Busload of Tourists Robbed at Gunpoint - St.Kitts

[Snoozeman]

Busload of Tourists Robbed at Gunpoint

http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/2010/11/12/tourists-robbed.html

[Donna]

They didn't mention what ship the passengers were from and if this was an excursion booked through the cruiseline. Not that it matters, still a bit alarming to happen on such a friendly, small island. I sure hope they get to the bottom of this and catch those guys.

[Snoozeman]

They were on the Celebrity Mercury. Not sure if it was a ship or private excursion.

My Sister & BIL will be going to St.Kitts in just a few weeks. I think this is probably an isolated incident. Hope it was, anyway. Not sure if I will even mention it to them.

[Mike M]

St. Kitts was eliminated from cruise ship itineraries for a number of years because of crime on cruise ship passengers. It doesn't look like they've eliminated the problem. This is a very brazen attack and while it could happen in just about any port I hope that it isn't a glimpse of things worsening in St. Kitts.

Take care,
Mike

[Lakers Fan]

My daughter and her husband were there in June and experienced no problems

[Kuki]

Originally Posted by Henry43

My daughter and her husband were there in June and experienced no problems

Certainly the vast majority of visitors aren't going to encounter these situations. However, when visiting any ports of call by ship, when going off to tour, whether ship's excursions or independantly, one should leave ALL your jewlery, and other valuables in your safe on the ship.

Carry a small amount of cash, and ID and a credit card.

[Snoozeman]

Originally Posted by Kuki

Certainly the vast majority of visitors aren't going to encounter these situations. However, when visiting any ports of call by ship, when going off to tour, whether ship's excursions or independantly, one should leave ALL your jewlery, and other valuables in your safe on the ship.

Carry a small amount of cash, and ID and a credit card.

Yes, very good advice.

That's what we have done for years. We don't even carry a camera.

[Paul Motter]

Well... I take a camera but not much else. It is a good idea NOT to take your wallet, because that way when your wifey sees that thing that she thinks she wants you can say you left your wallet in the room for safety - and you won't be lying.

But.... by the way - doesn't this sound a LOT like the Nassau and Jamaica ambushes. It is almost like you have be crazy to get on a bus with a dozen people to go see some distant, obscure sight on an island.

[Skipper's Mom]

Originally Posted by Kuki

Certainly the vast majority of visitors aren't going to encounter these situations. However, when visiting any ports of call by ship, when going off to tour, whether ship's excursions or independantly, one should leave ALL your jewlery, and other valuables in your safe on the ship.

Carry a small amount of cash, and ID and a credit card.

On our trip last week on the Zuiderdam, one of the shore excursions (Costa Rica) specifically advised that you not wear any jewelry on the tour. So, I followed the directions and left all my good stuff in the safe.

I think, in the future, I will not wear any jewelry and will carry only a small amount of cash along with necessary ID.

[Snoozeman]

Originally Posted by Paul Motter

It is a good idea NOT to take your wallet, because that way when your wifey sees that thing that she thinks she wants you can say you left your wallet in the room for safety - and you won't be lying.

Shhhhhhhh......don't give away the secret.

I have a cheap wallet that I use in ports (bought in MX years ago) just taking the one credit card, ships card, and photo ID. It has a zipper pocket for currency. I reload for each port. When at home I use that wallet to store my foreign currency.

[johnthed0g]

All going rapidly downhill....off to the Caribbean soon, armed gangs in Barbados, someone shot in St.Thomas (was it?) St. Kitts as stated, Tobago a lawless hellhole, Antigua tourists murdered, Jamaica as it usually is, St Lucia ravaged by hurricanes,.....the latest on the charter flights are that they are totally dreadful, no food or drinks, seats double/triple booked...man.. it don't sound too promising!!

[Mike M]

I don't trust the cruise ship's safe so I carry all my money, credit cards and expensive watches with me on shore. My wife also wears all of her expensive jewelry. We want to look good when we go ashore. ;-);-)

Seriously:

I see many people wearing loads of jewelry, nice watches and have a large wallet bulging in their back pocket. Even if the jewelery is costume and the wallet only has a credit card and a few dollars it still makes you more of a target. Dress down while going ashore and only take what you will need. A few dollars, credit card and ID. If you need to wear a watch just put on the $10 Timex. They actually keep time as well as a Rolex.

You'll never be able to completely remove the word "tourist", that only the locals can see, that is stamped to your forehead but you will be able to make it a bit less noticeable and less of a target.

Take care,
Mike

[beenie weenie]

I am disappointed by this. I really enjoyed St. Kitts when we visited there. We took a cab out to Cockleshell Beach on the other side of the island and it was so beautiful. Nevis was so close, I could have swam over.

I hope they catch these thugs and nip this in the bud.

[Lakers Fan]

My daughter and son-in-law got married in Nevis

[Manuel]

Originally Posted by Mike M

I see many people wearing loads of jewelry, nice watches and have a large wallet bulging in their back pocket. Even if the jewelery is costume and the wallet only has a credit card and a few dollars it still makes you more of a target. Dress down while going ashore and only take what you will need. A few dollars, credit card and ID. If you need to wear a watch just put on the $10 Timex. They actually keep time as well as a Rolex.

You'll never be able to completely remove the word "tourist", that only the locals can see, that is stamped to your forehead but you will be able to make it a bit less noticeable and less of a target.

Take care,
Mike

Great advice Mike!

TM

[Snoozeman]

I think I read somewhere that Celebrity was no longer going to stop in St. Kitts. Did anyone else see that?

[green_rd]

From the Cruise Mates News page:

11-16-10
Cruise Visits to St. Kitts Cancelled after Robbery
Gene Sloan is reporting in USA Today that both Carnival Cruise Lines and Princess Cruises have suspended port stops at the Caribbean island of St Kitts because of a "brazen" robbery there on a bus load of passengers from the Celebrity Mercury.


The 17 people were on a cruise line sponsored tour called called "Essential St. Kitts" that includes a sight-seeing drive of the city of Basseterre.


Carnival says the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle, scheduled to visit St. Kitts today, will go to Antigua instead while the Grand Princess will do the same on Wednesday.


The armed robbers remain at large. They blocked the road with a fallen tree. When the bus driver got out to clear the way, they jumped from the bushes and robbed the tourists at gunpoint then retreated to the woodlands. They took the passengers' cash, jewelry, cameras and other valuables, but no one was injured in the incident.

Not mention of Celebrity

[Snoozeman]

Thanks Bob. My sister and BIL are on Princess and leave next weekend from Barbados. I haven't heard of a change as yet.

[johnthed0g]

No excuse, but looking at it from the point of view of a ''poor'' islander....they have virtually nothing (they used to be happy with very little..not now) they see these huge ships rock up to their island, like a spacecraft, offload all these well fed, ''well dressed'' folks who have so much money they can fly from the other side of the world (to them) just for a holiday (holiday? what's that?), a lot spend nothing on the island & leave, saying "no thanks" to people selling stuff (Ok Guilty too), I am sure that quite a few islanders resent us being there, especially the younger ones.

[Trip]

I sat with Cynthia Martinez,the spokesperson for Celebrity cruise line, at Muranos on the Eclipse, Monday night. We spoke of the St. Kitts, incident. She told me that Celebrity, was incurring all the cost, for all that the cruise passengers lost from the robbery.

This included jewelry,cameras, etc that may or may not have been insured by, the passengers own insurance company. Another step up to the plate action, that shows they do the right thing,when ship happens...

[johnthed0g]

Good for them...another reason to take the ships trips maybe?
Eclipse is very nice isn't it?

[Trip]

John, the Eclipse was a glorious ship...I am in the process of getting an article up..

[Skipper's Mom]

Here's the best I've heard since this incident. I was sitting in a doctor's office on Wednesday and a woman was on her cellphone. She was discussing cruising and mentioned that a cruise ship was held up in St. Kitts and people were robbed. She was concerned about taking a cruise that may stop in St. Kitts. I spoke up and stated that ship was not robbed but a shore excursion bus trip. "Oh," she said, "That's different." Unbelieveable!!!

[Manuel]

Originally Posted by Trip

I sat with Cynthia Martinez,the spokesperson for Celebrity cruise line, at Muranos on the Eclipse, Monday night. We spoke of the St. Kitts, incident. She told me that Celebrity, was incurring all the cost, for all that the cruise passengers lost from the robbery.

This included jewelry,cameras, etc that may or may not have been insured by, the passengers own insurance company. Another step up to the plate action, that shows they do the right thing,when ship happens...

That is good to hear.

It's also the reason that we allways do ship's tours.

TM

[hez]

We just returned from our vacation aboard the Carnival Miracle. (my sister rd, james and my cousin). We were all having dinner in the dining room when the captain came on with the announcement of this unfortunate event. We were to visit St Kitts the following morning, but Carnival arranged a detour to Antigua. We had no details, just that passengers on a shore excursion were robbed. Very scary indeed! Carnival refunded our money for shore excursions booked in St. kitts and we were able to book shore excursions to Antigua at the last minute with no problems.

[Snoozeman]

Originally Posted by hez

We just returned from our vacation aboard the Carnival Miracle. (my sister rd, james and my cousin). We were all having dinner in the dining room when the captain came on with the announcement of this unfortunate event. We were to visit St Kitts the following morning, but Carnival arranged a detour to Antigua. We had no details, just that passengers on a shore excursion were robbed. Very scary indeed! Carnival refunded our money for shore excursions booked in St. kitts and we were able to book shore excursions to Antigua at the last minute with no problems.

Good move by Carnival, better safe than sorry.

[Queen of Oakville]

Originally Posted by johnthed0g

No excuse, but looking at it from the point of view of a ''poor'' islander....they have virtually nothing (they used to be happy with very little..not now) they see these huge ships rock up to their island, like a spacecraft, offload all these well fed, ''well dressed'' folks who have so much money they can fly from the other side of the world (to them) just for a holiday (holiday? what's that?), a lot spend nothing on the island & leave, saying "no thanks" to people selling stuff (Ok Guilty too), I am sure that quite a few islanders resent us being there, especially the younger ones.

hmmmm - makes you think.