Royal Caribbean and Disney Passengers Robbed at Gunpoint

[Mike M]

In Nassau; passengers on a ship's segway shore excursion were robbed at gunpoint.

Here is a link to the story.

The Tribune

I hope that the Bahamian government gets a handle on this. Petty theft has always been a problem but this is much worse.

Take care,
Mike

[felix_the_cat]

Now that is particularly scary. And I saw on the same page that a Canadian man had his wallet snatched right out of his hand on the high street.

We've been to the Bahamas many times both with a cruise and as land vacation. I've actually been looking again as friends want to go for a 4 day weekend and the Bahamas are usually pretty good for that. I think I just may change my mind now and look elsewhere.

[Fieldmouse]

We showed this article to some friends who are cruising the Bahamas in two weeks...one of their stops is Nassau...they've decided NOT to get off the ship either to tour OR shop. I agree with them..this incident is way too scary.

It was nice to read that the police acted quickly. Nassau is an island, so where can these thieves go? But still such violence.......when we plan our next cruise...we'll just skip Nassau.

[jlmkey]

Got my attention, Thanks...!
Just back from Nassau....and yea it's pretty bad.

[thecruisequeen]

That is scary!!!! We will be stopping in Nassau I think we should stay on the ship after reading this.

[Trip]

I just read this eyewitness statement Scary....
The Nassau Guardian Online Guide

[felix_the_cat]

This is scary. However, after due consideration I probably would go to Nassau again if the opportunity arises. I just know to be even more careful than I already am.

It's Mexico I will never ever go again. We were robbed there - but not able to do anything about it because it was two cops who held us up.

[Fieldmouse]

Felix the cat: You've got to be kidding, say you're kidding!!! We're leaving for Mexico on Dec. 9th...Where in Mexico were you robbed? Was it in TJ ?

[felix_the_cat]

No - I'm really not kidding. It was in Puerto Vallerta and we were staying at a resort. We had rented a car for what was going to be the day but ended up being a couple of hours.

A couple of uniformed cops stopped us - said we were speeding (which my DH definitely wasn't) and demanded whatever money we had or they were going to arrest us - one had DH's driver's licence in his hand so I just said give it back and I'lll pay - $150 was all that it appeared I had as the rest was hidden along with my cc's. He grabbed the money from me and told us to get back to the resort and not to leave it again.

We had two days left - most unenjoyable time of my life. Couldn't wait to get on that plane and said we would never, ever go there again. We have cruised but will not get off the ship in any Mexican ports.

[Fieldmouse]

We've heard some real horror stories...but your's is the first we've heard perpetrated by P.V. police. We were ripped off in P.V. by a fine looking jewelry store, not a local street stand, but a RCCL recommended shop.

Anyway...some innocent local merchants are certainly suffer economically because of the actions of these guys. Tourist will just go somewhere else OR just stay on the ship.

After reading your experience and a couple of others on different threads regarding tourist being targeted...it drives home the point that even on vacation, these days you've got to be alert and cautious. Like you taking the extra step to hid your cc's....hummmm that's something that I've never done but will NOW.

[kerenegade]

We to have not felt safe the last 2 times we got off the ship. We did not get off the last time we were there. These people need to think about where their money comes from.

[felix_the_cat]

There have been a lot of horror stories coming out of Mexico over the years. They just seem to be getting worse.

The difference between what happened in Nassau and what happens in Mexico is the police. In Nassau the police and government officials jump right on it - in Mexico the police are very frequently the problem as our case attests to.

I know you can get off the ships and just take a walk up to the shops etc but I refuse to spend one more cent of my hard earned money in that country.

[kevin c]

there is no need to get off the ship in nassau

[Fieldmouse]

We should really run a poll...'No need to get off the ship in'...

My first vote would be, 'no need to get off the ship in Mazatlan Mexico...especially to visit the Golden Zone.

[felix_the_cat]

Curious - what is the Golden Zone?

[Fieldmouse]

On the cruise ships...doesn't matter which line...they speak of the shopping area in Mazatlan Mexico as the 'Golden Zone'...guess because the area has lots and LOTS of jewelry stores...anyway, the area is 'golden' only for the merchants...

Not all merchants in Mazatlan are cheats or cheap...but the reality is you can get as good as or an even better bargain State side. (not to mention if you have a complaint or find a flaw you have some options)

[VegasCrossfire]

Fieldmouse - I am curious to know which jewelry store in PV ripped you off. We will be going to PV in March - and I want to make sure I don't go to that jewelry store.
Also - if it was a ship recommended store - can't you go back to the Cruise Lines and make a complaint?

[DiamondMember]

No matter what place a cruise ship stops or where you fly to for vacation there will ALWAYS be local crime; however, that shouldn't stop you from going on vacation. Just be smart about your surroundings and where you're going to be. The incident in the Bahamas is unique as these guys targeted a tour operator, which generally is the "safer" bet. I'm sure the cruise lines are taking further steps to secure the situation.

As far as the bahamas go, stick to Atlantis; otherwise, I wouldn't recommend getting off the ship.

[Phil&Liz]

Not sure if this has been seen or posted in the other thread on this subject....

The Tribune

Published On:Friday, November 27, 2009

POLICE have released a man who was being questioned over the armed robbery of 18 cruise ship passengers, a senior officer confirmed last night.
Superintendent Elsworth Moss, head of the Central Detective Unit, said the person was released late on Wednesday.
When asked if police were now back at square one in solving the crime, Mr Moss said: "Not really because we're still getting some information, people are still assisting us, people in the community are forwarding information to police.
"We have a number of persons who are calling, who are concerned about what happened and are giving in information."
No one else has been arrested subsequent to the person's release. Mr Moss would not reveal why the person was released from custody but said police "hope to soon" make further arrests in the case.
On Wednesday, police confirmed that a person closely associated with Caribbean Segway Tours -- the local company who facilitated the tour for the tourists -- had been assisting them with their investigations.
Around 12.15pm on Friday, a group of cruise passengers were on a Segway tour of BASH's Earth Village when two armed gunmen approached.
The men tied up the Bahamian tour guide with the first group and ordered the passengers to the ground before robbing them of money, passports, cell phones, credit cards and personal items. A second group of visitors approached and were also robbed at gunpoint.
Police said a Bahamian woman was gun-butted to the head during the attack adding that no shots were fired during the incident.
However, this was disputed by many of the disgruntled victims, whose stories spread like wildfire on Internet blogs.
Royal Caribbean International cruise line passenger Ad Koens, from Holland, spoke out about the horror he endured in a video posted to the website You Tube.
He highlighed what he claimed was the incompetence of the Bahamian police in the aftermath of the event and gave the RBPF a rating of zero to one in terms of the active investigation.
Charlotte Ashfield, another Royal Caribbean passenger, told The Tribune the incident has left her scarred. She sought medical care upon her return home and is on medication to calm her anxiety from the attack.
The 62-year-old retired public servant from Northern Ireland first thought the two bandits were actors in a Bahamian pirate themed skit. However, reality set in when she was dragged from her Segway, pushed into a ditch and cursed at by the shotgun-toting robbers, she claimed.
"I looked up at one stage and he pointed the gun at me and told me to get down b****. The gun was then discharged in the ground beside my body. I don't know if he was a poor shooter or just trying to scare me.
"I was, and still am, traumatised. The loss of material items are unimportant when we realise there could so easily have been loss of life," she said.
Mrs Ashfield said she has no plans to return to The Bahamas.
Assistant Commissioner Raymond Gibson, who heads the Crime Division, said he watched a portion of Mr Koens' video and called the criticism "unfair".
He said: "It's totally unfair because all of the information he claimed that we didn't get from him I can say without a doubt that the information was obtained -- phone contacts, email contacts -- we have all the information we need.
"I think the investigating officers did an exceptional job. They carried out their duties in a professional manner and I think the assertions made are totally unfair. "I don't know why he felt like that but it is normal practice to go through investigations in a thorough manner. We got the representatives from the US Embassy, they were present as well after the robbery, also Ministry of Tourism officials. So it was a collective effort," he added.

Phil & Liz

[Landlubber]

A local couple (Windsor On.) were among the Disney passengers robbed in Nassau. As the gentleman works for the local newspaper,the story made the front page here along with a photo of the pair taken just moments before the robbery. He states that a shotgun was held to his head as he was relieved of his wallet containing $400.They were forced to remain on the ground while waiting for the second tour to arrive.He says there was a shot fired,probably into the ground to keep everyones head down while the robbers made their escape. I'm glad we've already been to the Bahamas because we now have no desire to return.

[superkid]

I'm Going to Nassau in late April 2010 on The Majesty of the seas for my Birthday. After i read this makes me think i will stay on the ship or leave my wallet in my cabin safe and take a money belt instead.

[Fieldmouse]

Originally Posted by VegasCrossfire

Fieldmouse - I am curious to know which jewelry store in PV ripped you off. We will be going to PV in March - and I want to make sure I don't go to that jewelry store.
Also - if it was a ship recommended store - can't you go back to the Cruise Lines and make a complaint?

I searched and searched and can't find my notes on that PV store!
All I can remember is that it was a block or two off Meracado, the main drag..and it was a very nice looking store. Lots and lots of beautiful silver jewelry, pottery etc. Sorry. Be especially careful if they offer to polish or wrap your jewelry...keep your purchases ALWAYS in sight. We met other passengers in line for Guest Services that day who had been ripped off by OTHER stores in PV. Be cautious...very cautious.

I did complain right away to Cruise services once on board..although polite and they smiled a lot...they could and did NOTHING to help us. We've since learned that a recommended shop is only that...a recommendation...not a guarantee of anything...I've wondered if these shops pay a fee of sorts to be recommended by cruise lines, and if they, the cruise line, get enough complaints etc THEN they take them off their list...so really it's 'buyer beware'.

[henryg]

I agree that this is unnerving and a real concern for tourists .. It's definitely not the sort of thing anyone wants happening during their time on vacation!

It's sad that these villains can end up ruining things for the rest who are trying to make a living in these places. I hope these people who do these things can be caught and severely punished to deter more of it happening. It would be a shame for these islands to lose their livelyhood because of a few damn crooks.

[felix_the_cat]

Originally Posted by Fieldmouse

I searched and searched and can't find my notes on that PV store!
All I can remember is that it was a block or two off Meracado, the main drag..and it was a very nice looking store. Lots and lots of beautiful silver jewelry, pottery etc. Sorry. Be especially careful if they offer to polish or wrap your jewelry...keep your purchases ALWAYS in sight. We met other passengers in line for Guest Services that day who had been ripped off by OTHER stores in PV. Be cautious...very cautious.

I did complain right away to Cruise services once on board..although polite and they smiled a lot...they could and did NOTHING to help us. We've since learned that a recommended shop is only that...a recommendation...not a guarantee of anything...I've wondered if these shops pay a fee of sorts to be recommended by cruise lines, and if they, the cruise line, get enough complaints etc THEN they take them off their list...so really it's 'buyer beware'.

We spoke to a gentleman in St. Marteen a couple of years ago that has a camera store. The power went down while we there so while we were waiting we chatted. He informed us that the ships want $2,500 plus a percentage of the sales while they are in port to become one of the recommended stores. His opinion was that it was ridiculous and he was not part of that.

His store was no different that any other store but his prices were less. We bought a camera from him and have never had a minutes problem with it.

RCL does claim to back the product. They will say if you have a problem with an item you have bought from a recommended store, return it to them (RCI) but I don't think, from everything I've heard, they follow through on it.

While on a Celebrity ship (owned by RCL) my sil bought a Gucci (sp) watch. It crashed on her almost immediately when we returned home. She was able to return it to Gucci and they gave her 100% of her money back. Now this purchase was actually on the ship and it was Gucci that backed it up. She didn't bother going through the cruiseline.

[Fieldmouse]

[QUOTE=felix_the_cat;1260437]We spoke to a gentleman in St. Marteen a couple of years ago that has a camera store. The power went down while we there so while we were waiting we chatted. He informed us that the ships want $2,500 plus a percentage of the sales while they are in port to become one of the recommended stores. His opinion was that it was ridiculous and he was not part of that.

Yes...we heard the same thing in Alaska. For example: in Ketchikan Alaska...there use to be wonderful unique shops all along the pier...now there is nothing but those lousy jewelry stores on the main drag.

We walked a couple of blocks to some of the shops over the creek..(can't remember the street name)really nice shops with unique gifts, etc. I asked several owners why they weren't on the cruise recommended list (we were on Celebrity) They all said the same thing...they refused to pay the cruise lines 'fees' (I can't put down what they REALLY called the fees'!) Anyway..had we not traveled to Alaska before we would not have known to check that area. It's such a rip off for the shop owners and the cruise passengers.

[felix_the_cat]

I can tell you that I have a client who really didn't enjoy Alaska much this year because of all those same jewellery stores. That is not what one expects to Alaska and certainly isn't what they were looking for. Diomonds International - please.........why would go all the way to the wilds of Alaska to buy something from Diamonds International.

There were 16 people in this group and all of them said the same thing. (We were suppose to be with them but DH had a heart attack 3 weeks prior to sailing and was still in the hospital at that time). However, I have to say I would not have been happy with that.

[VegasCrossfire]

Originally Posted by Fieldmouse

I searched and searched and can't find my notes on that PV store!
All I can remember is that it was a block or two off Meracado, the main drag..and it was a very nice looking store. Lots and lots of beautiful silver jewelry, pottery etc. Sorry. Be especially careful if they offer to polish or wrap your jewelry...keep your purchases ALWAYS in sight. We met other passengers in line for Guest Services that day who had been ripped off by OTHER stores in PV. Be cautious...very cautious.

I did complain right away to Cruise services once on board..although polite and they smiled a lot...they could and did NOTHING to help us. We've since learned that a recommended shop is only that...a recommendation...not a guarantee of anything...I've wondered if these shops pay a fee of sorts to be recommended by cruise lines, and if they, the cruise line, get enough complaints etc THEN they take them off their list...so really it's 'buyer beware'.

Thanks....we will be especially careful. Hey....maybe I can take in one of my CZ rings that looks "real" and they will swap it with a "cheap" diamond?? J/K of course.
I did think that if you went to a recommended store - the cruise line guaranteed the purchase. I know the stores pay a bundle to be on the recommended list - I heard that from a friend who worked on the cruise line.

[jlauntz]

I don't want to minimize the trauma of robbery at gun point, however,I'm sure there are armed robberies in Miami,Ft.Lauderdale , Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Galveston, and any other city in the U.S.. Do we all panic and not visit them? NO Please don't let an incident scare you into missing a city or country.

[DonD]

If I'm on a paid tour in Miami and I hear the tour has been being robbed, I won't go.

[felix_the_cat]

Originally Posted by jlauntz

I don't want to minimize the trauma of robbery at gun point, however,I'm sure there are armed robberies in Miami,Ft.Lauderdale , Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Galveston, and any other city in the U.S.. Do we all panic and not visit them? NO Please don't let an incident scare you into missing a city or country.

I believe this is more than an "incident". As much as I agree with what you are saying, there are still limitation. Until it actually happens to you, you (meaning everyone) cannot possibly realize what another has gone through.

To trivilize an event such as this is only adding insult to injury. Everyone has to decide what is best for themselves. If not going somewhere because of the danger posed by it's inhabitants is the best for some then that's the way it has to be. It's up to law enforcement to put a stop to it - and then up the the laws of the country to make stronger punishments to help prevent it from happening again.

The other thing - people speak with their wallets - why do you want to spend money in a city or country that doesn't take care of those that help their economy.