How safe are Caribbean cruises?
Repeated reports of violence during Caribbean cruises have led to a common question: is the area safe?
Among incidents: 18 cruise passengers were robbed at gunpoint in the Bahamas.
Such violent crimes are still rare, but on the other hand…
“Crime, in one form or another, is rising in Bermuda, Belize, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, based on a review of the State Department’s consular information sheets, which provide data on safety and other issues in foreign countries,” says The New York Times.
Crime also continues to be an issue in places such as the Dominican Republic, where pickpocketing and mugging are the most common crimes against tourists.
The State Department acknowledges the upswing but points out that travelers can fall victim to theft and other crimes in their home cities.
“Crime happens everywhere,” said Drew Haldane of the office of American Citizens Services.
What is different, though, is how those crimes are handled.
“Law enforcement, especially in the Caribbean, does not necessarily have the resources or response that you might expect in the US,” Haldane said.
The Caribbean is aware of its crime problems and is trying to get them under control, according to the Times.
In Jamaica, for example, where the Tourist Board says crimes against tourists amount to less than 1 percent of overall crime, some police have been relieved from desk duties in recent weeks so that more officers can patrol the streets this winter season and beyond.
Various Caribbean countries have implemented new plans to better cope, so the bottom line perhaps is that crime is no worse in the Caribbean than elsewhere.
By David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025