Peat Taylor Tour Experience

[shellie100]

After reviewing several tour companies in Jamaica, we chose to take a tour via Peat Taylor tours.  It was ok, but I wouldn't use them again. Here was our experience.  Let me know if you have any questions.  Happy Sailing!

 

We contacted Peat Taylor Tours for a Nov 14th tour to visit Island Gully Falls, Dunn’s River Falls, and eat jerk chicken, and booked for the day at $75pp. We were told that there would be 4-8 people in our tour and, true to their word, we we in a party of four. We all disembarked immediately upon arriving in Falmouth, so we were quickly in the van and off we went.  The driver Nigel, was not very talkative or informative.  He didn’t really explain the order of what were doing or how long it would take to get there.  In talking amongst ourselves we came to understand that the other couple had an Island Gully Falls/Dunn’s River Falls/Horseback Riding Tour.  The driver didn’t acknowledge this or explain this, but finally said he would take my partner and me to Margaritaville while the other couple was horseback riding.  We didn’t have a choice but we were fine with it.

 

Island Gully Falls was amazing and fun.  Dunn’s River Falls was great too.  Afterwards, Nigel brought us to some hole in the wall for jerk chicken, which was out of the way.  This was a little concerning because 1) there was a place on the way that we all wanted to eat at, and 2) the day was going fast and Falmouth is a long way from the the falls, and, as Nigel said, time was not on our side.  Regardless, we didn’t have the choice, and the food was mediocre at best.  While we were waiting for our food, my partner asked Nigel if he was going to be eating too, he said he was.  When we got the bill, we were charged for Nigel’s meal, the server said we told Nigel he should eat.  Ummm, no, we did not say that.  But, fine, we paid the $12 because hey, we were in Jamaica and our lives were in his hands.  Then he said we were going to take the other couple horseback riding.  We stopped at this random place on the side of the road while he had someone take this couple on a 30 min horseback ride through a trash-filled beach, while my partner and I waited in the car (not at Margaritaville).  The other couple was furious, they described the disgusting experience, and wished they had been stuck in the van with us instead. They were really mad, and I don’t blame them, I would have been mad, too. By now, we were truly running late, and we all just wanted to be back on the ship.  We were 60 min away form the ship (assuming no issues), and all aboard was in 90 min.  He got us to the ship, but everyone (including the driver) was frazzled and frustrated by the time we got there.

 

I would not recommend Peat Taylor tours.  This was a much different experience than what I expected and what I have experienced in using private tour companies.

 

PROS:

• Safe, comfortable transportation
• We had a blast at both the Island Gully Falls and the Dunn’s River Falls
• We made it back to the ship on time

 

CONS:

• Brought to a mediocre restaurant, not the one we wanted
• Driver was not personable, didn’t explain what was going on
• Grouped with a couple booking a different experience
• Had to wait in the vehicle while they other couple did horseback riding
• Booking process seemed disjointed, I had to repeatedly contact them to confirm