# Is Cancun Safe for Travel in 2018?



## decadude (Apr 12, 2018)

I see a lot of stuff on crime in Cancun lately the big bummer is I am going to Sunset Royal Beach Resort #2465 on May 6th to May 13th and I am a single male going by myself.

I purchased all inclusive at Sunset bc of all of the crime that I am reading about I am planning on just staying at the resort and not getting out much.

What are your alls thoughts on the crime there?

Also if anyone has any experience with all inclusive for Sunset Royal please fill me in.


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## Passepartout (Apr 12, 2018)

I won't say 'don't worry', but after many decades of travel to Mexico, I would say to simply don't make yourself a target. Go out of the resort, but do it with organized tours- perhaps to historical sites- there are lots to choose from there. Don't go out at night alone. Don't overdrink even in the hotel zone, especially alone. Leave expensive jewelry or phone in the safe in your unit. Most importantly, just be aware of your surroundings. If your 'spidey sense' starts tingling that something isn't 'right' get outta there.

Have fun. It's a warm, wonderful country, and there's every likelihood that there is as much crime and danger in your hometown. It just gets reported more in resort cities.

Jim


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## Zinjanthropus (Apr 12, 2018)

We went everywhere and had a ball! I guess it depends on what you feel comfortable with. If you’re comfortable in big US cities like NY, Philly and Detroit, then this will be fun. But you will encounter people trying to sell you stuff. Often. Just say no, and be firm, or negotiate for their stuff if you’re interested. It’s rude to leaf tgrough their products, then say no. If you’re not interested then say no and move on or avert your attention.

Here’s our two most recent experiences;


 My wife and I and our 2 adult children were in Cancun last Thanksgiving week. We stayed at Vidanta Riveira Maya and the first full day we took a taxi to Playa del Carman where we walked along 5ave looking at all the stores we shopped for groceries at the “Mega grocery store” and we ate at a nice outdoor cafe.
Two days later we took the city bus back to PDC where we ate, did more shopping and took the ferry over to Cozumel where we rented dune buggies and drove the island.

We rented a car at the resort and drove into Cancun for swimming at the public beach which is right behind the colorful CANCUN sign. My kids met some people..(a brother and sister, also late twenties) from Chicago and they went off with them to the Riu resort while my wife and I ate at...sorry I forgot, but it was a nice seafood restaurant.

The next morning we drove to Chichen Itza... it was... ok.
That evening the kids drove back to the Riu to make further google eyes at the Chicago siblings.
Back to PDC for a comedy club which was half boring and half side splitting hilarious.
In PDC you will see numerous US/Canadian/ European/ Asian women/girls in various stages of dress/undress, all not being harassed.
The rest of our week was spent at the resort.

Even more dangerous a reputation is Acapulco where my wife and I spent the 18th through the 27th of last month (March 2018)  We stayed at the Vidanta on Diamonte Beach and again, we were traveling all over the beautiful city. Biggest danger to us was screwing up my diet with all the seafood.


If you’re only accustomed to pristine buildings and super clean areas, then some of Acapulco will disappoint you, but we travel a lot to both rich and poor countries so we don’t mind a few ugly buildings, so long as the people are welcoming.

As already discussed all over this forum ;like anywhere, if you act like a drunken victim staggering though the streets at 2 am, you may get got, but a moderate amount of city people skills will get you through easily.

It’s usually my opinion that if you’re truly afraid of going to a foreign country then you might as well go to Florida or LA where they also have beaches and great weather.


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## easyrider (Apr 12, 2018)

My last visit to this area was alot of fun. We went everywhere in a rental car. Stayed out until 10 pm in Playa del Carmen. Stopped at many small towns just to see what was there. 

On the same afternoon, I was short changed at the gas station, bartered with a cop for his $20 bribe and short changed at the flea market.  I guess I lost about $30 in all but I had a great time losing it.

My safety thing has always been more about what we eat and drink but that is every where. No problem with the cartel guys or other criminals.

Bill


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## mjm1 (Apr 13, 2018)

My wife and I went to Cancun at Westin Lagunamar in early January and had a great time. Didn’t have any problems and didn’t see anyone else who did either.

Be aware of your surroundings and be safe. If you want to go out of the immediate area consider a guided tour. Your resort probably has vendors who would pick you up at your resort and take you back. We have done that two separate times. Once to Chichen Itza and once to Talum. Both are great sites to experience.

Another tip is to use USA Transfer to pick you up from the airport and take you back. Reasonably priced and safe. As you exit the airport ignore all of the vendors and people saying they will help you find your transfer company. They want to see you a timeshare or have their person give you a ride. USA Transfer will have their people there and they are well marked. They will have your name too.

Have fun.

Best regards.

Mike


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## hurnik (Apr 13, 2018)

Make sure you have Trip/Travel insurance.  You never know when you'll get sick, or your body will rebel against you (hello Diverticulitis).  Even when we went to Hawaii, I got the travel insurance (mainly because my medical insurance only has one doctor for the entire state of Hawaii that's "in network", plus you never know when your luggage will get lost, etc.)


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## Zinjanthropus (Apr 13, 2018)

Oh I forgot about “*The Gauntlet*”! (Scarey music, audience gasps )

 The Gauntlet Is the area between the airport immigration exit and the outer doors. You will encounter about two dozen of the pushiest sales staff on the continent!
You must be prepared for the gauntlet.
The Gauntlet Is prepared for you.
The gauntlet knows your weaknesses, your desire to be kind, your attraction to deals. The gauntlet can smell your weariness. It knows your knees hurt from four hours of Spirit Air sardine can seats.
It knows your flight schedule, your arrival time, who traveled first class, and how much you paid for your Samsonite.
Be prepared.

 Before leaving the official document area we stood before the doors, assumed our rehearsed and practiced attack pyramid formation, and...ready? ... 1...2...3....GO. We sprang through the door, and into the fray.

They weren’t in their standard assault formation that day. They were in a double flank- double leg , with a 90 degree side female assault and triple circling cute dudes, with an older kindly gentleman in the center!
Brochures, maps, pictures of bikini clad women and sunsets were flying through the air.

“How’s Detroit?” One of them asked

“Hey Cousin, you can stay away from the cold for weeks” came the second volley.

Yes they were ready. Oh man they were ready and I knew this could get ugly.

“We have the best sales in Cancun, wanna see?” One of them asked. ... and for a brief moment, my daughter faltered and the right side of our formation was temporarily compromised.

I knew we were in trouble, and with trepidation I looked back as her pace was slowing and I could feel  handsome guy # 2 change direction as he swooped directly toward her.
Through my peripheral vision I could see her face begin to change... was... is that... is she about to blush and smile?
No, I gasped and I could hear my son tsk in disgust...
Before I could scream in abject terror I heard my wife’s voice above the entire melee;

*NO    THANK    YOU!*

She barked in her most stern and commanding voice. And like magic the gauntlet folded and began to dissipate.
We all breathed sighs of relief as we briskly and purposefully traversed the rest of the gauntlet and made it to the outer doors with no further interruption to our flow!
We had won!
We lost grandpa and little Timmy, but they were weak and lost focus.
The Gauntlet is real.


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## buzglyd (Apr 13, 2018)

The Gauntlet is hilarious. Well done.

My wife and I separate. We exit as two single people and remarry when we get outside.


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## Passepartout (Apr 13, 2018)

We've simply learned- and practice, NO GRACIAS!


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 13, 2018)

We started saying - "NO SPEAK ENGLISH"  it confuses  them & lets you skoot  gone past the danger

-it probably works even better if your first language is not English.

This February I told a  friend who is ethnically Armenian & grew up in Iran to do this; & then speak  Armenian or Farsi  with her husband .
It was their first trip to Cancun . She was glad I warned her ... and they had a great vacation .


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 13, 2018)

easyrider said:


> My last visit to this area was alot of fun. We went everywhere ...
> 
> On the same afternoon, I was short changed at the gas station, bartered with a cop for his $20 bribe and short changed at the flea market.  I guess I lost about $30 in all but I had a great time losing it.
> 
> ...



About 5 years ago we were in PV and took the El Tuito bus to the PV Botanical Gardens . When we came back to Centro PV and were looking for the local bus, a guy came up and offered to give us directions . He was an OPC of course ,  and wanted to sign us up for a resort presentation . I said we were leaving the next day (true), he said we could go next year . I joked with him and ended up giving him  100 peso ( 6 bucks) good will deposit- on the offer for $200+ or so when we went . ( I didn't really plan to go , but I figured - why not help a local who gave decent directions .)

We had a great time that day and the Botanical Gardens is worth a visit

I found the paper a few years later - the TS was Valarta Gardens !!!!!
If you have read the TUG thread started in 2014 - you will know what "danger" I was in .

 ( hint hint -VG  is /was a true TS SCAM ) .


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## tselios (Apr 13, 2018)

Cancun murders April 2018


https://nypost.com/2018/04/11/streets-of-cancun-run-red-with-14-murders-in-36-hours/




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## tselios (Apr 13, 2018)

tselios said:


> Cancun murders April 2018
> 
> 
> https://nypost.com/2018/04/11/streets-of-cancun-run-red-with-14-murders-in-36-hours/
> ...



We love going downtown Cancun on Sunday.....we won’t being enjoying downtown this Sunday....it’s unfortunate.


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## byeloe (Apr 13, 2018)

tselios said:


> We love going downtown Cancun on Sunday.....we won’t being enjoying downtown this Sunday....it’s unfortunate.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


that article is all over the place.  Pictures from 2017, no timeline on the british reporters story.  Very little info on the 14 murders.
The danger is there for sure, but I feel like that article was a bit sensational


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 13, 2018)

tselios said:


> https://nypost.com/2018/04/11/streets-of-cancun-run-red-with-14-murders-in-36-hours/
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Sensational  ?
- the New  York Post - one of Rupert Murdock's finest newspapers .

and re-published from the  Sun UK - another fine paper owned by RM 

good for lining the kitty litter box


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## DannyTS (Apr 14, 2018)

not picking on Las Vegas, we were there in February, loved it and plan to return in the future. This is a comparison Las Vegas- Cancun although it may be subjective. The hotel strip in Cancun is located on a peninsula, keeping it far from the local population and making it a difficult target. We felt very safe in the hotel area around Westin Lagunamar Cancun. 

https://www.numbeo.com/crime/compar...V&city2=Cancun&tracking=getDispatchComparison


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## TravelTime (Apr 19, 2018)

After 5 trips to Mexico in the past year, we just canceled our Cancun trip for May. The recent news about all the murders in April was just too much to stomach. My DH was scared to say anything to me bc he was scared I would call him a worry wart but he was glad when I brought up the idea of going somewhere else. I love Mexico but I also think we should take our tourist dollars elsewhere until they can guarantee safety. Maybe this will motivate the Mexican government to do something. I read a survey on the Mexico Daily News today and 80-90% of Mexicans are scared. So if they are scared, why shouldn't tourists worry?


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## Passepartout (Apr 20, 2018)

We LOVE Mexico. We LOVE the Mexican people, but we are spending our travel dollars elsewhere. 3 trips to Europe this year, and 3 timeshare weeks in the dear ol' U.S.of A.


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## x3 skier (Apr 20, 2018)

I had planned to go to PV this spring as we do every year and would have gone but my friend said she was worried about the violence. We’re headed to FLL for a Royal Caribbean cruise instead. 

I may go solo when she is visiting her daughter in FL later in the year. 

Cheers


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 20, 2018)

x3 skier said:


> I had planned to go to PV this spring as we do every year and would have gone but my friend said she was worried about the violence. We’re headed to FLL for a Royal Caribbean cruise instead.
> 
> I may go solo when she is visiting her daughter in FL later in the year.
> 
> Cheers



IMO - Puerto Vallarta is a good destination for vacationing / and remains so .
We were there for 2 weeks in Feb 2018 
Mayan Sea Garden Nuevo & Mayan Palace PV - Marina . - both non AI .


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## hurnik (Apr 20, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> After 5 trips to Mexico in the past year, we just canceled our Cancun trip for May. The recent news about all the murders in April was just too much to stomach. My DH was scared to say anything to me bc he was scared I would call him a worry wart but he was glad when I brought up the idea of going somewhere else. I love Mexico but I also think we should take our tourist dollars elsewhere until they can guarantee safety. Maybe this will motivate the Mexican government to do something. I read a survey on the Mexico Daily News today and 80-90% of Mexicans are scared. So if they are scared, why shouldn't tourists worry?



Definitely follow your "gut".  Everyone has their own different level of tolerance.  But you don't want to ruin your vacation if it's upsetting to you, IMO.

However, I don't believe any place can "guarantee safety".


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## x3 skier (Apr 20, 2018)

T-Dot-Traveller said:


> IMO - Puerto Vallarta is a good destination for vacationing / and remains so .
> We were there for 2 weeks in Feb 2018
> Mayan Sea Garden Nuevo & Mayan Palace PV - Marina . - both non AI .



My opinion as well but why fight it

Cheers


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## vantovidanta (Apr 20, 2018)

heck there is a chance of misfortune anywhere. there is a chance the convenience store on the corner could get robbed. should he close up shop?

according the Canada Travel Advisory when visiting most parts of the world they suggest "exercising caution or high degree of caution"

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories

something bad can happen anywhere


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## vantovidanta (Apr 20, 2018)

here's a lovely report on New York

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/crime

 
*New York VIOLENT CRIMES*

* Population: 19,745,289 


Murder* *Rape* *Robbery* *Assault*
Report Total 630 6,260 22,316 45,079
Rate per 1,000 0.03 0.32 1.13 2.28


 
*United States VIOLENT CRIMES*

* Population: 323,127,513 


Murder* *Rape* *Robbery* *Assault*
Report Total 17,250 130,603 332,198 803,007
Rate per 1,000 0.05 0.40 1.03 2.49


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## tselios (Apr 20, 2018)

vantovidanta said:


> here's a lovely report on New York
> 
> https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/crime
> 
> ...



Shots fired RIU hotel zone

http://noticaribe.com.mx/2018/04/19...presunto-vendedor-de-alpaca-no-hay-detenidos/


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## WalnutBaron (Apr 21, 2018)

Here's a more detailed article on the shooting from jet skis onto the beach at Cancun.

*Gunmen in Cancun Shoot at Beach from Jet Skis*
by Jessica Puckett
Yesterday

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This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Gunmen in Cancun, Mexico, shot at a beach vendor from jet skis in the water on Friday. The incident occurred in the middle of the resort city’s main beachfront hotel strip, and is thought to be the city’s first shooting of its kind.

Fortunately, there were no injuries. Authorities recovered four bullets from the scene on the beach, which was then closed off to the public, but they were not able to identify the gunmen or exactly who the target of the shooting might have been.

The shooting is the latest in a string of brutal incidents in Mexico, where violence related to drug cartels is creeping closer to tourist areas that have historically been generally safer than the rest of the country. Cancun has reported a total of 130 murders so far in 2018, with one particularly gruesome stretch earlier in April that saw 14 murders in 36 hours. That 36-hour window was the bloodiest timeframe the city has seen since 2004, according to _The New York Post_.

Earlier this week, a body of a man who had been shot was found lying face down in the water on a beach in Acapulco. And earlier in March, The US Consular Agency in Playa del Carmen was closed due to an unspecified “security threat” in the resort town. At the same time, the US Embassy in Mexico had issued a security alert, which barred all US government employees from traveling to Playa del Carmen. That alert has since been lifted.

Although the Embassy never said what exactly the threat was, there had been a bombing on a passenger ferry that runs between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel in February, which injured 25 people, including two Americans. Another explosive device on another ferry a week after that. It is still unclear what was behind those bombings.


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## buzglyd (Apr 21, 2018)

Guns are illegal in Mexico. This is impossible!


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## x3 skier (Apr 21, 2018)

Floatby shootings?  What next, shots from a parasail?  This is astounding but I still plan on PV next year.

Cheers


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## PamMo (Apr 21, 2018)

I don't want to make light of this (I'd be shaken to the core if I was on the beach with my grandkids when this happened), but my initial reaction to this story when my sister told me about it was, "Do these bozos think they are 007?????" They are beyond ridiculous animals with guns (with my apologies to the Animal Kingdom).

Mexico has got to step up and crush these fartels and criminal boss wannabe's, or the tourism industry will crash. Again.


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## PamMo (Apr 21, 2018)

Oops! Typo in my last post, but it may be karma. "Fartels" sounds appropriate for the "water scooter" gunmen.


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 21, 2018)

PamMo said:


> Mexico has got to step up and crush these fartels and criminal boss wannabe's, or the tourism industry will crash. Again.



PamMo - I know you said it was a typo - but perhaps accurate .

I had  not read of the drive by jet ski story until now . MY reaction also  is wannabe's .  - Fartels - not the real thing .
BUT A PROBLEM  :  like a teen house party that gets out of control because every kid in town crashes it.


We have 2 February 2019 weeks booked in PV & we will be there .


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## ilene13 (Apr 22, 2018)

We just returned from Cancun on Wednesday.  We drove downtown for dinner, to Puerto Morales for dinner, to XPLOR for the day, etc.  There were no problems and Cancún was as wonderful as ever.  We own at the Royal Sands and we walked all around the area.  The RIU hotels are not in the nicest areas!


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## TravelTime (Apr 22, 2018)

Deleted


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## DannyTS (Apr 22, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> This is interesting stats on number of murders by US city and per capita rate for all of 2017:
> https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/02/19/homicides-toll-big-u-s-cities-2017/302763002/
> 
> It makes Cancun sound very scary with 113 people killed there as of April 12 (3.5 months):
> http://www.miamiherald.com/article208720004.html



Firsts of all I agree with other TUGgers, one should exert caution when travelling. Concerning the numbers, 3 .5 months do not make a trend, only nice headlines. But even if you extrapolate for the year, it brings the average somewhere within the range of other US cities like NY, Los Angeles and under Chicago. Does it mean that as a tourist you have a high chance of dying in Chicago? I  do not believe so.  The question is rather what is the rate of tourists that die in one place or another. And we all know the answer to that: so low that it makes a higher probability to die  while driving to work in your hometown.
For the sake of the local population though, i do hope that the situation in Mexico will improve.


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## TravelTime (Apr 22, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> Firsts of all I agree with other TUGgers, one should exert caution when travelling. Concerning the numbers, 3 .5 months do not make a trend, only nice headlines. But even if you extrapolate for the year, it brings the average somewhere within the range of other US cities like NY, Los Angeles and under Chicago. Does it mean that as a tourist you have a high chance of dying in Chicago? I  do not believe so.  The question is rather what is the rate of tourists that die in one place or another. And we all know the answer to that: so low that it makes a higher probability to die  while driving to work in your hometown.
> For the sake of the local population though, i do hope that the situation in Mexico will improve.



I agree with you. This is just showing the increase in the first 3 months of the year. Mexico had more murders last year than the entire USA. On a per capita basis, that was much higher than the USA since our population is massive compared to Mexico. I do not know the per capita basis of Cancun vs the other cities in the USA on this list. I would not go to many of the US cities on this list either - or if I did - I would certainly avoid many parts that are known for crime. On the other hand, I was surprised at how many major US cities had so few murders over an entire 12 months. There are really only a handful of US cities with a high murder rate. While LA has a high absolute murder rate, its per capita murder rate is low. Where I live in one of the largest cities in the USA, we have a low absolute and per capita murder rate.

I was in Cancun in January and I felt physically safe but I just canceled a trip to Cancun for May because I no longer feel safe knowing the recent crime wave is reaching tourist areas. I have been to Mexico many times in the past year (Cancun, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas). The reason I do not feel physically safe in Cancun now is the hotel zone does not have strong security. Anyone can walk in pretty easily since they are individual hotels with public beaches, set up like Miami Beach, more or less. In fact, Cancun's hotel zone look a lot like Miami Beach did 20 years ago. If there were 113 murders in Miami Beach this year, I would not go there either so it is not a criticism of Mexico, per se, just my personal assessment of the security situation. If I had been planning to stay in a resort compound, I would probably go. But we were planning to stay in the hotel zone of Cancun.

P.S. I am 99.9% sure if we did go, we would be safe but I do not feel comfortable going anymore.


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## TravelTime (Apr 22, 2018)

ilene13 said:


> We just returned from Cancun on Wednesday.  We drove downtown for dinner, to Puerto Morales for dinner, to XPLOR for the day, etc.  There were no problems and Cancún was as wonderful as ever.  We own at the Royal Sands and we walked all around the area.  The RIU hotels are not in the nicest areas!



The RIU hotels are in the Cancun hotel zone. As I just mentioned in my last post, the Cancun hotel zone does not have a lot of security because it is a bunch of single hotels side by side with public beaches easily accessible by anyone. They are not the huge heavily guarded resort compounds found in Riviera Maya, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta areas.


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## dioxide45 (Apr 22, 2018)

The problem is if the local security forces don't get a handle on crime quickly, it will lead to more problems. Crime is starting to keep tourists away. As the tourists numbers start to drop, more people working in the tourist industry may get let go leading to unemployment. That leads people to do desperate things and perhaps turn to crime. Thus increasing crime even more and keeping more people away. It is a downward spiral that they need to get a grip on. While I don't really have any major concerns traveling to the well traveled tourist designations in Mexico such as Cancun, RM or Cabo, our major issue is with the police force. Even if you do have a problem, there is relaly no guaranty that they are there to protect you as they are often at the mercy of the drug cartels and are often unscrupulous themselves. While most often when in a major US city, you can at least in most cases trust the the cops are not out to get you too.


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## Eric B (Apr 22, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> Firsts of all I agree with other TUGgers, one should exert caution when travelling. Concerning the numbers, 3 .5 months do not make a trend, only nice headlines. But even if you extrapolate for the year, it brings the average somewhere within the range of other US cities like NY, Los Angeles and under Chicago. Does it mean that as a tourist you have a high chance of dying in Chicago? I  do not believe so.  The question is rather what is the rate of tourists that die in one place or another. And we all know the answer to that: so low that it makes a higher probability to die  while driving to work in your hometown.
> For the sake of the local population though, i do hope that the situation in Mexico will improve.



You make some very good points here.  I think the best one is that I should really stop driving to work soon for my own health and safety!  One more year to go...!


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## DannyTS (Apr 22, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> I agree with you. This is just showing the increase in the first 3 months of the year. Mexico had more murders last year than the entire USA. On a per capita basis, that was much higher than the USA since our population is massive compared to Mexico. I do not know the per capita basis of Cancun vs the other cities in the USA on this list. I would not go to many of the US cities on this list either - or if I did - I would certainly avoid many parts that are known for crime. On the other hand, I was surprised at how many major US cities had so few murders over an entire 12 months. There are really only a handful of US cities with a high murder rate. While LA has a high absolute murder rate, its per capita murder rate is low. Where I live in one of the largest cities in the USA, we have a low absolute and per capita murder rate.
> 
> I was in Cancun in January and I felt physically safe but I just canceled a trip to Cancun for May because I no longer feel safe knowing the recent crime wave is reaching tourist areas. I have been to Mexico many times in the past year (Cancun, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas). The reason I do not feel physically safe in Cancun now is the hotel zone does not have strong security. Anyone can walk in pretty easily since they are individual hotels with public beaches, set up like Miami Beach, more or less. In fact, Cancun's hotel zone look a lot like Miami Beach did 20 years ago. If there were 113 murders in Miami Beach this year, I would not go there either so it is not a criticism of Mexico, per se, just my personal assessment of the security situation. If I had been planning to stay in a resort compound, I would probably go. But we were planning to stay in the hotel zone of Cancun.
> 
> P.S. I am 99.9% sure if we did go, we would be safe but I do not feel comfortable going anymore.



Again, i felt very safe around the Westin Lagunamar area. I am not sure why you mention the whole Mexico, it is not the purpose of this thread. 


Did you go to NYC in the 80's? If you did you probably  avoided certain areas. I think you are making a very good point, you would not visit certain  parts of some cities in US. 
Here is an article about NYC in 1980: 1814 homicides. 

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/25/nyregion/1980-called-worst-year-of-crime-in-city-history.html


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## TravelTime (Apr 22, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> Again, i felt very safe around the Westin Lagunamar area. I am not sure why you mention the whole Mexico, it is not the purpose of this thread.
> 
> 
> Did you go to NYC in the 80's? If you did you probably  avoided certain areas. I think you are making a very good point, you would not visit certain  parts of some cities in US.
> ...



The 1970s and 1980s were dangerous in NYC. You are correct. Giuliani was tough on crime and cleaned it up in the 1990s+. This is what Cancun and all of Mexico needs. The only reason I brought up Mexico is because it is a country wide problem that is creeping into the tourist zones now. I lived in NYC for a couple of years in the late 1980s before it got cleaned up. And everyone I knew got mugged or robbed. Friends got car jacked at gunpoint. It was dangerous for locals and tourists in NYC in the 1980s. Times Square was not at all safe and it was completely different than now. I lived in upper, upper West Side in the 100s and there were sections that I was scared to walk through. It was dangerous for everyone and every time we went out at night, even in groups, we took a chance. It was fun but scary times.


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## ilene13 (Apr 22, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> The RIU hotels are in the Cancun hotel zone. As I just mentioned in my last post, the Cancun hotel zone does not have a lot of security because it is a bunch of single hotels side by side with public beaches easily accessible by anyone. They are not the huge heavily guarded resort compounds found in Riviera Maya, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta areas.


There was security on the beach.  We saw Federales riding ATV’s on the beach daily.  I didn’t say that the RIU hotels were not in the hotel zone, they are just not in the nicest part of it.


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## TravelTime (Apr 22, 2018)

ilene13 said:


> There was security on the beach.  We saw Federales riding ATV’s on the beach daily.  I didn’t say that the RIU hotels were not in the hotel zone, they are just not in the nicest part of it.



That’s new since I was there a few months ago. When I was at the hotel zone in January, there was no security on the beach.


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## DannyTS (Apr 22, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> The 1970s and 1980s were dangerous in NYC. You are correct. Giuliani was tough on crime and cleaned it up in the 1990s+. This is what Cancun and all of Mexico needs. The only reason I brought up Mexico is because it is a country wide problem that is creeping into the tourist zones now. I lived in NYC for a couple of years in the late 1980s before it got cleaned up. And everyone I knew got mugged or robbed. Friends got car jacked at gunpoint. It was dangerous for locals and tourists in NYC in the 1980s. Times Square was not at all safe and it was completely different than now. I lived in upper, upper West Side in the 100s and there were sections that I was scared to walk through. It was dangerous for everyone and every time we went out at night, even in groups, we took a chance. It was fun but scary times.


it may take more than a Giuliani in Mexico, unfortunately.


TravelTime said:


> That’s new since I was there a few months ago. When I was at the hotel zone in January, there was no security on the beach.


In early March there was indeed security on the beach (Federales).


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 22, 2018)

FYI -Mexican tourism data update  .
from Travel Weekly.
Mexico -

2017  - 39 MILLION International visitors ( + 12% from prior year ) 

How many international  tourists in :

Cancun-RM
Cabo Baja 
Puerto Vallarta & Riviera Nayarit 
Mazatlan 
Acapulco 
etc. 

were killed by cartel violence  ?


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## DannyTS (Apr 22, 2018)

T-Dot-Traveller said:


> FYI -Mexican tourism data update  .
> from Travel Weekly.
> Mexico -
> 
> ...



Indeed, it would defy any logic since the tourists are a major source of revenue for the locals including (indirectly i hope) for the cartels


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 23, 2018)

It was safer in Cancun today then on Yonge Street in Toronto 
April 23 2018


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## TravelTime (Apr 24, 2018)

All these comparisons do not make Cancun (or other parts of Mexico) safer. There are many places in the world that no longer feel safe due to them being terrorism targets like London, Paris, Istanbul and even NYC. Once I am at a place, even in Cancun (and other parts of Mexico), I usually feel safe, but not always. At least in the places I go in the US and Europe and most parts of the world, I don’t have the hotel people harassing me everyday. That is one of the the scariest and most uncomfortable parts of going to Mexico and staying in a timeshare there. I was completely unprepared for that and prefer to stay in hotels in Mexico or low key timeshares to avoid being harassed. Exiting the airport in Cancun and the other major tourist spots in Mexico is also really scary. I did not think my family could handle that part of the trip so I uninvited them from my last trip. I think we should stop the comparisons to the USA. I will not compare anymore because it is irrelevant. If this thread is about Cancun safety, we should be honest about Cancun and not try to cover it up or falsely make readers feel like there is little risk of crime. The murders are only a small part of the danger in Cancun and the surrounding areas on the Yucatán peninsula.


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Apr 24, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> . I was completely unprepared for that and prefer to stay in hotels in Mexico or low key timeshares to avoid being harassed.



If you decide to visit Mexico again . 

Raintree Club Regina - Cancun - non AI - nice smaller TS ( under 200 units ) We stayed there in Feb 2015 / RCI exchange - no sales pressure .
I hear the same about their location in the Puerto Vallarta - Marina when we stay next door at Mayan Palace .

Vidanta - Mayan has great non AI resorts & we own there , BUT if you are uncomfortable with pressure to go to a sale presentation , I would avoid them .


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## PigsDad (Apr 24, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> All these comparisons do not make Cancun (or other parts of Mexico) safer. There are many places in the world that no longer feel safe due to them being terrorism targets like London, Paris, Istanbul and even NYC. Once I am at a place, even in Cancun (and other parts of Mexico), I usually feel safe, but not always. At least in the places I go in the US and Europe and most parts of the world, I don’t have the hotel people harassing me everyday. That is one of the the scariest and most uncomfortable parts of going to Mexico and staying in a timeshare there. I was completely unprepared for that and prefer to stay in hotels in Mexico or low key timeshares to avoid being harassed. Exiting the airport in Cancun and the other major tourist spots in Mexico is also really scary. I did not think my family could handle that part of the trip so I uninvited them from my last trip. I think we should stop the comparisons to the USA. I will not compare anymore because it is irrelevant. If this thread is about Cancun safety, we should be honest about Cancun and not try to cover it up or falsely make readers feel like there is little risk of crime. The murders are only a small part of the danger in Cancun and the surrounding areas on the Yucatán peninsula.


"Feeling safe" is relative and subjective, so I think comparisons to other parts of the world is extremely relevant and shouldn't be swept under the rug, as you suggest.  Comparisons give someone who hasn't experienced Mexico or certain parts of Mexico a reference level to help them evaluate the perceived safety compared to places that they may be familiar with.  I don't see anything wrong with that, and I find it quite useful.  JMHO.

Kurt


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## DannyTS (Apr 24, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> . At least in the places I go in the US and Europe and most parts of the world, I don’t have the hotel people harassing me everyday. That is one of the the scariest and most uncomfortable parts of going to Mexico and staying in a timeshare there. I was completely unprepared for that and prefer to stay in hotels in Mexico or low key timeshares to avoid being harassed.



We have to make a distinction between safety and aggressive selling. I have been to many parts of the world were aggressive selling is part of the culture but that is not related to safety.

My experience at Westin Lagunamar Cancun was quite  the opposite actually. In March we went to the TS presentation (we got $175 resort credit). Of course my wife and I discussed before that we were not going to buy anything.  To my shock, towards the end of the presentation my wife said that she really wanted to buy  unless i veto-ed. Part shock and confusion, part that i did not want to offend my wife in front of other people, i did not show much verbal opposition and we signed  the papers.

We went  back to the room, discussed it extensively over the next couple of days, did more research (thanks TUG!) and decided to rescind. We went back to their office (third or fourth day after the presentation) prepared for the whole singing and dancing and ready for a terrible experience. We actually made sure we ate before, just to show you what we were prepared for. The sales people looked disappointed when we told them what we were there for but to our surprise they acted  cordially. They gave us a sheet of paper to sign, they signed, made a copy for us  and that was it, we got out in less then 5 minutes! The salesperson there (Richie)  even mentioned few times "do not worry, this is Westin". I was actually really impressed.


I am not going to speculate on your motives but I  see that you are suggesting that those that do not agree with you on this matter are less than honest. Thank you.


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## x3 skier (Apr 24, 2018)

In my experience, the timeshare sharks are generally penned in so they are pretty easy to avoid. 

Dealing with Street hustlers in Europe is another story

Cheers


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## TravelTime (Apr 24, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> We have to make a distinction between safety and aggressive selling. I have been to many parts of the world were aggressive selling is part of the culture but that is not related to safety.
> 
> My experience at Westin Lagunamar Cancun was quite  the opposite actually. In March we went to the TS presentation (we got $175 resort credit). Of course my wife and I discussed before that we were not going to buy anything.  To my shock, towards the end of the presentation my wife said that she really wanted to buy  unless i veto-ed. Part shock and confusion, part that i did not want to offend my wife in front of other people, i did not show much verbal opposition and we signed  the papers.
> 
> ...



It is Westin. I have not had trouble with the American branded timeshares and hotels in Mexico.


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## TravelTime (Apr 24, 2018)

x3 skier said:


> In my experience, the timeshare sharks are generally penned in so they are pretty easy to avoid.
> 
> Dealing with Street hustlers in Europe is another story
> 
> Cheers



What street hustlers have you dealt with in Europe, other than the Turkish rug salesmen?


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## geist1223 (Apr 24, 2018)

I have found that when exiting an Airport in Cancun or Cabo do not make eye contact and do not stop. These are not dangerous or scary people. In the large grocery stores the timeshare folks usually think I am Resident and leave me alone. For those that don't I ask for 20,000 Pesos. Then usually leads to a fun conversation.


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## TravelTime (Apr 24, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> "Feeling safe" is relative and subjective, so I think comparisons to other parts of the world is extremely relevant and shouldn't be swept under the rug, as you suggest.  Comparisons give someone who hasn't experienced Mexico or certain parts of Mexico a reference level to help them evaluate the perceived safety compared to places that they may be familiar with.  I don't see anything wrong with that, and I find it quite useful.  JMHO.
> 
> Kurt



People are not making fair comparisons. That is the only reason I mentioned this. A lot of anecdotal talk and bad data. I would recommend that anyone traveling in Mexico subscribe to Mexico News Daily. They report the good and the bad. Today there was a story of three college students who were mistakenly tortured, murdered and burned in acid. Over 70 mayors have been murdered in Mexico. Just read through all the stories. Like I said earlier, I have not personally had safety issues in Cancun or elsewhere in Mexico but I am also getting scared off by the increase in violence and that it is starting to happen in tourist areas. But there are many places that are no longer safe for travel. Places changes. Safety comes and goes. This is an exceptionally bad year for Mexico. Hopefully it gets cleaned up because it is one of my favorite places to visit. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/


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## DannyTS (Apr 24, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> It is Westin. I have not had trouble with the American branded timeshares and hotels in Mexico.


Excellent, you can still go to Westin then. What was the hotel/resort that you cancelled?


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## Eric B (Apr 25, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> People are not making fair comparisons. ....  Over 70 mayors have been murdered in Mexico. Just read through all the stories. Like I said earlier, I have not personally had safety issues in Cancun or elsewhere in Mexico but I am also getting scared off by the increase in violence and that it is starting to happen....



Thank goodness I’m not a mayor!


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## TravelTime (Apr 25, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> Excellent, you can still go to Westin then. What was the hotel/resort that you cancelled?



First we canceled GL because they got rid of the amenities for exchangers (i.e. Beach Club and pool). Then we rebooked and canceled the Ritz Carlton and Intercontinental after hearing about all the violence in April. I was ready to go in spite of the violence but one of my friends who has been going to Mexico several times a year for the past 30 years told me she canceled her trip to Cancun due to the violence in April. Some other friends also canceled Their Cancun trip, one of whom is a Mexican national, for this summer. I figured if my friends with more experience than me don’t want to go to Cancun right now, then I may as well go elsewhere for now.


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## DannyTS (Apr 25, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> First we canceled GL because they got rid of the amenities for exchangers (i.e. Beach Club and pool). Then we rebooked and canceled the Ritz Carlton and Intercontinental after hearing about all the violence in April. I was ready to go in spite of the violence but one of my friends who has been going to Mexico several times a year for the past 30 years told me she canceled her trip to Cancun due to the violence in April. Some other friends also canceled Their Cancun trip, one of whom is a Mexican national, for this summer. I figured if my friends with more experience than me don’t want to go to Cancun right now, then I may as well go elsewhere for now.



You mentioned that you were not happy with the prospects of being harassed at the hotel by the TS salespeople. I am not sure that that was going to happen at Intercontinental and Ritz, again that was not our experience at Westin.  It is interesting that you and your family were going to stay at 2 hotels that are not exactly in the same area, there is a 15 minute drive between them.


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## TravelTime (Apr 25, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> You mentioned that you were not happy with the prospects of being harassed at the hotel by the TS salespeople. I am not sure that that was going to happen at Intercontinental and Ritz, again that was not our experience at Westin.  It is interesting that you and your family were going to stay at 2 hotels that are not exactly in the same area, there is a 15 minute drive between them.



Yes, I know there is a 15 minute drive. That did not bother me. We have points for each and would have gotten a great deal by splitting our vacation. Intercontinental has the best beach in Cancun, in my opinion, no waves, ocean is like glass, although it is an older hotel. We were reserved On high floor oceanfront suites for both. Believe me, it was painful to cancel esp the 1 bedroom oceanfront suite at the Ritz! But then we started having images of falling asleep on the beach and imagining narcos running around shooting at us from their boats. (I am exaggerating here...I know it is highly unlikely to happen but my mind goes wild sometimes.) More seriously, I was just in Cancun and I did not feel the hotel beaches had much security. It is not like the Mexican resort compounds where I felt physically safe from violence, but at risk from TS salespeople. It is a tradeoff. LOL


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## DannyTS (Apr 25, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> Yes, I know there is a 15 minute drive. That did not bother me. We have points for each and would have gotten a great deal by splitting our vacation. Intercontinental has the best beach in Cancun, in my opinion, no waves, ocean is like glass, although it is an older hotel. We were reserved On high floor oceanfront suites for both. Believe me, it was painful to cancel esp the 1 bedroom oceanfront suite at the Ritz! But then we started having images of falling asleep on the beach and imagining narcos running around shooting at us from their boats. (I am exaggerating here...I know it is highly unlikely to happen but my mind goes wild sometimes.) More seriously, I was just in Cancun and I did not feel the hotel beaches had much security. It is not like the Mexican resort compounds where I felt physically safe from violence, but at risk from TS salespeople. It is a tradeoff. LOL


Just to play along with your joke, I agree: you should not fall asleep on the beach with narcos running around and shooting at you.


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## TravelTime (May 2, 2018)

Latest news from Yucatan Times as of April 30.

https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2018/05/violence-unstoppable-in-cancun/


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## DannyTS (May 2, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> Latest news from Yucatan Times as of April 30.
> 
> https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2018/05/violence-unstoppable-in-cancun/


wow, you really set up a google alert. Another white night?

More readings about tourists, in this case in Hawaii
http://www.khon2.com/news/local-new...e-before-tragedy_20180306071655550/1012643374


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## TravelTime (May 2, 2018)

DannyTS said:


> wow, you really set up a google alert. Another white night?
> 
> More readings about tourists, in this case in Hawaii
> http://www.khon2.com/news/local-new...e-before-tragedy_20180306071655550/1012643374



I would suggest the moderators move this last post by DannyTS to the the Hawaii forum and start a thread about crime in Hawaii.


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## TravelTime (May 2, 2018)

Deleted


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## DannyTS (May 2, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> I would suggest the moderators move this last post by DannyTS to the the Hawaii forum and start a thread about crime in Hawaii.





TravelTime said:


> In North Shore of Hawaii article posted by DannyTS: “We've had three major crimes in the last six to eight months and it's leaving people feeling unsafe," Kathleen Pahinui, North Shore Neighborhood Board said.” So what is DannyTS’s point? Moderators, please move this thread to a North Shore Hawaii crime thread. It does not belong in this thread.


My point is that you can always find information to emphasize a certain point of view and that your persistence with this topic is unusual.


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## TravelTime (May 2, 2018)

Deleted


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## Carol C (May 2, 2018)

Visit www.travelmarketreport.com to learn of a new phone app called Guest Assist to help with safety issues in Mexico. If i were booked to Mexico and couldn't cancel...I would load this app for some peace of mind.


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## TravelTime (May 3, 2018)

Deleted


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## DannyTS (May 3, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> The name of this thread is Cancun and Crime. People are interested in this topic. I am posting articles related to the thread topic. I am not posting articles about crime in Hawaii. Why do you feel a need to defend Cancun? Yes, we can always find negative articles about any city but start a new thread on crime in Hawaii. It is irrelevant here. If the thread topic is relevant, I am entitled to post any news I find here without your critical and abusive criticism. I am sure in May, I will have 50-60 new murder articles to post about Cancun since that is the average murder rate right now. I am trying to tell Tuggers what is happening to keep them aware. You are welcome to start threads in the appropriate sections of TUG about crime rates around the USA. That is irrelevant in this thread.


On several occasions, you asked many other people not to make comparisons to other places and cities. You were told that they were relevant because people could relate to places they are familiar to and make a more informed analysis based on personal experience.


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## TravelTime (May 3, 2018)

Deleted


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## DannyTS (May 3, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> I actually said the opposite. I said it was irrelevant and I would stop making comparisons. The only reason I ever made any comparisons at first was to refute others but then I realized the fact that we have crime in Detroit and Baltimore is irrelevant. It does not make Mexico safer. Plus I do not go to Detroit and Baltimore and other places to relax on vacation. The fact that there were 3 crimes in the North Shore of Hawaii in 8 months is nothing compared to 57 murders in one month in Cancun. Not that anyone is comparing....


The crimes in Hawaii actually involved tourists so it is really relevant since the incidents involving Cancun hotel zone tourists that are cautious are statistically nil.


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## klpca (May 3, 2018)

So, we've been in Cozumel since Saturday (at the Explorean - great property, btw). I realize that it's not Cancun but close enough for my dad to fear for our lives. We are having the best time. I'm glad that we came. I have to admit, the ferry bomb made me pause, but in the end we decided to roll the dice and travel as planned.

I'm not sure of the value of the back and forth arguing about this topic. It's ok to be comfortable *or* uncomfortable with travel to Mexico. Everyone has their reasons and no one has to justify their travel plans to anyone else. We were nervous after the bombing, but I joined a facebook group for Cozumel to get information from folks who live here. That helped me to get the local feel and they were all reporting that everything was back to normal. If the local expats had been reporting something different then our plans would have changed.


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## TravelTime (May 3, 2018)

I agree. The arguing on this thread is becoming a waste of time. Hence I have deleted as many of my response posts as I could because no response was warranted in most cases. However, the purpose of this thread was to discuss crime in Cancun and all I did was express my opinion and posts some links. There is no reason to get defensive about it. If anyone reads my posts from earlier on this thread, I am pro-Mexico. Personally, I am so sad that the service people in the luxury resorts we stay at are living in fear in their neighborhoods. It’s great tourists are safe while almost 30,000 Mexicans were murdered by the cartels in 2017 and 57 in April alone in Cancun. It is sad that visitors to Mexico say as long as it doesn’t affect tourists, it’s okay. To me, the problems in Mexico are human rights issues. And if folks are posting about murder and crime in other cities, I have the same opinion. We have problems in the USA too. We are no model for the world.

P.S. I absolutely love Puerto Vallarta esp as you go south along Banderas Bay. That area looks a lot like Costa Rica to me. I love the lush mountains in Puerto Vallarta that run directly into the ocean. I also love the Caribbean ocean in Cancun, Cozumel and Riviera Maya for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. It is among the best in the world and very close and accessible for North Americans. Those are my 2 favorite places in Mexico. I have been to many cities in various parts of Mexico more times than I can count for fun, for school and for business. I have traveled alone as a single woman many times too. The worst thing that has happened to me was an attempted sexual assault by a taxi driver. I speak Spanish. I was lucky that I was firm and assertive with him and put him in his place so he stopped. But he did not get a tip.


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## PigsDad (May 3, 2018)

TravelTime said:


> The arguing on this thread is becoming a waste of time. Hence I have deleted as many of my response posts as I could ...


Ah, the old "I'm taking my toys and going home" technique.  There was a member here several years ago who was famous for doing that, and that is why there is now a time limit on editing one's posts.  I've never understood that -- if you have something to say, say it.  As I said earlier in this post, I appreciate all of the comments, not just one that I happen to agree with or that some may _feel _are off topic.  Oh well...

Kurt


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## MULTIZ321 (May 14, 2018)

Is Cancun Safe for Travel in 2018?
By Emma Sloley/ Travel/ Other Coast/ Coastal Living/ coastalliving.com

"Cancún is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason: set on the Caribbean coast, the destination offers year-round sunshine, gorgeous beaches, and an anything-goes sense of fun. But with recent headlines about crime and negative tourist experiences, you might wonder whether Cancún is safe to travel to in 2018. Here, we break down the risks, explain the sensible precautions you can take, and outline the safest places to stay to ensure your Cancún holiday goes swimmingly.

*Is it Safe to Travel to Cancun in 2018?*
On Aug. 22, 2017, the U.S. Department of State issued an updated travel warning on Mexico, advising caution to several beach destinations, including Cancún. The warning arose after the city saw an increase in violent crime as rival gangs battle over territory, although the warning notes that tourists are not targets of this activity. There have also been recent reports of tourists being sickened after drinking tainted alcohol at resorts along Cancun’s Hotel Zone.

So, should visitors avoid travel to Cancun? As with anywhere in the world, it pays to stay informed and practice sensible precautions when traveling here. Tourism authorities in Mexico have pointed out the rarity of violent events and the low numbers of victims of crime compared to the 28 million American tourists who travel to Mexico each year, and this is worth bearing in mind when planning your travel. Most of the recent violence has occurred outside the Hotel Zone and other popular tourist areas, and most resorts have tightened security to bolster the safety of guests...."





Liliboas/Getty Images


Richard


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## TravelTime (May 19, 2018)

MULTIZ321 said:


> Is Cancun Safe for Travel in 2018?
> By Emma Sloley/ Travel/ Other Coast/ Coastal Living/ coastalliving.com
> 
> "Cancún is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason: set on the Caribbean coast, the destination offers year-round sunshine, gorgeous beaches, and an anything-goes sense of fun. But with recent headlines about crime and negative tourist experiences, you might wonder whether Cancún is safe to travel to in 2018. Here, we break down the risks, explain the sensible precautions you can take, and outline the safest places to stay to ensure your Cancún holiday goes swimmingly.
> ...



Beautiful photo. The ocean in Cancun is simply amazing!


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