What Ports Should be Eliminated??

[Copper10-8]

We never leave the ship when in Jamaica.

 

..............................

 

Only place - so far - where Maria (my DW) was offered 'dope' in the park next to Dunn's River Falls:rolleyes: . I was walking several feet behind her. Too bad 'cause Jamaica has some beautiful venues

[innlady1]

Tortola. Been there twice, once was enough.

Would love St. Barth's. Only the smaller ships stop there, though. In lieu of that, would love a St. Maarten shorex to St. Barth's...some of the other cruise lines have/had them...Princess for one.

Went there on a land vacation with three women friends...would love for DH to see it.

[jimgev]

Eight ships were in Belize last year when we were there. What was once a quiet little place was a madhouse. There must have been at least 20,000 people crowded onto the shopping plaza they've built there. The 6-mile tender ride just wasn't worth it.

I think any port visit can be deminished by having too many ships in port. There is a big difference between a bad port and an overcrowded port.

[jimgev]

Don't I wish we could. We'd love to go to Havana some day.

I'd love that too. I remember the stories my Mother told of the cruise she took to Havana in the 1920's

[cruz chic]

Could very well be, I've never been there;) OK< so we get rid of the embargo and go to Havana;)

I'm with you on that one. I would love to go to Cuba.

 

I spent 14 days in the DR on my honeymoon in 1988. Since I'm now divorced it's not my favorite memory:D ;) . I really didn't like the place then. I went back in 2006 on a cruise and didn't like it any better then. People rave about and I can't understand it.

[bepsf]

Jamaica: They don't want me, and I don't want them.

Ensenada: What's the point?

Nassau: It was everything I feared St Thomas would be, but uglier.

St Croix: The Ensenada of the Caribbean.

Colon, Panama: You don't dare leave the port shopping area on your own - the surrounding area is burned-out slums. The bay is riddled with half-sunk boat wrecks and tramp steamers.

 

Ports I enjoy:

St Thomas: I love taking a taxi over to Megan's Bay for the day, and having lunch at Cuzzins.

Tortola: Stunning sail-in, and I enjoy the jitney ride over the hills and down to Cane Garden Bay - the chickens running around everywhere always makes me happy.

Sitka: Beautiful scenery, everything is in walking distance from the tender dock, and not overly commercialized. The perfect "real" Alaska port.

Key West: What's not to like?

St Maartin: Could be the perfect Caribbean port.

Curacao: The new Mega-Pier is fairly close to the main part of town.

Aruba: Beautiful Sail-in: Next time I go I want to go to the other side of the island.

[sail-a-bration]

Ocho Rio's, We were all warned about kidnapping before leaving the ship. We went on the beach break excursion and our tour guide was a charming young lady, and the beach was absolutely gorgeous. But we stopped in town so people could shop for 30 minutes and that is where man and his daughter went off with a local, they said they would to take a cab back, our tour guide pleaded with them not to go and they did not make it back to the ship. Downtown was a scary place people kept coming up and offering to take us somewhere to buy marijuana, because it is legal there, but not on the ship.

[Susie51]

Krazy Kruisers, I was in Grand Caymen in January. Where are they building the pier? Is it for tenders or can the ships actually dock there?

 

Twinkletoes4445, I agree St. Thomas is getting way to crowded. On Zui. in Nov. there were 7 ships in port including Freedom of the Seas and QM2. The streets can't handle all of the congestion.

 

There needs to be a limit to the number pax not just the # of ships.

 

I've only been to Tortola once, I wouldn't mind going again. I'd do a snorkeling trip next time. It's nice to go to a port where it isn't so crowded. Those wild rides on the hairpin turn roads are a ONCE in a lifetime experience. Great views.

 

I wouldn't take any ports away. It would just make the other ports more crowded. I have found that I enjoy being on the ship during port days in places I have already been to.

 

2004 I stayed on the Maasdam while anchored in Bar Harbor. It was fantastic! This Sept. I'll stay on the ship while docked in Boston and I'm looking forward to enjoying an uncrowded ship.

[betonic]

Katakalon, Greece because once you've seen Olympia you've seen everything that port has to offer.

 

I also thought that Tortola was boring but agree that the views are beautiful.

 

I also think that there are many HAL port stops that are only half days and should be longer in order to enjoy the day. An example would be Messina, Italy or Ketchikan which were each only 7a-1pm.

[sail7seas]

2004 I stayed on the Maasdam while anchored in Bar Harbor. It was fantastic! This Sept. I'll stay on the ship while docked in Boston and I'm looking forward to enjoying an uncrowded ship.

 

 

Being from Boston, it disappoints me to hear you don't wish to see anything in our wonderful city. We're hugely tourist friendly with so very much to see and do. Boston is veryh walkable and we have so very much history, culture, world class colleges/ universities/ medical facilities, fabulous museums, food to please every taste and palate...... It's impossible to imagine there isn't something that would interest you. Please mention it on the Board if there is something I can do to tempt you to enjoy a bit of Boston.

 

Bar Harbor is very fun. We never tire of it but that's us. Each to their own, of course.

[localady]

My vote would be Acapulco and Colon, Panama. I had a very bad experience in Acapulco, and found Colon to be the most oppressively hot and humid place I have ever been in my entire life, which made it feel impossible to breathe.

I also agree that any port can just become a nightmare with too many ships.:rolleyes: We've experienced this in St. Thomas, Juneau, Skagway and the Grand Caymans. Love the ports, but not with nine large ships!:eek:

[orangearmy]

I would be sorry to see Jamaica dropped. We were there in 2006 (Ocho Rios) and I really enjoyed it. Had a great day touring a plantation and doing Dunn's River Falls. As for Dope,(I have never used) we were offered some by our Cab Driver (Sponge Bob) but that came as no surprise to us. I expected it and have been offered it many times in my own city and country. Heck, the Canadian government will give it to you for medical reasons. :eek: In Amsterdam you can enjoy it in coffee shops. Should we also eliminate that port. It even has a Red Light District. So if you think you won't be safe stay on the ship. I intend to enjoy the ports and trust they will do their best to ensure my safety and enjoyment. Hup Hup Holland

[JimVrhovac]

One mans trash is another mans treasure.......

 

There are a lot of ports we don't care for so we just stay on the ship. We have gotten to the place where the destination is the ship not the ports

 

Ruth & Jim

[innlady1]

<snip>

2004 I stayed on the Maasdam while anchored in Bar Harbor. It was fantastic! This Sept. I'll stay on the ship while docked in Boston and I'm looking forward to enjoying an uncrowded ship.

 

That surprises me...we're from the Boston area, and we never tire of the city...there's so much to see and do.

A walk through Faneuil Hall Marketplace, over to the Boston Public Gardens, Newbury Street, Back Bay and/or Beacon Hill, the Freedom Trail, the North End...Not to mention the Museum of Fine Arts, the Science Museum, the Aquarium....so many wonderful things to see...and wonderful restaurants to tempt your palate. And, September in Boston is the frosting on the cake!

[gizmo]

Colon, Caracas and Jamaica get my vote.

Been there and don't want to go back.

Colon was the WORST port I have visited.

 

There are a couple of others ports that I have no interest in seeing after reading reviews.

Progresso

Roatan

Ensenada

Grand Turk - There doesn't seem to be anything there accept a pool. I can use the ship if I want a pool.

 

A couple people mentioned Acapulco and Tortola. I like both ports. lt all depends on what you do.

 

When ports are too crowded it can be horrible. It is even worse if you have to tender. At times, Grand Cayman and St. Thomas have entirely too many ships.

[gizmo]

delete. double post

[Ine]

I would be sorry to see Jamaica dropped. We were there in 2006 (Ocho Rios) and I really enjoyed it. Had a great day touring a plantation and doing Dunn's River Falls. As for Dope,(I have never used) we were offered some by our Cab Driver (Sponge Bob) but that came as no surprise to us. I expected it and have been offered it many times in my own city and country. Heck, the Canadian government will give it to you for medical reasons. :eek: In Amsterdam you can enjoy it in coffee shops. Should we also eliminate that port. It even has a Red Light District. So if you think you won't be safe stay on the ship. I intend to enjoy the ports and trust they will do their best to ensure my safety and enjoyment. Hup Hup Holland

 

You seem to forget there are also Museums like Ann Frankhouse, Rijks- and Van Goghmuseum, Zaanse Schans and in spring Keukenhof,so more then just the RLD and coffeeshops.

Besides, yes there are still dutch people that never visit those coffeeshops, but walk over RLD as the area itself with the small canals is very nice.

Indeed Hup Hup Holland, they are doing a great job. (soccer that is.)

[no.one]

Toulon, France

 

We were there in April on Noordam. Two hour bus ride to St. Tropez.........not a big deal.

[cruisinbulldog]

Tortola: Stunning sail-in, and I enjoy the jitney ride over the hills and down to Cane Garden Bay - the chickens running around everywhere always makes me happy.

.

 

 

Agree with your take on Tortola.. But we also add a stop at Pusser's for a couple of Painkillers :D ..

 

Bulldog

[FLACRUISER99]

How about not eliminating any and adding some. I think that for every port that someone wants the cruise industry to remove there is someone that enjoys that port. If you don't like different cultures stay home or on the ship and let us that like to travel and go on a cruise for different experiences and enrichment ashore.

[innlady1]

How about not eliminating any and adding some. I think that for every port that someone wants the cruise industry to remove there is someone that enjoys that port. If you don't like different cultures stay home or on the ship and let us that like to travel and go on a cruise for different experiences and enrichment ashore.

 

Very good point. Here we are, putting in our 2 cents on which ports should be eliminated when clearly, with more ships, the cruise lines need to add...not delete...ports! :cool:

[esther e]

One mans trash is another mans treasure.......

 

There are a lot of ports we don't care for so we just stay on the ship. We have gotten to the place where the destination is the ship not the ports

 

Ruth & Jim

 

Yep. Us, too. Leave the ports alone -- we don't fly any longer so the Caribbean is the place we cruise. We can drive from here to South Florida and hop a ship. We enjoy the ship. Period.

[sail7seas]

I think the cruise lines would LOVE to find more suitable Caribbean ports. They haven't grown any new islands and only so many can support having ships 50,000 + tons in let alone 100,000+ tons. Why did Carnival build up Costa Maya and such but to have new places to bring the hordes.

 

If Havana were to become open to U.S. travelers, watch the rush to get in there. I suspect there is already advance (speculative) planning in the works now in the small hope prohibitions might soon be lifted.

 

I agree add more ports..... but where in the Caribbean? I'd love new places to sail south for sun and fun.

 

[JimVrhovac]

Maybe the politicians in their "Year of the Change" during this political season will be able to grow a few more ideal islands in the Caribbean for us to visit for free.

 

They are promising us everything else to get our votes and yet they will deliver nothing.

 

This was ment as a general statement and not reflective of any one party or candidate. Just my total displeasure of politicians in general....

 

Jim

[meterman2]

I'd select to forego Grand Turk (unless you like to snorkle/scuba).