So what happened to the Sunday Webcast???

[irieworld]

negrilaholic-- I am sure you are enjoying your stay and floating in the sublime caribbean sea. I am glad you have come to report on your trip and hope that we hear more from you about your experience and that of your friend. The cab thing from Rick's was a scam, and yes, as a repeat visitor to Negril I have been subject to similar ploys. That is why I settled on taking route cabs (fixed rate, shared) after my first few trips. But if I were with a first-time visitor I would take a charter cab with a fixed price. It is clear you were scammed, but I hope you and your friend have had plenty of good times to make up for that. She is lucky to be with someone who had been there and knows the runnings.

[booger]

I agree route taxis are the best mode of transportation, at least during the day. This last reach I was able to secure a regular driver at night after a few attempts and it made things super chill. He actually runs a bar and goes out of his way to make sure that his guest are taking care of. I have read of others mentioning to make sure that you get a night time driver and before I didn't make much of an effort. I have learned and going forward I will make sure that I have this figured out from day 1. Negrilaholic I am sorry that you had to deal with this and the good thing is you didn't have anything crappy happen to you. Please continue with your trip report as it is interesting to see your perspective of the goings.

[negrilaholic]

I agree route taxis are the best mode of transportation, at least during the day. This last reach I was able to secure a regular driver at night after a few attempts and it made things super chill. He actually runs a bar and goes out of his way to make sure that his guest are taking care of. I have read of others mentioning to make sure that you get a night time driver and before I didn't make much of an effort. I have learned and going forward I will make sure that I have this figured out from day 1. Negrilaholic I am sorry that you had to deal with this and the good thing is you didn't have anything crappy happen to you. Please continue with your trip report as it is interesting to see your perspective of the goings.

Thanks ya'll. I'm done with the taxi thing, and yes, should have waited until done to pay for it, lesson learned, thought I would be doing someone waiting to give a ride a favor, lesson learned, am sticking with a driver I know or route taxi, and that's all.

Look, here's the thing about SATP. There are very few places cig smoking is allowed..and I mean only two areas on the entire property, and smoking is not even allowed on your own balcony outside of your room! Inside I could understand, but not outside, so it is a hassle for me, and even that I wouldn't mind so much if not for the letter. Now I KNOW marijuana is illegal, it's illegal in Oklahoma too, one joint can get you two years, and I know someone who made the papers and people are taking up her cause who was sentenced for fourteen years for selling $31 of weed. That being said, as a veteran with ptsd, what I do in my own home helps me immeasurably, so I "take my chances". I also know I take my chances in Jamaica, and that's okay too. What is NOT okay in my book is to be told right off the bat in a letter that any marijuana smoking in the room or on the premises will lead to the police being called and the guest being evicted from the premises, and yes the letter did state that, I am going to be bringing a copy back with me and putting it on the internet. Again, that is perfectly fine, but they need to put that on their website, that they don't allow smoking cigarettes most anyplace at all except two designated areas on the grounds, and that they strictly enforce ganja laws to the point they will throw you off the property and call the cops. I don't know if that is true of all AI's, but I have to admit I was shocked when I read that letter, and I will be honest, it HAS affected the quality of my stay, I have ptsd with anxiety disorder and panic attacks, and ganja IS medicine to me. So to me personally, YES the letter was very threatening. Now staff has told me it's all chill, but the tone of that letter really set me off.

So can others tell me..do other AI's and other resorts have a letter that welcomes their guests to a room with a threat of arrest and eviction, or is it just SATP??? Because I really want to know if this is standard practice for all AI's, or just SATP.

Anyway, mostly I am having a good time, except am more stressed out than I have ever been to any previous trip to Jamaica, and will be SO DAMN RELIEVED WHEN I CAN GET TO TRAVELLERS AND RELAX!


That being said, the food is great, staff is wonderful, place is lovely, but for me personally, that letter ...has been preying on my mind big time.

And I hope to make it to Thursday's webcast, and will be in a better mood, promise, lol!

I'll come post tomorrow morning and will copy the letter word for word, heading out to the beach right now, sorry this turned into such a *****fest, lol, didn't mean it to turn out that way, and yes am mostly having a good time, and will report more on that too soon don't worry!

[sbeth]

Ah, that does seem intense. I've stayed an an AI in negril (Couples Negril) and saw plenty of submarine sandwich consumption in the open. People were passing submarine sandwiches around in the pool right at the swim-up bar. No scary letters.

[Marko]

tell them you are leaving and head out to another place......life is too short

Cool Runnings, Marko

[TizzyATX]

Sorry for your troubles thus far, but it doesn't sound like your letting it spoil the trip. Travellers soon come and you will be in your comfort zone.

I hear you on the ganj. I have a hyperactive thyroid that causes anxiety etc. People who have never experienced an anxiety attack just simply dont understand at all. Personally, I prefer a natural remedy over the anti-anxiety drugs out there that are effective but also physically addictive to an extreme. Some people can't get past the stigma attached to marijuana and just refuse to see the benefits....some people totally get it. You can't please them all. I would feel the same way if I received such letter. That's so strange. Can't be good for business. lol

Looking forward to the rest of your report! Thanks so much for sharing!!

[Flipadelphia26]

I was told by other guests when we were RIU that a letter, similar to that was in their room when they checked in. Said that it was illegal. Under covers were on the beach etc. Never saw the letter, but maybe it was because I had already broken the "rules" within minutes of stepping out of the airport.

Never had an issue myself.

[gerryg123]

RIU Club does have a letter with small print on the bottom about avoiding the jet-ski guys and that marijuana is illegal. But everyone smokes it all day. I am wondering at SATP, if you actually smoked would anyone really care? Maybe there is a political and/or technical reason they have to present the letter of warning, but perhaps it's not enforced?

Otherwise, yeah I do agree with you that the letter of warning should be communicated before booking -- but is that even practical? Plus, the part about calling the police is a bit over the top considering Negril smells like ganja a lot of the time ....

[Bnewb]

There are very few places cig smoking is allowed..and I mean only two areas on the entire property, and smoking is not even allowed on your own balcony outside of your room!

Hmmmm....aren't most of the buildings made of wood at SATP? !

[Rob]

Thanks ya'll. I'm done with the taxi thing, and yes, should have waited until done to pay for it, lesson learned, thought I would be doing someone waiting to give a ride a favor, lesson learned, am sticking with a driver I know or route taxi, and that's all...

...What is NOT okay in my book is to be told right off the bat in a letter that any marijuana smoking in the room or on the premises will lead to the police being called and the guest being evicted from the premises...

NHolic,

Glad to hear that the information here about paying for the taxi at the end of the ride has been helpful for you. That is the real point of all the information that is provided on Negril.com - to help provide information to visitors to Negril that will make their vacation stay the best possible!

As for the Sunset At The Palms "threatening" letter, I hope that everyone understands that ganja/marijuana is illegal. It is the law. To smoke ganja in Jamaica is a crime. For Sunset At The Palms to place a reminder in each room that ganja smoking is illegal and that they will follow the laws of Jamaica should not be taken as a threat, but as a business obeying the laws of the country in which they operate. For them to knowingly allow illegal activities to take place on their property would make them an accomplice to the crime. As a business owner, I can understand exactly why Sunset At The Palms decided to issue this letter with the legal liability in mind.

Regardless of how prevalent the breaking of this law may be, or if other businesses may have different practices, or if there are any medical issues involved, this in no way diminishes the fact that it is illegal to smoke ganja in Jamaica. Sunset At The Palms is not in any way threatening anyone, they are simply allowing everyone to know that they follow the laws of Jamaica. I think this is really a rather common sense concept, and cannot see why anyone would think otherwise. I cant see any reason for them to have to post it on their website any more than posting all the other Jamaican laws that you are not allowed to break while staying at their property.

As I tell everyone who asks about smoking ganja in Jamaica, "dont force the police to do their job". Ganja is illegal. Use your head...