Not all U.S. State Department travel advisories are created equal.
A Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, like the ones currently issued for Haiti and parts of Mexico, stands as a stern warning. You really should not visit those countries unless you have special security measures in place, an arrangement few people would make.
When the State Department issues a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory, it’s telling Americans not to visit that country. In those cases, however, cruise ports may be an exception.
Honduras, for example, is under a Level 3 advisory, but that notice specifically calls out the cruise port in Roatan:
“Violent crime, such as homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping, remains common,” the advisory says. “Violent gang activity, such as extortion, violent street crime, rape, narcotics, and human trafficking, is widespread. … Around resort areas in the Bay Islands, which include Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja, there is a concentration of resources and these areas are better policed.”
The port area in Roatan still hosts ships from Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and other cruise lines.
When the U.S., State Department issues a Level 1 or Level 2 advisory, it’s not so much telling Americans not to visit a country. Instead, those warnings are a bit like your mom telling you to be careful or a news report pointing out specific dangers.
Now, the State Department has released a Level 1 travel advisory for a popular European cruise port most Americans would consider safe to visit.
TYT Newsroom
