18 cruise passengers robbed on Bahamas excursion

[matrixband]

To The Jollyfin---Our sympathies and respect and our best wishes for you and all involved-God Bless.

BTW, this was a comment left on the original linked article which I may presume has some accuracy to it:

Posted By: Ronnie On: 11/22/2009
Title: shot fired
Some additional news
A shot was fired on the ground inches from the victims.
This is on a segway tour own by Carribean Segway Tours.
Royal Caribbean handled the situation badly compared to Disney as Disney sent a representative to look after their group while Royal Caribbean repeatedly said they will not be sending anyone to aid.

Good to see Disney at least tried to help after the fact.

I have traveled some in my time, even through Rio at night with no incident, but during our most recent Disney Cruise, someone broke into a home two doors down from ours while we were gone. So, crime and the risk of crime is everywhere. While I make take some calculated risks for myself when traveling, I am much less likely to take any risks when kids/family are with me. I do not know how it will effect tourism and excursions, but as you can see from many of the postings, there is a BIG concern.

 

[donmil723]

Oh my gosh! I'm glad everyone is okay.

DH and I will be on the 12/3 Wonder and had planned to walk to the Hard Rock Cafe to get t-shirts for DD and DDIL and maybe walk through the Straw Market and then go back to the ship. Have any of these robberies occurred in the downtown area?

 

[mmouse37]

Well, at some point MJ (moderator) will read thru this thread.

I do complement you scuba and everyone else. We have all posted our opinions and remained polite and considerate. This is how a discussion should go.

Scuba – we have time before our sail date. We sail on January 24 2010. I will be seeing what happens.

I’d like to see the local situation calm down. I’d like to see the law enforcement presence increased. I’d like to have my kids safely play on the beach as I consume some adult beverage in the sun.

I’m still emotional about the event last weekend and I did not know anyone directly.

Again, I have some time and will keep an eye on this.

BTW, Castaway Cay, my goodness, what a wonderful island. I believe this is also a Bahamas’ island, private, owned by Disney. Pure paradise in my opinion.

Well said. I am thrilled (as any mod would be!) that a potentially touchy subject (one's safety) could be discussed in such a courteous way with not putting down one's opinions or getting nasty.

We are going to Nassau in January on our Wonder cruise and nothing booked yet.....I will think long and hard about where and what we are going to do.

To thejollyfinn....so glad you made it out of that awful ordeal and glad Disney made you feel better after you got back. What a horrible thing to go through.

MJ

 

[woody73]

My last two cruises on the Wonder I never got off the ship, as I got tired of being asked every 50ft if I wanted to buy drugs.

On the 2008 WB Panama Canal cruise, Mrs. Woody did not get off the ship at Acapulco. So I ventured off by myself.

I was offered drugs many times, and propositioned 13 times.

Woody

 

[woody73]

I have traveled some in my time, even through Rio at night with no incident . . .

Earlier this year, we had an overnight stay in Rio de Janeiro on the Mariner of the Seas. In Rio, one passenger was pickpocketed, and another passenger's camera was stolen. The thief slashed the wriststrap with a knife while pulling the camera from the passengers hands.

We went on the "Best of Rio" ship's excursion. There were armed guards on the bus.

Woody

 

[thejollyfinn]

To The Jollyfin---Our sympathies and respect and our best wishes for you and all involved-God Bless.

BTW, this was a comment left on the original linked article which I may presume has some accuracy to it:
Quote:
Posted By: Ronnie On: 11/22/2009
Title: shot fired
Some additional news
A shot was fired on the ground inches from the victims.
This is on a segway tour own by Carribean Segway Tours.
Royal Caribbean handled the situation badly compared to Disney as Disney sent a representative to look after their group while Royal Caribbean repeatedly said they will not be sending anyone to aid.


Good to see Disney at least tried to help after the fact.

I have traveled some in my time, even through Rio at night with no incident, but during our most recent Disney Cruise, someone broke into a home two doors down from ours while we were gone. So, crime and the risk of crime is everywhere. While I make take some calculated risks for myself when traveling, I am much less likely to take any risks when kids/family are with me. I do not know how it will effect tourism and excursions, but as you can see from many of the postings, there is a BIG concern.

Actually there was a representative on behalf of Royal Caribbean at the police station. The fact is that the staff on either ship do not have any jurisdiction on the island. They (Disney, RC, Carnival, etc...) all have agents that are representatives from the island that deal for each respective cruise line.
For the record both DCL and RC had representation at the police station and saw to it that those of us from both tour groups who had their ID (drivers license, passport, Disney or RC room cards) stolen were able to get back to their respective ship without further complications.
There were multiple nationalities effected with this robbery. Yet it seemed from what I saw, it was being handled from both cruise lines very efficiently.

 

[matrixband]

Earlier this year, we had an overnight stay in Rio de Janeiro on the Mariner of the Seas. In Rio, one passenger was pickpocketed, and another passenger's camera was stolen. The thief slashed the wriststrap with a knife while pulling the camera from the passengers hands.

We went on the "Best of Rio" ship's excursion. There were armed guards on the bus.

Woody

In Rio, I was warned, most of the time thiefs will not rob you outright like that, but if you for instance, leave your camera on a bench unattended for just a moment, it will be gone fast. I was also advised to travel in groups.

We were there on a church mission trip. One person had items stolen from where we were staying near a local favela (slum) where gunfire was heard most nights. Once the locals found out someone had robbed us, the favela was searched and the items were returned within 24 hours. I think perhaps the good locals liked us a lot for what we were trying to do for them and did not like the thiefs harming us.

 

[thejollyfinn]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3563

It's a small read about the plight of Nassau. I'm reading all I can right now from their online newspaper The Tribune to see if justice will come to light.

 

[scuba]

scary stuff, thank you for elaborating, I wasn't certain how to ask without opening up bad memories but I felt that it could go along way in helping us understand apparently the gravity of the situation in Nassau. Apparently I have been sadly mistaken as to the safety that we felt in the city as well as the island

Presentation, I have been corrected as to the situation in Nassau, apparently when folks feel that they need to rob entire tour groups that does indeed indicate deteriorating situation in Nassau, sad really, sad I would hope that Disney is in the plans to make arrangements to substitute ports of call, certainly we don't need any further incidents resulting in injury...it sounds like jollyfiin was lucky and i'm certainly glad that everything is alright, however I would suppose someone just doesn't recover from something like that easily.

Makes me wonder if Disney, or any other cruise lines for that matter is in talks with the Bahamas to assure that incidents like this don't continue to happen, I will certainly keep an eye on the situation much like presentation, our cruise Feb 4th 2010, certainly much like anyone, i'm not willing to take my family into harms way, and if it means staying on the ship then so be it...however it seems like a waste just to pull in and not get off.....

This segway tour, It seems remote.......I still am holding out on the possibility of grabbing the tour bus to the Atlantis and spending the day at the beach.....man it just doesn't seem right not to be able to do something like that with your family

Nevertheless, I want to extend best wishes to jollyfinn that you indeed do recover from your ordeal, glad to hear that your are safe, and thank you for elaborating your experiences here with strangers behind the screens

 

[jtw999]

Our family (my husband and I + 3 sons) wanted to choose an excursion that was very cultural and historical, so we booked into the Nassau Forts and Junkaroo Discovery tour. After hearing about these incidents, we are seriously thinking of cancelling.

Does any one know enough about this tour to tell us if it is in the questionable areas?

Also, how soon before the cruise do we need to cancel if we do? I can not see cancellation policy on the site.

Thanks for any help!

 

[woody73]

In Rio, I was warned, most of the time thiefs will not rob you outright like that, but if you for instance, leave your camera on a bench unattended for just a moment, it will be gone fast. I was also advised to travel in groups.

We were in Rio in January. Our tour guide said the drug problem has become so bad that the police are ineffective in preventing crime against tourists.

Tourists are an easy target: they carry cash, credit cards, passports, cameras, camcorders, cellphones, iPods, expensive jewelry and watches. Plus, they will leave Rio soon, making prosecution impossible.

Woody

 

[242]

nassau isnt that bad, the area round the cruise ships is though, you should leave and spend you day on paradise island and the beach., ive lived in Nassau and havent been a victim of crime yet( thankfully), seen it happen.

junkanoo is a big parade, from like 4am in the morning to 8am

nassau does have its share of problems though, ive seen like 10 drug dealers on one corner, desperate times. the problem is the police force over there is ill equipped for the problems the country faces.

here are news sites, just add www in front cant post links yet.

znsbahamas/com/#clip=fli/122359-ZNSLIVE

jonesbahamas/com/

thenassauguardian/com/

tribune242/com/

bahamaspress/com/

bahamasb2b/com/news/

 

[gmark2000]

Walking the gauntlet from the Nassau Festival Center at the cruise dock to the 10 minute walk to the Straw Market is like walking through the Tenderloin in San Francisco or Skid Row in L.A. or Vancouver.

 

[242]

Walking the gauntlet from the Nassau Festival Center at the cruise dock to the 10 minute walk to the Straw Market is like walking through the Tenderloin in San Francisco or Skid Row in L.A. or Vancouver.

or the overtown / downtown part of miami?

 

[woody73]

. . . like walking through the . . . Skid Row in . . . Vancouver.

After our Alaska cruise in May, we went for a walk near the port in Vancouver (Canada Place) in the direction of the steam clock and Chinatown. We unexpectedly found ourselves in Skid Row. BIG MISTAKE! People on drugs asking for money and everything else.

Woody

 

[Squirrley]

I'm so sorry to those who were robbed.
I'm saddened by the crime on Nassau. My last two cruises on the Wonder I never got off the ship, as I got tired of being asked every 50ft if I wanted to buy drugs.
I so wish the ship just did two days at CC!

I vote two days at CC also. We won't be getting off the boat either.

 

[DMMarla07860]

scary stuff, but this won't stop me getting off in Nassau. Maybe it's because I watch too much of the bad things on news that happen in NYC or NJ area, but I feel like this is scary stuff, but can't stop me from doing what I want

 

[TravelGrl]

Our cruise isn't till Feb 2011, but it's upsetting to hear about large tour groups being targeted. I have traveled all over the world including 3rd world countries high in crime and have always felt safe, but always studied the surroundings and took precautions.
I am glad nobody got injured and are safe now. I think we will just keep monitoring the news to see how we feel when it's our time to go.
From what I understand, staying on the boat is not a bad option. I hope Disney understands that people feel safer there and will offer more activities.

 

[MassDisLovers]

We had an incident in Nassau several years ago. DH and 2 sons 19 and 22, (so not kids)... rented mopeds for the day. The vendor was a little "sketchy" - changing the hours, prices, etc. but they still went for it. Within 5 minutes of taking off my younger DS was run off the road (into a garbage can) by a "local" also riding a moped. This occurred in very heavy traffic right in downtown. My DH and other son saw the whole thing happen (they were behind him), as did a local police officer. He had a very bad cut on his leg (probably should have been stitched). The bike was beat up but driveable.

Here's where the "scam" started. The police officer called the vendor who was there within seconds it seemed. All of a sudden the bike was "RUINED" and they demanded $300. 00 in cash or they would be arrested. No one cared that DS was bleeding all over the place. He had my DH's handkerchief on the wound, completly bled through. They were all so scared and shaken, of course they paid him, (luckily they had that much between them) and went right back to return the 3 bikes. Who should be there now renting mopeds but the guy who ran him off the road. Surprise! He was probably there when they rented but they just didn't notice him.

The medical team on the ship cleaned/bandaged his leg, and it healed ok, but it really soured us on Nassau, probably won't ever go back.

 

[dharma517]

How terrible! I am so sorry that this has happened to you and your family and the others that were robbed. I am the kind of person that lives in a paranoid state as it is.

My DH and I are planning on going to Atlantis with our two DD's 8 and 7 and since I believe it is only a taxi ride, I think we will still go. We are not going with the disney excursion so I am not sure but am I right that it is just a short taxi ride?

Thanks,

Jenn