Sounds like it's your vacation in paradise being ruined. You have 70 posts. Over half I would wager are you complaining. As if someone here is going to fix the culture.
Sounds like it's your vacation in paradise being ruined. You have 70 posts. Over half I would wager are you complaining. As if someone here is going to fix the culture.
I have 70 posts, but have been lurking here for years, mostly reading and gathering information, I have asked some questions, as well as posted many positive things about the places and people I have met in Negril. Post count is something that is thrown around forums, as if post count = intelligence or knowledge of a subject. It does not.
I have learned that there is a bit of a disconnect between some of the advice given here and the realities of travelling to Negril. I enjoy a spirited discussion, and like to debate. However, it always seems to devolve quickly into an "us vs them" sort of thing. Instead of actually responding to my (and others) statements and questions, people are told that they just don't get it, they are tourists not travellers, that Negril is not for them and maybe they should go somewhere else, to picking apart what is said and then twisted to suit the persons agenda, to at some points insults and name calling. Why is that?
Why does it seem like some people would rather keep some of these things a secret? Why isn't it OK to talk about how you should pay attention to things like exchange rates, to know it's OK to ask for your change, to be aware of being ripped off and being taken advantage of? Where is the line drawn, between cents and dollars? Where is the line between understanding the Jamaican culture and being ripped off? Are some of the business practices such as keeping change or overcharging part of the culture? They treat each other that way? Or just the tourists?
Would we tolerate this in our own backyards? I run a business and in many cases my customers are much better off than myself and even more so my part time employees. Should my employees feel it's OK to take a little bit extra from the wealthy ones? They can afford it, right?
Everything you just reposted has been addressed. Both by other posters. As well as rob and Lisa. Not sure what else you want to have happen?
The police to crack down on vendors for not giving a fair exchange on currency they have no legal responsibility to accept or give a certain rate?
Or arrest the bartender that "stole" 20 cents?
Have fun banging your head against the wall about these things. I'm going to enjoy people's stories and pictures. As well as share my own.
Why are you taking it so personally? If you don't like the discussion you didn't have to participate in the first place. Why get involved?
No one is saying anyone should be arrested, or police should get involved. The discussion was about events that happened, to be aware of what's going on, and how to keep it from happening to you. What's wrong with that? I didn't start this thread. I wasn't asking for anything to be addressed, as if there's a cut and dried answer to any of this.
What I want to happen is for people to be allowed to discuss things that aren't always completely positive without being attacked, put down, run off or dismissed. Just because someone had a different experience than you did doesn't make their experience invalid. People can have fun and enjoy their vacation and go back, yet still discuss things like this without it ruining anything.
I think what this forum is about is sharing the realities of travel to Negril and then sharing strategies for dealing with that reality.Why isn't it OK to talk about how you should pay attention to things like exchange rates, to know it's OK to ask for your change, to be aware of being ripped off and being taken advantage of? Where is the line drawn, between cents and dollars? Where is the line between understanding the Jamaican culture and being ripped off? Are some of the business practices such as keeping change or overcharging part of the culture? They treat each other that way? Or just the tourists?
For example, one reality is that different places charge different prices for the same item (like a red stripe). Sometimes the same place will charge a different price at a different time (like when a large group arrives). Acknowledging this truth is step one. Sharing a strategy for dealing with it is step two. Strategies mentioned so far have included 1. Do not buy at places that charge more than you feel the item is worth, or 2. ask the price before ordering. Both will get the consumer what s/he wants and both will send a message to the establishment that prices matter.
Another reality is that if you use US$ to pay for things, the exchange rate you get will vary from place to place, and you may not get US$ change back. Strategy for dealing with this reality is to use JA$, or accept that the convenience of not changing at a cambio will cost you something. Use the JA$ change for the next drink, or save it for tipping elsewhere, or whatever.
Another is that some people will not bring you small change. Strategy? Ask for the change, and wait for it if it is important to you. If you frequent the place, make it clear that you expect change every time. If you don't like the assumption that your change is a tip, by all means take your business elsewhere and feel free to tell that bartender why.
These strategies have all been shared in this and the other threads about beer prices and coffee prices and exchange rates. We all learn as we go and this board can be a sort of shortcut for new folks to learn lessons learned by others who have gone before.
I'm not the one taking it personally.Originally Posted by HarryS
That's not a very nice thing to say about someone.
I appreciate the support, but I'm not looking to point fingers or gang up on anyone. I just want to be able to talk about these things in a civilized manner. And if we keep re-hashing the same things that were discussed six months ago, and six months before that, and so on, so what? If it's not on the first (or maybe second?) page, most people who casually stroll through will never see it. Are we going to start telling people who ask questions that were already answered to "use the search", or will we help them out?
I was on the Bus Crawl on March 29th and one of the stops was Xtabi, really nice location and also a nice place to visit.
Ordered 2 red stripes at the bar and beers were delivered but with no change. I handed one to my wife and remained at the bar. Bartender was very busy but as I kept standing there we made eye contact twice with no results. On third eye contact, I said you forgot to give me my change and at that point he handed me 300J no questions asked. I gave him a 100J tip just to let him know I would have tipped to start with if he brought the change. I probably would have given him 200J if he had brought the change without me needing to ask.
Will I go back to Xtabi? Sure I will it is a very nice place! But I will keep my eyes open and ask for change if necessary :-)
BTW, I stood at the bar for a fair amount of time (maybe 10 minutes or a little more). I saw this neglect or over site to provide change repeated more than once but sometimes I would see him automatically provide change. It was interesting to observe.
Money is not the key to happiness, Happiness is!
Ben Franklin
My goodness HarryS ... go have a beer! Just make sure you don't over pay!
If whoever got the bottled water had gotten a GLASS of water, they wouldn't have paid a freaking dime for it! Geez!!!
Gosh forbid we help out the people who live in shacks and can barely feed & clothe themselves WHILE WE ARE ON VACATION STAYING IN PLACES WITH AIR CONDITION & RUNNING WATER by giving them .20 extra
And as for skipping Bella Donna's ... come on ... she's a hoot & worth the $5 to me ... and that is totally my opinion! BTW, I am FAR from wealthy!!!!
You never see it coming ... and the next thing you know ... UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
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