Safety in Jamaica

[keys-prig]

I will be cruising on the Eurodam in March.We booked a shore excursion in Jamaica. My husband is concerned about our safety. I believe the current status is a level 3. Should we cancel our excursion?

[DaveOKC]

If you are on a HAL excursion, I think you will be safe,  However, be prepared for the vendors and others being very aggressive trying to sell you things.

[FlaMariner]

The State Dept USA has it listed as a level 3 Reconsider Travel.....We would stay on the ship and enjoy the Eurodam that day. 

 

Here is the link to the State Dept travel advisory for Jamaica......

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Jamaica.html

[kazu]

OP - you might well find that the ship chooses to divert from Jamaica depending on the situation.

 

I would think a ship’s excursion would be relatively safe - but I would be tempted to stay on the ship.  I can’t stand the pushy vendors there even when things are good.

[daisy-mae]

We are hoping that the weather will not be too windy - we plan to stay on the ship and play pickleball 🙂

[shipshape sam]

58 minutes ago, kazu said:

OP - you might well find that the ship chooses to divert from Jamaica depending on the situation.

 

I would think a ship’s excursion would be relatively safe - but I would be tempted to stay on the ship.  I can’t stand the pushy vendors there even when things are good.

Recently, our HAL cruise  for early 2025 deleted Key West and added Jamaica.  I was bummed out!

[Lady Arwen]

We’ve been a few times on cruises and then our last time there became the end of Jamaica for us.  Extremely aggressive vendors everywhere and wanting to braid your hair constantly.  Never again, just not fun anymore.

[FlorenceItaly]

Years ago on a Carnival excursion there was a group that was held up at gunpoint.  Just because you are on a cruise sponsored tour does not ensure safety.  Stay on the ship.  You aren't missing anything.

[FlaMariner]

57 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Just because you are on a cruise sponsored tour does not ensure safety.

 

Agree....A bus full of tourists seems like an easy, lucrative and efficient target.

 

[SUESEABE]

Considering travel advisory is Level 3, recommend stay on ship. Even without advisories we stay on ship, they are just too darn pushy...not enjoyable at all.

[Mtn2Sea]

I think it depends on where the ship is stopping.  We stopped in Falmouth last year and took a rafting expedition.  No problem whatsoever.  The gated port area was built for cruise ships and does not have the in-your-face local vendors.  Not much to do other than typical stores catering to cruisers, but at least you can feel safe walking around the port area.  Even on our excursion we did not encounter the typical Jamaica issues.  Our first visit to Ocho Rios was in 1987 and as others have indicated, it was a memorable experience!  Since then, we’ve tried to avoid itineraries with Jamaica.  The two other times we did stop in Ocho Rios, we stayed on the ship.

[sfaaa]

Last time I was in Ocho Rios, I stayed around the secured port area. Not interested to venture outside.

[Ipeeinthepools]

10 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Agree....A bus full of tourists seems like an easy, lucrative and efficient target.

 

 

Maybe the tours in Jamaica need to adopt the approach used on our tour visiting the pyramids several years ago.  Each bus had a guard with an Uzi under his suit coat sitting at the front of the bus.  No one bothered the buses traveling across the desert.

[GlennG]

We are currently onboard the Eurodam, and are scheduled to visit Jamaica in the next few days.  Thanks to those posters offering advice about the current level of safety in Jamaica.  My wife and I will remain onboard.  This kind of up-to-date advice is really appreciated.

[ontheweb]

Such paranoia about Jamaica. We have been there twice, both times in Ochos Rios. We stayed at an AI in 1997 (the one the locals ran and no longer exists) for our 20th anniversary. We had a wonderful time. Yes, they wanted to braid my hair, but they all took a firm no for an answer without any other reaction. We had Jamaica as a port in 2013 on a Carnival cruise. We took their Bob Marley bus excursion and saw a part of Jamaica you all are afraid to see. DW and I had a wonderful time and never felt anything but safe. Maybe they were a little forward about wanting tips, but that happens in a lot of cruise ports. 

[DE Solo]

7 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Such paranoia about Jamaica. We have been there twice, both times in Ochos Rios. We stayed at an AI in 1997 (the one the locals ran and no longer exists) for our 20th anniversary. We had a wonderful time. Yes, they wanted to braid my hair, but they all took a firm no for an answer without any other reaction. We had Jamaica as a port in 2013 on a Carnival cruise. We took their Bob Marley bus excursion and saw a part of Jamaica you all are afraid to see. DW and I had a wonderful time and never felt anything but safe. Maybe they were a little forward about wanting tips, but that happens in a lot of cruise ports. 

While I understand that you had several wonderful visits to Jamaica, perhaps your experiences from 27 years ago and 11 years ago may not be relevant to current conditions. 

[ontheweb]

1 minute ago, DE Solo said:

While I understand that you had several wonderful visits to Jamaica, perhaps your experiences from 27 years ago and 11 years ago may not be relevant to current conditions. 

Perhaps not, but OTOH at least on the one 10 1/2 years ago, we heard the same warnings.

[AKJonesy]

I can't remember back 10 years ago when we were on a cruise, but we're told to keep the police in view at all times and do not go more than a few blocks outside of the port.  Police were everywhere.  Truthfully, it made me kind of mad that HAL would even go to such a place.  I mean, it didn't seem HAL was giving us some great experience so I had to wonder what their reasoning was.  This was NOT THE SAME as going many places where we are always told to:  keep your eye on your belongings, etc.  So, IMHO, it's a combination of being aware of one's surroundings plus the CRUISE responsibility in keeping passengers safe.  HAL can't be responsible for everything, but in that case, it went beyond creepy.  

[FlaMariner]

14 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

We’ve been a few times on cruises and then our last time there became the end of Jamaica for us.  Extremely aggressive vendors everywhere and wanting to braid your hair constantly.  Never again, just not fun anymore.

 

I'd be OK if my biggest concern in Jamaica is aggressive sales folks and hair braiders........I can handle that....It's this from the USA State Dept RE: Jamaica that causes pause.......Again, a great day to enjoy the ship.....

 

Country Summary: Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.

Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence. Families of U.S. citizens killed in accidents or homicides frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. U.S. government personnel under COM security responsibility are prohibited from traveling to the areas listed below, from using public buses, and from driving outside of prescribed areas of Kingston at night.

Emergency services and hospital care vary throughout the island, and response times and quality of care may vary from U.S. standards. Public hospitals are under-resourced and cannot always provide high level or specialized care. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel.

[Lady Arwen]

9 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

 

I'd be OK if my biggest concern in Jamaica is aggressive sales folks and hair braiders........I can handle that....It's this from the USA State Dept RE: Jamaica that causes pause.......Again, a great day to enjoy the ship.....

 

Country Summary: Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.

Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence. Families of U.S. citizens killed in accidents or homicides frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. U.S. government personnel under COM security responsibility are prohibited from traveling to the areas listed below, from using public buses, and from driving outside of prescribed areas of Kingston at night.

Emergency services and hospital care vary throughout the island, and response times and quality of care may vary from U.S. standards. Public hospitals are under-resourced and cannot always provide high level or specialized care. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel.

Appreciate you sharing this information.  It’s so much worse than when we were there.  Perhaps the cruiselines should omit Jamaica from their itineraries.  I would never even consider getting off the ship.

[daisy-mae]

I may be mistaken, but I believe that some travel insurance policies can be limited, or restricted if a travel advisory has been issued for a given area.

[grannyshell]

Wow, that gov't warning is frightening. Why would anyone get off the ship and why would HAL continue to have such a port on the itinerary?

[julia]

Jamaica is 2nd to Trinidad and Tobago in overall Caribbean crime, and has the highest murder rate of all the islands. Economic downturns, drugs, and the recent pandemic have led to much social decay, and is why you can't compare a decade old visit to today.  Apples to oranges.

[Haljo1935]

7 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Maybe the tours in Jamaica need to adopt the approach used on our tour visiting the pyramids several years ago.  Each bus had a guard with an Uzi under his suit coat sitting at the front of the bus.  No one bothered the buses traveling across the desert.

OMG - I had palpitations just reading this...

[cruisemom42]

41 minutes ago, julia said:

Jamaica is 2nd to Trinidad and Tobago in overall Caribbean crime, and has the highest murder rate of all the islands. Economic downturns, drugs, and the recent pandemic have led to much social decay, and is why you can't compare a decade old visit to today.  Apples to oranges.

 

Exactly.

 

Syria was safe when I went there in 2010. Ten years later, not so much....