Dominican Republic remains popular cruise destination despite travel advisories

The Dominican Republic has been the subject of recent U.S. travel advisories, but that hasn’t stopped travelers from making their way to the island.

The U.S. State Department’s June 6 updated travel advisory for the DR now has the island sitting at Level 2, indicating that travelers should “exercise increased caution.” As reported by Detour, the advisory stated that “violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic.” The availability of weapons, the use and trade of drugs, as well as a weak criminal justice system were also listed as reasons behind the updated advisory.

Despite its presence among other nations to be cautious of, tourism to the DR is still booming. The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism states that 2,076,171 travelers made their way to the island in the first quarter of 2023.

Cruise Hive notes that March has been the best month so far for the island, where it reached 280,247 cruise ship guests called to the island. This number is more than double the number of guests called to the Dominican Republic in March 2022, which was 134,070. As far as total tourism arrivals (by land and sea) are concerned, the first quarter number is a 21 percent increase from 2022’s first quarter.

Cruise lines aren’t letting the warning phase them as major companies still call at destinations in the Dominican Republic. Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Horizon, for example, makes a stop at La Romana on the island’s southeast coast. Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas also makes a stop at Puerto Plata in the northern region.

Although travelers are still making their way to the Dominican Republic, it is important to be safe while doing so. Avoid visiting dark, secluded places alone, and avoid beaches at night. Be sure to choose taxis carefully, specifically ones that have been hailed by the hotel you’re staying at or vetted by a reputable company. For more safety tips, check out this list by Detour.

Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine and 5280 Magazine discussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. You can reach Roshae via email at roshaehemmings@detourxp.com.