Rare Saint Greg Posted May 24, 2021 #26 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Easily Freeport. Just not much to do there. Hopefully Carnival still plans to build the huge port area there because that's one port that could use....something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atexsix Posted May 24, 2021 #27 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Mazatlan, because we docked in a container port miles from anyplace interesting, but the taxi driver will take you on a mini tour past the cathedral. Days later I realized how vulnerable I was and could have easily been taken advantage of. Never again, from now on it's a ship tour or stay on ship. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare IntrepidFromDC Posted May 24, 2021 #28 Share Posted May 24, 2021 I think all the ports are worth visiting as long as you're willing to pay for an excursion. If no excursion, and you're just talking about walking around the area where you get off the ship, I never want to visit Freeport or Belize again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Saint Greg Posted May 24, 2021 #29 Share Posted May 24, 2021 34 minutes ago, atexsix said: Mazatlan, because we docked in a container port miles from anyplace interesting, but the taxi driver will take you on a mini tour past the cathedral. Days later I realized how vulnerable I was and could have easily been taken advantage of. Never again, from now on it's a ship tour or stay on ship. Ah man Mazatlan was awesome. I walked from the port to here and back.Then I hired a random cab driver to take me to the cathedral and to see the cliff divers. Great time. Best port on that route IMO. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atexsix Posted May 24, 2021 #30 Share Posted May 24, 2021 1 minute ago, Saint Greg said: Ah man Mazatlan was awesome. I walked from the port to here and back.Then I hired a random cab driver to take me to the cathedral and to see the cliff divers. Great time. Best port on that route IMO. If I had known that existed I might have done that but our ship was surrounded by stacks of ugly cargo containers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Saint Greg Posted May 24, 2021 #31 Share Posted May 24, 2021 1 minute ago, atexsix said: If I had known that existed I might have done that but our ship was surrounded by stacks of ugly cargo containers. Yeah the same place I was. But I did research ahead of time and knew all of the places I wanted to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atexsix Posted May 24, 2021 #32 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Just now, Saint Greg said: Yeah the same place I was. But I did research ahead of time and knew all of the places I wanted to go. I didn't, and I was pretty naive. It was a last minute booking, and I was still on the fence about going up to the day before my flight to San Diego. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Saint Greg Posted May 24, 2021 #33 Share Posted May 24, 2021 19 minutes ago, atexsix said: I didn't, and I was pretty naive. It was a last minute booking, and I was still on the fence about going up to the day before my flight to San Diego. Sounds like my first cruise. I booked two weeks out and didn’t do anything outside of the port area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted May 24, 2021 #34 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Worst port - Cristobal. Recommended to go ashore in groups of at least 6 and to avoid all shadows and sidewalks. Departing the port gates, across the road on a balcony were 2 chaps staring at our group. One sharpening a knife and the other working a gun. Next worst - Khorramshahr. Ridiculous heat and humidity, especially in August. Temp over 50 C and 100% humidity. Lots of ports were almost as bad as Cristobal back in the 70's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atexsix Posted May 24, 2021 #35 Share Posted May 24, 2021 20 minutes ago, Saint Greg said: Sounds like my first cruise. I booked two weeks out and didn’t do anything outside of the port area. We all go through that first time 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvre Posted May 24, 2021 #36 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Worst port ever after 34 cruises was Isla de Margarita, Venezuela. Filthy island littered with trash and we did a dolphin encounter that was horrible. Dolphins were horribly stressed in terrible conditions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted May 24, 2021 #37 Share Posted May 24, 2021 I find it interesting that most of these bad ports are located in the Caribbean or places close to the Caribbean. Aren't there bad ports on other continents? DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Illbcruzn4life Posted May 24, 2021 #38 Share Posted May 24, 2021 9 hours ago, TNcruising02 said: I agree. We look for cruises that don't stop in Jamaica. Oh great. Now I read this,after we just booked a week in Montego Bay for later this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John Bull Posted May 24, 2021 #39 Share Posted May 24, 2021 (edited) La Guaira, Venezuela (port for Caracas) and Colon, Panama (port for Panama Canal) JB 🙂 Edited May 24, 2021 by John Bull 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrate13 Posted May 24, 2021 #40 Share Posted May 24, 2021 Both Montego Bay and Isla de Margarita were horrible and made us feel very unsafe, even on a ships tour. Never again would I get off at either. On the other hand, we found the folks in Belize to be very friendly outside of the port compound area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aplmac Posted May 24, 2021 #41 Share Posted May 24, 2021 7 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said: I think all the ports are worth visiting as long as you're willing to pay for an excursion. If no excursion, and you're just talking about walking around the area where you get off the ship, I never want to visit Freeport or Belize again. ALL Port/Dock areas are famously boring and un-interesting. Sint Maarten is about the only one I can think of, that's not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted May 24, 2021 #42 Share Posted May 24, 2021 4 hours ago, donaldsc said: I find it interesting that most of these bad ports are located in the Caribbean or places close to the Caribbean. Aren't there bad ports on other continents? DON That is simply because that is where the vast majority of cruises occur, there and the Med. CLIA publishes stats every year where you can see that the Carib is about 50% of all cruises, maybe more 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNcruising02 Posted May 24, 2021 #43 Share Posted May 24, 2021 4 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said: Oh great. Now I read this,after we just booked a week in Montego Bay for later this year. My advice is to research excursions and book one that is highly rated. That should take you out of the trashy areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikeanswers Posted May 24, 2021 #44 Share Posted May 24, 2021 8 hours ago, donaldsc said: I find it interesting that most of these bad ports are located in the Caribbean or places close to the Caribbean. Aren't there bad ports on other continents? DON Demographics, mostly Americans on this sub thread and most of their cruising is around the Caribbean, post this same question on one of the nationality specific sub threads and you will get very different results. In the Australian threads I have seen mostly Papua New Guinea ports and Vanuatu ports complained about but mostly because they are pretty undeveloped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zach1213 Posted May 24, 2021 #45 Share Posted May 24, 2021 8 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said: Oh great. Now I read this,after we just booked a week in Montego Bay for later this year. Like anywhere, Jamaica is what you make of it. I have been there a few times, both for work and for cruising, and had great times. I do...uh...blend in a bit more than most people on this board probably do, but my wife doesn't and she didn't feel uncomfortable (though we are adventurous travelers). But, do your research, find things you really want to do. Don't just hop off and wing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted May 24, 2021 #46 Share Posted May 24, 2021 11 hours ago, donaldsc said: I find it interesting that most of these bad ports are located in the Caribbean or places close to the Caribbean. Aren't there bad ports on other continents? DON Lots of not so nice ports around the world, but I suspect many on here have more experience in the Caribbean. Also depends on the number of years cruising, or at sea, as many of the world's worst ports have been extensively gentrified. Some of the classics were Govan (Glasgow), London Dockland & Pyrmont Docks in Sydney. All now expensive condos, cafes, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted May 24, 2021 #47 Share Posted May 24, 2021 10 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said: Oh great. Now I read this,after we just booked a week in Montego Bay for later this year. A week in Montego Bay pretty certainly involves staying at an AI - most probably gated —— which means you will not be experiencing Montego Bay (or even Jamaica) at all - except during your cab rides from and to the airport. When inside the resort you could as well be on St. Martin. On the other hand, if you grabbed some really cheap apartment in the center of town : GOOD LUCK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neverbeenhere Posted May 24, 2021 #48 Share Posted May 24, 2021 If a port area has a cheap beer available, it's a good port area. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted May 24, 2021 #49 Share Posted May 24, 2021 42 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said: A week in Montego Bay pretty certainly involves staying at an AI - most probably gated —— which means you will not be experiencing Montego Bay (or even Jamaica) at all - except during your cab rides from and to the airport. When inside the resort you could as well be on St. Martin. On the other hand, if you grabbed some really cheap apartment in the center of town : GOOD LUCK! We were in Ochos Rios when we had a cruise stop in Jamaica. We took the ship's Bob Marley bus tour. And in addition to the great music, I found it a positive experience that we saw a portion of Jamaica that few tourists saw as we headed out to the Bob Marley House. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jocap Posted May 24, 2021 #50 Share Posted May 24, 2021 I'm not a fan of Casablanca, although I've wandered around the (clean) centre and felt safe enough... also some of the Egyptian ports on the Red Sea. It's the general muck and flies that I don't like in the docks, not the people, who appear very friendly and helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now