OK
, so this is not exactly a first hand account. We were not robbed and no one on our ship was robbed. We were on the island and we were with passengers from the Celebrity Mercury at the time of the robbery however we did not find out the details until we were back on our ship. After we returned home I did talk to the passengers from the Mercury we were with who confirmed what I read in the press coming from St. Kitts.
First I have to say that we all felt relatively safe on St. Kitts. I do not believe that St. Kitts is any more dangerous than any other island or city that we have visited – and is considerably safer than many places we have been. Local officials referred to the incident as “unprecedented”, and have responded with an increase in police presence in the tourist areas as well as other parts of the island.
On Sunday, November 14th 17 passengers from the Celebrity Mercury aboard a tour bus were robbed at gunpoint while on a ship sponsored shore excursion to Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Two masked gunmen boarded the bus after the driver got out to remove a log that the robbers had apparently placed in the road. The driver was able to run to a nearby gas station where he called the police. The passengers were robbed of cash and personal items , no one was physically harmed and the passengers were safely returned to their ship. By the following Tuesday St. Kitts police had 4 persons and a number of items in custody relating to the robbery. Five suspects have since been formally charged.
Hopefully the passengers will get most of their personal items back at some point and I hope that they had travel insurance to assist them and cover their losses.
I suppose I would be remiss not to reiterate the standard travel advice. Try to be careful, always be aware of your surroundings and use a large dose of common sense. Do not carry large amounts of cash or wear flashy or expensive jewelry. Keep photo copies of your IDs, travel documents and credit cards in your stateroom and leave copies with your emergency contact back home. And finally – do not travel without buying a good travel insurance policy! Remember, things happen, if they happen to you, try to stay calm and try to be prepared.
