Thoughts on tour in Jamaica

[Danna]

Any thoughts on Ocho Rios & Montego Bay Combination Tour offered through RC.

Or even the Falmouth & Montego Bay at Leisure

 

Any other thoughts are appreciated!

 

THANKS!

[knittinggirl]

Positives: Beautiful island! Blue Mountain Coffee (Now available in port village in Falmouth.) Negatives: Unplanned stops at roadside shops made us three hours late returning to the ship. Jamaicans pestering us for tips. Jamaicans giving us "gifts" than insisting on a tip. (We returned the "gift" & walked away.) Excursion didn't include lunch. Notes: Bring snacks and about $30 one dollar bills for tips and exact change for anything else (Blue Mountain Coffee). In Falmouth, a pound and a half of coffee and a handful of postcards came to about $45. They also did the "Exchange calculation" which I didn't know if it was correct or not, since I didn't check ahead of time. Anybody know if a ship announces the exchange rates?

[PattyG12]

We've not paid to do a ship tour but we've booked on our own. Our guide was wonderful!! Just be careful wandering too much.

[sredish]

I've also heard of the "wandering" effect in Jamaica and how most tours are late. Just keep in mind, tours that aren't booked thru the ship and that are late will be left behind. The CD on our cruise last week was telling us there was a couple who had left their child on board with a sitter while they galavanted around Jamaica without her. Their tour missed the boat...and it left with their child. Because it was due to be at sea for two days, they had to find their own way to Galveston and meet the boat when it arrived...two days later. They also received a bill for 24 hour a day babysitting for the entire time.

 

I say serves them right for leaving their child on board while they left on an excursion in a foreign country. Anything could have happened...they could have been injured, or in an accident. I'm all for babysitting on board, but I wouldn't ever leave the ship without my children. :eek:

 

With that being said, we always book a private tour and haven't ever had a problem, but we chose not to do a tour in Jamaica for several reasons. We had a good time shopping in port and enjoying the empty ship! We did hear from several people that they hired a taxi once off the ship for the day and they were able to get a full day of sightseeing for about $90.

[Sunebeach]

Outside the port area is rather 'rough' in Falmouth. For this reason and several of the CC posts that warned of late tours and such we chose to do a ship sponsored excurtion. We really enjoyed the zip lines and kayaking tour which took us to Rose Hall plantation. We did get to see some of the perimeter areas of the plantation and would have liked to tour there also. Great day.

[Danna]

Which outside companies have you all used? Can't decide what to do when we're in port!

[KathyPet]

Stopped in Ocho Rios several years ago on a HAL cruise. You couldn't get me to get off the ship in Jamaica ever not for any amount of money. My 7 year old daughter was so frightened and terrified by the constant harassment that we went through from the locals following you around badgering you to buy drugs, get your hair beaded that she broke into tears and literally begged me to go back to the ship. We have never faced that amount of harassment on any other island. It is the only island that I was afraid for my personal safety.

[wales4ever]

We went on a Bob Marley trip which was a great laugh.

[DonnaK]

We've used Marva Shaw www.knowjamaica.com . She and her son Javia were wonderful! We never felt unsafe or harrassed, and they got us back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. (We did river tubing with them)

[hayhee]

We just got off Freedom last week and when in Falmouth, we just walked around the small area at pier. There we came across an "Information" booth near the parking lot. We had no plans, so we asked what they could do for us. We ended up getting a private van that took us on a tour from Falmouth to Montego Bay. It was great! Our driver was Chambers. Our group of 12 paid $160 plus tip.

[hayhee]

sorry, our group was only 10 for the tour...not 12.

[Mmketeer]

Everytime I go to Jamaica I use Phil Lafayette Tours,http://www.jamaicaphil.com/

He is also on Facebook and when you log on to his site you'll see all the wonderful feedback he gets- it's all true and not made up.

Personable, safe and his whole family is a treasure to work with. :)