A recent Cheat Sheet article (found here in it’s entirety) ranks the 7 ‘absolute worst’ ports for cruise ship travelers to visit.
Each port comes with it’s own special mix of negative press — and their well earned reputations for being downright unsafe for visitors are highlighted in the article.
They outline they dangers to visitors — possible drugs, violence, rape, murder and more.
For example, the US State Department has issued warnings about traveling to El Salvador: Violent crime, such as murder, assault, rape, and armed robbery, is common. Gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, and narcotics and arms trafficking, is widespread. Local police may lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. See more here.
The offending ports?
- Roatán, Honduras
- Margarita Island, Venezuela
- Mindanao, Philippines
- Acajulta, El Salvador
- Quintana Roo, Mexico
- Cartagena, Columbia
- Izmit, Turkey
For most American travelers, these ports won’t be on your usual list of Caribbean adventures. But some places maybe. Quintana Roo is the Mexican state that includes two of the most popular cruise destinations, Cozumel and Cancun.
A March 2018 article in Travel Agent Central (read it here) talks about incidents (including explosions on a ferry from suspicious devices) and passed along a warning from the US State Department, “be aware of your surroundings and exercise caution, purchase travel insurance that specifically covers you in Mexico and includes medical evacuation insurance, and contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you need assistance.”
At the time, both Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line issued travel statements about passenger safety in the area.
It’s important to note that anywhere you may be traveling can be unsafe for a variety of reasons and it’s best to educate yourself prior to your trip about local conditions and to take precautions as one normally would.
Waks and Barnett, P.A. | Admiralty and Maritime Law
Waks & Barnett attorneys practice in the areas of personal injury and wrongful death, with a focus on Cruise Ship Injury and Accidents, Admiralty and Maritime cases. For more information, please call our office in Miami — our number is 1-800-905-2891. All initial consultations are free of charge.
Cruise ship accidents are not uncommon, with many leading to personal injury and wrongful death suits filed against the cruise lines. Waks and Barnett, P.A. has successfully handled many of these cases over the past 25 years.