CRUISERS BEWARE: Don’t fall for this NEW SCAM!
We talk through a NEW SCAM affecting cruisers at a very popular cruise port while on their cruise last week and how some end up losing money. Number one way to save money is not getting scammed by trying to save money. Are cruise passengers easy targets as travelers? Should you take the advice of locals at cruise ports abroad? Should you experience the local customs and culture while in another country as a tourist? What do you do when you don’t know the language when traveling to another country? Is international travel safe? This is the latest cruise news in tandem across the cruise industry where all cruise lines are making cruise cutbacks for cruise passengers onboard cruise ships during 2024 and we were surprised by what new scam is affecting cruisers while at a Popular Cruise Port! What do cruise ships do with passengers who are not aware of their surroundings while at port? How do Cruise Ship Crew handle these naive cruise passengers? Are cruise ship passengers okay with cruise lines going to unique cruise ports and experiencing local cultures? We talk through verified experiences on shore of Cruise Passengers getting scammed and this could happen to you while at port on your cruise fleet wide onboard all Caribbean Cruise Ships including the worlds largest cruise ship Icon of the Seas or soon to be Star of the Seas 2025, and even the worlds smallest cruise ships. This could happen at many cruise ports whether on the Worlds Biggest Cruise Ship Class; or, the Smallest Cruise Ship Class and every Cruise Ship in between. What are your thoughts in our inside cruise chat on the new scam affecting cruise passengers while at port on our Caribbean Cruise Ships 2024?
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Years ago my family was scammed in Mexico. The taxi was charging us more $$$ because he took us to a church we never asked to go to. My dad finally said fine when we got out and paid the driver in Canadian $ not US $. The guy complained and dad said, “You never told us it was US$” and we took off into the crowd.
😊😊😊 WELL PLAYED DAD!!!😊😊😊
Lol! Good for him😉
Take note kids.😊
Worldwide always assume a taxi driver is a liar.
Or in turkey a kidnapped or worse
This is why I pay more money and do ship excursions.
We do too. I don’t care if it’s more you know it is through the ship. Never take a chance in a foreign country if you will be left if not back by a certain time. Sadly many many people see all Americans as wealthy people so we have the money to loose so no big deal.
I do the same. It also assures that you will not miss your ship, if something delays the excursion, which can happen, or ship will try to meet us on the next port.
We went to the Krazy Lobster with friends and they knew to always tell the driver you are meeting someone there and that seems to shut down negotiations pretty quick.
Never, never, never get into a taxi without agreeing to the fare in advance. As for jewelry, best to visit a trusted store at home instead of relying on the honesty of strangers…
True, but also remember in many foreign countries, especially cabs and small businesses can and do change prices at the end of their service. If you do not pay, they call the police, and YOU will be detained and pay the merchant AND Will pay the police a big fine. Be very careful, use group taxi's or buses.
The Red Shirts Golf Cart rental guy at Costa Maya said to take a picture of the menu before you order. There is a scam there in that they give you an inflated bill after your meal and when you ask for the menu again to check, they give you a different menu with higher prices or surcharges noted on it. A pic can help you get out of that situation.
That’s really good advice
Love that idea.
Has it come to this? Thanks for the reminder😮
I never wear any jewelry when I travel-better to be safe.
I wear fun junky things. That are colorful, not imitation expensive. Festive🎉
I was robbed by the fancy jewelry store on the RC Oasis in 2017. I chose a beautiful little tanzanite and diamond pendant. It was a good size and dark purple in color. Beautiful. I was happy to pay the price. Guy gave me some BS which I should've never agreed to about coming back later so he can box it up and give me a certificate of authentication. Well, the one I was handed was NOT the one I fell in love with in the display. Much smaller and a light purple in color. In the moment with excitement & the weird store lighting I didn't notice until I was home 3 days later. On a ship, purchase at the moment you're trying it on without them "bringing it to the back" for any reason. The whole experience makes me sick to think about.
Same thing happened to me. I quit going to Mexico.
Never let them have the item back, have them get the box for you to put them item in. If they give you crap then walk away. Found a simple dress on the outside of the store in Cozumel then when entering the store the price went up so we turned around and left.
I had that happen to me at an Effy store. Showed me the beautiful earrings I would get with my purchase, then they added them to the bag with my purchase and they were not nearly as large as the pair I was to receive!
I don't trust anyone anywhere at any port. I may miss seeing a lot, but I just cannot get in a taxi at the ports I've been to. Jamaica was the worst I've been to for everyone being so pushy. I rather enjoy the quiet port day onboard the ship.
I agree. I consider Jamaica a day in board at a port.
Jamaica is just not safe either. Police with an automatic weapon boarded our cruise sponsored tour bus yelled at the bus driver for a few minutes looked at us and left and this was in December 2023. State department says use extreme caution when going to Jamaica.
I agree! I used to take taxis but that was years ago. People are more and more deceptive so it is best to stick with the cruise excursions.
I have been to Jamaica many times so next time I will probably just stay on the ship.
Jamaica was the worst port on our cruise as well. Just wanted to go to a decent beach. They drove us all over.. to see a man on a donkey, a big souvenir shop, and they wanted to take us to another place, but we were getting pretty fed up with the driving. On another cruise today.. just stopped at Costa Maya port… scammers there as well. You’d think people at these places would want return people and positive reviews… I’m giving negative because of the scammer with a port tours shirt.. saying we should pay for a beach to him and showing us to a taxi… Nope. The beach wasn’t good and no drinks included.. just strange. I had a list of positive reviewed beaches.. but didn’t have it handy.. avoid Big Mama beach. Constant sales people.. every few minutes.
We were scammed in Costa Maya. Rented a golf cart, told golf cart folks we wanted to go to Krazy Lobster. Cart guy said go to Big Momma’s it’s a lot better. They took our photo for Trip Advisor ad and then off went into town. As we are driving along the street we were met with all these men yelling my name. I said to my husband how do they know my name? They were yelling my name trying to get us to stop at their stores and restaurants etc. We went to a big Momma’s, no prices on menu but we know Mexico so we know prices. Well we had two beers and one gaucamole and were charged 40.00. My husband paid and then we walked over to Krazy Lobster where I was met by a Krazy lobster employee who told us we were scammed. I was furious as we tipped that waiter well so I went back, found the waiter and his boss and his boss made him hand us back 20.00! This was a set up by the golf cart people. They called ahead to these establishments, gave them our cart number and my name! Stick to Krazy Lobster folks, they were honest and treated us very well.
In Maui I needed to get to the airport for a helicopter tour. I took the next taxi in the line at the port and asked the driver how much it would be. He laughed and said $400 and started driving. I asked again and he changed the subject. He was very friendly and chatted the whole way. When we got to the destination he UNCOVERED the meter and it showed $45! (I very seldom take taxis and hadn't even thought to look for a meter, but I know now.) Anyway, he accepted $40 and gave me his number to call when I was ready to be picked up. When I got into the helicopter office and told them, they were mad on my behalf and said that drive should have been $20. After the amazing helicopter tour they tried to call a taxi for me, but couldn't get one, so one of their employees gave me a ride back to the ship. I watch out for scams in foreign ports, but never expected to be scammed in the US. Lesson learned.
There are dishonest folk everywhere and I never understand why some Americans think that only their compatriots are honest.
Always ask if the driver knows where the place you want is, and how much it will cost before you get in the car
Vacation brain makes people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do, like buy anything from a taxi driver. Take your brain with you on vacation and don’t ever leave home without it!
We refused to buy jewelry while on vacation unless its from a reputable source, ie, Cartier, Bvlgari , etc. Even on a recent cruise, a sales person from the cruise ship was trying to sell my partner and I a diamond stating it's the best, top quality, blah blah. We ask to see the GIA 4C. The diamond was poor quality and we said thank you and walked away. Basically be careful everywhere, not just off the ship.
I purchased a couple of nice silver bracelets at the Costa Maya port for $25 each and love them. Best rule is to only purchase inexpensive souvenirs
I have my own policy on cabs and taxis in the US and foreign ports. First i look for boards listing the approved prices to tourist hot spots. I take a photo of that board. Secondly I take a photo of the taxi and the identifying marks on the taxi and if possible the driver. Usualky if a driver is shady or deceptive he will either not try to scam me or her will suddenly remember he or she, has a previously scheduled ride. And always use a map app to have your route displayed so you can detect instantly if your driver is attempting to run up a meter or take you into shady areas.
I wonder ... what people did to protect themselves 20/30 years ago... there were no iPhones, no GoogleMaps, no instant photos... how did they do it???
be careful if on a med cruise and you stop in Istanbul. some guy will randomly tell you he can bypass the lines at the Sophia Hagia and Blue Mosque and before you even understand what’s happening, you’re in a carpet showroom lolol. this pretty much applies to all of Turkey. if you’ve never been, let your first few excursions be through the ship until you can see the grift for yourself. I speak from experience 😉
Thank you for the warning!
I tell people all the time they’ll take you into town for four bucks but they charge you 60 to get back to the ship
Thanks for the heads up. We just notified our group of travelers to be cautious of this
Great information thanks for sharing!!
This is a great video and a very important one. Fortunately this has never happened to me but this can happen to anyone anywhere. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
I avoid Costa Maya at all costs after my friends were scammed there many years ago. Definitely a stay on the ship port for me!
We got scammed at a gas station in Mexico. One employee “filled” the tank while the other distracted me with conversation. The guy pouring gas flipped the lever and zeroed out the screen before I could see the final total and said it was $20. Of course they only put in like half a gallon. Mexico is a very easy place to get scammed. We never get out there any more.
I stopped going there.
I have also heard of people making a purchase, the clerk goes to the back to pack it, and they actually swap out what you purchased for something else. Then you find out when you get back to the ship. Fortunately I'm not a shopper so have not had this issue.
My wife and I love your energy that ya'll put into your videos! Thank you for the great content.
Love you boys so much! Keep up the great work! 💜🚢
Thank you for watching!
Thanks for the heads up!!! We rented a golf cart in Costa Maya. Great day at Krazy Lobster.
That sounds like a great way to get to the Krazy Lobster!
That’s what we do.
A friend was scammed ( I think it was Barbados). The driver ended up taking him to his house where his wife had cooked stuff to be served on a picnic table outside. Not like a get to know the locals kind of thing. She said it was creepy and scary and they didn’t want to eat whatever it was. They just paid the, and he drove them back.
Don't buy anything from Diamonds International...scammers. Switched my 2K VVS diamond while doing my setting. Took two years of fighting through lawyers and help from the cruise company. CROOKS!
Oh no! We’ve never heard of this happening before. We’re sorry to hear about that’s. That’s horrible.
Other cruisers have told me similar stories. I'd never go there.
Sorry to hear this. We have purchased many things from DI and then have it appraised at home and have never had any problems over the 30 years of cruising.
@@reneeblack2783we have also purchased from DI and have been very satisfied. When I brought my last purchase home a few years ago to have a private appraisal. My own jeweler gave us an appraisal for 2x the price we paid for the 2 1/2 carat diamond forever ring we had purchased. And now just a year ago we were given an appraisal for 3 1/2 times the purchase price and this is by a very high end jeweler in Savannah, Georgia
Doesnt surprise me...they are no longer a trusted store of cruise lines. That should tell you something!
Good points
I watched not one, but TWO guys walking around pushing a street scam several years ago in New Orleans. A guy did the old "I'll bet you $20 I can guess where you got your shoes" and then said he'd shine them for another $20 either way. The answer to the riddle was "You got your shoes on your feet, of course!," followed by a lecture on honoring the bet (as if there's any honor in what they were doing). They'd make a quick $40 to give someone a cheap spray-on shoe shine that likely ruined the shoes anyway.
Wow, thanks for this. I have 8 cruises booked the rest of the year and 2 of them include Costa Maya. I will also post a link to this video in the Facebook groups for those cruises.
When my wife and I were is Costa Maya the weather was not too hot and we walked back and forth to the Krazy Lobster without any difficulty
I no longer cruise and no longer visit the Caribbean. Sick of rip offs and scams.
Scams can happen anywhere. Hope you found a form of vacationing that you like.
loser mentality. Just say you're easily bamboozled and be done with it.
Thanks for the heads up. I always book excursions through the ship. Fear of missing ship and getting scammed. I always do my research of every island before I leave. I look at driving routes, the places we visit, and I ask others questions about the islands. In St. Kitts guy with monkeys tried to scam us. He gave good price for one monkey on me. He added another monkey even after I said no. When it came time to pay he doubled the price. I told him I didn’t ask for the second monkey and if you think I am going to pay for it you are wrong. I told him that I would advise others around of your misleading and scamming ways. He quickly changed the price. I saw a really bad accident that lead to a death of a passenger on my ship in Cozumel and decided to not ever go back. A passenger on a water taxi fell off when the taxi hit the peer. Not one of the workers tried to help. People from all over jumped into water to try to save the passenger. After the passenger was pulled out of water not one ems or police was insight. Once they got there they didn’t even try to work on the passenger. This accident also made me realize how important extra travel insurance is. Always do research on the places you go to.
They don’t care about us gringos. They will scam you and rip you off anyway they can. Stopped going to those countries.
Regarding Diamonds International, NO, NO, they are not legit. My very first cruise to Mexico in 2003 we went to the intro for what to do, not do, watch out for and they were near the top of the list of places to stay away from.
Even on the website they have the prices are crazy
At the same port, but we went to the bar and they tried to scam us. I took a picture of the sign that had the price for a margarita special. We received our bill. It was $10 more than a price listed. When confronted they claimed the deal was over with. Then we heard the table next to us also arguing with their server they seem to be having the same problem. We left them the price there was listed on the sign and went back to the ship. When we were leaving the same sign was right by the entrance with the same price that I told them. Makes no sense. They try to scam people.
Try to look like a New Yorker when you take a taxi at a cruise destination. One person (the person who pays) -- the toughest and meanest looking guy or gal (woman can be good at this) -- should sit UP FRONT and ask questions such as WHY ARE YOU TAKING THIS TURN? IS THIS THE QUICKEST WAY THERE? ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE CHANGE? etc. etc. and stare at the driver menacingly at occasion throughout the ride. Then ARGUE the bill. I am not being the least bit sarcastic here. If you take precautions you will not be ripped off. This applies to any ride at any strange destination.
This is the fastest way to get brought to a bad hood and robbed and possibly killed. Stay in port or pay for cruise excursions offered by the ship
Sadly, you need to always be on alert to being scammed. A Mexican taxi driver tried to scam us. Fortunately our travel agent had alerted us, so we were aware & didn't become victims.
Completely true.
Good advice. I was with a friend in the Caribbean about 25 years ago. She spent a ton of money on a beautiful emerald necklace. Back home the local jeweler said they were all real, but very poor quality for the price paid. I think it was an emotional buy as is most jewelry. Beware and have fun, not hard to do. :) PS, she was angry at first but wore it anyway because she loved it.
Hey guys. Happy Easter 🐣🐇🥚. Oh boy. Unfortunate. Thank goodness I have never been scammed and hope never to.
Hmm, ever time at Costa Maya and going to the Krazy Lobster, we took the tram down to the beach town where it is located and take a taxi back. No issues.
So sad that so many people get scammed. When traveling we never buy anything. Thanks for this pod cast
Such a shame!
Thanks for the tip. We’re headed to Mexico next month (land only trip). Just curious and concerned though, is Jared ok?
Yes you can walk to Krazy Lobster from the cruise port. It is a little less than 2 miles and a nice walk. Obviously, many people may not be able to walk that far but most could if they wanted some exercise.
I live in Alaska and love your Tongass Trading T-shirt.
I thought the port of Costa Maya was developed by the cruise lines so they could have another place to call at besides Cozumel, Roatan, etc. The cruise lines should regulate the taxis allowed to pick up at the port they created.
I went to Costa Maya in August. We got food on the beach. The bill was about 40 dollars more than what the menu listed because they insisted chips were an additional cost. Who orders guacamole and expects the chips to be extra? Who orders Pico and expects the chips to be extra? The menu didn't list any where that chips were extra. Another cruiser started questioning the staff in Spanish and they were really angered by what he was saying. I'll never go to Costa Maya again.
Costa Maya is a dump now. Beaches use to be nice , now they are bombarded with smelly dirty restaurants and the sandy beach areas are so much smaller. Also, you use to be able to buy real jewellery and watches for a great deal in the Caribbean, now it’s way too expensive. My wife priced out a small simple gold bracelet and the guy said $650!. She laughed and said she could get the same one at the mall back home for half of that!
Some of these scams that people fall for tell us that some people shouldn't' be by themselves. That's the nicest way I can put it!
Scammed in Costa Maya. Bought a pass to Krazy Lobster at the port, got into taxi, driver took us and let us off at a different beach, then talked to someone there, then told us we were there. Never being in Costa Maya before we believed him, and it ended up that we were sold a pass to somewhere other than the Krazy Lobster, and the driver took us somewhere completely different!
And there's why we don't get into taxis at tourist ports. You just don't know if the driver is honest or not, has good intentions or not.
We wish you could trust everyone, but you just can’t 😭
It’s easy to let your guard down when you are on vacation. And you usually trust the taxi driver, but we must remain vigilant! Thanks for the info.
Just at Krazy Lobster last month. Yes, I loved it!!
Hope to see more videos on the Sun Princess.
This almost happened to us in gaudeloupe. We were with two other seasoned travelers that almost got dropped off at this supposed beach with a restaurant. No one liked the looks of it and we all demanded to take us to the public beach. We also only paid half the fare. Beware if it doesn’t feel right it isn’t.
Not able to edit my post, I know we were only out 20 bucks but it was the way they took advantage of us. If they needed 20 bucks and asked I would have handed it to them.
When we were at that port, the jeweler sellers on the boardwalk, one of them grabbed my hand and slapped a bracelet on me, and I said take it off I don't want it, and my guy had to take it off, as the jewelry seller would not. They were so pushy there. Yes be so careful at this port and be in a group!
A five dollar per person ride to Krazy Lobster from the port taxi stand. That has been standard for us for the past ten years. 20 dollar, 1 hour massages on the beach (leave a nice tip!) are also great.
We love Krazy Lobster! Nice people, good service and food. Often music playing. A really great spot to relax for the day.
When u get into a taxi and say "take me" and they will!
I bought a necklace, earrings and a bracelet in Cozumel Mexico. The metal was definitely silver and the set was absolutely beautiful but when I got home, I started doubting whether the stones Lapis and Malachite were real. Upon further investigation I realized they weren’t real stones. I truly don’t remember if it was from a ship recommended shop, but back in the day I did frequent those that were recommended. The price for the 3 items was about $75, but I will say, it is still one of my favorite silver jewelry sets even if the stones aren’t real because it was so beautifully done. So, you can definitely get scammed on these islands in the Caribbean but I blame it a little on me for making the assumption that the stones were real as the shop keeper never actually said what they were!
I bought a ring in Cozumel. They told me it was tanzanite. It turned out to be glass.
I was scammed in Cuba several years ago. Horse and buggy ride. Said one price to take us all around and at the end, double that amount.
I have been traveling to MX for 25 years now at 2 to 4 times a year, staying at least 10 days each visit. In MX you can expect to be scammed by the Nationals. Taxis are union in the State of Quintana Roo and must post taxi rates on the vehicle, if not in conspicuous area ask the rate before you get in. Taxis, gas stations, car rentals, jewelry stores, restaurants, souvenir stores, beach loungers and umbrellas', and the list goes on for the potential of scams. Keep in mind if you do purchase anything, it is a standard in MX that there is local pricing and gringo pricing. Gringo pricing can be 100 to 500% more than local's price. While staying in PDC we would take the ferry over to Cozumel and get there about 1 to 2 hours before the cruise ships leave to do our shopping. The Mexican blanket that was offered at $50US to the cruiser is actually only $7-10US as the ship leaves port. Don't get me wrong, I still love traveling to MX, you just need to pay attention. In fact, after my cruise in August going to PDC for a couple of weeks in October.
I've had my heart broken several times in México. But I had a good time anyway. ❤❤
I loved Costa Maya when I went with 14 friends many years ago. It's a great place to enjoy the reef with few sharks but apparently they have the land version that is much more dangerous.
Back in 2018 we left out of Manhattan on a cruise first going out of New York and took the train from Delaware to Penn Station got and not sure where to go we saw a Amtrak employee will wearing a shirt saying that. We got caught up in the moment think this so nice. Got us taxis to the port. Well should have know better. As we pull up I ask how much do we owe you he said 80 80. It didn’t take long for us to figure it out that he wanted 160.0. And he pulled off at side street. I told him I don’t think so he started yelling at us I told my wife to leave the door open so I could get our luggage out of the back. When I was done I threw him 60.00 and told to move along. Lesson learned.
WOW Scary.....
My sister and I got scammed out of American money for pesos in Mexico because we didn’t know the exchange rates. We quickly learned after that! And we never back to Mexico without exchanging our money before we left the US! I never take a taxi in a foreign country. I usually do tours through the ship or hotel that I’m staying in!
We are so very sorry to hear this happened to you. We hate hearing about stories like these where cruisers get taken advantage of!
Sadly, I dont like to take a taxi in port anymore because of the scams! I also don't wear any expensive jewelry or buy any unless it is from Diamonds International.
I have no problem with Costa Maya. There’s a cool little all inclusive called Jaime’s Blue Reef. If you wanna just chill at the port area there’s shopping, drinks, and a large pool w swim up bar. Free chairs poolside, all they ask is that you purchase food or drinks. I can’t imagine NOT buying food or drinks anyway.
Hey Guy , I Have looked through your Videos, Have you all ever been is a Really bad Storm, just wondering I don’t see any videos, stating Storms they Scare me so much
Whenever we do excursions that are not cruiseline appointed , we do as much research as possible before while still at home. Have a plan and stick to it! While we haven't ever encountered this scenario, I can see how this could easily happen. Be confident, know exactly where you want to go, how far it is from port and research the average cost for a taxi fare to said location. If it sounds too good to be true, most likely it probably is.
We flew into Santago Chile several years ago for a cruise. Several of the passengers were taking taxis and were using credit cards to pay for the fare. About 6 couples got hit with multiple thousand-dollar bills being billed to their cards. They were now without a card till the banks could get new cards to them. That's why we always have a car service which is prepaid including the tip when going into a country. It's not that much more than a taxi.
It happens in general in Mexico. I got scammed trying to get back to my all inclusive resort. Beware even with ‘official’ taxis. Most of those guys won’t run the meter especially at night and insist on cash. Note some are zoned so taxi fares are set at a predetermined rate.
I’ve probably let the ships to dock in the Bahamas at least 8 times in the last few cruises. I “dock” myself and remain on the ship, it’s really quiet time to enjoy my time off.
I see a lot of secondhand jewellery in my line of work. As soon as someone tells me that they purchased items whist on holiday, I’m on alert. A large percentage of these items, if not outright fakes, are not everything they are supposed to be. These people know that, if you ever discover that it is fake, you will probably be home already with basically no recourse
Just seen you guys on Apex. Holla!
We kinda sorta got scammed, but not in the end.. does that make sense.. we were in Panama just off a cruise ship and were looking for a taxi to take us to the Panama Canal on a tour type ride.. a gentleman standing in front of a really nice Black four door sedan (Gorgeous Car, pristine) he offers us said trip for 20.00 each (four of us) we agreed.. As we start to approach the car to get in he goes.. no no.. this way.. brings us to a beat up four door sedan that must have been 20 years old, had no inside door panels.. and seats were torn and worn.. hm.. do we don’t we.. there’s four of us.. one of him.. let’s live on the edge.. The driver was EXCELLENT, he showed us so many sight’s on the way, stopped so we could see the monkeys, got out took pictures etc.. we get to the Canal, and he waits outside (we went and got him lunch and a beer.. so appreciative).. he hung around for 4 hours while we ‘Looked about’. On the ride back he took a slightly different route so we could see more non touristy things.. (the prison (Sad)) then back to the port.. Although, he scammed us on the Car, he far exceeded any other tour we’ve been to in Panama! We ended up tipping him another 50.00 he was just too good. Had it been just two of us, we would have said no and skipped it and by default missed the experience. But if you’re not in a group, don’t do it! We just lucked out.
When we were in Costa Maya, the shuttles from the port to the little town were free. Just had to figure out how to get thru the maze of shops to walk out the back side. Is the free shuttle gone?
Years ago we lived in San Diego, so all our company from out of town always wanted to go to TJ. We would leave our car at the border and take a cab to the local bars, then take a cab back to the border. A friend was very drunk on one occasion and went from cab to cab getting lower and lower bids until we all piled in one cab just to shut him up. Sadly that didn't work, he kept on in a loud voice gloating about the cheap price and how he really stuck it to the driver. After a while I noticed we were on a road I had never been on , the streets were very dark and deserted. I was terrified! After winding around all over town we finally got to the border- "the long way" and I didn't blame the cab driver at all.That was the last time we ever went to TJ.
Our group wanted to go to the Krazy Lobster and the cabbie said it was sold out and to pick something off his list of places to go. I'm sure they were getting kick backs from the businesses on the list. Luckily we knew the beach does not "sell out" so we got another cab and told him we had a reservation. Spent the day there and had a great time. There were not many people there and the server thanked us for coming out and mentioned that it is usually busier, but for some reason it's been slow. We told him what the cabbies were doing and the restaurant owner came out and was very upset. Thanked us for the information and said it will be taken care of. The next week after we got home, we heard on the news that the cabs were shut down in the Carnival port in Costa Maya and if you wanted a cab, you would have to walk past the gated area that the cabs were not allowed back in. I wonder if the businesses in the Krazy Lobster area had something to do with this. I would think probably so. This was around 2021 so I would guess that things have been worked out since then. I've not been back to Costa Maya so I don't know if they worked things out with the cabbies.
Never been scammed but then I have trust issues especially these days....so very unfortunate but this is the way the life is.
We hopped in a taxi at the port and asked him to take us to the locals breakfast spot. After a great meal, he took us all over the island pointing out places and willing to stop anywhere we wished. He was great and didn’t mind my wife napping in the back seat after a tequila tasting 😂😂
Mexico has gotten questionable since Covid. Before, you could just get off in Costa Maya and hang by the pool and get a drink if you felt like it. Last year they were telling us we had to leave if we didn't buy anything. Cozumel, the first time I was there, we took a cab to Mr. Sanchos the cab was up and up seemed very regulated and safe. Last year we tried to arrange a trip to Chankanaab through a tourist desk after getting off the ship and they gave us tickets to what a think was a nearby place that was under construction and not ready for prime time, not what we asked for. While it was "all inclusive" the "all" wasn't very "all." Certainly not the place we asked for though the same price. Both places are a lot more like Jamaica or Nassau lately. I guess people are trying to make up for lost wages.
Costa Maya is our least favorite spot we have been to. It has discouraged us from picking itineraries with it listed or we keep in mind that it should just be a ship day for us. We have never been scammed; but I can not stand being followed and hounded in port to buy something. While I understand they depend on our dollars, no thank you means no thank you. I try to bring very little ashore with me & leave my jewelry on ship; I don't want to stand out. I just figure better to be smart and on alert then saddened by the end result.
You should check out the bridge the next time you’re there. There’s a huge crack one day it’s going down.😮
Recently came back from a cruise that stopped in costa maya and the whole vibe of the place made me feel ick. I didn’t do a taxi but got accosted at a skin care place giving out “free samples” of cream. I swear it was the same girl who did the same thing in Cozumel the year before. She even told me that they are putting a store front in a town that is very close to me after she asked where I was from. Last year in Cozumel, this face cream she wanted to sell me was a very cheap 250. This year in cm, 175. Needless to say my smart spidey senses kicked in and I walked out with nothing! Something doesn’t feel right folks, go with your gut! But yea costa maya gave me very ick vibes.
Be careful of the cabbies and Barcelona, Spain. We got there a couple of days early and wanted to see the sights. Right from the Airport, our cabby took us to our hotel, which was only 4 miles away. He got lost 3 times and when we finally got there. He tried to charge in $110. Euro I was extremely. Upset, tell him I was giving him how much 20 and he better take it. Or I was going to call the police. He took that 20 and. Left so I'm just warning you. Be careful of the cabbies in barcelona, spain, because they are ripo off artists taking straight from the hotel staff.
They don’t realize they are hurting their businesses. Cruisers will stop buying.
Scammers don't care. They are looking for a quick buck, not trying to get repeat customers
My 21 yo daughter and I went to Mexico all inclusive resort Riviera Maya And someone who sells excursions through the hotel took us on a shuttle bus to playa del Carmen to shop... We felt safe because there were 6 other people with us and we were gonna tour a coffee shop and a jewelry store.. And in the jewelry store they kept taking us in their private rooms with trays and asking us what we wanted we were separated from the other people and at the end they wanted us to buy everything on the trays we liked and we said no we don't have money to buy this and we don't want this we want to go into playa del Carmen. The jewelry we bought tarnished... Then the coffee shop turned out to be a hole in the wall.... And we were gone 8 hours and only had an hour and a 1/2 to shop in town.. we couldn't even grab a bite to eat there And my daughter and I were the last to be brought back to our resort and the guy started playing music and singing and put his hand on my daughter's knee And driving slower and slower we were thankful to get back it... was a legit tour but not what we expected... trust me he didn't get a tip....we were very scared.. Donna
I’m lucky I speak fluent Spanish as it was my 1st language and I know how to convert pesos to dollars. I also speak fluent English. I know I have over paid for a taxi but I have never been scammed. Sometimes they give me the paisano discount. Which is a price they give nationals for tours.
An excursion leader we had once in mexico said he would get us a Taxi and if we got our own Taxi He said "Welcome to my country". This must be what he was talking about.
So NCL's policy is to not notify emergency contact without pax consent... what happens if they are incapacitated or worse? How do they get consent if the pax is in a coma???
I bought a $50 silver bracelet in Cozumel and I found out later that it was fake; they originally wanted $1300 for the bracelet. I still like it, but still seems a bit scammy. If you plan on buying silver, take a magnet, silver will not stick to the magnet, but the silver plated stuff will.
I always rent a golf cart in the port and go to crazy lobster..then I can go anywhere and return it to the port.. it’s like $60.00 for 4 people.
Yup! Happened to us just this past January. Asked the cab to take us to the crazy lobster got talked into going to some other place further down the beach for $25 a person for chairs/umbrella the same thing the lobster gives you for free.
So sorry to hear this!
We got of the ship in Durban South Africa and walked to the taxi rank, we wanted a five minute drive round the dock, physically we could have walked but not with luggage looking like a tourist the area was not safe, I asked how much the driver said $40 I told him this was SA and the currency was rands, he then said $20 we are Scots with scottish accent who have lived in SA for over forty years. We walked out the gate and asked security one of them organised an Uber cost R68 ie $3.50 we paid R100 ie $5.50 and he was thrilled. There were a lot of foreign tourists getting off the ship just going short distances so many were getting ripped off.
If you want to hear the scam and skip the intro go to 3:00