I am a giant chicken.
Dec 29th, 2015, 07:24 AM
#1
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I am a giant chicken.
I admit it, and I also posted in the Mexico/Central America forum. It also may not happen, so I may be posting here for no reason.
However we are considering taking a cruise to Key West (no issues), Costa Maya (looks nicely manageable), Trujillo (makes me a little nervous), and San Tomas de Castillo (makes me much more nervous).
How justified is this? My sister was concerned that even shore excursions might be targets in Honduras and Guatemala (and she's much less of a chicken than I am, in many ways).
We would be inclined to take shore excursions, usually exercise common sense (although DH is LOUD), and speak reasonable Spanish (mine is probably the best, although I read it better than I understand it, and I'm a hesitant speaker--DH reads it not all, sometimes understands, and wades in yelling, often fairly profanely, when it comes to speaking--Kid can read and understand a little but can't speak it).
This may not come to pass, because I may not be able to get the cruise at the price I want to pay, but feelings about safety and enjoyment will play into our decision.
However we are considering taking a cruise to Key West (no issues), Costa Maya (looks nicely manageable), Trujillo (makes me a little nervous), and San Tomas de Castillo (makes me much more nervous).
How justified is this? My sister was concerned that even shore excursions might be targets in Honduras and Guatemala (and she's much less of a chicken than I am, in many ways).
We would be inclined to take shore excursions, usually exercise common sense (although DH is LOUD), and speak reasonable Spanish (mine is probably the best, although I read it better than I understand it, and I'm a hesitant speaker--DH reads it not all, sometimes understands, and wades in yelling, often fairly profanely, when it comes to speaking--Kid can read and understand a little but can't speak it).
This may not come to pass, because I may not be able to get the cruise at the price I want to pay, but feelings about safety and enjoyment will play into our decision.
Dec 29th, 2015, 09:38 AM
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If you are really concerned, take the ship's excursions, although, groups like that may actually be more of a target than being by yourself. I do not know.
I suggest you sign up on cruise.com and post your questions there. While the cruisers here are well traveled and very knowledgeable, there are hundreds who post on cruise.com.
You can look up the ship reviews and read not only what travelers say about the ship, but the exact dates and itinerary and what they write about each port. You can see what people do in the ports.
Then, when you do sign up for your cruise, on cruise critic, sign up for the roll call for your cruise. Many people do and then make their own plans in small groups. You could join one.
The fact that you speak Spanish is fantastic. It is always fun to be able to talk with people. I have found that people who do tours, etc. usually speak English though, so you will be fine with that.
I suggest your husband does tone things down a bit if he can. No point being the loud, ugly American. Why would you want to? You are a guest in someone else's country (home) and should be respectful of their ways.
Good luck with that and with finding a cruise you like at a price you are happy with.
I suggest you sign up on cruise.com and post your questions there. While the cruisers here are well traveled and very knowledgeable, there are hundreds who post on cruise.com.
You can look up the ship reviews and read not only what travelers say about the ship, but the exact dates and itinerary and what they write about each port. You can see what people do in the ports.
Then, when you do sign up for your cruise, on cruise critic, sign up for the roll call for your cruise. Many people do and then make their own plans in small groups. You could join one.
The fact that you speak Spanish is fantastic. It is always fun to be able to talk with people. I have found that people who do tours, etc. usually speak English though, so you will be fine with that.
I suggest your husband does tone things down a bit if he can. No point being the loud, ugly American. Why would you want to? You are a guest in someone else's country (home) and should be respectful of their ways.
Good luck with that and with finding a cruise you like at a price you are happy with.
Dec 29th, 2015, 09:39 AM
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I think thats entirely up to you and your comfort level. We took excursions in Israel which some would say is unsafe but we were ok with it, especially as we had private tours in cars. My thinking was attacks were more likely on large buses like what happened in Tunis not too long ago. Actually for me Tunis was out of the question even before this.
We were supposed to have two days in Ashdod, then two days in haifa but had to start all of our tours from haifa as Ashdod port become closed due to rocket attacks from Gaza. Haifa is north and when we were going back to the ship we saw many Israeli tanks heading into harms way, towards Ashdod.
You can always just stay board.
We were supposed to have two days in Ashdod, then two days in haifa but had to start all of our tours from haifa as Ashdod port become closed due to rocket attacks from Gaza. Haifa is north and when we were going back to the ship we saw many Israeli tanks heading into harms way, towards Ashdod.
You can always just stay board.
Dec 29th, 2015, 10:38 AM
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Honestly, we are considering staying on board (or more likely going as far as the "market" set up at the port and then getting back on) in Guatemala. I took a look on CruiseCritic, and it seems that the shore excursions in Guatemala generally don't have issues, but that is because the tour buses are followed around by jeeps full of armed police and soldiers, which I think is out of my comfort level, for a number of reasons.
Honduras seems okay with the excursion.
DH is more like the loud friendly American. He doesn't expect people to speak English, use dollars, or do things the way they do in the U.S. but he's impossible to tone down, since he just doesn't get that some people are more reserved. You can occasionally persuade him that some of them do not like foul language, no matter how cheerful, but his Spanish vocabulary is limited, which doesn't help.
Honduras seems okay with the excursion.
DH is more like the loud friendly American. He doesn't expect people to speak English, use dollars, or do things the way they do in the U.S. but he's impossible to tone down, since he just doesn't get that some people are more reserved. You can occasionally persuade him that some of them do not like foul language, no matter how cheerful, but his Spanish vocabulary is limited, which doesn't help.
Dec 29th, 2015, 06:07 PM
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Persimmondeb,
First, it is not chicken to skip something where you feel unsafe.
You said you are considering a cruise, so am I right that you have not booked one yet? So, why not look for one that goes to places where you would feel safe and also find interesting?
There are so many great ships, interesting and safe itineraries and good sales on cabins. Why would you want to spend money on one you already know is worrisome? I would take a not so great ship just to see things I want to see, but not if I wasn't getting off. Pick a cruise with a good itinerary. Otherwise, just pick a really great ship and do the cruise for the ship.
We have taken a cruise primarily because it was stopping at lots of places, particularly archeological sites like Ephesus and Athens, or a particular island like Barbados, we wanted to see. OTOH, our upcoming cruise is just for family to get together, swim, play, eat, etc. on a great ship.
Don't worry about posting about trips that may not happen. I posted questions about ships for a cruise, then just ended up with one I had not asked about. However, from the answers I got, I know which others to consider next time. Planning, researching, etc. is fun too.
First, it is not chicken to skip something where you feel unsafe.
You said you are considering a cruise, so am I right that you have not booked one yet? So, why not look for one that goes to places where you would feel safe and also find interesting?
There are so many great ships, interesting and safe itineraries and good sales on cabins. Why would you want to spend money on one you already know is worrisome? I would take a not so great ship just to see things I want to see, but not if I wasn't getting off. Pick a cruise with a good itinerary. Otherwise, just pick a really great ship and do the cruise for the ship.
We have taken a cruise primarily because it was stopping at lots of places, particularly archeological sites like Ephesus and Athens, or a particular island like Barbados, we wanted to see. OTOH, our upcoming cruise is just for family to get together, swim, play, eat, etc. on a great ship.
Don't worry about posting about trips that may not happen. I posted questions about ships for a cruise, then just ended up with one I had not asked about. However, from the answers I got, I know which others to consider next time. Planning, researching, etc. is fun too.
Dec 30th, 2015, 07:01 AM
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Sassafras, it's good advice, and we're still figuring out what we want to do. The thing is, we would like to go to these places, just not if we're going to feel really unsafe, and it does feel like an opportunity that likely won't come again. Also both the ship and the other ports are appealing.
It's really going to come down to whether a very cautious approach to shore visits is A)safe enough in both feeling and reality to make us comfortable and B)enough of a view of the place not to feel cheated.
When we first started planning a cruise, we were looking at Bahamas out of Port Canaveral, really with the idea that we'd relax, spend time together, wander around Nassau, and spend a little time in Florida. Then DH got the idea that we could take something from the West Coast of Florida, because he kind of wanted to go there anyway and the ports would be a little different (and possibly places that we'd only ever get to off a cruise ship).
This is also a very good price, although I suspect that it may be due to my not being the only person who is nervous about the itinerary.
It's really going to come down to whether a very cautious approach to shore visits is A)safe enough in both feeling and reality to make us comfortable and B)enough of a view of the place not to feel cheated.
When we first started planning a cruise, we were looking at Bahamas out of Port Canaveral, really with the idea that we'd relax, spend time together, wander around Nassau, and spend a little time in Florida. Then DH got the idea that we could take something from the West Coast of Florida, because he kind of wanted to go there anyway and the ports would be a little different (and possibly places that we'd only ever get to off a cruise ship).
This is also a very good price, although I suspect that it may be due to my not being the only person who is nervous about the itinerary.
Dec 31st, 2015, 02:55 AM
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I am not sure what kind what kind of reassurance you are looking for, but travel advisory usually means take caution. When you are in a foreign country,you take precaution anyway. You don't go looking for trouble in your home town, why would you put yourself in a bad situation in a strange place?
Usually, there is strength in number. If you do not wander off on your own into a dark alley, you should be fine.
The one thing that I know is cruise ships (and the cruise ship's destination too) will do whatever they can to make sure the cruise passenger are safe. It is $$$ for both parties: the cruise ship makes money, and the local economy makes money. Trust me when I say they don't want anything bad to happen to you.
If a cruise destination is getting poor reviews or the cruise line did not feel it is a safe destination any more, they will not stop at those ports any more, and they don;t go back until the local authority convince them to go back. Around 2011 and 2012, the cruise ships stopped going to Mazatlan, nothing happened to the passengers but the cruise line just thought it wasn't safe and stopped going there. hey did the same to some ports in Jamaica as well until they local authorities cleaned up the act. In the case of Jamaica, it was the aggressive street vendors. Now they have white uniformed tourism police patrolling and start to licence street vendors.
If you stick with the ship's excursions or stayed in the tourist area, take precautions, and you should be very safe.
Here is a story I can tell you, a friend of mine was in New Orleans and decided to walk through a back alley in the French Quarter at night taking a "short cut". It was a tourist area, there were a lot of people, but NOT in the back alley way. Needless to say, he were mugged. I won't tell him that, almost everyone one thought he deserved it.
Usually, there is strength in number. If you do not wander off on your own into a dark alley, you should be fine.
The one thing that I know is cruise ships (and the cruise ship's destination too) will do whatever they can to make sure the cruise passenger are safe. It is $$$ for both parties: the cruise ship makes money, and the local economy makes money. Trust me when I say they don't want anything bad to happen to you.
If a cruise destination is getting poor reviews or the cruise line did not feel it is a safe destination any more, they will not stop at those ports any more, and they don;t go back until the local authority convince them to go back. Around 2011 and 2012, the cruise ships stopped going to Mazatlan, nothing happened to the passengers but the cruise line just thought it wasn't safe and stopped going there. hey did the same to some ports in Jamaica as well until they local authorities cleaned up the act. In the case of Jamaica, it was the aggressive street vendors. Now they have white uniformed tourism police patrolling and start to licence street vendors.
If you stick with the ship's excursions or stayed in the tourist area, take precautions, and you should be very safe.
Here is a story I can tell you, a friend of mine was in New Orleans and decided to walk through a back alley in the French Quarter at night taking a "short cut". It was a tourist area, there were a lot of people, but NOT in the back alley way. Needless to say, he were mugged. I won't tell him that, almost everyone one thought he deserved it.
Dec 31st, 2015, 05:24 AM
#11
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No-one ever "deserves" to be mugged, although that was obviously foolish.
What I was hoping for, of course, were people who were familiar with the specific ports, and could share their experience. You tend to get broader opinions on Fodors than on CruiseCritic.
I did get one guy on the Mexico/Central America forum who was familiar with both places, and said that personally he'd go, but I should do what I was comfortable with (and a bunch of people who kept telling me that travel to Mexico was fine).
In the end, I think we're deciding that it probably would be fine, but it's not something we'd be comfortable with.
What I was hoping for, of course, were people who were familiar with the specific ports, and could share their experience. You tend to get broader opinions on Fodors than on CruiseCritic.
I did get one guy on the Mexico/Central America forum who was familiar with both places, and said that personally he'd go, but I should do what I was comfortable with (and a bunch of people who kept telling me that travel to Mexico was fine).
In the end, I think we're deciding that it probably would be fine, but it's not something we'd be comfortable with.
Dec 31st, 2015, 10:01 AM
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"I suggest you sign up on cruise.com and post your questions there"
I suggest that you also post on <b>www.cruisecritic.com</b>.
_____________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie
I suggest that you also post on <b>www.cruisecritic.com</b>.
_____________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie
Jan 3rd, 2016, 04:26 PM
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In the end, we have embraced our inner chickens, decided that it was family relaxation time, and have booked a three-day to the Bahamas on Disney.
We had, BTW, pretty much decided on a different Norwegian itinerary (Bahamas, Grand Turk, Amber Cove), and didn't book it because for some really weird reason the third cabin passenger was more than the first or second (but not quite enough for me to just book a second cabin). Even weirder because Norwegian's interior cabins are unusually well set up for a third passenger (so are Disney's, although we ended up with an outside).
We had, BTW, pretty much decided on a different Norwegian itinerary (Bahamas, Grand Turk, Amber Cove), and didn't book it because for some really weird reason the third cabin passenger was more than the first or second (but not quite enough for me to just book a second cabin). Even weirder because Norwegian's interior cabins are unusually well set up for a third passenger (so are Disney's, although we ended up with an outside).
Jan 4th, 2016, 06:47 AM
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It was a strange one, but since I got it from both the cruise line website and the broker I tried to book the bargain from (Vacations to Go)I accepted it. The agent at the broker said that's fairly common with Norwegian, because it's their standard, and they don't discount the third passenger when they're having sales (I could add that not only was it more than his double occupancy per person, it was more than the one on Norwegian's site). Single occupancy would have been $1198 (or double fare, which isn't unusual).
Disney, while possible the least adventurous thing I could take, gave us a very decent third person fare, which definitely helped absorb the pain. And we have a privacy curtain and a sofa-bed so I don't have to get changed in the bathroom and don't have a giant kid in a bunk over my head.
Disney, while possible the least adventurous thing I could take, gave us a very decent third person fare, which definitely helped absorb the pain. And we have a privacy curtain and a sofa-bed so I don't have to get changed in the bathroom and don't have a giant kid in a bunk over my head.
Jan 4th, 2016, 06:54 AM
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Persimmondeb,
"Embraced our inner chickens" very funny. I have done it a lot, sometimes with regret, but usually just accepting that I am not as adventurous as some other people. Have a fun time. Everything I hear about Disney cruises is that they are wonderful!
"Embraced our inner chickens" very funny. I have done it a lot, sometimes with regret, but usually just accepting that I am not as adventurous as some other people. Have a fun time. Everything I hear about Disney cruises is that they are wonderful!
Jan 4th, 2016, 07:42 AM
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Thanks, Sassafrass. I have a friend who takes them and likes it a lot, so that's kind of tipped us over.
And we need a break. Adventure sounds good, but it's been a couple of very hectic years since we got to take a long vacation (we did get a couple of days of Disney before Christmas '14, and combined a couple of days at Niagara Falls with a writer event in July, but I think the last long trips we took were in '12). We'll add a few days of Florida and reconnect with each other, and eat a lot.
And we need a break. Adventure sounds good, but it's been a couple of very hectic years since we got to take a long vacation (we did get a couple of days of Disney before Christmas '14, and combined a couple of days at Niagara Falls with a writer event in July, but I think the last long trips we took were in '12). We'll add a few days of Florida and reconnect with each other, and eat a lot.
Jan 4th, 2016, 08:59 AM
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Oops!
I stated it was Norwegian we were having the high third passenger/good set up problem with. It was Holland America. For some reason I keep mixing the two of them up in my head.
I stated it was Norwegian we were having the high third passenger/good set up problem with. It was Holland America. For some reason I keep mixing the two of them up in my head.
