Quote Originally Posted by Marblehead View Post
It's hard to be sympathetic to the cruise ship crowd or even their shipwrecked AI cousins. Too lazy to travel seriously because they might have to encounter locals. That's the point of travel! How many do you think did any research before arriving? Prior proper planning prevents poor performance (and experiences). It also helps if you're comfortable around people of color. I've had some uncomfortable moments in Jamaica, but I've had them here in the States, too. Getting out of your comfort zone is when you have your greatest opportunities for growth!
Marblehead your generalizations of people that cruise or stay at AI's are pretty pathetic. We travel extensively and stay at many AI's but also get off of the property and visit the island (in Jamaica as well as other Countries) about 40% of our time. I love the locals and keep in touch with many in Negril, the Riviera Maya, Belize, Puerto Rico, Cozumel, Aruba and the Brittish Virgin islands. As far as research goes I do on average 50-75 hours of research before a vacation, even if I have been there before. Where is your research on the cruise crowd and shipwrecked cousins that says they only stay in one place and don't visit the surrounding area? While I personally don't like to cruise I read an article that stated that 40% of the people who visit a port for 1.5 days will spend on average $155.62 in the local economy down in Mexico.