RCCL cruisers...tell me about Falmouth

Just have been reading up and it looks like this port was created by Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

There is barely ANY information over on the port of call thread. Is this port finished?

Are there nearby beaches? Is this area safe to wander around in? Can you taxi to beaches?

Any help would be great...

Just have been reading up and it looks like this port was created by Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

 

There is barely ANY information over on the port of call thread. Is this port finished?

 

Are there nearby beaches? Is this area safe to wander around in? Can you taxi to beaches?

 

Any help would be great...

Most of the shopping port is finished. We walked, but only because there was 4 adults. I did not feel comfortable. Actually had a begger approach me, but he was told to leave the area. Next thing I know a security guard asked me if I was OK. He just wanted to make sure I felt safe. Great attitude towards cruisers by the vendors.

Not sure about the beaches.

Just have been reading up and it looks like this port was created by Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

 

There is barely ANY information over on the port of call thread. Is this port finished?

 

Are there nearby beaches? Is this area safe to wander around in? Can you taxi to beaches?

 

Any help would be great...

You will get a variety of opinions on this port.

Inside the gates the port is just about finished and was fine to walk around and do some shopping.

I myself would not walk outside the gate but that's me. I'd go for a ship provided excursion. We did and had a great time.

The port was created by and is exclusive to RC. The main shopping area seems very safe as it is gated off from the community at large. I was advised by the concierge that it was best not to go beyond that area unless you are on an excursion.

In addition to all of the expected jewelry shops there are many souvenir shops as well as a little art market. Unfortunately you see the same things over in over in most of the shops... There were a couple of boutiquey shops that are worth going to but that is all IMHO. One is called Dragonfly. They sell beautiful, reasonably priced pottery unlike anything else you'll find in Falmouth. They also have some very nice clothes and the shop owners are great to work with. That was the only shop I made any purchases in as I find all that trinket stuff gets old after a while...

We just walked around Falmouth and it didn't take that long. I didn't find items to be as inexpensive as other ports, but the people in the shops were really helpful and polite.

I didn't see much of anything outside of the shops and I think unless you do a ship excursion, going back to the ship after walking around is pretty much it for the day.

Loved it both times! Did an excursion both times, and had a great day. Wouldn't hesitate going back!

Do the Chukka Beach Break offered through the ship

I was there last week. I would suggest doing an excursion, ship or otherwise. I did a rafting excursion with Bracca adventures that was very nice. I found them on tripadvisor.com.

I did a little shopping right off of the boat in the fenced in area and it was fine but nothing special. The town has a lot of history and it might even be nice to do the walking tour excursion that is offered. You are halfway between Ocho Rios and Mo Bay so you could do a tour to either of those areas.

Don't get off the ship.

WE WILL BE IN FALLMOUTH NEXT MARCH WHENWE SAIL ON THE NAVIGATOR 3-9-2013...I WAS HOPING THAT THIS PORT OF CALL WOULD BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THE STANDARD...BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A TRUE RCCL PIT STOP...OH WELL...maybe we'll try the suggested CHUCCKA BEACH STOP BREAK...i'm sure that it has DIAMONDS INTERNATIONAL AND DEL SOLE and the same t-shirt and booze stores...

We were just there last week and were there 9 months ago as well.....they have a lot more done at the port now and we thought it was nicely done. We are not shoppers, so we just walked around. Yes - the usual shops are there, but they have local merchants in a center covered area with local artisans......We felt everyone was very friendly and happy we were there. We didn't buy much at all, but at no time did we feel unsafe. We stayed well within the main area. We did do the Captain Hook Family Adventure and had a GREAT time!! The crew was hysterical and it was a great excursion choice!! The ship is right there behind the shops, so you never went "outside the walls". 9 months ago, we did the trolley ride historical tour. Everything is new at the port, but outside you see just how poor they are there. It's worth getting off and just walking around for a bit.......

;)

We were in Falmouth in December. We walked around the port area inside the gates which is just the typical port shopping. We didn't do an excursion and so we left the gates, as did many people on our cruise, and ventured into the main part of town. Just say no and keep walking by the people trying to show you what they have to sell if you aren't interested. It can be a bit annoying, but it never felt unsafe. There isn't really much to do, but it was still a nice day. We went to a grocery store for some Red Stripe (less than $2 while they were charging over $6 inside the port) and then walked around the town. Much of the center was newly redone from some of the pictures I had seen. There are many signs describing the sites like Water Square and the Courthouse. We also had some amazing jerk chicken at a small cafe in the George Albert Market. I couldn’t find any nearby beaches that were easy and inexpensive to visit, but we still had a nice day in Falmouth.

We just got back Sunday from a cruise there. As stated above, the port area is pretty much done; the architecture "fits" Jamaica pretty well. Most of our shopping was inside the gated part - it seems like most of the "individual" vendors (without a storefront of their own) have pretty much the same stuff at the same starting price. You can bargain, but I doubt you'd save more than a dollar or two at most.

We did go outside the gated area, as we like to hire locals to show us around. We were immediately swept up by one, who took us to Montego Bay, stopping at several of the golf courses and Rose Hall along the way. Think it was $120 for 3-4 hours, for 4 of us (I didn't do the bargaining so not sure). We did drive through Falmouth, but I don't think I'd walk around there, at least not outside the main historic sites.

One thing - I don't think it's EXCLUSIVELY RCCI - one of the ship's officers told us that Carnival has put in once or twice.

We went to Falmouth in February. I wanted to experience true Jamaica, and wandered out of the terminal area. It was not as scary as I thought it would be, but it was a little different. We were looking for Pepper's Jerk Center where we wanted to have lunch. The locals were not very helpful with directions. They all seemed to want to take us on their own excursions. We finally found the bar, after stumbling upon it by accident. The food was excellent, and the beer was cold! All in all it was a great little walking trip. But it did challenge my comfort zone for sure.

Have fun!

What it looked like from the ship last week:

Where the white pointy tents are in the top middle is where you leave the port area.

Inside the port area:

There are a few excursion vendors who will pick you up right outside the port. I know Moby Dick does. We didn't use them here (just walked around the port & DH loved this port area because the people weren't pushy like they are in MoBay) but we did do Stingray City with them at GC.

We wre on the Allure in Feb. and stopped at Falmouth. The ship backs in and we were on the top deck aft watching them dock. The sad thing in Falmouth is the port is truly a man made TT (tourist trap). From the aft deck if you look on the edge of the city you can see a pretty big shanty town maybe 1/4 mile from the security gate.

That being said, under some fo the white tents in the secure area, there are some pretty impressive wood carvings and prolly a guy carving them too. I bought a sea turtle with a baby turtle on the big turtles back. Hopefully not endangered wood but pretty impressive looking.

Do the Chukka Beach Break offered through the ship

This is the excursion we were looking at...$50/pp seems like a lot for a beach day. But we would like a beach day, and I'm hesitant to do that outside of the cruise line.

Is it a nice beach? Does it get very crowded? Want a good beach for the kids to swim. Are the waves big?

a historic walking tour, we enjoyed it but there is really not much to see, but the cultural differences are significant. I never felt unsafe outside the cruise Compound, and visited shops and a grocery store for $2 beer,hot sauces and was treated like a king. Outside the cruise compound is not for many people, who have not experienced a third world culture, being hassled LOL, or aggressively approached is just a part of it, that is how they make some extra or only money.

I felt it was nothing to write home about. The town itself is tiny. We were given a 'tour' on the way to the excursion and it took all of 5 minutes. I didn't see many independent vendors there, everyone seemed to be associated with the ship tours.

They were fairly efficient with getting everyone onto their bus for their tour.

Honestly, I wouldn't care if I ever went there again or not.

To Chrisconn: I did a review of this excursion last year (I went in Feb 2011 on Nos and July 2011 on Allure) Do a search in the Jamaica forum.

We wre on the Allure in Feb. and stopped at Falmouth. The ship backs in and we were on the top deck aft watching them dock.

Was the dock on the starboard side?

We were there on the day Prince Harry was there...and that was pretty exciting. However before he came my daughter and myself decided to go outside of the gate to see the vendors there. Big mistake!! As soon as we got to the main street we were surounded by many of the vendors. One actually pulled my hair to get my attention. Needless to say we turned around and walked back into the gated area. All the way back we were being laughed at and taunted. Never will we make that mistake again!!

This was the very first port that we have been too, that made me feel scared. Inside the gates were really nice and clean, and the people friendly and helpful.

We'll book a ship's tour next time.

Here's a shot I took from cabin 6638 LOS at Falmouth.

We were there on the day Prince Harry was there...and that was pretty exciting. However before he came my daughter and myself decided to go outside of the gate to see the vendors there. Big mistake!! As soon as we got to the main street we were surounded by many of the vendors. One actually pulled my hair to get my attention. Needless to say we turned around and walked back into the gated area. All the way back we were being laughed at and taunted. Never will we make that mistake again!!

This was the very first port that we have been too, that made me feel scared. Inside the gates were really nice and clean, and the people friendly and helpful.

Scary! Even though my husband will be with us, I think that would freak my kids out. Guess we'll stay with a ship excursion!

We had no problems with the locals at Labadee. They were a little pushy, but never aggressive. Mostly lighthearted. I called my husband over to look at something, "Hey Dave" and then wherever we walked in the market, all the vendors were yelling, "Dave! Dave! Over here!" It was actually really funny.

Hopefully not endangered wood but pretty impressive looking.

Endangered wood?:confused: