Cruisers not as friendly etc. anymore

colemj said:

While there is little about the Eastern Caribe we enjoy (French islands excepted, but they are France, not EC), I wouldn't say crime/unpleasantness is any worse than most other places, and crime tends to be petty theft - nobody is shooting up schools or anything like in the US. There are a few very well-known areas to avoid, but not many. Much of any unpleasantness is from simply being exhausted from the unreasonable charter people. Outside that season, the people are great. Even chartering, if you approach with respect, you get nice people - it is just the charterers that think entire countries exist solely for their vacation, and their people to serve them instantly, who bring the local people down.

We are currently in Jamaica and it is great, with good food, lots to see, and friendly people. We are headed to the Western Caribe, where we have spent a lot of time before, and the people there are also great. Violent crime is really bad around Honduras, but everywhere else is back to just the potential for petty theft of unlocked/unguarded things.

I don't understand the argument about leaving the Bahamas for the East Caribe to avoid crowds. Georgetown definitely, but the EC is WAY crowded in most places, while the Bahamas are essentially empty in most places. And the Bahamas outside of Nassau and the Northern Exumas aren't full of charter boats banging into you, dragging everywhere, and demanding unreasonable things.

Mark

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