 

My least favorite port is Half Moon Cay. I went last May - never again.

* I am not a beach person, and there is nothing to do there other than lie on the beach.

* Drinks are Carnival drinks, served by Carnival bartenders, but are not included in Cheers. (Yes, I'm aware of that when I book. It's still irritating.)

* Lunch is picnic food, served buffet style. No thank you.

 

Fortunately, I would happily take a cruise-to-nowhere, so I will just stay on the ship in the future.

 

 

We agree, it's a great day on the ship. Choice seats in the Serenity Area, no lines for food, slide is wide open, the tenders are a cluster, and we have Cheers.

 

As to Nassau it is an excellent island for a land trip and NOT Atlantis, it's a zoo. There is so much to do at the resorts, food is outstanding as well as the snorkeling and diving. 

 

52 minutes ago, daljcl said:

For us it's San Juan

 

 

This one is a shocker. San Juan is a beautiful vibrant city with so much to do and again excellent food. A side trip to El Yunque was awesome. 

[kyboymom]

Progresso...It's the only Port that' I've visited so far that I felt like a black van could roll up and throw me and my family in the back of and we would never been seen or heard from again.  To sketchy...

[RogueMonk]

Dare I say - Cozumel. Been there enough times.

[Butterbean1000]

It's between Belize (I know I'm in the minority) and Freeport.  The last time we were in Belize, we stayed on the ship.

[amyotravel]

26 minutes ago, kyboymom said:

Progresso...It's the only Port that' I've visited so far that I felt like a black van could roll up and throw me and my family in the back of and we would never been seen or heard from again.  To sketchy...

I would be curious as to other ports you have been to in comparison. I only went to Progresso once but did not feel it to be sketchy (many years ago).

[amyotravel]

2 minutes ago, RogueMonk said:

Dare I say - Cozumel. Been there enough times.

Anyone who cruises fairly frequently understands this feeling! 🙂

 

But, as they say, location, location, location!

[Butterbean1000]

4 minutes ago, RogueMonk said:

Dare I say - Cozumel. Been there enough times.

I guess we haven't been there enough times (5) for it to be old for us.  Cozumel is one of our favorite stops.

[soonernstlouis]

1 hour ago, daljcl said:

For us it's San Juan.  You either get there super early and leave by 1pm or get there at 3:30 pm.....excursions were limited  on the late arrival and walking the town at night doesn't feel safe 

You might want to judge the cruise line for short-changing your visit and not the port.  And San Juan does have a great deal of night life to go with the many day trip activities.  That is why we chose to embark from there.

[Frank12]

27 minutes ago, RogueMonk said:

Dare I say - Cozumel. Been there enough times.

Take a cab to the east side of the island and hit some of the little beach bars.  It'll open a whole new world for you.

 

[amyotravel]

Just now, Frank12 said:

Take a cab to the east side of the island and hit some of the little beach bars.  It'll open a whole new world for you.

 

Have done it!