Why does Ocho Rios, Jamaica receive so many negative reviews????

[vacationchic1]

Hi all! Our family is scheduled to take a cruise on the Carnival Liberty this year. One of the designated ports is Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We have been really excited and looking forward to going on this itinerary. It will be our very 1st cruise!!! ; ) HOWEVER after reading some of the posts on various threads I'm starting to think we should have chosen a different itinerary. : ( I've read so many different horror stories about Jamaica. . . . from drugs being planted on tourists. . . . . to feeling unsafe in the port. What gives? I'm sure there must be some good aspects about Jamaica. I know that Jamaica is a poor country and they rely heavily on tourism as their livelihood. Can someone reassure me that I will have a good time. I don't want to stay on the boat. . . . I want to go and explore and have fun in each port.

[2PinaColadas]

We climbed Dunn's River Falls in Ocho. It was a wonderful experience, one I will never forget. I thought Ocho was beautiful, but I was uncomfortable at times. Book a tour-- do not try to go on your own, and you will enjoy Ocho. If your children are old enough, Dunn's Falls is a "must do". I have also heard that river tubing can be fun-- but again, book it with a good tour group.

 

I am glad we got to experience Jamaica.

[kujobie]

I love Bob Marley, but Jamaica's a hole. Book an excursion with a tour group and you will be safe. But you will still be hassled. I was offered pot by a guy in a storm drain. That's right. A guy.. Standing in a sewer.. Offerred to sell me pot.. And then I had twelve taxi drivers surround us arguing over who was gonna take us back to the ship. I'll never go there again, period. Too bad, because it's a beautiful island. On the up side, Dunn's River Falls is one of my all time favorite excursions.

[kr8z]

Jamaica is like the Gary, IN of the Caribbean. It's nasty and scary. Lots of crime. Definitely book a tour and don't try it on your own.

[Nunu]

Jamaica is like the Gary, IN of the Caribbean. It's nasty and scary. Lots of crime. Definitely book a tour and don't try it on your own.

 

Cheap gas prices? :confused:

[A&Jfamily]

Jamaica is BEAUTIFUL - one of the most scenic Carribean destinations I have been to, and I think I am well over a dozen. It is just extremely poor with lots of crime.

 

I agree with other posters - book through the cruiseline. Perhaps an AI beach? I think Dunn River Falls is over-rated as it gets so crowded.

[gtlovell]

My husband and I LOVED Ocho Rios! We booked an independent tour guide. It was just us and a couple we met at dinner. We had emailed the guide before we went on our trip. We told him we wanted to go to the Falls, Fern Gully and eat lunch somewhere yummy. Plus, I let him know when we needed to be back at port. And I didn't want to be hassled with vendors. The vendors are where the negativity come in I think.

Our tour guide was awesome (his name was Trevor, I think)! We didn't have any problems. We were the first ones on the Falls. If you go to the Falls, you don't have to rent water shoes (take your own) and you don't need to go with a group. And go back out the front gates, not the exit; vendors are waiting for you out the exit gates.

Our guide told us all about Jamaica and took us to eat at a little open air place. Plus, he stopped and picked a coconut, cut it and let us drink it. We stopped at a little food vendor and bought coconut candy.

We also rode horses in the ocean. Other people we know went tubing.

 

 

I wrote a short article on Ocho Rios too if you want to read it.

Three Beautiful Places to see in Ocho Rios

[maxamuus]

Personally i wouldn't book a cruise with a stop in Jamaica. It ranks right up there with North Korea and Iran in my must see vacation destinations. :eek:

[kr8z]

Cheap gas prices? :confused:

 

Is gas cheap there? I haven't driven through since the last time I thought I was being shot at... It's pretty darn scary and crime ridden.

[Traveler353]

I have never been to Jamaica on a cruise ship however I have been there many times for vacations. Never personaly had a problem of any kind. Some tourist fear any place that is not like their home. Even sadder is tourist that condem someplace without ever actualy being there. :(

[habby]

We've been to Ocho twice and just got back from Mo Bay. I would do Ocho again before Mo Bay. There are things to do right off the ship at Ocho. As far as pushy vendors, our last CD told us, "expect it and accept it". A pleasant "no thank you" was all that was needed if we weren't interested in what they were offering.

[Name Of The Game]

I don't actually have to walk into a fire either to know it's something I don't want to do.

[Halftocruz]

I was in Ocho Rios in December and it was great!!! I loved it. We went with the cruise line excursion to Mystic Mountain and did the bobsleds and the tour guide and company was excellent. After Mystic Mountain we didn't know what we wanted to do but wanted to see a beach so we asked our tour guide to suggest a beach. He suggested Mahogany Beach and then found a driver to take us there. The driver was excellent and friendly. He took us there and told us he would be back at 2PM to pick us up. I was a little nervous he wouldn't be back. BUT he was RIGHT on time and gave us a great ride back. Now, with that said I wouldn't go back to Mahogany Beach because I thought it was kinda dirty but the people were so friendly and we never felt unsafe EVER. We shopped a little in the shops near the pier and we were never approached by anyone and offerred anything. We thought Ocho Rios was very beautiful and the people were probably the most friendly we encountered.

Don't let other postings put you off. I also had my 9 and 16 year old sons with us and we were never afraid for them.

 

Thanks

Kellie

[lawskool10]

I booked a horseback riding tour. I had a great time. The tour guides were very nice. My mom went to one of the markets by herself and didn't have a problem either.

 

I was never uncomfortable while I was there and I would have no issues going back.

[kujobie]

I have never been to Jamaica on a cruise ship however I have been there many times for vacations. Never personaly had a problem of any kind. Some tourist fear any place that is not like their home. Even sadder is tourist that condem someplace without ever actualy being there. :(

 

I've only been there once, that's all it took..

[Traveler353]

I've only been there once, that's all it took..

 

 

So which category do you come under?;)

[meatball77]

We went ziplining then walked around one of the markets and downtown, got hassled a bit but it wasn't scary.

 

Detroit is scary, Jamaica's just got pushy locals that will try to sell you stuff.

[gill_boo]

We went there in 2008. I found it fine. We didn't have anything booked, just got off the ship and wandered down to the shopping area, we got asked a lot to buy stuff but a polite no thanks and kept walking sufficed. We didn't buy anything and ended up getting a taxi up to the falls. We haggled the price down to like a 1/4 of what he originally wanted. He waited at the falls for us and took us back down to Margaritaville for lunch, then we walked back to the ship. I don't think its a place I would wander alone, but with 2 of us, I felt fine and I enjoyed my time at this port.

 

Don't let other's perception make you fearful. If you are the type to be too afraid to do your own thing, then book a tour, but know that by booking its going to be much more expensive then just winging it when you get to the island.

[kujobie]

So which category do you come under?;)

 

I guess I'm in the category of people who don't like being sold ganja from guys standing in sewers and having to walk through a gauntlet to get a cab? Don't get me wrong, I like the ganja once in a while, just don't often associate with guys in sewers..

[mrpayroll]

When we were there in Jan 2009, we went on an excursion and then back to the ship for lunch. After lunch, wife and i walked to the shopping village ( a few blocks away ) We did NOT experience any problems at all. Living in Michigan, i feel more intimidated when going to Detroit...:rolleyes:

[manda0511]

My husband and I stayed at the Couples Resort in Ocho Rios in 2005. We decided the day we arrived it was not the place for us. We felt very uncomfortable leaving the resort. Dunn's River Falls was a great excursion but it was the only thing we did off of the resort the 7 days we were there.

[twinmommy08]

Hi all! Our family is scheduled to take a cruise on the Carnival Liberty this year. One of the designated ports is Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We have been really excited and looking forward to going on this itinerary. It will be our very 1st cruise!!! ; ) HOWEVER after reading some of the posts on various threads I'm starting to think we should have chosen a different itinerary. : ( I've read so many different horror stories about Jamaica. . . . from drugs being planted on tourists. . . . . to feeling unsafe in the port. What gives? I'm sure there must be some good aspects about Jamaica. I know that Jamaica is a poor country and they rely heavily on tourism as their livelihood. Can someone reassure me that I will have a good time. I don't want to stay on the boat. . . . I want to go and explore and have fun in each port.

 

 

Personally, I love Ocho Rios. We went to a Sandals there a while back and actually stayed on the island for a few weeks.

 

However, I can understand why people dislike Ocho Rios... you only see a small portion of the island. You have to remember this is a very poor country and everyone on the island knows the cruise ships have money with them... so what does everyone do? They flock to the cruise port and hound you for money and your business. No matter what their business may be...

 

If you happen to get a chance to go visit the island off the cruise ship, do it. You will love the country and the people. Some of the nicest people in the world, I think.

 

Cruisers who give bad opinions are correct, however, but just remember outside of the cruise port is completely different.

[lawskool10]

Personally, I love Ocho Rios. We went to a Sandals there a while back and actually stayed on the island for a few weeks.

 

However, I can understand why people dislike Ocho Rios... you only see a small portion of the island. You have to remember this is a very poor country and everyone on the island knows the cruise ships have money with them... so what does everyone do? They flock to the cruise port and hound you for money and your business. No matter what their business may be...

 

If you happen to get a chance to go visit the island off the cruise ship, do it. You will love the country and the people. Some of the nicest people in the world, I think.

 

Cruisers who give bad opinions are correct, however, but just remember outside of the cruise port is completely different.

 

Yes. This was suggested to me by one of my tour guides.

I know a few people who have gone, and they raved about it.

[MrPete]

I think the people freak out for the immediate port, and the "fence".

 

We have been here about three times. It is beautiful, lush, and there are Jamaicans there. We even walked around town without incident.

 

We love climbing the falls. It's refreshing and fun.

[dsrich69]

We spent 10days in MoBay and would go back in a heart beat. That said we did go to Ocho Rios to get to Dunns river and it looked a little scary. We had a private driver an other day that took us north of MoBay and those areas were really nice and not scary. Like others have said you may be approched to by drugs , just say no and if they keep bugging you just say "respect" and theyll leave you alone. Please dont judge Jamica by what you see getting off the ship.