Many countries have rules that Americans might not ever think about.
It’s illegal in some Caribbean nations, for example, to wear camouflage, and cruise-ship passengers can be detained if found wearing the outlawed gear. Mexico has really strict rules about bringing in vapes, and violating those rules can result in short-term imprisonment.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line still stops at ports despite U.S. warnings
In most cases, cruise lines try to tell passengers about any special rules before their ship stops at that destination. The captain will make announcements, which also will be printed in the daily schedule.
Crew members working at the exit will also be on the lookout, but the cruise lines can only go so far.
Passengers should be prepared that the rules in any nation they visit might be different from rules in America. The penalty for being caught buying or doing drugs might be much more severe. In some countries, rules are enforced in order to collect fines from passengers eager to not miss their ship.
Jamaica has a rule, however, that one group of cruisers may not know about that it’s important they become aware of.
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Being gay is a crime in Jamaica.
Image source: Pixabay
Jamaica has a surprising ban
Cruises are incredibly accepting and all-inclusive. Passengers may have their own biases and 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 an issue, but Jamaica has some very strict laws, according to Human Rights Watch.
“The criminalization of homosexuality in Jamaica dates back to the 1864 Offences Against the Person Act, which calls for a punishment of up to 10 years of imprisonment with hard labor for those convicted of the “abominable crime of ‘buggery.’ Members of the Jamaican LGBT community are denied access to basic rights and services, resulting in alarming rates of homelessness and HIV,” the organization shared.
The government of Canada warns that LGBTQ+ people “have experienced harassment and verbal or physical abuse,” in Jamaica. It also warns members of those communities to “avoid public displays of affection.”
In most cases, laws against being gay are not enforced on tourists, but the laws are on the books. And Jamaican police may not 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. “The authorities from the prime minister on down need to call a halt to the violence and discrimination, prosecute anyone responsible, and get homophobic laws off the books.”
U.S. State Department has a Level 3 warning for Jamaica
The U.S. State Department has Jamaica under a Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning. It does not make a specific mention of the nation’s LGBTQ+ prejudice and laws.
“Violent crime occurs throughout Jamaica. Tourist areas generally see lower rates of violent crime than other parts of the country. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Armed robberies and sexual assaults are common,” the State Department shared.
Just because tourist areas are safer does not mean they are safe.
“The U.S. Embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts. U.S. citizens report slow or unsatisfactory response to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a final verdict and sentence,” it added.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) , Carnival (CCL) , Norwegian (NCLH) , and pretty much every major cruise line still stop in Falmouth, Jamaica.
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