We are taking a Mexican Riviera cruise next week and I hate to go "naked". What can I reasonable expect to be able to take. Knife? Multitool? PSK? FAK? I suppose I should will contact the cruise line, but any thoughts or experience on this? Thank you in advance.

I am soo used to EDCing a knife, multitool, several lights, a whistle, BSA Hotspark that if I cant I will feel totally unprepared...

I travel to Mexico occasionally for work. Getting caught with any knife (pocket knives, locking, non-locking, multitools, etc...) will end you in up a Mexican jail. This is not a good thing.

Mexico, Know Before You Go

Whistles, lights, antibotics, anti-diarrhea meds, oral rehydration salts, some sort of water purification, radio, and a phrase book are good ideas. I also usually track down the phone number/address of the nearest American Consulate.

Most people are very nice but crooked cops are everywhere. If one tries to "fine" you insist on going to the police station to pay the fine.

As for the cruise ship, I remember when we took a Royal Carribean cruise they had metal detectors on all the gangways.

-Blast

Several years ago a close friend of mine was robbed and beaten by a taxicab driver outside of Ensenada, and was left for dead several miles off the main road.

After hiking through the desert for several hours he came upon a police station. The officer that took the crime report asked if the taxi driver had gotten all of his money, to which he said no (he still had $200 hidden in his shoe). The officer demanded that he give him this money, and then told him to return home and be thankful that he was still alive.

I have been stopped several times while driving in Mexico for bogus traffic infractions -- everytime I have simply paid the "fine" at the scene and moved on. It is very helpfull to keep the majority of your money in a separate pocket, as the "fine" is typically whatever amount you can produce.

I've also found it is helpful to have a bunch of ones and fives in your wallet, as the cops down there tend to be more concerned with the quantity of bills that you have, versus the individual denominations of them.

Jim

Yikes!

Our company's policy is that we have to go to the police station in such a situation and get a reciept. Then we can write off the the "fine" on our expense report.

Mexico, in my opinion, generally sucks.

-Blast

I have family that life in Mexico 8 months of the year and they have no issues...the difference? They live in a motorhome and stay in very very small towns. Crime only happens in the urban areas and areas with high population density.

That's strange... for starters I would think it would be FAR safer for you to pay the "fine" on the spot than to try to demand paying at the station from a "police officer" who has already made it clear that he's crooked. I would be fearful of being shot by that cop or somehow finding that a mile down the road 3 of his buddies beat the crap out of me and still take the money.

Then for my company at least, we have a very strict policy on ethics for global travel. It's a terminable offense to give bribes even in countries where it's expected. I can't even fathom that they would reimburse any false "fines". How do they even write that off legally?

I for one haven't been to Mexico. Ever. And I don't see that changing. There's a lot better places to be.

As for travel, make sure you MEMORIZE a credit card that is NOT with you, hide at least one more card on your person, and hide cash in several places. Belts, neck pouches, shoes (heal or under the cushion), hidden pockets, hats etc. Never go without some cash. If you get off the ship, make sure you are aware of your departure time. Don't leave the "safe" area.

Make a point of letting someone at home know you are departing the ship and that they can expect a call at a certain time. If they don't hear back, they should be calling the consulate and local policia. The ship to shore calls will seem cheap compared to both the cruise and the safety net it provides if you don't show up at the dock when the ship is pulling away. If they have internet access, it may be cheaper than making a call, but the same principal applies.

My company has a very strict policy on bribing people to obtain business. Heck, I can't give out anything worth more than a pen to a customer. However, bribes to kidnappers and crooked cops are a completely different catagory. It is okay for us to pay out money if we feel our safety is in danger. In fact, when we go to certian places in Africa and South America employees are given "blood chits", documents that tell the kidnappers exactly how much we are worth and how to go about collecting the money.

I'm worth $18,000.

-Blast

Wow. I believe we have some policies like that as well, but I think we try to avoid those countries. Still, that's probably prudent to have a policy for situations like that. Especially in our world.]

I should clarify... I think we have a policy if there was a kidnapping. Not sure about payments if your life is threatened or if you get a "fine". I'll have to check in ont.

Hi Fordwillman,

The Mexican Riviera is a great place for a vacation (one of the best place in the world) and a great place to go diving although not as good as Egypt. I found the Mexicans really friendly and approachable. A cool Dos Equis beer whilst sunbathing under an azure blue sky while topless europeans ladies playing volley ball on the beach is nice. Senor frogs, Chitzen Itza, swimming with dolphins,


I'm afraid these young ladies at Senor frogs nightclub, won't be interested in whats in your PSK

Just make sure you wake up the next morning with both kidneys.

I have done cruises to the Mexican Riviera and would venture that being on a cruise ship schedule, you almost have to look for trouble to find it. You are in well patrolled tourist spots where the local economy doesn't need any bad publicity... word travels fast when bad stuff starts happening to cruise passengers and the ships have been known to change itineries away from places that aren't percieved as safe. There is plenty of corruption in Mexico, no doubt, but plenty of legitimate "golden geese" of tourist $, tax $ etc that are protected carefully in all those ports.
With ship security what it is, you will be photographed preboarding and you will have you ID card scanned everytime you board or leave the ship. If you fail to return on time, the cruise line knows about it immediately.
I have made wallet sized color copies of my passport page for me and all my family, and I carry those when I go ashore. I leave my original in the room safe.
FWIW, being surrounded by inebriated, out of the (normal) mind cruisers, their are many easier targets for bad guys to focus on that the typical reader of a forum like this one! It a little like not having to be as fast as the lion thats chasing you, only faster than the guy next to you.
I carry as little as possible when I go ashore, split out different credit cards from different banks between my wife and myself, one carries the ATM card, with the back up on the ship.
It also does not hurt to call your CC companies and you ATM bank that you will be in Mexico during the time, so they don't freeze your card.
I find the tourist areas of Mexico to be very welcoming and freindly.