Traveling to Jamaica or Aruba??

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-24-2021, 09:23 AM
Heartnsoul Heartnsoul is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 627
Thanks: 7
Thanked 118 Times in 54 Posts
Default Traveling to Jamaica or Aruba??

We had booked an all inclusive with friends for Jan in Jamaica and now they are cancelling. They say covid and crime bad!? Any thoughts on that? Should we cancel too? They go every yr to this resort and said it's wonderful and that's why we booked??
  #2  
Old 11-24-2021, 09:30 AM
Mortal1 Mortal1 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 881
Thanks: 4
Thanked 2,008 Times in 440 Posts
Default

Jamaica is a crime ridden country and you are only safe at those resorts as long as they have great security. Personally I wouldn't go there even if someone else paid for it. Just google Jamaica's crime problems. There are plenty of other islands with all inclusive resorts. google those as well since it seems you didn't do so for Jamaica initially. luck.
  #3  
Old 11-24-2021, 09:52 AM
charlieo1126@gmail.com charlieo1126@gmail.com is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,588
Thanks: 16
Thanked 2,883 Times in 1,100 Posts
Default

I lived in Jamaica for 2 years long ago but still go back once in awhile but not since before Covid , much of the crime is centered in Kingston and violence on the island against tourists is minimal . The all inclusive resorts are probably safer then the villages , the problem I have with those type of resorts is that you don’t experience much of any country when stay in one of those, to me there no different then cruise ships but to each his own . I have friends in Boston that go 2 or 3 times a year to Aruba and never even mention being unsafe

Last edited by charlieo1126@gmail.com; 11-24-2021 at 09:53 AM. Reason: Spell
  #4  
Old 11-24-2021, 09:57 AM
Heartnsoul Heartnsoul is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 627
Thanks: 7
Thanked 118 Times in 54 Posts
Default

No actually we didn't research as our friends have been there many times and said it was great! We took their word for it. Any other islands yo recommend that are safer with the COVID and crime?
  #5  
Old 11-24-2021, 10:28 AM
davem4616 davem4616 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 2,656
Thanks: 539
Thanked 4,152 Times in 1,326 Posts
Default

Jamica has a long history of being crime-ridden

make sure you stay 'on property' if you go there...even then be alert

we've been to a number of islands...Jamica is one that I'd NEVER go to
  #6  
Old 11-24-2021, 10:46 AM
ThirdOfFive ThirdOfFive is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 2,745
Thanks: 737
Thanked 4,588 Times in 1,501 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heartnsoul View Post
We had booked an all inclusive with friends for Jan in Jamaica and now they are cancelling. They say covid and crime bad!? Any thoughts on that? Should we cancel too? They go every yr to this resort and said it's wonderful and that's why we booked??
Been to both, in the past 20 months or so. I can't speak to the COVID in those places as I got back to the States just as it was spreading here.

Aruba seemed safe; locals were friendly (though their aim was to separate you from as much of your money as possible) but it was within bounds. We wandered around Oranjestad pretty much at will. We took a bus trip into the countryside but not much to see; some ramshackle houses (and some pretty nice ones, too), surrounded by cactus and scrub brush. Not quite a desert, but close.

Jamaica--another story. We docked at Falmouth: the city and surrounding countryside looked incredibly picturesque from the ship as we got there just after dawn. We left the ship at about 10:00 AM, after the initial rush to get off, intending to check out the usual touristy things (such as the racks of "authentic" Jamaican baubles and doodads all made in China). The appointed tourist area was pretty small--and crowded. We decided to wander off the reservation. We hadn't gone two blocks before a guy at one of the stalls tried to slip a joint into my shirt pocket. I hastily gave it back, and left the area: good thing as one of the scams there are to give a tourist drugs (ganja, cocaine, whatever) pass along word to the people working with you and then having the local law stop said tourist. Drug possession over a certain amount is illegal in Jamaica. So you're looking at possible arrest and a serious drug charge. You can, of course, offer to pay the "fine" upfront--which as I understand it is commonly done. But even if you make it back to the ship with the joint in your pocket (and you may not even know that you have it) no cruise line that I know of tolerates drugs taken on board and if you're found out odds are that you get handed over to the Jamaican authorities anyway. And this is just one of the dangers of wandering off the reservation.

Jamaica is picturesque. And I understand that the (ridiculously overpriced) ship-arranged tours are safe (and would make the same assumption about the resorts, though I don't know that for a fact). But I wouldn't go exploring on my own. Just not worth it.

Last edited by ThirdOfFive; 11-24-2021 at 10:47 AM. Reason: Clarification
  #7  
Old 11-24-2021, 11:19 AM
HIgolfers HIgolfers is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 354
Thanks: 221
Thanked 176 Times in 102 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com View Post
I lived in Jamaica for 2 years long ago but still go back once in awhile but not since before Covid , much of the crime is centered in Kingston and violence on the island against tourists is minimal . The all inclusive resorts are probably safer then the villages , the problem I have with those type of resorts is that you don’t experience much of any country when stay in one of those, to me there no different then cruise ships but to each his own . I have friends in Boston that go 2 or 3 times a year to Aruba and never even mention being unsafe
Agree with this. Went to Jamaica all inclusive resort several years ago. Resort was great and felt very safe but wandering off the resort the abject poverty was disconcerting. That’s why I’m just not a big fan of the Caribbean but to each his own.
  #8  
Old 11-24-2021, 11:24 AM
charlieo1126@gmail.com charlieo1126@gmail.com is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,588
Thanks: 16
Thanked 2,883 Times in 1,100 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by davem4616 View Post
Jamica has a long history of being crime-ridden

make sure you stay 'on property' if you go there...even then be alert

we've been to a number of islands...Jamica is one that I'd NEVER go to
Your loss , lots of friends there who would never live anywhere else
  #9  
Old 11-24-2021, 12:08 PM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 13,953
Thanks: 2,275
Thanked 13,420 Times in 5,110 Posts
Default

I have never understood why people want to travel to other countries, especially these small islands. Every time I travelled outside the U.S. for work, I was always disappointed by the inferior quality, reduced safety, and higher prices for almost everything. If you want to go to a nice place with a beach, go to Hawaii.
  #10  
Old 11-24-2021, 12:30 PM
charlieo1126@gmail.com charlieo1126@gmail.com is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,588
Thanks: 16
Thanked 2,883 Times in 1,100 Posts
Default

Until Covid hit I alternated winters Jan, Feb and march between Hawaii, Thailand and Miami Beach if your complaining about high island costs and its cheaper in Hawaii you haven’t been back in a long time, travel isn’t about all the comforts of home it’s about new experiences and different environments and people FYI I’m back after booster and off to Thailand this winter

Last edited by charlieo1126@gmail.com; 11-24-2021 at 12:53 PM. Reason: Spell
  #11  
Old 11-24-2021, 12:49 PM
Babubhat Babubhat is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 1,873
Thanks: 306
Thanked 1,706 Times in 761 Posts
Default

Nothing would ever entice me to visit Jamaica. Aruba is lovely
  #12  
Old 11-24-2021, 12:50 PM
kathyspear's Avatar
kathyspear kathyspear is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Village of Valle Verde
Posts: 849
Thanks: 321
Thanked 930 Times in 299 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123 View Post
Every time I travelled outside the U.S. for work, I was always disappointed by the inferior quality, reduced safety, and higher prices for almost everything. If you want to go to a nice place with a beach, go to Hawaii.
Prices are high in foreign countries so people should go to Hawaii instead? Seriously? Besides the 12 or so hour flight each way, prices in HI are insane. This is true of any island where goods have to be brought in.

Caribbean islands have one thing in common with the U.S. -- there are lovely areas in each state and areas that one is well-advised to avoid. Same goes for the islands.

Your comments remind me of "The Accidental Tourist" by Anne Tyler. Great book, made into an excellent movie.

kathy
  #13  
Old 11-24-2021, 01:49 PM
retiredguy123 retiredguy123 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 13,953
Thanks: 2,275
Thanked 13,420 Times in 5,110 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kathyspear View Post
Prices are high in foreign countries so people should go to Hawaii instead? Seriously? Besides the 12 or so hour flight each way, prices in HI are insane. This is true of any island where goods have to be brought in.

Caribbean islands have one thing in common with the U.S. -- there are lovely areas in each state and areas that one is well-advised to avoid. Same goes for the islands.

Your comments remind me of "The Accidental Tourist" by Anne Tyler. Great book, made into an excellent movie.

kathy
Sorry, but having travelled a lot, I stand by my recommendation. I always felt like I was getting ripped off in foreign countries, and it was often not safe. Not just crime, but the lack of road safety provisions, food safety, medical care, utilities, etc. I will never forget the bus ride in Mexico from the airport to the hotel. The tires had no tread (as an engineer, I check these things), and the driver was speeding on winding roads, with inadequate guard rails, along a hilly road overlooking the ocean. But, thanks for the movie recommendation.
  #14  
Old 11-24-2021, 02:40 PM
Papa_lecki Papa_lecki is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 1,968
Thanks: 80
Thanked 2,566 Times in 922 Posts
Default

Been to both, and wouldn’t go back.

Aruba is the only family vacation that the whole family agreed to leave a day early. We changed flight and left.

Jamaica is crime ridden, you can’t leave the resort, unless you are escorted. Even then, I didn’t feel safe, and we were not in Kingston.
There are many MUCH better places to go in the Caribbean.
  #15  
Old 11-24-2021, 05:36 PM
Dotneko Dotneko is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 451
Thanks: 1,629
Thanked 683 Times in 228 Posts
Default

We are heading to Curacao for the 12th time. Very safe island. Higher standard of living than most of the Caribbean. Potable water - in fact some of the best water anywhere straight from the tap. New hospital. Most citizens speak English along with Dutch, Papiamento, Portuguese, Spanish. Incredible snorkeling right from shore. Willemstad is a World Heritage City. Easy to navigate. International cuisine. Wonderful fish.
I really cannot say enough.
Closed Thread

Tags
jamaica, booked, traveling, cancel, resort

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:21 AM.