Ocho Rios excursions outside of the norm...

[onlineangel]

Looking for personal recommendations for excursions in Ocho Rios that do NOT include the below listed activities. I've looked around and seems most excursions fall into these categories I am not interested in.

Cruise line offered option I am considering is Green Grotto caves but would rather book with reputable local company directly rather than the line.
I did find "Countryside Sightseeing with Lunch" provided by Shore Excursions Group but cannot locate any actual reviews of this tour. I know SEG is just the broker but no clue who they use. I don't think I'd be up for booking it without someone that has personally done it recommending it. If it's just 5 hrs of people begging us to buy stuff, not interested.

 

Worst case, will just stay on ship or maybe just head over to Margaritaville for awhile...

 

Fyi, we are mid to late 40s, appreciate good food and drink (read: alcohol), and having fun.
One note is really large crowds filled with annoying people make me want to punch someone (don't think I'd actually do it though!). This is why I tend to shy away from excursions booked through cruise line as I prefer smaller groups rather than playing "let's see how many people we can shove in this single excursion."

 

Not interested in:
Falls
dolphins
kayaking
horseback riding
bobsledding
snorkeling
ziplining
tubing
all day beach day

[kcsavage]

I apologize in advance if the Blue Hole falls into the "falls" category for you.  Our family went on an island tour, Blue Hole, and lunch at Scotchies with Ricardo Riley from libertytoursjamaica@gmail.com and it was one of the best excursions we've ever been on.  He took just us and will change the trip to be just what you want it to be (for example, we aren't ever interested in stopping to shop).  The Blue Hole was soooo beautiful and lots of fun for our entire family.  It wasn't crowded and we didn't feel rushed at all.  Lunch was delicious at the Red Stripes were cold :-).  Hope that helps and if interested I'd give them a try.

[onlineangel]

On 1/17/2020 at 1:20 PM, kcsavage said:

I apologize in advance if the Blue Hole falls into the "falls" category for you.  Our family went on an island tour, Blue Hole, and lunch at Scotchies with Ricardo Riley from libertytoursjamaica@gmail.com and it was one of the best excursions we've ever been on.  He took just us and will change the trip to be just what you want it to be (for example, we aren't ever interested in stopping to shop).  The Blue Hole was soooo beautiful and lots of fun for our entire family.  It wasn't crowded and we didn't feel rushed at all.  Lunch was delicious at the Red Stripes were cold :-).  Hope that helps and if interested I'd give them a try.

Does Blue Hole have different activities and things to see other than falls/water? We aren't interested in any climbing/jumping/swimming.

 

I will look into Liberty Tours Jamaica - thanks!

Edited January 20, 2020 by onlineangel

[CntPAcruiser]

Check out Chris Jamaica Tours, private guided van tour, and we set up what we wanted to do in advance. We were in port in Ocho Rios. His website mentions the Appleton Rum Estate as an option, and he took our small group to an excellent out-of-the-way jerk barbecue place for lunch. I think you can arrange with him to see whatever you want and skip what you don't.

https://www.chrisjamaicatours.com/about

 

[beshears]

I just book with Liberty Tours Jamaica, as was suggested above (I had booked before I just seen this now).  I would have liked for my 3 sons to have done the Dunn's River Falls or Blue Hole, but they didn't want my friend and I just "watching" while they were having all the fun, so they told me to pick out something to do.  I really didn't know what to do in Ocho Rios, but contacted Ricardo, and told him we did not want to do either of those falls, and just an idea of what we might want to do.  I don't know what he has planned, but I have a feeling for the 4 - 5 hours we will be touring, and the cost, we will be fine. 🙂