Hair braiding....

[Dthom54]

I know Baystate, it REALLY hurt my feelings though when I first read what she said. Thank you so much for making me feel better. I told my husband about it and was almost in tears! I just figure when several young men gather around a 54 year old woman trying to sell her marijuana they must be pretty desperate for money. I mean I sure don't look like a drug user. DUH People were calling me from across the streets at Rose Hall Mall trying to make me come over and buy something from them. I have never have thought of myself as superior to anyone, I didn't ASK them if they were hurting for money, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Anyway, thanks again for you comments. I'll sure be more careful next time. I thought we all had a right to have an opinion but I guess some of us don't.......

 

[kujobie]

I think it is a safe assumption that people braiding hair on a beach in Jamaica are somewhere between dirt poor and Oh-my-God-I-can't-believe-how-poor-you-are-poor. That said, they would certainly smile as they took you for $75 to braid your hair. Does that make me a bad person for bargaining to get the same braids for $25? Does that make me "superior"? Absolutely not. It's supply and demand, baby! Free enterprise. By the way, how much is it for one of those big, fat, Jamaican cigars?

 

[Dthom54]

Well said, kujobie. Don't know about the cigars. We found it rather comical when we got back to the ship and the Jamacians wouldn't let us on without going through everything in our bags. I mean, they did a major inventory of everything we had. Then we went in to mall at the pier and they shook us down again when we came out. Guess they know some people buy drugs and they take them away from you when you leave. Wonder if it's a game they play there? I wish Carnival would dump Jamacia and stop somewhere else or either spend two port days in GC or Coz. Seems like I read somewhere that the only ship that goes to Jamaica is Carnival and they depend on them stopping there. Don't know if that's really true or not. Some people love that port and it's their favorite stop. To each his own, I know where we will be the next time we go and it won't be on Jamacian soil. We'll stay on the ship and take advantage of the lesser crowds aboard. Not being superior, just safe.

 

[hilltopfamily]

Regarding the hair braiding: My 2 DD's had it done on St. Maarten while we were on the beach. I bargained with 2 ladies who were working the beach together (1 lady did each DD's hair and they were in a hurry---they wanted to get as many done as possible, approached us almost as soon as we were off the ship). I paid $25 for the corn-row type at the crown of my oldest DD and $10 for 4 single braids with 2 beads on each braid for my youngest DD since she decided against the corn-row style due to the pain involved with those!! They were in such a hurry that they did a bit of a sloppy job (braids not spaced evenly, part in hair not straight) but my DD's LOVED it and I did tip them additionally. No head lice afterwards. We'll probably do it again because my girls felt so "tropical" and special with their hair braided---well worth the money. Removing the braids were as stated earlier, a little challenging but not too bad, especially with lots of conditioner. In our case, it did NOT cause significant hair breakage/damage at all, most hair that came out would have come out normally with daily brushing, but it just seems like a lot when you've had the braids in for 2-3 weeks.

In regards to Jamaica port---I'm sure other cruise lines still go there, a coworker just got back this week from Celebrity cruise & stopped at Ocho Rios.

 

[Debs3]

Thanks for all that answered the hair braiding question. I am actually back from the cruise...returned Jan 11th. They got them done in Cozumel for 20 half head and 40 for the whole head, I didn't have to barter, that is just what it was. My daughter also had her hand henna'd there. They both still have some version of them in their hair and it still looks good.

Thanks again.

 

[Baystate]

Hey Dthom,

Never let anyone get under your skin like that on-line. After all it's easy to attack someone when your not face to face.

 

[Dthom54]

Thanks again Baystate, you're the best........

 

[randk]

Ok here is my 2 cents. If worried about lice, go to the drugstore before leaving and get a bottle or 2 of lice shampoo. That way if luck has it, you got your frist line of defense with you. Second, it sounds like a lot of hassle to me, but what does a guy know. Right LOL.

 

[CHIPDETAIL]

Cactuscruise , I have been to jamica a couple of times and people do not beg or corner tourist just to get a buck if they don't desperately need it.. Last time I was in jamica I was robbed a block from the port I wasnt really scared for my life All the guy said he wanted was a little money for his family..

 

[Dthom54]

There you go. Like I once said and was bashed for it, people in Jamaica will do just about anything for money.