Ocho Rios and Mobay included in list of Worst Caribbean Ports of call for Cruises
Yahoo Travel has published a list of Caribbean cruise ship ports of call with the worst reputations.
The list titled “The Worst Caribbean Ports of Call for Cruises” claims its aim is to help persons figure out places in the Caribbean to avoid when choosing their cruise itineraries and lists Montego Bay and Ocho Rios as two of worst ports.
See an excerpt from the post below:
Jamaica has hidden beauty.
What that means is that the ports are ugly and scary. One reviewer on Cruise Critic said, “Why anyone would disembark from a $500 million dollar cruise ship to economic ruins is beyond me.”
The most popular tour here is a trip to the Dunn’s River Falls, which gets mixed reviews on Trip Advisor, some critics citing overcrowding and the strenuous hike as reasons to skip the adventure.
The post also stated that Ocho Rios and Montego Bay are not good ports for snorkeling, scuba diving and shopping.
Other ports that made the list in the region include: Freeport and Nassau – Bahamas, Belize City, Roatan Honduras, and Somana and LaRomana – Dominican Republic.
There were many negative sentiments shared beneath the article by readers as well. See a few below:
I’ve been to both Nassau and Jamaica and in my experience Jamaica wins the horror award. The worst is at the end of my story. On the way to the shops were drug vendors, shouting as we passed and glaring at us for refusing to stop and talk. Once safely in the shopping area, the cashiers were often rude. There was very little to buy, mostly items in the island flag colors; green, black, red and yellow. The port police were armed with machine guns and borderline hostile, shouting directions in my face when I turned the wrong way in the terminal, following a crowd down a hallway. I had to find a restroom and was directed behind city hall via a fenced path which was like a huge dog run. At the end was a restroom from hell. There was a fair amount of blood on the floor and in the 15 minutes I stood in line, no one came to clean it. There were buckets beside toilets which said do not flush any tissue paper, and it was clear from the contents of the bucket that this practice included TOILET tissue. Luckily I had Kleenex because no paper was provided. There was no soap. The smell was hard to take. I’m not easily shaken but all I could think was how did that much blood end up near the sinks and what became of the bleeder. This was the only toilet I could find in two hours of asking at shops, they all directed me there. By the time I got out of there, a toilet had overflowed and I had to skate though that combined with the blood to leave. I couldn’t get back to the ship fast enough. I will never get off the ship in Jamaica again. It’s just not worth it.
Hate to say it, but most of the ports aren’t very good.. Jamaica was the worst we have ever been to because of the aggressive people at the shops and the guys wanting pictures taken with them for tips at the port itself. But most of the ports have very little to offer, better off just staying onboard the ship and relaxing.. I do wish they would change the policy of closing the casino while in port, but, I’m sure it’s a law to do so..
Montego Bay/Ocho Rios, Jamaica was the worst place I’ve ever been in my life, So many beggars, people following you everywhere, they touch you and harass you everywhere you go. My wife was scared out of her mind and I had to push and yell at men to get away from her, she is pretty but there is no reason for men to paw at her. IT WAS CRAZY. We paid to go on a private beach to get away from the craziness. We enjoyed a couple hours without being harassed because the people cant get on the beach. The only problem was getting back to the ship, we ran the whole way back but we were still scared of the people who followed us on the way back. That night on the ship we heard from other passengers about their experiences and all the stories were about how scary a port it is and how they will never go back. DON’T GO THERE and tell all of your friends not to go as well.
What are your thoughts about Jamaica’s ports? Share your views and experiences in the comments below.
Source: Yahoo Travel
This type of publicity we do not want !
I am saddened by the comments of these tourists. I hope that someone will review them and try to improve the situation. That is certainly not what visitors want to hear, and Jamaica cannot afford such negative publicity.
It’s sad. These experiences may be isolated and not the general practices in the ports and not that of all Jamaica. Frankly, Jamaica needs to get back to basics whereas tourists are treated like people and not a means of economical surety.
minister of tourism need fi address the situations
I live in mobay and can say that harassment is getting bad
The minister need to wake up
Jamaica tourism take it for granted.we have golden goose(toursim)we suppose to take golden eggs but we roasting goose for our greediness.
For harassment don’t blame hustlers only Indians and drivers also blamed
THIS is a sign that this industry is deteriorating if EACH of these tourist tell 10 family and friends NOT to get off at our ports and they each tell 10 F&F can you imagine the EXPONENTIAL loss of profits. I recommend putting OUR people to WORK cleaning and beautifying the port and if they are vendors give them a micro loan to expand on their merchandise.Obviously they Jamaican people need customer service training so they don’t’
‘terrorize’ the tourist.
Our beautiful Island has lost it’s uniqueness. Our airport, although structurally, seem so well designed serves only as a shell. Where are the contents…….welcoming, courteous, behavior from relevant airport personnel, clean sanitary conditions of our toilets….”where have all the flowers gone, long time passing “. Only recently I arrived at the airport enroute too Kingston (unfortunately as there was no direct flight). Of course, especially coming in from the cold, to Jamaica, land we love it’s a breath of fresh air when the pilot announces our landing. Also you are blessed with majority of passengers being tourists…..some with whom you… Read more »
Remember when this dame blog posted an article when Jamaica was highlighted in a good way and people complained that they weren’t showing the real Jamaica? Well this is what it’s like. People are harassing tourists because they need a job. As it relates to drugs through many tourists come here for that so how are the people to know which ones are interested unless they ask? Education on both sides are re needed.
This Article is sad but True, most of us Jamaicans in the Diaspora who travel to Jamaica in Cruise ships encounter this disgusting Behaviour. Everywhere you walk it is either Beggars, Hostile vendors are drug pushers. I once saw a female tourists in front of Doctors Cave Beach literally ran and hid herself in a store from two hostile ladies who wanted to Braid her Hair. Jamaican Tourism is on life support and whenever Cuba opens up we might as well pull the plug..
Come east., http://www.tropicallagoonresort.com, High end but peaceful. 🙂
As for the reviews of Roatan, it all depends on what cruise line you are on. While most cruise lines go to the city itself, Carnival has created a beautiful private island and shopping area called Mahogany Bay. One can get to the beach via either a chair lift/ski lift or a paved short walk which also parallels a nature trail. I have to agree that Belize city is not a place one really wants to go into and time is better spent at the shops, bars, and restaurants in the port area where the tenders drop you off. This… Read more »
And all Mckneill does is boast about a hii of beans,
The review that speak about the husband and wife running make me to laugh. It shown unto me SLAVERY. So apparently they are the slaves running away from their masters. No matter how persons want to speak about Jamaica and especially Ocho Rios if the people cannot see for themselves that they are the JAMAICA then persons will continues to see them as hungry, drug pushers and unemployed youths who are looking for “foreign money”. Hugs