When you leave the U.S. it's always important to exercise caution.
Most places are not inherently dangerous, but there will be criminals looking to prey on people who make bad decisions.
That's why it's always important to be aware of your surroundings no matter where in the world you may find yourself. In most cases, that means taking common-sense safety measures like sticking to well-trafficked areas and making sure you don't carry your wallet in your back pocket or hold your purse loosely.
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Bad things can happen anywhere, but the U.S. Department of State tracks general safety levels in places that American tourists visit around the world. It uses a sliding scale to report danger levels:
- Level 1: Exercise normal precautions.
- Level 2: Exercise increased caution
- Level 3: Reconsider travel
- Level 4: Do not travel.
Jamaica, a popular cruise destination for Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, has been under a Level 3 warning since July 2022. That's something cruisers need to be aware of, but they also need to understand exactly what they're being warned about as the advisory was recently updated.
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Make careful choices in cruise ship ports
The State Department warning for Jamaica is very specific and has been recently updated.
"Reconsider travel to Jamaica due to crime. Exercise increased caution regarding medical services. Some areas have increased risk," the State Department said on its website.
The warning did make clear that some parts of the country are more dangerous than others:
"Violent crime occurs throughout Jamaica," the warning continued. "Tourist areas generally see lower rates of violent crime than other parts of the country. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Armed robberies and sexual assaults are common. The U.S. Embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts."
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It also noted that U.S. citizens report slow or unsatisfactory responses to serious criminal incidents.
"When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a final verdict and sentence," it added.
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Jamaica pushes back on the travel advisory
Jamaica's ambassador to the U.S., Audrey Patrice Marks, has pushed back on the travel advisory. In a Facebook post earlier this year she said the advisory "distorts the reality and facts in Jamaica."
In addition, Jamaican Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has said that since the advisory was issued, Jamaica has welcomed millions of visitors and continues to be one of the most popular destinations in the world.
"The crime rate involving visitors is extremely low at 0.01%," he told TravelPulse.
Cruise ship passengers should be wary when visiting any country with a Level 3 advisory. In many cases, the port area itself is closed off from non-cruise-ship visitors (which is the case in Falmouth, Jamaica, where both Royal Caribbean and Carnival visit).
Those areas are generally considered safe. But when you leave the port area in a country with a Level 3 travel advisory, it generally makes sense to stick to cruise-line-sponsored excursions.
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The State Department also gave some tips to anyone visiting Jamaica:
- Avoid walking or driving at night.
- Avoid public buses.
- Avoid secluded places or situations.
- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
- Be aware of your surroundings and keep a low profile.
In addition, the advisory contains language on health care and urged Americans to get travel insurance that includes medical evacuation coverage.
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"Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always staffed with EMTs or always readily available, especially in rural areas. U.S. citizens should bring extra prescription medication as common medications such as insulin can be difficult to obtain," it added.
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