Thread: Should cruise lines stop visiting Antigua?

Based upon recent events, including the tragic murder of a Star Clippers passengers on shore in Antigua, cruise companies are beginning to pull out of the troubled port.

Star Clippers has decide to stop all visits to Antigua and replace the port with scheduled calls to Nevis. No other cruise line has made any announcement about their plans.

Major cruise lines with calls scheduled for Antigua include Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Antigua's own newspapers are reporting on the incredibly high murder rate, per capita, the exotic island getaway currently is experiencing. The murder of Nina Elisabeth Nilssen, only 26 at the time of her death, is not the only tourist to be slain while visiting the island in recent years. In 2008, a British couple on holiday was shot in their room at Antigua's Cocos Hotel, and an Australian man was killed while walking along the beach in 2009.

These incidents are not isolated, as there have been 19 murders on the island in 2009. Do you think other cruise line should stop calling on Antigua until safety reassurances can be given? If you are planning to visit Antigua soon, will you tour around the island, stay close to the ship or not leave your cabin? Let us know what your thoughts are and what you think the cruise companies should do to insure the safety of its passengers.

That's a hard question, but I don't think I would feel safe there. Something needs to be done to make the island safer. The problem is if the ships don't call it could make things worse.

To be honest our destination is the ship. we do not get off at every port. That said, we are only booking 7 day eastern now because we are more comfortable at the ports than western or southern, if we choose to go into port. Danger is everywhere, even here in our own neiborhoods. You need to be aware at all times and stay with crowds and large groups.

Several of the Caribbean islands have made the news with cruise ship passengers being injured, robbed or murdered. It appears that these attacks have escalated (or else the media is just reporting more of them now).

Most cruise passengers will go ashore without knowing that there are dangers...enjoy their island day and return to the ship suntanned and happy.

Those who read cruise/travel forums will be aware that bad things have happened and, possibly, be more alert to the dangers.

I do believe that measures should be taken to safeguard the tourists---whether by local law enforcement agencies or by warning the passengers before they debark the ship onto these islands.

I also believe that if the risk to tourists has proved to be high, that the cruiselines should put the passengers safety above all else and bypass those troubled islands.

The problem is, Char, that a few individuals are endangering the economic viability of the entire island. The only solution I can see is extreme measures to apprehend the culprits and severe punishments for the guilty parties.

Originally Posted by nealberk

The problem is, Char, that a few individuals are endangering the economic viability of the entire island. The only solution I can see is extreme measures to apprehend the culprits and severe punishments for the guilty parties.

Yep...that would be the ideal solution. But if that is not happening, then the cruise lines have to take extreme measures to safeguard their passengers.

This is sad for me because Antigua has always been one of our very favorite islands ... but it has changed. We even noticed it more so on our port stop there last year.

There was a time when we would and did take a taxi to a beach on our own. No longer will we even consider not taking an excursion offer by the ship in Antigua.

Problem is ... if cruise lines quit calling on every port that was not very safe, there would be very few left for ports stops ....

We stopped there on our CLF group cruise on Ruby last November. We booked an independant tour and many went on that tour. It is a beautiful island and we all had a very inforamative & enjoyable experience.

Reggie

According to sources, the National Parks Authority in Antigua has installed eight surveillance cameras across Nelson's Dockyard National Park and in the English Harbor area in hopes of discouraging violent crime.

This story is still developing and we'll keep you posted.

Originally Posted by timwilloughby

According to sources, the National Parks Authority in Antigua has installed eight surveillance cameras across Nelson's Dockyard National Park and in the English Harbor area in hopes of discouraging violent crime.

This story is still developing and we'll keep you posted.

Any updates on this situation? Have the survellance cameras been helpful?