Places to Avoid / Safety Concerns

There has been a elevated level of crime and violence in Mexico over the last several years. There have been numerous issues in the Cozumel and Playa del Carmen area that cruise vacationers need to be aware of. One of the more recent issues pertains to tainted alcohol at resorts and bars in the cruise port area. Cruise vacationers reported receiving drinks tainted with drugs and have had various affects ranging from incoherence, passing out and even death. More information on this issue here.

There is currently a travel advisory from the US Department of State for all of Mexico at various caution levels and concerns. Information for Cozumel and Playa del Carmen can be found under Quintana Roo here.

The best approach to staying safe in Cozumel is to:

Pay close attention to your surroundings including the people you encounter
Try to blend in and not stand out as a tourist
Do not carry or display large amounts of cash
Do not carry or show off expensive jewelry, electronics or cameras
Do not drink alcohol in excess
Always watch your drinks and never leave them unattended
Only use official taxis from designated “Sitios” (registered taxi stands)
Be wary of counterfeit items including jewelry
Protect credit and debit cards in RFID protective wallets from high tech digital theft which can happen without thieves seeing or having the card

Fun Ashore

Fun Ashore has the detailed information on the Ports of Departure and Ports of Call to enable cruise vacationers to simplify their planning, maximize their enjoyment in each port and to give detailed descriptions of all of their options so they can make the best decision for their vacation. It was created to help promote the enjoyment of the cruising lifestyle by also enabling both novice and experienced cruise vacationers to maximize their knowledge of the ports they are going to experience and how to ease their embarkation and disembarkation time.