VistaImagery

Yes, Jacqueline, you read it correctly. The captain did flee the scene, but was later taken into custody (after being found in a marina in another town). I never heard what happened to him, but I hope he is in jail. As for the companies having insurance, I wouldn't count on it. You sign a waiver releasing them from any responsiblity, in most cases. I'm no lawyer, so not sure if you could sue them and win. Regardless, a law suit won't bring these poor ladies back. On a good note though, I rarely hear of accidents like this. Unfortunately, when they do occur, they are horrific.

I haven't stayed there, but I toured it a couple of weeks ago for my job. It is gorgeous! If you aren't a fan of minimalism, you might not be a fan of the decor. It's all white with mostly muted colors. There are also some blues and greens here and there to jazz it up a bit. There is also lots of dark wood. I found it to be incredibly beautiful. It smells fabulous too...like a spa. It was quiet, but there was soft music playing by the pool. It is a very relaxing place to visit...not a party place, in my opinion. Every room has a 2-person jacuzzi tub. Service is supposedly top-notch, however I didn't get to experience any of that. The beach was VERY nice when I was there the other day. In fact, it seemed bigger than it's been in most of the 5 years I've been living in Cancun. For an incredible beach, head down to Sun Palace for the day. Just based on what I saw at Le Blanc (of course, I can't comment on service or food quality) and have heard from past guests, I wouldn't hesitate to stay there. The spa is very large and nice too! The only thing I can think of that might be an issue is that most rooms (or all?? I can't remember and it was only a few days ago!) have only 1 King bed. For a guys' weekend that might be an issue (why are guys so silly about sharing a bed with their best friends??), but most girls don't usually have a problem with sharing a bed with their best buddies. If it is an issue, I'm sure you could request a roll-away bed.

I think your mom may be referring to the incredibly high crime rate in several border towns. Drug cartels seem to be killing everyone (mainly police officials and other drug dealers) and are trying to rule the roost in those towns. Cancun has some problems with drug cartels too, but no tourists (or any average citizen, for that matter) have been involved, that I am aware of...nor is this problem prevalent in the hotel zone. Also, a high-ranking government official was murdered recently. People speculated that one of the drug cartels was responsible for that. That was in Mexico City though. Mexico City and the border of Mexico and USA are VERY far from Cancun and Riviera Maya. I don't think people realize that when they watch the news. I live in Cancun and, just like any city in the US, there is crime. If you use common sense (like you would at home), you should be fine visiting this area though. I wouldn't cancel or change my plans if I were you. Tell mom to relax too. ;-) Susan