Island Village, Ocho Rios

[Robinob]

Can anyone tell me how far it is betwwen the VOS dock and Island Village in Ocho Rios? I hear that it is in walking distance. Is it worth the visit? We have an excursion in the morning, until 1:15, and would like to have lunch in Margaritaville.

 

Until my next cruise.

 

[dolphincruiser404]

It depends on what side the ship docks at. We docked right in front of Island Village, the Carnival ship docked around the corner. It is worth it! We spent the day there last week. The beach is great and so is Margaritaville and the shopping! There was security so you were not hassled by the natives! It was a great day!

[Cruising Forever!]

As a matter of fact, we were there just last week on NOS!!! It's definitely within walking distance- stay on the right hand side of the street after leaving the dock area and you can't miss the entrance. The walk is probably ten minutes (?) but we were stopping at the little shops along the way near the pier. It's a very short walk. Nobody bothered us or anything.

 

At the entrance, there was a guy on stilts handing out coupons for a free shot at Margaritaville. btw- wear a bathing suit under your clothes if you want to use the pay beach nearby- it's $3 to get in or $5 if you want a chair. It looked like a clean and uncluttered beach when we arrived last Tuesday.

 

At any rate, the whole Island Village place was a great experience for us! It made us rethink our opinion of Jamaica- an opinion formed ten years ago. We now have a much better opinion of this island.

 

Happy sailing!

Paul

 

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[superjerryw]

The Island Village is a short walk from the pier and would be a fine place to spend the morning. As mentioned there is a small beach that is perfect for just hanging out for a couple of hours. Unlike the last poster, my overall opinion of Jamaica has not changed. The Island Village, like other shopping areas in Jamaica is completely fenced in to keep the local people away from the tourists. If you venture outside, it's the same old Jamaica.

 

 

Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[addicted2traveling]

Definately worth a visit! If we ever go back to Ocho Rios we will ONLY visit Island Village and eat at Margaritaville. It was the only pleasant experience we had there!

[Garycruz]

I will be visiting Jamaica in August on the Enchantment of the Seas along with my wife and two kids aged 13 and 17.

 

Can anyone tell me if Isand Village is the beach located near Margaritaville? We would like to visit the beach and we've also heard many good things about Margaritaville.

 

We were orginally thinking of doing the Dunns River Falls excursion, but we're now considering staying at the beach/Margaritaville all day. Does it seem feasible to stay there all day or is it more like something that's better to visit for just a couple of hours?

 

The ideal situtation would be if we were able to stay at the beach (we all love the beach) all day on lounge chairs and grab a bite to eat or drink in Margaritville. I heard there's supposed to be a pool with a nice slide in Margaritaville. I hoping between the beach and the pool, it would be enough to keep us busy throught the day. I'm also curious as to what the chances are that our lounge chairs would still be there when we came back from the restaurant. Would we have to give them up or is there someone there who will look after them?

 

Any help from someone whose been there would be greatly appreciated.

 

Atlantic- August 1982

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Until family Enchantment

 

[CinWin]

We were at Island Village last week. We rented 2 chairs at the beach ($5 each). When we walked over to Margaritaville for lunch and drinks, we took our camera and beach bag with us. Left our towels and sun tan lotion on the chairs. It seemed safe there and other beachgoers from the ship were all around us. Nobody bothered our things and chairs. It was a convenient place to go since it was so close to the ship. In the past, we've been on various tours in Ocho Rios, so this was a perfect day for us this time. Otherwise, we would have just stayed on the ship and enjoyed the pool while it was not crowded.

 

Enchantment 5/1

[superjerryw]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Garycruz:

 

Can anyone tell me if Isand Village is the beach located near Margaritaville? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Margaritaville is located inside Island Village. If you use the beach there is a charge of $3 per person. For an additional $2 you get a chair. There is an attendant there so you should not have to woryy about your chair.

 

 

Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[judyf]

We're booked for the 4 hour Peat Taylar Dunns River tour. Hads anyone gone to Magaritaville after a tour like this? Is there enough time to just enough as drink and the beach?

 

Any thoughts welcomed!

 

Judy

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[Nancy O]

If you go into Margaritaville and order a drink you can get a wrist band that gets you onto the beach for free. And they have a beach entrance from Margaritaville. But if you want to use the water trampoline or a lounger they will charge you for that.

 

Nancy

Voyager 2/04

Voyager 2/03

Grand 2/02

[evanskl4]

judyf - I did the Dunns River Falls tour and then went to Margaritaville afterwards. We had plenty of time to have lunch and sit in the swim up bar and have a drink. SO relaxing!

 

Kelly

 

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[Family of 14]

What is this Island Village? What is the name of the beach?

 

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[Rustynail]

We loved the Island Village and Margaritaville. We also rented chairs on the beach and drank wonderful frozen fruit drinks. We swam in the ocean and soaked up the sun on the beach. When we had enough sun we walked up to the bar and had many many drinks with folks from our ship.

 

It was a great time. I even entered a dance competition and won!!! and I have three left feet...go ask my wife.

 

The complex is fun, hassle free and plently to see and do. I personally don't understand when people say their not getting off the ship at Ocho Rio's because it's definately worth the effort,.

 

Have fun.

 

Dan

 

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[Nancy O]

Island Village is a gated area with numerous shops and even a casino, but I do not think it is open during the day. Margaritaville (MV) is located within this gated area. There is also an entrance to the beach without going through MV where they charge about $3pp to use the beach and more for the lounge chairs and the use of the water trampoline. MV has a pool with a water slide. And they give away free shots of booze they call "sex on the beach" to people and there is a guy that makes balloon animals for the kids. Plus the food is pretty good!

 

Nancy

Voyager 2/04

Voyager 2/03

Grand 2/02

[Lady_Krystal]

My neighbor just came back from OR and said there was a place in or by misland village/margaritiaville where you can rent wave runners. Does anyone know where this is or how must it costs? Thanx ~Lady K

 

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[Family of 14]

Nancy O - Is Island Village the new place that has been built? I thought that their was a charge for MV as well as a charge for the beach/chair. Thanks in advance for the info.

 

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[dolphincruiser404]

You can rent waverunners, etc right at Island Village!

[Patgo]

It is wonderful and the only reason to get off the ship. We spent the day there and plan do to the same when we go in November.

[Nancy O]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Family of 14:

Nancy O - Is Island Village the new place that has been built? I thought that their was a charge for MV as well as a charge for the beach/chair. Thanks in advance for the info.

 

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I do not know how old the place is, but we visited in 2003 and 2004. I think it may be one of the newer ones. But the whole area of Island Village seems pretty new.

There is no charge to get in Margaritaville (or Island Village), at least there wasn't in Feb 04 or 03. we spent the whole day there. You could get a wrist band to use the beach, but would have to pay $5 to use the water trampoline and I do not know how much to rent a lounge chair. we stayed in the bar around the pool. Our 16 y/o son loved it. It was a great day. some of our group did the Dunn's River Falls and then met us later at MV. Plus there were a lot of people who just stopped in to eat after their excursions, the prices were resonable.

 

Nancy

Voyager 2/04

Voyager 2/03

Grand 2/02

[Iwuvcruisin]

I'm just curious to know how many of you eat off the ship? My husband and I will be going to Margaritaville and Island Village. We will have a frozen drink (or two, LOL) there but will go back to the ship to eat. We just can't justify buying food off the ship when we get if for free on the ship.

 

Countdown until Voyager of the Seas

[florida cruising]

I have been wondering about eating off the ship also. How much is it a hassle and how long does it take to go back to the ship to eat?

 

Mariner 6/6/04

[bld24]

I've been there twice. First time we docked to the right(Carnival Victory) and it was walking distance. Second time we docked to the left(NCL) and it is not walking distance.(It's along a road and around a bend). Prices at Margaritaville are decent. I actually think some of the drinks are priced higher than some of the food. Either way I personally feel it's a big pain to go back to the ship to eat. We usually eat a good breakfast, do a tour (Dunns River), then head to Margaritaville and get some drinks and a snack to tide us over. (Wings/Nachos, etc). Margaritaville is lots of fun. They have games and contests, swim up bar, water slide into the bar, the beach where you can rent chairs and umbrellas pretty cheap, lots of music and general fun.

 

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[Robinob]

We generally do the same. Since we usually get the late seating for dinner, we eat lunch late also, off ship. MV sounds great after a morning of falls climbing and dolphin swimming.....then a nap before dinner.

 

Until my next cruise.