Falmouth Port Shops And Restaurants

[Cruzin Grandma]

We’ve been to Jamaica many times and have done all of the main touristy things.  What types of shopping is there at the port, also are there any restaurants or bars besides Margaritaville at the port?  

[iluvthe-c]

Check on your cruise line's site for those islands restricted to disembarking only if you have a ship sponsored excursion.

We were in Falmouth the 2nd week of Feb and this was the case for us on the Celebrity Reflection.   We did the bamboo river float excursion and then were dropped off at the port shops entrance.  We wandered into Margaritaville rather than making a beeline to the ship.  (I am unsure of any other food establishments).

What we found was a fully staffed restaurant and bar with zero customers.  The staff members were completely in the dark about passengers not being allowed to just get off the ship and shop/drink/eat.

We felt so bad for them.  We proceeded to enjoy the pool, food, & drinks for a few hours.

Once in a lifetime experience I'm sure to have an entire Margaritaville to ourselves.  Was the most fun day of our cruise!  We tipped the staff very well.  Not sure why Celebrity was not allowing people off the ship.  Surely they could have confined passengers to the port shop area.  

 

[katiel53]

I did see that Falmouth is one of the ports that we would need an excursion to get off the ship.  I just want to be sure that we can't get off the ship and go to the port area, not leaving that area, without an excursion.  

 

The reason I ask if that we were told the same thing in St Kitts in Nov, so we booked an excursion through the ship only to find out once we were in St Kitts that we could just get off the ship without an excursion if we stayed in the port area where the shops were.

 

Thanks.

[iluvthe-c]

I have seen repeatedly that Falmouth is one of the 4 or 5 in the Caribbean that is still sticking to those guidelines to date.  

My advice would be to do an excursion and then shop and support the vendors in the port area before getting back on the ship.  I do not know what other cruise lines are doing but no one was allowed to get off the ship for any reason except for a ship sponsored excursion when we were there in early February.

[WendyVF]

I found this on the Royal Caribbean website:

[KyleDefends]

We were in Falmouth on March 15 on the Celebrity Reflection.  They did open the port area up to everyone onboard and said that this is a new thing.  Only those on ship sponsored shore excursions were permitted beyond the port area.  Margaritaville was open.  I noticed Dairy Queen was also open by I really didn't look for restaurants.  It appeared maybe half of the shops are open currently.

[monkeydoughnut]

Royal Caribbean website has removed Falmouth from the list now. Last I heard talking from a local operator was they were waiting on various tour groups to get government authorization which is expected at any time.

[flames05]

I still see Falmouth on the list of ports where you need a "government approved" tour or a RC excursion when I look at my SetSail pass info (I am on Harmony May 1). Does "government approved" refer to the tour operator or the tour itself. I have booked a private, independent tour to go to the Blue Hole and then Scotchies for lunch. I have used this company before and they are a reputable company with excellent service. They sent instructions on where to meet them at the port and  have not indicated I will have any problem taking this tour.  I am seeing conflicting information on different online forums  boards about whether this is allowed. Has anyone left the port at Falmouth lately. Does anyone stop you or check ID or vaccination status (or anything)?