Ocho Rios

[Bcshur]

After doing some research, I realized that RC no longer has an itinerary that includes Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I was there a few years ago and have always said I would never go back. Cayman Islands are beautiful however that itinerary always had Jamaica in it so never opted to go back. Does anyone have any information on this? I am sure it's no longer being offered because the natives in Jamaica were terrible and many cruisers have complained! They dropped you right in the middle of a ghetto area and the people hounded/stalked and were down right nasty to cruisers! Just curious if anyone knows anything about this.

[DonnaK]

The reason RCI dropped Ocho Rios is that they build a new terminal and port area in Falmouth Jamaica to accomodate Oasis/Allure, and now they use Falmouth for all ships calling on Jamaica on the Western itinerary.

[Bcshur]

Makes sense! Anyone have any imput with Falmouth? My first experience with Jamaica was terrible, so I am not even sure if I would ever go back.

[yogimax]

Makes sense! Anyone have any imput with Falmouth? My first experience with Jamaica was terrible, so I am not even sure if I would ever go back.

 

RCCL has one great tour, IMHO, from Falmouth. It includes a visit to an elementary school and tour of a local plantation.

 

The shopping area within the port is also fine. They have a very nice selection of hand carved wood.

[tiptopz]

We stopped in Falmouth on our cruise in Jan/12. We took an excursion to Ocho Rios (Dunn's River Falls & Dolphin Swim) and although it was fun, I don't feel it was worth the $200/person we paid for it. I don't understand what the big hype about Jamaica is. I found the people almost TOO friendly to be believable. Much preferred Cozumel, although starting off I was SURE Jamiaca was going to be my favourite.

[UCF_Knight]

They haven't completely abandoned Ochos Rios yet, just almost completely. Independence of the Seas will call in Ochos Rios on its 6 night Western Carib. itineraries this winter.

[PhoenixCruiser]

They haven't completely abandoned Ochos Rios yet, just almost completely. Independence of the Seas will call in Ochos Rios on its 6 night Western Carib. itineraries this winter.

 

I was just going to post the same thing :)

 

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[Ander026]

I went to Ocho Rios with the Navigator last December during the 6 day cruise. One of my favorite Tours is the Jamacan bobsled ontop of Mystic Mountain. Great views of the ship, great coaster, a nice pool with a slide. Pool was quite as most people were leaving and going to Dunns River. I stayed at the pool and took in the slide after I got done with the bobsleds

[Jenn31708]

We did Ocho Rios a few years ago on the Liberty, and I think it was my favorite stop.

 

We did the river tubing, which is beyond amazing. Anyone thinking about this excursion in Jamaica.... DO IT!!!!

 

Then the bus dropped us off near Jimmy Buffets where we had some lunch, did some shopping and headed back to the ship a few hours later.

 

I'm really disappointed we're not going back to Jamaica on our next cruise. :mad:

[Coralc]

The reason RCI dropped Ocho Rios is that they build a new terminal and port area in Falmouth Jamaica to accomodate Oasis/Allure, and now they use Falmouth for all ships calling on Jamaica on the Western itinerary.

 

We had Ocho Rios on our Serenade itinerary in 2013 up until 2 weeks ago, when they switched it to Falmouth. We were kind of curious to see Ocho Rios.

 

Also switched was Nassau to Grand Cayman. That one we are happy about. :D

[lady_mac]

I was on the Navigator in February, and Ocho Rios was one of our ports.

[Merion_Mom]

We did Ocho Rios a few years ago on the Liberty, and I think it was my favorite stop.

 

We did the river tubing, which is beyond amazing. Anyone thinking about this excursion in Jamaica.... DO IT!!!!

 

Then the bus dropped us off near Jimmy Buffets where we had some lunch, did some shopping and headed back to the ship a few hours later.

 

I'm really disappointed we're not going back to Jamaica on our next cruise. :mad:

 

Pretty kitty!

[Smith0154]

After doing some research, I realized that RC no longer has an itinerary that includes Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I was there a few years ago and have always said I would never go back. Cayman Islands are beautiful however that itinerary always had Jamaica in it so never opted to go back. Does anyone have any information on this? I am sure it's no longer being offered because the natives in Jamaica were terrible and many cruisers have complained! They dropped you right in the middle of a ghetto area and the people hounded/stalked and were down right nasty to cruisers! Just curious if anyone knows anything about this.

 

Jamaica is not one of my favorite places to go on a cruise, but for me its simple, if I don't like an island I just stay on the ship and enjoy the pool and other amenities. I might get off the ship briefly to walk around the pier and immediate area for a short period of time. I too am not a big fan of the western Caribbean itineraries. The only island that I like is Grand Cayman and this is mainly because I am a diver.

 

Smitty

[Ocean Boy]

I love Jamaica and Ocho Rios. I'm quite sorry that with the new port in Falmouth it takes so long to get to Ocho Rios now.

 

And in all of the years that I have been on these boards this has got to be the first time that I have heard anyone refer to Jamaicans as being "too friendly".

[galavant3]

I went to Ocho Rios with the Navigator last December during the 6 day cruise. One of my favorite Tours is the Jamacan bobsled ontop of Mystic Mountain. Great views of the ship, great coaster, a nice pool with a slide. Pool was quite as most people were leaving and going to Dunns River. I stayed at the pool and took in the slide after I got done with the bobsleds

 

I have to agree - this was great! We took a leisurely ride on a lift up the mountain with great views. Then, the ride on the bobsled was great. After we got to the bottom we were pulled back up the track and had an opportunity to take great photos. Finally, another leisurely ride down the lift. I loved it!

 

And we didn't even do the slide! Next time!

[sdrocks]

Do not like Jamaica at all. The natives are creepy and overbearing.

We went to Dunns River Falls and had to endure the market to get out.

People agressive and overbearing. Did not feel safe. While waiting for our

return transportation a man tried to get us to use him - he was shooed away by security. Would not have used him anyway.

The second time we went we were with our son, dau-in-law & 16 mo old

granddaughter. Tried to just walk around a little bit and the natives kept

trying to touch our granddaughter and sell us wierd trinkets. We are on

Allure in Oct and stopping in Falmouth - not excited about that, but may get off briefly - will definitely not take an excursion to Ocho Rios. Wish we were going to Grand Cayman instead. Much nicer .

[m*u*g*]

We liked ocho rios. Only negative we saw were a couple of cabbies fighting in the shopping center parking lot. Over territory I assume.

 

The chair lift was nice, people were nice in general and never hounded us for everything from buying a dang hat to getting a cab, like in Nassau (what a horrid place-Never again).

[rushedmom]

We had Ocho Rios on our Serenade itinerary in 2013 up until 2 weeks ago, when they switched it to Falmouth. We were kind of curious to see Ocho Rios.

 

Also switched was Nassau to Grand Cayman. That one we are happy about. :D

 

Don't think you are missing much by not going to Ocho Rios. And anytime one can get to Grand Cayman it is a great thing!:)

[jennmaybe]

We had a bad experience in Jamaica last year, so needless to say, that is not a place we care to go back to. It was nothing like what we expected. We'll be going back next year on Allure, but we'll be staying on the ship!

[rushedmom]

We had a bad experience in Jamaica last year, so needless to say, that is not a place we care to go back to. It was nothing like what we expected. We'll be going back next year on Allure, but we'll be staying on the ship!

 

I think if I went to Fallmouth I would maybe check out the port shopping but would get straight back on the ship. Had a bad experience 6 years ago in Jamacia and have never been back.

[I082692]

i have been to Mo Bay about 6 times and have always just took a taxi to Dr Cave beach. The Irie Mon beach break offered through CCL is the next beach over.. Done that too.. Everything else is too long of a bus/ taxi ride from Mo Bay. One time we walked down the hip strip from Dr Cave to Margaritaville. The people are high pressure and its just not worth it. I wouldnt say i ever felt unsafe but even the taxi drivers arguing over you kinda put you in the middle.. When we were ready to leave Dr Cave this last time this taxi driver showed me his credentials, asked if we were ready, so we said sure.. The next thing i know he was in an argument with some people. Then one of the people he was arguing with told me "sir, this is not how we do it here.. we have a process and this man is not following the process." I was like, well i just need to get back to the ship. Yall work it out. Then he started cussing at the guy. I was in a group of 10 with 6 kids.. Thanks alot! I too will try to avoid Jamaica if at all possible. Add Belize to that list of dont care to go back to as well.

[mommabean]

After all the bad things we've read here about Ocho Rios we never wanted to go.

 

We ended up there for the first and only time on a cruise less than a year ago. We were both pleasantly surprised. Not only was a beautiful from the ship, we had no problem walking outside the port area and getting a good deal from a cab driver who was on an off day from the inside port area. We had a private tour for cheap and he was always where he said he'd be when we got back from what we were doing. We opted out of the group walk up Dunns River Falls and did it on our own. This was no problem. Of course people wanted us to buy things in the market on the way out. They are more aggressive in Cozumel but we love it there, too. Smile at them, say no, keep walking. No big deal.

 

He took us to see other sites and to a nice indoor AC'd shop where they gave us free water or beer even if we didn't buy anything. DH got them down on the price of a shirt he wanted anyway.

 

The jerk center was fun and tasty.

 

I met a sweet lady named Shauna in the shops next to the ship who weaves from pandanas leaves that her husband prepares. If we told any cab drivers we didn't need a ride, they'd just say, "alright, have a nice day". If that's too nice, I hope they keep being that way.

 

We'd love to go back. It's a shame they aren't going there much anymore. The only place I'd gladly NOT go to again is Acapulco.

 

Gina

[yogimax]

 

I too will try to avoid Jamaica if at all possible. Add Belize to that list of dont care to go back to as well.

 

Agree! We enjoy walking around the local ports rather than the excursions.

 

In Belize, we walked from the ship to the downtown area. There was really nothing there and I can forego the guy approaching me with a snake draped around his neck. We did buy some stuff from a mother and daughter sitting by the side of the road, but I have no desire to go back to Belize. Ditto Jamaica, although what RCCL has done in the immediate port area at Falmouth is quite nice.

[yogimax]

 

They are more aggressive in Cozumel but we love it there, too. Smile at them, say no, keep walking. No big deal.

 

Gina

 

Gina, your comment about Cozumel really surprises me. We have been there numerous times and love walking around the downtown area. I have never felt the vendors were aggressive. Certainly less than you would experience in Jamaica, Labadee and the old Straw Market in Nassau.

 

Did you experience this in the downtown area or some other place. Just curious!

[mommabean]

Gina, your comment about Cozumel really surprises me. We have been there numerous times and love walking around the downtown area. I have never felt the vendors were aggressive. Certainly less than you would experience in Jamaica, Labadee and the old Straw Market in Nassau.

 

Did you experience this in the downtown area or some other place. Just curious!

 

Just downtown. Especially around jewelry stores. They all call to us and want us to come in. I'm calling that aggressive - although it's not really. I'm just saying I got it more in Cozumel than in Ocho Rios. We still like Cozumel because DH speaks spanish so he plays with them. No, I wouldn't say really aggressive. That's in Acapulco. It's just that we had none of this aggression we read about in Jamaica. We had a really nice time and found that all the Jamaicans were quite polite.

 

Let's just say I have more people calling out to me in Cozumel when I go downtown than I had the one time I went to Ocho Rios. Aggression is really too strong of a word. I'll save that word for Acapulco.

 

I've never been to Labadee. And I avoid the Straw Market. :eek:

 

Come to think of it, Cozumel IS the port where the vendors between the ship and the car rental stalls ARE pretty verbal. Almost every single stall will call out to me and ask me to come in and look. Let's just call them pushy, not aggressive. I didn't get that in Ocho Rios either.

 

Gina