1st Time Cruiser to Jamaica

[MizzLee]

Dear Mizzlee,

 

My remark is based on the personal and professional experience that endodontic therapy EVEN when performed painlessly is not perceived as a happy experience, more often a necessary evil.Come sit in any dental office for a few days and see how many people look foreward to and enjoy their root canals.Our goal is to save teeth and to minimize the negative aspects of the treatment.

Perhaps you are different. Maybe you enjoy the discomfort. That would explain why as a masochist you would enjoy Jamaica.(Only kidding)But perhaps you have been fortunate and have not encountered the horrible experiences that many including myself have had there. Consider youself lucky.

But don't try to tell me a root canal is fun...as a dentist who has done thousands sucessfully.I can assure you it is not.At best it is a neutral event despite the propaganda of the ADA.

 

Dear DrFun

 

Thanks for the lecture, but I've done thousands myself and stopped counting my personal experiences after ten or so. From both sides of the chair, I still feel that it's no big deal--agreed, it is a neutral experience, but our day to day lives are filled with those. I never said or implied that is was fun--and I don't think the ADA has either! You say that your goal is to "minimize the negative aspects", but comments such as the one you originally made perpetuate the idea that root canals equal torture and frighten patients into avoiding treatment--and ultimately often losing the teeth we are supposed to be trying to save. That is why I was surprised and disappointed to see a dentist writing such a thing in a public forum. Sorry you interpreted that as a personal attack.

 

Ok, off my soapbox now

[drfun48]

Dear DrFun

 

Thanks for the lecture, but I've done thousands myself and stopped counting my personal experiences after ten or so. From both sides of the chair, I still feel that it's no big deal--agreed, it is a neutral experience, but our day to day lives are filled with those. I never said or implied that is was fun--and I don't think the ADA has either! You say that your goal is to "minimize the negative aspects", but comments such as the one you originally made perpetuate the idea that root canals equal torture and frighten patients into avoiding treatment--and ultimately often losing the teeth we are supposed to be trying to save. That is why I was surprised and disappointed to see a dentist writing such a thing in a public forum. Sorry you interpreted that as a personal attack.

 

Ok, off my soapbox now

Apology accepted.I still think that I would rather not spend any time in Jamaica when there are so many other choices, or on the receiving end of endodontic therapy.

Honesty is important.You can't sugercoat the fact that upon occasion endo can be very painful,in the chair, or post operatively.If you do not prepare the patient for that possibility,you risk losing your credibility and their trust.Long term that is more important to me than the fact that their anxiety might be increased by the heads-up.

I'm sure we both do all that we can to achieve the desired result with the least trauma.

[cucamonga kid]

After reading a number of posts and their disgust for Jamaica, should we go? We have never been to Jamaica and it is worth going on one of the excursions or should we take advantage of the ship in port. Any opinions would be most appreciative!:confused:

 

 

Stay on the ship, you will have a much more enjoyable time.

aron

[bububr]

I've had as many root canals as I have trips to Jamaica.

 

I honestly can say,I'd prefer the root canal to getting off the ship and dealing withthe natives.

 

Saying that I have had canal jobs that were not painful at all, one which WAS quite painful, and another to fix the painful one because of a partial fill, which was moderate. So I have been on all ends of this issue.

 

IMHO:

 

The island of Jamaica, the beaches, the mountains, the rivers and lakes....I equate to that canal job that was painless, and with out incident.

 

The natives of Jamaica I equate to that horrible, messy, painful, LONG, canal job that was not done correctly and gave me discomfort for a very long time.

 

Staying within the confines of the secure gated areas of the ships port, was that repair job on the bad canal job. It wasn't bad, but I wish I didn't have to do it. I made the best of it, but I wondered what would it might have been like if I had a truly qualified person perform it the first time instead of an imbecile,You know, the kind of dental 'professional' with their hands out and only money, not my comfort or health, as a main concern.

 

Dave:eek:

[Saga Ruby]

My personal thoughts about Jamaica - this is the only country in decades of land and sea travel where I have been seriously, physically threatened on two different occasions on two different trips. I will never go back there. My teenage son, a soccer player, went with his team for a tournament in Jamaica and they were treated poorly. Enough.

 

As a traveler, not a tourist, as one who spends time "in country" instead of saying that a shore excursion means I know the place, I have often told my friends that Jamaica is a beautiful island geographically but quite unwelcoming to tourists, give or take the sex and drug trades.

 

If you want outstanding hospitality and an island with every type of beautiful geologic offerings, go to Tasmania. I wish I could retire there. On second thought, don't go there - it will ruin the place.

 

Ruby

[twopats]

I suggest this is one island where either a ship's excursion or a taxi tour is the way to go. On an earlier cruise (when we were much younger), we enjoyed climbing the Dunn River Falls very much! On later visits, the ship's horseback riding tour was a highlight as they take you along the shore line and you can ride into the surf if you want on special gentle horses. Once you get back to the ships' surroundings, however, the poverty and hopelessness of the people really hit you. Once we rented a taxi with another couple and saw how beautiful the island is on a 3 hour tour. Highly recommended. Trish

[Saga Ruby]

Several of us hired a taxi to take us around the southern part of Jamaica. It was on one of the stops that a crowd of 6-8 vendors found me at the edge of a canyon, apart from the two couples I was traveling with.

 

The vendors surrounded me, murmurring, "Buy our coffee bean necklaces, you white b***h, or you're going over the canyon." They were shouldering me and hip-pushing me quite briskly toward the rim of the canyon. I looked up the hill at my taxi driver and he was carefully ignoring the situation.

 

I came back to the car with 3 necklaces, worth a few dollars. I figured my life was worth more than $3. I threw the necklaces into the ocean as we were departing Ocho Rios.

 

You can have Jamaica.

 

Ruby

[twopats]

Make an arrangment with one of the well regarded local guides, or take a ship excursion...

 

If you're in Ochy and you don't climb Dunn's River Falls that's a shame... (Forget the 'falls guides', it's easier to do free handed and the guides want tips - surprise!) The vendors at DRF are no pushier than you'll be exposed to in St. Lucia. Just mean what you say - politely - and say NO. Its true, the cruiselines are almost counter productive in prepping pax for the island. But just like the islanders, the cruiselines are just out to peddle their own stuff - excursions...

 

There is a LOT of drug peddling in Jamaica (mostly reefer). OK - they grow superior weed and North Americans buy it by the ton. Is it their fault for growing it (to alleviate their poverty) or ours for buying it (to alleviate what - privilege)?? If you visit Choyobo Gardens in Ochy they've even got some ganja growing on display there; Jamaicans have a different attitude than us toward the weed... Our government's pressure on Jamaica's to keep it criminalized (they've gone back and forth) undermines the integrity of local law enforcement there because their hearts not in it being criminalized...

 

Otherwise, it's a gorgeous island. The locals are NOT the most outwardly friendly. They are a little sullen until you connect a little. You'll note the same of Jamaican ship crew. It's cultural. But they are very nice friendly people once the right introduction is made. Contrary to what other posters have said, the Jamiacan economy is not tourism based (its NOT their 'bread and butter') and in foreign currency bauxite is as important. As a friend of mine said about Jamaica (and the Third World generally), "Where raw materials meet raw capitalism!". That can cause a wary less than 'chipper' tourist environment.

 

Jamaica does have its loyalists and a tourism industry of returning visiters so that shows that it appeals to some. If you are willing to approach it with planning and awareness that you are visiting a third world locale (rather than St. Thomas, Grand Cayman, or Cozumel) you'll probably have a great 'real' experience. If that is too much to do on vacation, that's fine, enjoy the ship!

Does anyone know of a local tour guide in Montego Bay? We liked Charlie Soto in Costa Rica a lot so someone like that?

[rebeccalouise]

Jamaica is the kind of place you either love or hate. It wasn't for me. My family and I took a private taxi ride thru the rain forest and it was lovely. We went to Dunns Falls but didn't climb on the rocks because we were told not to with an eight year old. Went to the beach at the falls and it was yucky. Murky- nothing like the beach on Grand Cayman.

I plan to stay on the ship in Jamiaca- been there done that. Ocho Rios is fine- nothing special. The shopping was ok. The people were friendly enough but I still felt like a lot of drugged out (high) people on the streets.