RCCL Excursion: Dunn's River Transfer

[Daisy P]

We'd like to experience the Dunn's River Falls on our upcoming Harmony cruise, so the Dunn's River Transfer excursion seems like the easiest way to go. I haven't found many reviews about this exact excursion and the ones I've seen haven't been too good. Has someone done this excursion recently and would you recommend it?

 

Basically, what DH and I (both in our early 30s) are interested in would be the transportation to the falls, and we would preferably like to do the climbing on our own at our own pace, without having to take part in the hand holding with strangers and other group activities that the guides seem to put you through. (For a couple of Scandinavian introverts like ourselves, the stuff like the first 6 minutes of this video would be just painful and awkward:

:o ;)).

 

If we took the Dunn's River Transfer excursion, would it be posssible to separate ourselves from the group and go about it on our on until it's time to get back to the bus?

 

A couple of practical questions: Is there a place to change out of your wet swimwear before leaving the falls? Do people leave their towells (and dry clothes) in the bus while climbing the falls?

 

I know we'll need watershoes to climb the falls, and a water proof backpack would be handy. Any other tips for this excursion, if we decide to book it?

 

Thanks for your help!

[welshrich]

Hi

 

We did the tour with RCI a few years ago that included climbing the falls, from what I recall there are changing huts there and you can also hire water shoes if you want to.

 

I would point out though, that part of the fun is doing it with a group, some parts of the falls are extremely slippery and steep and you need (or at least we did) help, I had thought it would be easy but it was harder than I thought. Also, with the RCI tour the ship photographers are there to capture the moment.

[Daisy P]

Would the guide also be from the ship (along with the photographer)?

 

Any other experiences or reviews of this excursion?

[bigque]

We did the falls in 2013 and it was call the Dunns River Falls Express. It was a fun time. If you go you will go in groups led by a guide that works for the Falls along with a photographer that works for them also. Unless things have changed the photographer was not from the ship. Before the bus leaves to head back they will have made a DVD of all the pictures they took and will offer it for sell. There are stairs along side of the falls which people can take pictures and videos of you climbing the falls which is what my wife did because she did not want to climb the falls so we did not need to purchase the DVD. There are places to change out of your wet clothes. the only what I would consider the bad part of the experience is when you are walking out back to the parking lot. You have to walk through a vendor area of locals selling things. They are quite aggressive but we just walked through with a no thank you and kept walking! Expand my signature below and there is a review in my Freedom of the Seas Review.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Would the guide also be from the ship (along with the photographer)?

 

Any other experiences or reviews of this excursion?

 

This was not our experience. RCCL contracts the excursion and the guide will be assigned to you upon arriving to the falls. This includes the photographer and/or videographer. (might be the same person, I'm not sure) It's only my opinion, but I don't think you'll be allowed to climb the falls on your own. I also don't believe you'll want to as well. The climb is pretty systematic by all guides, groups, and therefore climbers.

 

Having said this, it's not that bad to share the experience with others. You'll quickly find yourself enjoying others in the group. And you'll learn to rely on their help and offer an extension of assistance as well.

 

Enjoy!

[flaca]

I did the fall two years ago and thank God I was with a group and guide. I thought I was cute climbing a certain area of the falls and got such an anxiety attack with the water pressure. The groups and guide worked to help me out of that situation. They also help set the pace to get from bottom to the top which takes longer then excepted.

[KelJ]

Our group of six climbed the falls several years ago and loved it. The excursion we booked through RCCL was a snorkeling/falls combo, so we arrived by boat and left by boat, thus avoiding the market at the top. After you climb the falls, you can walk back down along the side to the beach and boat. Water shoes are a must. The entire climb was shaded, so we didn't have to worry about losing hats or sunglasses.

When we went, you had to climb as a group. Our guide was great. He really assisted my mom a lot. I wouldn't have wanted to climb it without the "human chain."

The person videoing was not from the ship. We paid for the DVD at the falls, and then it was delivered to the ship before we left Jamaica. Take a water camera too, as there are several fun photo ops.

[Daisy P]

We are back from our cruise and we did do the Dunn's River Transfer excursion. This it how it went down:

 

We got off the ship and walked to the platform where most of the excursions started from. We were met by a nice young lady who would be our guide for the day and she gave us wrist bands with her name on it. We waited until the whole group had gathered (about 15-20 in total) and we were led into a minibus.

 

The ride to the falls was about an hour an we stopped once to rent watershoes for those who didn't have any. It was very interesting to listen to the guide as she told us some facts about Jamaica, but I really did not enjoy the "ice breakers" or how she kept making us say "ya man" etc.

 

When we arrived at the falls we were adviced to leave everything we didn't want to get wet on the bus. That was good, so we didn't have to worry about lockers or anything. We were in our swimwear and water shoes.The guide got us entrance wristbands and explained where we would meet when everyone would have completed the climb (not a specifc time, just as soon as we would be done). The tour guide did not climb with us but we were divided between different fall guides to do the climb.

 

The place was packed! Our fall guide was a nice and quiet older man but there were also photographers who were more loud. It was time for the dreaded "let's hold hands" bit even though we were not even in the water yet. That was the most awkward part. Me and my husband took the end of the line and as soon as we got in to the water we started taking photos and enjoying the water and just hung behind the line. Holding hands just didn't make sense (I wanted to use both hands when climbing, that felt the safest!). No one else held hands the entire time either. In the hardest parts the guide stayed and helped everyone individually by hand.

 

When we arrived at the top, we waited for the rest of the group and walked back to the buss. Then we drove to the Reggae Hill where you could buy lunch if you wanted to, or you could just chill or swim in the river. For us this was actually the most enjoyable part of the excursion! Me and my husband were the only ones swimming in the river and it was very relaxing! Every once in a while a group of people floeted by down the river in tubes (holding hands ;)) and we were happy to be there chilling at our own phase! The Reggae Hill stop was supposed to be 30 min but it was over an hour.

 

There was one more stop for some shopping on our way back to port, but it was very short as no one wanted to buy anything.

 

To sum it up, climbing the falls was pretty much what we expected, it was an experience to tick off of your list (and we got some cool photos), and this excursion was the simplest way to do it. The Reggae Hill stop was a nice bonus for us. So we're glad we did the excursion!