Many countries have rules that Americans may not even think about.
In some Caribbean nations, for example, it is illegal to wear camouflage, and cruise ship passengers can be detained if they are caught wearing the prohibited equipment. Mexico has very strict rules on the introduction of vaporizers, and violating those rules can result in a short prison sentence.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line still calling at ports despite US warnings
In most cases, cruise lines try to inform passengers about special rules before their ship stops at that destination. The captain will make announcements, which will also be printed in the daily schedule.
Crew members working the departure will also be attentive, but cruise lines can only go so far.
Passengers should be prepared that the rules in any country they visit may be different than those in the United States. The penalty for being caught buying or using drugs could be much more severe. In some countries, regulations apply to collect fines from passengers eager to avoid missing the ship.
However, Jamaica has a rule that a cruise group may not know about and that is important for them to know.
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Jamaica has a surprising ban
The cruises are incredibly welcoming and all-inclusive. Passengers may have their own prejudices, but they generally keep them to themselves.
A cruise is a very welcoming vacation and you will see members of the LQBTQ+ community on every cruise. In most countries normally visited by cruise lines, that's not a problem, but Jamaica has some very strict laws, according to Human rights monitoring.
“The criminalization of homosexuality in Jamaica dates back to the Offenses Against the Person Act of 1864, which mandates a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment with hard labor for those convicted of the “abominable crime of 'sodomy.'” To members of Jamaica's LGBT community are denied access to basic rights and services, leading to alarming rates of homelessness and HIV,” the organization shared.
The Canadian government warns that LGBTQ+ people “have experienced verbal or physical harassment and abuse” in Jamaica. It also warns members of those communities to “avoid public displays of affection.”
In most cases, laws against homosexuality do not apply to tourists, but they do exist on the books. And the Jamaican police cannot intervene in acts against LGBTQ people.
“LGBT people in Jamaica face intolerable levels of violence and cannot rely on the police,” said Graeme Reid, LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch. “Authorities, from the prime minister on down, must end violence and discrimination, prosecute all those responsible and remove homophobic laws.”
The US State Department has a level 3 warning for Jamaica
The US State Department has Jamaica under a Level 3 warning: Reconsider travel. It makes no specific mention of the country's LGBTQ+ prejudices and laws.
“Violent crime occurs throughout Jamaica. Tourist areas generally record lower violent crime rates than other parts of the country. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Robbery gun and sexual assaults are common. shared the State Department.
Just because tourist areas are safer doesn't mean they are.
“The US Embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from US citizen tourists at resorts. US citizens report a slow or unsatisfactory response to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are rarely prosecuted until we reach a verdict and final sentence,” he added. .
royal caribbean (RCL) Carnival (CCL) Norwegian (NCLH) and almost all major cruise lines still call in Falmouth, Jamaica.
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