We have been here many times and have seen the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, Andromeda Botanical Gardens, Gun Hill Signal Station, toured the island from caost to coast, walked over town, etc. The one place we wanted to go back to was Harrison's Caves -- but they are temporarily closed for repairs. So we decided to walk over to the Pelican Craft Market (about 200 yards from pier entrance and security) as people we have talked to on other cruises raved about this place. When we got to the entrance, their big "Welcome" sign was down on the ground. This should have given us a clue that something was wrong. We got there about 9:50 and there were about 6 or 7 seven shops open. Some of the buildings were empty. The closed shops didn't even have a sign in their windows or on the door indicating when they would open. We asked in one of the shops and we got was "maybe 10, maybe 11, maybe noon" - no one seem to know. But one thing they all did agree on -- they all close at 5 PM. There was a restaurant at the far end -- again - couldn't tell when it would open for lunch or dinner. The only shops open were a pottery shop, a couple of gift shops and of island dress shops. One of the gift shops had a computer station with a couple of people waiting to use it.
So after walking around for an hour we decided to head back to the terminal and look at the vendors outside and the shops inside. We also used their Internet Cafe -- that was an experience. You pay in advance. The girls taking the money and handing you a slip that has your code on it are behind a window with a locked door (is crime really that bad in the terminal?). The computers are in locked boxes where you look down into the box to see the monitor -- very hard on the neck. I quickly got some posts in and sent some frubals. Didn't even take time to check e-mails. Very hard to type and look down into the box at the monitor.
The Maasdam had the first slot at the pier - not a bad walk to the terminal. But in places the road is torn up and you have to be careful of construction machines. They are starting to erect a couple of buildings right along the pier edge. Our ship got there at 6 AM, a couple of hours early. Shortly after that the Carnival Destiny pulled in and had the last docking space thus their were provided with free shuttles to go back and forth from the terminal and their ship. Then in came Blue Moon (not listed on cruise cal) from Pullmantur cruises. Some of her passengers got off here - their luggage sat out in the open in the terminal. Anyone could have easily taken a piece as there was only one man watching everything and he didn't look as though he cared for the job very much.
KK .... Very glad you posted this! We were there in January and thought it was only us who noticed the BIG change in "Safety".
Gosh ... Barbados is NOT the normal poor Caribbean Island. Their economy is very good and their school system is one of the finest! Never thought of it as an unsafe place.
We were actually shocked at how almost every place in town and outside of the secrued port area NOW has security bars on the doors and windows. It use to not be like that.
Since we wanted to spend a day at the beach, we went to BOATYARD. That too had changed. The Barbados Police (in full uniform) were on the beach as well as Private Security Guards. BOATYARD, now has shuttles back to the ship (included in the admission price) and strongly suggest this service be used. I overhead the Boatyard Staff say several times to others (we just missed the shuttle so had to wait 15 munutes for the next one ... no big deal) while waiting... that they wanted to make sure everyone got back to the cruise terminal safely.
Krazy Kruizer...I am not sure on what date you visited but during the last couple of weeks there was some industrial action at the port and this may have contributed to the problem(s) you experienced.
You can rest assured that thos bags were safe...the instances of petty theft/crime at the Port on passengers or thei belongings are non-existent. We value the tourist $$ too much.
I hope that these minor problems/inconvenieces you encountered did not adversely effect your stay on the island. Hope to see you back after the caves open FULLY in November.
Hope we get some input from others who have recently visited Barbados I planning a future trip on a cruise and want to know whether to get off the ship or not?
Hope we get some input from others who have recently visited Barbados I planning a future trip on a cruise and want to know whether to get off the ship or not?
Remember, we were just there in January of this year. In Barbados every effort is made (extra security...overly cautious...better silly than sorry) to KEEP it safe!
Now that the Harrison Cave tour is being offered by Princess we will get off the ship to do this tour. I wanted to go to the Beach and I will ask around to see which one is a safe one. The Boatyard sounds great--- I wonder if the fees have gone up for the extra security.
I have no idea why some people just love to give negative feed back when they visit these places for a few hours, that it only a few hours of the day the whole Island was judge by this one person, not nice of some people, lets try to remember that these Island strive on torism, so some thing like this can kill a Islands livly hood.....
Now I was there in August of 2008 the 6th of Aug, and we did an Island tour with William, I do tours on St.Thomas so I know about Island tours, the only thing I did not like was that the tour was way too long, after we tour the Island we stop of the the town for an hour of shopping, and I really did not remember seeing the steel bars like what was said in the post above, and if it was so bad you would have had to see them, I'm not saying they was'nt any but I did not see them where they would stand out like a sour thumb. I was also to Barbados back in 2000 and I walk the streets at night with out a problem, so what was mention above may have been a one time thing that happen that day, I don't know.
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