Ocho Rios with kids...what to do?

We will be in the Ocho Rios port on the Carnival Dream on December 7 and I am having trouble deciding what shore excursion(s) to take with DH, DS (13), and DD's (twins - age 9). Our other ports are Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

I had initially thought we would go to Jewel Runaway Bay since they have a waterpark, lazy river, etc. but I also would love to see more of the island than just the drive to Jewel. Also, our plan for Cozumel is to go Playa Mia so maybe 2 out 3 days at a beach/waterpark is a little too much.

In the past, DH and I have have almost always just done shore excursions on our own versus through the ship and have had tremendous success and enjoyment. However, since our kids will be with us, safety is a top concern and therefore, I want to have a solid plan for this port.

So, I guess my questions are:

1) Is Ocho Rios a safe port for taking a private vendor tour?

2) Do you know of any private vendors that give a decent tour (1-2 hours) and drop off at Jewel Runaway Bay or another beach?

3) What are other "Must Dos" for this port that children will enjoy? Is Dunn River Falls worth it or not?

TIA!

We reluctantly did the falls several years ago. I say reluctant because it looked lame to me, but I loved it. It was a Blast! I think kids would really enjoy it. That is my limited exposure in Jamaica.

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Just curious if you decided what to do? My family will be on the Dream in February and have kids of similar ages. I would have written my own post, but it would be exactly the same as yours lol. Also not wanting to spend a ton of money on ship excursions, but concerned about attempting something on our own.

Just curious if you decided what to do? My family will be on the Dream in February and have kids of similar ages. I would have written my own post, but it would be exactly the same as yours lol. Also not wanting to spend a ton of money on ship excursions, but concerned about attempting something on our own.

Check out Courtney Taylor. We had a private family tour including Dunn River falls, tubing, and Blue hole cliff jumping that was perfect for our brood--then 8, 11, 17, and 21.

Also, you'll find Trip Advisor has many more current reviews of the private vendors there--it's a pretty brisk market, and these guys know they have to provide a safe, quality experience.

Thanks! We'll check that out!