jamaica DANGEROUS?

[tocruiseguy]

Here's the official verbiage, as noted it is not an official warning.

 

 

2. WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

There is no Official Warning for this country.

 

The hurricane season extends from June 1st to November 30th. For more information, please see our <A href="http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/sos/ci/cat-en.asp?cat=Hurricanes">Current Issues on the hurricane season.

 

Since January 23, 2007, all Canadian citizens transiting the United States when travelling to and from Jamaica by air must comply with entry requirements to the U.S. For more information, please see our Current Issues page.

 

Jamaican officials have advised that there is potential for violence and disturbances during the period leading up to and following the general elections being held on August 27, 2007. A number of shootings have recently occurred in the context of political activities. The last two elections, in 1997 and 2002, have been relatively peaceful events. Political demonstrations, marches, and strikes are expected to occur in the capital and throughout the country. Roadblocks may occur on main roads and cause travel disruptions. Canadians should not attempt to cross blockades, even if they appear unattended. They should also avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, and monitor local news reports.

[Davey Interweb]

I think I'm more adventurous than most when it comes to my travels, but I remain leery of visiting nations that have earned the dubious distinction of "murder capital of the world". I've been to Ocho Rios, and that's pretty much all I need to see. I honestly can't imagine it gets much better.

[suzyaz]

One of my students lives here in Georgia (USA) with is mom. His dad lives in Jamica. We were talking about my upcoming cruise. He asked me where the ports were that the ship was stopping. I told him Ocho Rios, Jamica. He came back later and said Mrs. Suzy, I talked to my dad. He said to find out what date your coming to Jamica, due to the elections about to occur there. He said that there may be a uprising during that time. I told him sometime after Sept. 16th. He said that it sould be ok then, that the election will be over by then. But him telling me that did concern me.

----------------

We will go through the cruise line on a excursion, if we get off the ship there.

[YoPhilly]

Jamaica? Hell no, I never even kissed her.

 

Good one!!

[Rob & Beckys mom]

Jamaica? Hell no, I never even kissed her.

 

I can't help it, your humor cracks me up!! Maybe we met in junior high lol

[GBeret]

Jamica, isn't one of my favorite places! I do not feel safe there! I do not enjoy being there at all, especially where the cruise ships dock. Usually Ocho Rios.

 

I've been there and done that and I don't want to return! To many other safer spots! ;)

[Hiwayman]

I had a Jamaican housekeeper for many years. All I can say is that the violence there is real. Stories of gunfire, hiding under furniture, random and tragic death is not out of the ordinary there. It's not a just a bad apple.

That said, there is no taking away from the beauty of the island. Inclusives seem to be the safest choice.

But for many of us, this is a vacation. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the cruiseship while in Jamaica.

Maybe if tourism suffers, the govenment will be more motivated to make a change. It's not doing anything to help improve the economic situation of a vast number of people on this island.

 

The "inclusive" resorts are safest because the entrances and grounds are guarded by paid "bouncers" armed with Kalishnikoff AK-47's. :eek: The thought of being "locked" into a resort area with potential hostle locals wating to roll you on the outside is something that doesn't quite appeal me.

[Fuzzzy]

All I can say is that the violence there is real. Stories of gunfire, random and tragic death is not out of the ordinary there.

If you are gay/lesbian it is even worse. Of what I have read and what we might call in the USA as "hate crimes" are almost normal activities.

[DeRon]

My wife and I had a VERY bad experience in Jamaica. It really rattled us. I will not go into everything, but I thought we were going to be robbed for sure, and maybe worse. My experience was very real and very negative.

 

On the same cruise that night (we were still shaken up) we were in one of the ship's stores. When checking out, the girl behind the counter who worked for Carnival seemed really upset. When asked what was wrong, she said she went off the ship while in port and a cab took her out in the country against her wishes (with another guy). They flashed around knives and stuff and threatened to rape her. They didi not rape her, but they scared her into giving them money.

 

No thanks!

[MaryPoppinz]

I think the best way to see how beautiful Jamaica is and to do it safely is to pre-arrange a specific itinerary with a recommended guide, rather than getting a cab at the pier or walking on your own. I'm not in a rush to get back to Jamaica, but I think you can see it pretty safely if you plan ahead.

 

During the unrest prior to this election, I'm not sure *I* would do any touring there, though. There has been quite a lot of violence and several countries have issued advisories similar to the one posted above. I would probably want to avoid the possibility of running into political rallies or events.

[JPRLHR]

The "inclusive" resorts are safest because the entrances and grounds are guarded by paid "bouncers" armed with Kalishnikoff AK-47's. :eek: The thought of being "locked" into a resort area with potential hostle locals wating to roll you on the outside is something that doesn't quite appeal me.

 

I really do not believe I've read this... You win the competition for the most drama that someone can create on a single thread..!! What a total and utter load of old tosh.

 

I have been to several all inclusives in Jamaica in five different areas of the island and many inclusive resorts on numerous other Caribbean islands where the security was of the same level. Hundreds of thousands of other tourists go there year in year out too. Yes there are security guys at the main entrance gates. Yes there are security guards at the boundary edges of their beaches but not one one them has ever been armed with even a small pistol let alone a Kalashnikov..!! Now in reverse, the last time I was in Florida there was a security guard on the gate of my hotel with a hand gun which everyone accepts as the norm when it's in the US.

 

Trouble occurs everywhere in the world where there are tourists because tourists mean $$ to many people of the less well off nations. Trouble occurs in life too, we've had a spate of killings in London and Manchester lately by kids with knives. Only this morning we awake to the news that a British guy was stabbed to death near Atlantic City yesterday when trying to help out someone who was being mugged. Locals interviewed on TV were adamant, "That sort of thing doesn't happen here" It just did..!!

 

Let's get real, violence happens and the only way to feel safe is to stay at home which is probably a misguided conception too. Jamaica is a stunningly beautiful country with the vast majority of the population being overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. Most trouble occurs in and around Kingston but you're not docking in Kingston.

[happyscot]

If you are concerned, schedule a tour and "Don't worry about a thing, cause every thing is going to be alright!!"

 

No Problem, Mon.

 

Arie!!

 

 

Telll that to the Carnival passengers who were held up at gunpoint (kids included). They were on an escorted tour, I believe sponsored by the ship.

 

Karen

 

 

I agree. That's why most Europeans won't go to the States. Terrible, backward place, so violent. I'd leave now if I were you.

 

:)

[suzyaz]

Telll that to the Carnival passengers who were held up at gunpoint (kids included). They were on an escorted tour, I believe sponsored by the ship.

 

Karen

 

 

I agree. That's why most Europeans won't go to the States. Terrible, backward place, so violent. I'd leave now if I were you.

 

:)

 

 

Yes, Karen, after reading this on the ports boards, I agree:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=574296

 

Folks read it. I'm sure this person is not lieing about this experience and fright these cruisers went through.

[Momma Mojito]

If there is just as much trouble elsewhere then why is Jamaica singled out? Why don't you ask my ob-gyn who was shot throw his resort door

and now is paralized form the waist down how safe he would feel there.

[Aja28]

DH and I spent our honeymoon at Couples in Ocho Rios 28 years ago. It is an all inclusive so we didn't have to leave the resort, except for the tennis courts which were across the street. We were told we could not go across the street alone and need to take an escort from the hotel. A week after we were there they had some kind of civil disturbance and someone got shot on the streets.

We will be there in October and were thinking of just getting off and shopping at the stores right by the port. We collect pins and wanted one from Jamaica but the more I think about it maybe we'll just stay on the ship.

[happyscot]

A friend of my wife as a trainee teacher was on holiday in Florida. Got lost. Knocked on a door to get directions. In Europe, and probably in Jamaica which is an ex-European colony, that is a perfectly normal thing to do and people are delighted to help. The householder shot this 20 year old trainee kindergarten teacher dead through the door, without any attempt to ascertain who he was. The police did nothing, on the grounds - astonishingly - that it was self-defence. The horror of this story is not what the man did, but that in your country he felt he had to do that, and that he was allowed to do that. It caused a scandal in Scotland, and confirmed for many the perceptions they already had about the States. It still isn't a particularly popular holiday choice for Scots because it's just too dangerous in the eyes of many.

 

I think before you start quoting isolated shooting incidents, robberies and civil disturbance as a reason for not visiting an entire country you ought to look a little closer to home. Europeans regard American gun laws as insane, and see urban America as one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Yes, we had Dunblane, but you have one every other month, and we responded by making it virtually impossible to legally own a handgun in the UK. Many Americans seem to feel the answer is to hand out yet more guns! A number of friends have told stories of being told where to go and not to go when visiting New York, which even after its clean-up probably has more murders per year than any entire Western European country.

 

This is why non-US folk are perhaps not responding as you'd expect to this thread. In the words of my esteemed fellow countryman above, its a load of tosh. If not poppycock.

[DeRon]

HappyScot,

 

I don't understand your point "look a little closer to home". We have violence like every nation. But thousands of people complain about how they were treated, threatened, and felt unsafe in Jamaica.

 

If you disagree, go to Jamaica and enjoy. There is no sense or reason to show your scorn for the US when it is not the topic.

[woodofpine]

The cruise ship pier area on either side of the fence is one of the least attractive places to "see" Jamaica. The immediate week prior to a national election would for some - be an interesting time to visit - albeit with a higher sense of caution.

 

Yep - a little planning and a little (just a little) precaution is all one needs to make Jamaica as safe as any other place.

 

All the malarky about Klashnikovs... I never saw this in Jamaica (specifically Russian-Chinese hardware) but automatic weapons are present publically in most countries accross the globe... Europe... Oops - US airports...

 

I've been fortunate to have never seen firearms in the hands of clearly identifiable criminal types while abroad... Not that I've not had that experience... It's just that those "good times" where all here in the USofA...

[happyscot]

HappyScot,

 

I don't understand your point "look a little closer to home". We have violence like every nation. But thousands of people complain about how they were treated, threatened, and felt unsafe in Jamaica.

 

If you disagree, go to Jamaica and enjoy. There is no sense or reason to show your scorn for the US when it is not the topic.

 

 

I think the point, one that is relevant I think, is that statistically most Americans visiting virtually any other country are LESS likely to be attacked for the duration of their visit.

[seahorse]

A friend of my wife as a trainee teacher was on holiday in Florida. Got lost. Knocked on a door to get directions. In Europe, and probably in Jamaica which is an ex-European colony, that is a perfectly normal thing to do and people are delighted to help. The householder shot this 20 year old trainee kindergarten teacher dead through the door, without any attempt to ascertain who he was. The police did nothing, on the grounds - astonishingly - that it was self-defence. The horror of this story is not what the man did, but that in your country he felt he had to do that, and that he was allowed to do that. It caused a scandal in Scotland, and confirmed for many the perceptions they already had about the States. It still isn't a particularly popular holiday choice for Scots because it's just too dangerous in the eyes of many.

 

I think before you start quoting isolated shooting incidents, robberies and civil disturbance as a reason for not visiting an entire country you ought to look a little closer to home. Europeans regard American gun laws as insane, and see urban America as one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Yes, we had Dunblane, but you have one every other month, and we responded by making it virtually impossible to legally own a handgun in the UK. Many Americans seem to feel the answer is to hand out yet more guns! A number of friends have told stories of being told where to go and not to go when visiting New York, which even after its clean-up probably has more murders per year than any entire Western European country.

 

This is why non-US folk are perhaps not responding as you'd expect to this thread. In the words of my esteemed fellow countryman above, its a load of tosh. If not poppycock.

 

:confused:

First of all it is not "allowed" to shoot anyone coming to your door in America:rolleyes: We Americans are not "handed" more guns. There are strict gun laws here. Some people do not follow the law, gee, is that a surprise?

 

The right to protect ourselves is an inalienable right here. I believe we went to war with a certain nation to have our rights a "few" years ago.:rolleyes:

 

This country has many more people then Scotland and I believe in the law of averages we will have more crime. There are certain places in the big cities that it is not wise for a tourist to go. I know that there are certain places in the UK where it is not wise for a tourist to go also.

 

Whether people think our laws are "Insane" is your prerogative. We call it freedom and living in a Democracy. If I lived in a crime ridden neighborhood and had a legal gun and I had to defend myself and my family, I would.

 

Getting to the topic at hand........I have been to Jamaica at least 25 times, to stay and cruising. I do love Jamaica. It is a large Island and there are certain places to go and not to go. I have never felt threatened and I use caution and common sense.

 

It is a 3rd world country, bottom line, and poverty breeds crime, just like your inner city sections ALL OVER THE WORLD.

 

You would be surprised how many islands are riddled with crime that is under reported. I guess Jamaica gets more publicity (sigh).

 

If you do not want to visit Jamaica.......don`t. If you do not want to get off the ship.....don`t. Have a great day on board the ship, you have the freedom to do so..

[happyscot]

The right to protect ourselves is an inalienable right here. I believe we went to war with a certain nation to have our rights a "few" years ago.:rolleyes:

 

 

 

I think the right to protect yourself is "inalienable", whatever that means, pretty much everywhere. Do you know a country where it's illegal to try and stop a chap from raping your wife or from stabbing you? I don't. It's just that in most places, they don't have the need or inclination to do it with a vast array of easily-obtainable automatic weapons. If that's how you define democracy, that's your privilege. Western European countries have virtually no guns in legal public ownership, and far lower major crime per capita figures. The freedom to get shot must be very important to you, but we'll remain in intact slavery, thanks.

 

A recent survey showed that one third of Americans believed they had been kidnapped by inalienables, didn't it? Sounds like just the chaps to have loaded guns in the house.

 

You sound like an educated chap, and therefore will know perfectly well that the War of Independence was about one lot of Englishmen killing another lot of Englishmen so that the first lot of Englishmen didn't have to pay the other lot of Englishmen taxes to fight wars in Europe, and so that they DIDN'T have to apply increasingly and annoyingly liberal English laws (ie RIGHTS) to their own serfs and tenants in the new colonies. As governments everywhere still do, yours and mine included, these perfectly understandable truths were concealed by the usual patriotic baloney that we mugs always get sold when them in charge want us at either end of a bayonet. Rather surprisingly, you lot still seem to believe in it all, no matter how much evidence to the contrary your increasingly insane leaders provide. At least we've worked out our lot are crooks, mad or both.

 

Actually some of that's not strictly accurate - you used French mercenaries as your own "volunteers" wouldn't stay when the cash ran out, we used Hanovarian ones who just weren't very good and got their backsides whipped, but hey, who's counting.

 

But it all turned out very well. And we got to keep Jamaica for a bit (nice segue to the topic, eh?).

 

xxxxxx

[Coolmama_1]

We were in MoBay in 2006. We felt safe on our tour, but heading back to the ship is a different story. DH was offered drugs, women and little boys!:eek: I guess this could happen anywhere, but for us, it happened in Jamaica. Not real sure that I care if we go back, but I definitely would not explore on my own!

[BobBeaSea]

Elections have the potential to be "exciting" in Jamaica but hell, at least they have elections :). If there is any trouble with the upcoming election it will be primarily in the Kingston area although there could also be incidents in the MoBay area as well. Even then, these incidents are usually far away from areas tourists are likely to be.

 

For the poster(s) who said Jamaica isn't beautiful, you obviously haven't "seen" Jamaica. Definitely the most beautiful island of the Greater Antilles with the exception of Cuba, perhaps.

[seahorse]

I really don`t want to get into a debate about laws and rights:) This is not the place to do so.

 

You do not know our gun laws. I believe automatic weapons are not "allowed" these are illegal.

 

BTW the word "inalienable" is in our Constitution;) Oh, Stonehenge, aliens or what?:p

 

I would rather have a loaded gun to protect myself then a knife against rape and a home invasion. But that is just me and I am glad that I have that right. BTW I do not have a gun and I know no one that does for protection. My son did when he worked as a "Repo Man" and he and his family (US) was threatened, but he only kept it the house. Did not carry. You do need special permits to Carry a gun on your person.

 

So I say, enjoy your freedom and we will enjoy ours........peace.

 

Oh, I do love Scotland and there were certain areas in Glasgow that I would not go to at night.;)

[DeRon]

I think the point, one that is relevant I think, is that statistically most Americans visiting virtually any other country are LESS likely to be attacked for the duration of their visit.

Oh...I think I get your point now. Since we have a lot of violence in the United States we shouldn't care about being in danger when traveling since we are probably use to it.

 

I think that is "poppycock".