Where in the Caribbean would you not want to go?

[SCFCRUISER]

No go for Guadaloupe - a woman had her gold chain taken right off her neck about 20' away from the check in point for the ship, Destiny 2002.

 

No go for Martinique - people were nasty, Song Of Norway, 1989.

[oldvato]

 

I have heard things about Jamaica and I just don't feel like I would feel comfortable there.

 

Doesn't Carnival have a private beach somewhere? Do you feel comfortable there? I loved the private beach on RCL and Disney!

 

Carnival recommends that no one should go off by themselves in Jamiaca. They say people there are pushy and rude. They recommned excursions. I've never heard of a Carnival private beach there.

 

We've been to Montego BAy twice and each time took an excursion to private beaches. The first was to Jimmy Buffet's in Negril. But the locals do hang around the property lines and constantly try to get people's attention to sell them drugs or get them to rent water scooters.

 

The 2nd time was a much better exursion to a resort and nobody bothered us. Can't remember the name but we had a good time. What I don't like about some of the exursions there is that the tours usually include some shopping which cuts into your time at the beach. These tour guides get a cut of whatever the passengers buy.

 

Some people recommend taking a cab to another private resort, I think called Sunset Beach. I've heard good things about it but I have never been because I don't feel comfortable going off without Carnival's protection. You pay a fee, but I understand they keep your sign and sail card until you leave. Most people say that they are very profesional and there is nothing to worry about. Personnaly, I didn't feel comfortable with that.

[Dr. Zebra]

Say what you want about Ocho Rios, Jamaica, but the wife and I LOVED it and had a wonderful time:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PaulMedik]

I've got you beat there -- Baltimore. Efficient port, but if you're not hitting it off the highway, you can see why Homicide and The Wire were written about it.

 

I can honestly say I haven't felt unsafe in any place I've cruised, even cutting through some backstreets and neighborhoods in shady sections of Nassua and San Juan. Then again, I live next door to "Sarajevo by the Sea" and have slept on the street in some pretty scary places for concert tickets.

 

LemurCat,

 

Thank you for the heads up on Baltimore. We've never been there or heard anything about it until now.

 

We walked all over Old San Juan at day and at night and never felt unsafe. Very aware, but not unsafe.

 

Funny thing on our first trip to Miami; We rented an Expedition and were going somewhere from South Beach for something. Maybe to the airport or some shopping center? Anyhow, as we were driving we noticed the houses all had bars on the windows and razor wire around some and the only people we saw were questionable looking. As we were driving, a Miami PD cruiser pulled up beside us and rolled down their window. I rolled mine down and the passenger seat officer asked what we were doing there. My reply was 'driving through.' He then asked if we were lost and I said 'No, but we aren't where we planned to be.' He then said to follow him and not stop for anything and pulled in front of us. He led us for a few blocks and two or three turns then stopped and walked back and told us not to go through that neighborhood in a rental vehicle. He said people have a tendancy to disappear there. I thanked him and we went on our way.......and as I recall we never did get where we were going, but we did wander through some beautiful neighborhoods looking for it :p

[rigldbrg]

Here's one I have'nt seen on the "Carib ports to miss list:" St. Maarten. In fairness I think this may have been more about a bad excursion choice. We wound up doing an island tour with a bad guide, and I think we saw every shack on the island. I'm with the earlier poster that said they don't like to see poverty on their vacation.

 

On the other hand, I know San Juan made a few people's list, but we had an awewome time. I guess this is an example of the right excursion/right guide.

[Lisichka]

San Juan. All 5 of us hate it. We won't even get off the ship next time we are there (and we tried to like it, we really tried, even stayed 6 extra days there in a resort to try and like it).

 

Just not our cup of tea.

[flyingb]

We have taken several Bahamas/Caribbean cruises and we are about to take an Eastern Caribbean cruise leaving this weekend. I always like to plan next year's vacation before the vacation ends so it's not so depressing. There are still many ports we haven't gone to, so I was wondering what ports would you not like to go to (whether not interesting, political unrest, feeling unsafe,etc.).

 

Jamaca(sp?) or Roatan :p

Luv's Crusin'

[grandmato4]

Haven't found a Caribbean cruise port we didn't enjoy yet. Of coarse, some enjoyed more than others.;) Got a few more to go before we've seen them all so maybe we'll find one less desireable than the others but somehow I'm not thinking any are going to strike us as "never want to go back" as they all seem to have something to offer.

[DocF]

I have less than no desire to go to San Juan. I've not been overly thrilled with Nassau, but we are going to try a self-guided walking tour. One poster said the people are very friendly and we have found that to be true.

 

Doc

[read52]

Wow, and a lot of those places are in the Beach Boys song Kokomo...you'd think they would be a lot more fun ;)

 

 

Hey, My husband and I are trying to do the Kokomo trip and we wish we had as much money as the Beach Boys.

[read52]

Roatan----Did not feel safe. We went on an excursion to see monkeys, plants and pirates. I thought the driver was going to drive us off the side of the road. A few days before we got there, someone fell from the zipline and died. They were building something at the port but you could not walk off the ship and explore.

 

Baltimore---Every major city has crime. The port of Baltimore is as safe as any port in America.

[Mich6674]

San Juan, once was enough!

[Aplmac]

No go for Guadaloupe - a woman had her gold chain taken right off her neck

about 20' away from the check in point for the ship, Destiny 2002.

 

No go for Martinique - people were nasty, Song Of Norway, 1989.

Hey, it's not just you.

 

Other Caribbean Islanders (ppl who live in dese islands)

have long known that the French islands are a miserable lot!

They've been that way for decades now! ;)

 

Maybe if you speak their language well, you might get better service...

but even so...basically they are malcontent with their colonial lot in life.

 

They want Independence, and the French aren't giving it to them.

That -I'm pretty sure- is their basic attitudinal problem, as a society overall

and it shows in their behaviour to tourists and outsiders.

 

.

[templed]

I've been told by a lot of people... and I tend to agree that ports like Jamaica, St. Lucia and yes... even Puerto Rico... don't really "Show well" in one day. The resorts there are supposed to be fantastic from what I hear.

 

I've never felt unsafe anywhere I've been (well... except Novosibirsk, Russia... but that's another story...)... I guess working in Manhattan tends to desensitize you to a lot of things.

 

My favorite port by FAR has been St. Kitts / Nevis... I don't know if Carnival ports there... but if you ever get a chance... WOW. One of the last truely unspoiled islands in the Caribbean.

 

 

 

[TnTnFlorida]

personally i hated aruba. Sorry, just my opinion.

 

But then, i love, love, love dominica! Many think otherwise.

 

Go figure.

 

me too! :d

[sxyshell]

Next year, I was thinking of doing b2b on the Miracle. Would like to see the Panama Canal and also the ruins in belize which I didn't see last year due to the roads being flooded. Also want to visit St. Martin again on the Eastern portion.

St Maarten was the most beautiful island I've been to. Nassua, can take it or leave it. We've seen Atlantis and don't need to see it again. We'll probably spend our time at Senor Frogs when we go again in December. I'm glad it's a short port day. Freeport, I wouldn't get off the ship there again. St Thomas is pretty but the traffic is bad! But we will be doing the island tour this time.

[scperk]

Panama and Costa Rica....never have I seen any place with iron bars on every window and iron fences around the houses....We were on the Carnival Liberty in Feb. '07 when one of our passengers accidently killed a mugger that was trying to rob a van-load of cruiseship passengers.....He can in thru the sliding door of the van and put a gun to the drivers head..A passenger in the van(a 70 years old ex navy seal) grabbed the gun and him around the neck and held him a little too long...They drove back to the ship and called police and then released him to get back on the ship......Dennis

[chelle74]

Panama and Costa Rica....never have I seen any place with iron bars on every window and iron fences around the houses....We were on the Carnival Liberty in Feb. '07 when one of our passengers accidently killed a mugger that was trying to rob a van-load of cruiseship passengers.....He can in thru the sliding door of the van and put a gun to the drivers head..A passenger in the van(a 70 years old ex navy seal) grabbed the gun and him around the neck and held him a little too long...They drove back to the ship and called police and then released him to get back on the ship......Dennis

 

I want to take all of my excursions with THAT guy! Seriously!!!!

[tiggerman101]

There isn't a port that I would not go back to. I don't think I can see enough of a place in one stop to make that kind of judgement. Having been to 15 ports in the past eight months I can say I enjoyed each one. Sure I had a couple not-so-good first impressions, but I would never make a blanket judgement off that. I would go back and explore a different area.

 

My sister is not a port person. She will get off the ship and walk around the cruise area a bit and then get back on. Then she is very vocal about her opinion of the place. This absolutly drives me crazy and we have had many "discussions" about it. How on earth can you judge a island/country by seeing less then 1% of it?

[LemurCat]

LemurCat,

 

Thank you for the heads up on Baltimore. We've never been there or heard anything about it until now.

 

 

Yeah, it was an easy port to get in and out of -- practically right off of I-95. Might be an easy trip for you guys coming from WV. Lotsa Mountaineers on the ship.

[Aplmac]

Panama and Costa Rica....

never have I seen any place with iron bars on every window and iron fences around the houses....

We were on the Carnival Liberty in Feb. '07 when one of our passengers accidentally killed a mugger

that was trying to rob a van-load of cruise ship passengers.....

He came in thru the sliding door of the van and put a gun to the drivers head..

A passenger in the van(a 70 years old ex Navy Seal) grabbed the gun and him around the neck

and held him a little too long... ===> Bad Seal...bad bad Seal :D

They drove back to the ship and called police and then released him to get back on the ship......Dennis

Awww...what a shame...a cryin shame. :cool:

 

Another precious human life down the tubes.

And he was such a creative individual, at that!

 

GO SEALs! :)

.

[sewer]

:mad:JAMAICA......GRAND CAYMAN....we will never get back there.......my favorite Cozumel and San Juan....

[Lisichka]

Ok, I just have to ask. Why do so many people hate Jamaica? Of all the ports we have been to, to this day it is my kids' favorite port (mostly because of the tour we did with Marva). We LOVED the falls and the river tubing. SO beautiful!!!

[jpg1747]

I won't avoid a cruise because of any specific port, but there are some I've been to several times (San Juan, St. Thomas, Nassau) that I can take or leave. I can always go snorkeling or something anywhere or if it's a port-intensive cruise, I just make that day a sea day.

[WitchyWoman14]

Me too!

 

I want to take all of my excursions with THAT guy! Seriously!!!!