Posted on 01/16/2011 12:59:30 PM PST by La Lydia
Acapulco was the most dangerous place in Mexico that I’ve been.....NEVER go there again....Deadly Beautiful in places.
Last April we took the Carnival Elation out of San Diego as it was being moved/repositioned to Mobile Ala. While in Acapulco I was very, very nervous as we did a fair amount of walking around. I don’t plan on ever going back to any Mexican resort if I can help it.
We’re thinking of also taking the repositioning of the Splendor (?) to Australia. Not sure yet.
Good point.
There are a lot of people that benefit from a cruise ship calling a certain city its home port.
Too bad that California did not understand basic economic theory.
Galveston and Tampa understand the merits of having cruise ships make their cities home ports.
California is finding that being stupid is not a bright idea.
They’re leaving because no one wants to go to Mexico due to the crime (in Mexico).
California ports were a hub for Americans all over the country taking cruises down south.
California loses because Mexico can’t control its criminals.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/14/business/la-fi-1014-mexico-cruise-ships-20110114
January 14, 2011|By Hugo Martín
With Mexican cruises slumping in popularity, two of the largest ships serving the Port of Los Angeles are pulling up anchor for more lucrative markets elsewhere.
Royal Caribbean said its 3,100-passenger Mariner of the Seas, after a Mexican Rivera voyage that begins Sunday, will leave the Port of L.A. for South America and Europe, ending up in Galveston, Texas. Norwegian Cruise Lines will pull its 2,348-passenger Norwegian Star out of the port in May. The ship will eventually settle in Tampa, Fla.
Cruise line officials and port officials say the moves stem from the sour economy and continuing drug-related violence in Mexico. Just last weekend, Mexican authorities discovered the bodies of at least 30 new victims in the popular tourist port of Acapulco. Fifteen were beheaded.
“We are struggling with our many ships to Mexico,” said Chris Chase, marketing director for the Port of Los Angeles. “It’s the economy and the news of drug wars down there.”
(snip)
“The market out there has literally crashed,” said Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry analyst.
Chiron said tourists’ fear of drug violence in Mexico was probably the main reason that the California cruise business was not recovering. Another reason could be a loss of interest in Mexican tourist attractions, he said.
Most of the drug violence has occurred in Mexico’s border towns, but in recent months it has seeped into tourist hot spots.
I knew a guy that got shot and killed strolling on the beach in Acapulco. That was probably 35 years ago. Acapulco has been bad for a long time. That’s why they started the new resorts.
Backlash to AB 32? I heard that ships in port were going to be subjected to air standards. The diesel emission standards are too stringent, too.
Happy, Jerry Brown? Happy, Mary Nichols? (Head of CARB)
Not to keep you awake nights, but I read about a scenario where the Fed buys California bonds.
Ron Paul is the chairman of the committee that governs the Fed but I don’t know how much authority he has.
Weird 2010 Cruise Stories
10 Carnival Passengers Kicked Off for Fighting
Last August ten people had their cruises terminated and were disembarked from the Carnival Dream during a port stop in Costa Maya, Mexico. All ten people were accused of brawling in the ship’s dance club at 3:00 a.m. on a previous morning. Another person chose to disembark with the ten people who were forced to leave the ship.
The brawl was reportedly due to a disagreement over which song the disc jockey should play next. There were men and women involved in the fight which spilled into the art gallery located next door. Reports indicate that an art piece valued at $10,000 was ruined with splattered blood. There was also damage to several flat screen televisions.
Reports of the brawl indicate that people who fell to the ground were kicked in the head by the fighting men and women on both sides. One person was reportedly knocked unconscious and required assistance from the ship staff to be revived.
Carnival Cruise Line says that it assisted the eleven people in making flight arrangements to get home.
http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/feature/wierd-cruise-news-2010-010311.cfm
That's hilarious. These people would have an interesting conversation with me after I "bragged" to them that I haven't been on a plane since February, 2001 and that I have no plans to ever get on a plane or leave the country again.
I can’t blame them, there will be much more of this thanks to the border insecurity.
I PRAY that the bigger, nicer ships come to Tampa, right now they only sail the older, smaller ships of a cruise line.
There are several newer cruise ships operating out of Tampa.
These ships bring more than 10,000 people per week into Tampa where they spend money on hotels, restaurants, and other tourist activities before or after their cruise on one of these ships.
Carnival Legend
Carnival Inspiration
Ryndam
Radiance of the Seas
Can any freepers post their cruising experience with bringing any protection gear with you?
I carry 100% of the time in Florida, so I will feel defenseless for 7 days on a caribbean cruise. Carnival Legend.
Will they take away even a pocket knife?
What can one do to counter the industry desire to disarm everyone on board?
Probably depends on the port/or where you are going.
A couple of years ago, we took a cruise to Alaska and one my off ship trips was to have been a fly in/drop off fly fishing trip to a remote Alaskian river.
I made arrangements with the fly shop in Alaska that hosted the trip to bring a cannister of Bear Pepper Spray and other self protection in the vehicle I would meet at the terminal.
I took my Leatherman knife with me on the ship and presented it to the ship’s security when we checked in with a note about my trip. I asked them to keep it and give it to me when I departed on the trip. They put it back into my fly fishing back pack and told me to leave there until I was off the ship.
There was no problem with my little 2 inch Swiss Army knife with the small blade, scissors and the nail file.
Two years ago, we took a cruise to the Mexican Riveria, and I scheduled/booked two snorkeling trips. I had my own fins, belt and a swimming knife with a scabbard which is attached below my right knee. Again, I had a note, showed them the knife and offered to let them keep it until I went on the snorkeling trips. Again, they put the knife back into my snorkeling bag and told me to leave it there until I went on my snorkeling trips. I had no problem leaving the ship, going through Mexican inspection and reversing the process when we came back. The Mexicans were more interested in taxing whatever I might have bought than what I brought back re personal items and my passport.
Re the Caribbeab; I would stay away from Jamaica. It was a T$rd world hell hole in the 1960’s when I was in the Navy and in the 70’s when my family went on a cruise. Last I tried to warn a know it all couple, who seem intent on cruising and taking vacations too crappy hellholes. The wife said they came back to the ship after about 10 minutes on the pier. Even her 6’6” husband said Kingston was very scary.
Remember those are third world countries and our laws don’t apply there.
It isn’t the income tax that is making the cruise ships leave, it is the other taxes levied by the port city and the union thugs who control the docks.
A couple of years ago, we took a cruise out of Gay San Francisco and the ship left close to 2 hours late. Our cabin’s veranda was just below the bridge of the ship.
So we were outside sipping our champagne and listening to the Captain, his exec, the purser and the ship’s local management complain/yell/argue with the port of San Francisco’s Pirates, about unexpected increases and fees for everything the ship needed to head out.
Finally some type of compromise was reached and we finally took off. That cruise and similiar ones from Gay Frisco were cancelled the next year, and then re established the year after that.
Friends, who have a daughter in the travel business, said that the last minute in dock hijacking of a ship re increased fees/costs and other add ons had basically chased most cruise ships out of Gay Frisco. She said that this piracy was rampant up and down the west Coast.
I have the feeling that the thugs in San Diego have been practicing their own form of piracy which has driven away these ships.
This dock side piracy is costing the port departure cities vast amounts of money when cruise ships refuse to put up with this state/city piracy. People outside of California often would stay a couple of days before and after cruises that departed from California cities at a loss of $300-??? per day to the host city’s businesses, shops and tour business.
That might dovetail nicely with the "Pop a Pirate" theme. Wonder what they would charge me to let off a 16 inch shell at a pirate ship? ;^)
I don’t do Carnival, but the Holland America Ryndam is OLD, OLD, OLD!....and SMALL!! I want NEW BIG ships in Tampa.
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