Travel Agent Explains What New Travel Advisories in the Caribbean Mean for Tourists
If you're trying to plan a Caribbean cruise vacation for spring or summer break, you're probably not very encouraged by some of the warnings the US State Department has recently put up. Late in January, the government issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas and bumped Jamaica all the way up to a Level 3, urging Americans to "reconsider travel" there due to rising crime and a dearth of adequate medical care.
But what do these advisories mean for tourists? Is the situation bad enough that people should write off the possibility of a Caribbean vacation based on these travel advisories alone? Walter, a travel agent on TikTok who frequently covers travel to Caribbean destinations, explains what these new advisories spell out for troubled travelers.
The short answer is no, you don't necessarily need to cancel your cruise vacation over these travel warnings. The long answer is a little more complex, but Walter (aka @whereswaltertravel) deftly breaks down the information to make it easy to comprehend. For all travel advisories, he recommends going to the State Department's website and actually reading the information underneath the warnings.
"Sometimes it's just a broad warning for the entire country," Walter explains. "Sometimes it's certain areas of that country... The cruise port itself is a secure area, similar to an airport. Only passengers and approved workers are allowed to get into that area. So the cruise port itself is very secure, and in general, the area immediately surrounding the cruise port is going to be more secure and safe due to added security in the area."
It's almost important to put these travel advisories into perspective, as many countries that most tourists wouldn't think twice about visiting also have similar advisories in place. Walter demonstrated this fantastically in his video by comparing the recent hot-button destinations under advisory to other countries. For instance, the Bahamas is under a Level 2 advisory, but so are Great Britain, Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, and Denmark, among many others. Other popular tropical vacation spots like Honduras, Colombia, and Guatemala have Level 3 travel advisories, just like Jamaica.
Some travelers tend to see tourist destinations with high levels of crime and income disparity as inherently more dangerous, but the truth is that travelers assume roughly similar levels of risk traveling to a number of destinations all over the world. That doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't travel anywhere with a travel advisory (otherwise your options will be limited), but do read up on what's going on and why there's a travel advisory so you know how to keep yourself safe.
Staying Safe When Visiting a Country with a Travel Advisory
If you want to prepare before visiting a country with a travel advisory, the best place to start is looking up your destination on the State Department's Travel Advisory Search. If there's an active advisory in your destination, the entry on the State Department's website will include pertinent information like particular areas to avoid, warning signs to watch for, and ways to protect yourself from crime or harm.
Of course, you don't have to travel anywhere under an advisory if you don't want to risk it. However, if you've already booked a cruise to a country under advisory, Walter advises that nervous cruisers can remain in the secure port area, go on safe excursions hosted by the cruise line, or even just spend the day on the ship. Unfortunately, these travel advisories are not a valid reason to cancel your cruise and get your money back!
For general safety tips regarding international travel, the State Department's "Before You Go" page has tons of information on staying safe, protecting your health, and being prepared for potential crises. Even if your destination has no active advisories, beefing up on travel safety knowledge never hurts!
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