Is falmouth worth seeing?

[elou]

Solo senior just wondering if there is anything of interest to see in this port. Been to Mo Bay and Ocho Rios many times. Any advice?

[FloGaleRNTX]

Enjoy a nice, relaxing ship day with most of the passengers off.

 

Barb

[Puffinater]

Enjoy a nice, relaxing ship day with most of the passengers off.

 

Barb

 

First trip there we walked around for a few minutes and the next trip we did exactly what you suggest. It made for a great day on the ship.

[dz9yvr]

Stay on the ship. The port shoping is just like any other port and there is absolutely nothing worth seeing that's within walking distance of the port.

[Room Service!]

We'll be stopping there next year. Someone else had asked this question. The answers were pretty much what you've gotten already. We will get off the ship though. It's a new port to us, have to at least step off.

[cruisinpoler]

it is a decent beach with nice water,but probably nothing compared to some of the other places you have been. we spent one hour at the "water park" with our kids. it was actually a lot of fun, but without them I would have simply lounged on the beach/in the water.

 

i agree that staying on the boat is a viable alternative- nothing truly cultural to see, it all seems kind of staged for the cruise ship passengers.

[retired2005]

:(Same Shops as all the other ports but....Jamaica has a tax on goods purchased there!

[negc]

I believe it can still be considered "a work in progress" and may be worth at least a short visit off the ship. It is also a stepping off place for visiting other spots in Jamaica. Check out the shore excursion list to see if there is anything interesting in the vicinity. There are also reports that a Margaritaville is being built in Falmouth, in case you are a Buffet fan. We haven't been there yet (we'll be on Allure when it stops there next December) but I am always loathe to pay attention to people who advise staying on the ship. There were folks who gave us that advice when our cruise stopped in Dominica a year or two ago, and had we listened to them, we would have missed a wonderful day ashore.:) If expecting to find new or different souvenirs in most Caribbean ports were our criteria, we would probably never get off the ship.

[Rala]

We did the trolley ride that leaves from the shopping area. It was $15 pp (this was in Feb,2012) and about an hour long. We had a wonderful guide(she had been the guide for Prince Harry when he visited there) and was very well-spoken and informative. The ride gave a nice overview ofthe area and we were able to go inside a very old church with an interesting history. Some of the areas we went through were pretty run-down, but we had no trouble at all with any "unsavory" characters or offers of drugs, etc.. All in all it was a pleasant way to spend an hour and gave you a feel for the area.:)

[molly361]

Last year the port area (inside) was still a work in progress. We went outside the port gates for a bit and there was not much out there worth venturing out for.

[Sunebeach]

We were there in November and the port area is nearly completed, but not 100% occupied at that time. The port area is very clean,

 

 

Warning: they will hold their hands out for 'donations' for posing for pictures with you...and I don't think they liked the 3 bucks the DH handed them...that was all the cash he had on him at the time. oh, well. we got ONE picture out of it...

 

but right outside the gates it is rather rough looking. This photo is right outside the port and still very clean as you can see...

and this was the 'nicer looking' areas near the port...but the pics I took of the slummier parts of town didn't turn out as we were speeding down very narrow city streets in a tour bus similar to a 'chicken bus' minus the chickens thank goodness...lol

 

We took a ship excursion only because so much of the interesting things were so far away from the port, we didn't want to run late and miss the ship. We did a zip line and kayaking trip that was on part of a Plantation, it was beautiful.

 

 

The guides were very informative about the flora and fauna and the plantation. The tour did not "include" lunch, but they fed us a lunch of jerk chicken and a soft drink/red stripe beer when we were finished. It was excellent!

 

 

As you can see the group was not your typical ziplining/kayaking 20 somethings...there was maybe one couple who were in their 20's early 30's the rest were even older tham myself and the DH who are mid 40's...

Glad we got off the ship...it was worth it!

 

If your not into the 'adventure' part, there was a tour of the plantation house and grounds which sounded interesting. At the time of our cruise there were few excursions you could book through independant agents, there may be more now. Not sure. We stick with the cruise line if it looks like it may run longer or need extra transportation etc.

[lady_cruiser]

We usually grab one of the free bus shuttles and head to The Shops at Rose Hall. Not many shops but more upscale than the usual touristy type shops near the ports. Here's a link to them:. Then after an hour or so we head back to the ship for lunch and an afternoon of reading our Kindles on our balcony.

http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/destinations/st_james/the-shoppes-at-rose-hall.htm

[39august]

Huh? There's a water park and beach access at Falmouth? I thougt the only way to get to a beach was to take a ship excursion. I have read about the Chukka Beach Break. Cruisinpoler seems to indicate a beach right at Falmouth.

[FloGaleRNTX]

I've been there twice. The first time the port was maybe 1/4 completed. It was really bad. The second time, I walked around and found the stores to be all completed, but it was the same old stuff you find everywhere, and I thought it was over-priced. I watched some other cruise passengers walking past the fences into the "real Jamaica", so decided I would follow suit. Oh, my goodness. I bet I walked about 10 feet, and decided this was not a great idea. There were "vendors" though I was a bit worried about what they were "sellling"............I marched myself back to the ship as fast as I could. I will NEVER get off the ship there again.

 

Barb

[ikirumata]

Last time we were in Jamaica, the ship ported in Montego Bay. Right at the port, there were several vendors selling wood carvings. We did not see these kinds of carvings on any of the other ports we went to (Cozumel, Grand Cayman). Did these vendors move to Falmouth with the cruise ships?

[Trainman-2]

Yes the wood carvings are there, thousands of them!

 

We really enjoyed the Captain Hook Pirate Adventure.

 

It was a nice show with a lunch that was just barely "OK" (hot dogs & fries) but overall, a fun adventure.

[parrotfeathers]

I loved the wood carvings and enjoyed walking around the newly constructed port area. By all means get off the ship!

[luvbrady]

As my friend put it, we enjoyed the 'fake culture'. The port has, as mentioned, the usual offerings. We were there in early Dec. so things were still opening up and we just went to poke around. They also have some historical information and the such. Once you pass through the gates you are in Jamacia, mon... I find the vendors much too aggressive for my tastes. We made it one block and headed back after one too many "Hey, Sexy"s. Even 20 years ago they weren't lining up to yell that at me LOL.

 

So I say go ahead, poke around a bit- then enjoy the less crowded ship.

[Ohiocruiser]

We were lucky enough to be there when Prince Harry was there!! I still cannot believe how close we were to him. Before he came, my daughter and I ventured outside of the gates......bad move on our part. All of a sudden we were surrounded by people trying to take us to there stalls. A lot of pulling going on, we turned around and went back inside. The people on the inside were 100% better, and actually very kind. Lots of same stuff in each store, but something to see for a first time visit.We did buy some pretty cool wooden bowls, and I was glad that we did get off the ship.

[kruzerci]

We had a great time in Falmouth!

[cruisinpoler]

Pardon my stupidity... I was thinking of Labadee... we had a blast in Falmouth. Did the Jamaican Bobsled. sorry :)

[Hstergo]

I was just there and had fun the carvings and paintings are about 1/3 the price of what is charged in Nassau and we took a cab ride to Leons lobster hut he is right on the beach just past the breezes hotel w my wife and I had a total of 5 really nice sized lobster for 60 bucks and it was some of the best I ever had.

[mtsnd1900]

At one point in time, you would have found me telling you to stay on the ship and away from the island. But we went there in the fall and decided to join some friends with a private tour, and glad we did.

 

We were 4 couples who hired Pete Taylor to take us around for the day on his new, air conditioned bus. Took us to Rose Hall, a local restaurant with some very good food, and a few other stops off the beaten path. This was the first time we hired a private tour on this island, and so glad we did - new appreciation for the people and culture.

 

Spent the last hour walking around Falmouth area, near the ship, but outside the gates. The people are hustlers, in your face, and demending - it is in their nature on the island. Go with it, and enjoy the local flavor. They are actually some very nice people once you talk to them, and very proud of the port and what has become of the area.

 

The local sellers have to pay a pretty penny to get on the approved list of vendors, and they only let a certain amount per day get set up = the people are trying to make their money the day they are set up, because it will be a few days before they can come back. The town is also putting a lot of the locals through courtesy style classes, teaching them that most tourists doint like the forementioned in your face approach. They are getting better.

 

If you ahve been to Jamaica, get off for a little while and check out the port, but go outside the cruise line owned junk stores. Grab some jerk chicken at a locals stand, and a Red Stripe or two.

 

Cant believe I am saying this, and contradicting posts from 2 years ago, but I look forward to going back and seeing how it progressed, and meeting back up w/ Pete.

 

The ship will be empty, if you are a flowrider enthusiast, looking to do some rock climbing, or getting in a zip line, stay on the ship. Otherwise, these things will be waiting for you when you come back.

[read52]

We went to Falmouth last April when things were not quite finished. We had never been to Jamaica so we wanted to see it. We were 59 and my husband has health problems. Someone from our roll call suggested a plantation tour which we did and loved it. We saw Rosehall (the home of the famous White Witch) and two other plantations. We ended up in the Rosehall shopping area from which we could take a free bus back to the ship area. We shopped in the inside area and found a great walking stick.

We had a great day and then went to the pools on the ship. There are two places that we will never get off the ship but only after we experienced them.

[lysolqn]

We did the trolley ride that leaves from the shopping area. It was $15 pp (this was in Feb,2012) and about an hour long. We had a wonderful guide(she had been the guide for Prince Harry when he visited there) and was very well-spoken and informative. The ride gave a nice overview ofthe area and we were able to go inside a very old church with an interesting history. Some of the areas we went through were pretty run-down, but we had no trouble at all with any "unsavory" characters or offers of drugs, etc.. All in all it was a pleasant way to spend an hour and gave you a feel for the area.:)

 

Glad you enjoyed your trolley ride. With all due respect, I'm guessing every Jamaican tour guide's claim to fame now is that he/she was Prince Harry's tour guide when he visited! How your guide could have made that claim is especially interesting since you note your cruise was in Februrary 2012 and the prince's visit wasn't until March 5 - 8, 2012.