Ochos Rios Jamaican tours

Heading there shortly. Absolutely petrified about the experience from what I am reading but being a history buff, I really want to experience & learn about the country. Heard a few comments about Marva & knowjamaica tours. Give me the good, the bad & the ugly. Do you have to book them in advance or will they just be hanging out at the pier when the ship docks.

Check with the ports section here on cruisecritic. You could get a cab driver for all day or 1/2 a day to drive you around and show you high lights of the area. Google Ocho Rios and find places you'd like to see. Just ask and agree on a price. If you feel its too high go to another cab. My husband and I love going in OLD churches, many of which have plaques of memebers who have died at sea or during battles.

If you want to do something fun, go to Dunn's River Falls whci you can also google.

No reason to be scared about it. Just be smart in setting up your activities and you'll be fine. I know I'm guilty of posting several cautionary words on the forum about Jamaica, but my intent is not to prevent people from having a great time. It's a beautiful, historic island. Just want folks to plan accordingly, keep their guard up and stay safe out there. :)

We went on a ship's excursion to do White River tubing and really enjoyed it. We had the driver drop us off at a local shopping center and pick us up an hour later

It's not that scary--just use common sense and normal precautions. We've been to Jamaica several times. You're not going to Somalia or something. Thousands of people get off cruise ships there every day.

If you go on a private, well known, tour (check the ports of call boards for recommendations) they will take care of you and you will be safe.

We used Phil Lafayette several years ago and he was great. I've also heard good things about Marva and a couple of others. I'm not sure if you can design a tour just for you, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Phil was very protective of us and made us feel safe.

There will be tours to pick up at the port, maybe slightly more risky, but really, they want to protect their tourists, not create a big publicity negative by having something happen.

We even took 7 grandkids on a bus to the beach in the Negril area with no problems. (It was a tourist bus that you got on at the port).

I personally wouldn't go downtown shopping in Ocho Rios, because the vendors are so pushy, but I don't need any souvenirs anyway.

dont let the uninformed fool you.

I had a home in JA for awhile and felt safer there than anywhere else I'd been. I was there this past weekend.

Take a tour. Go with a reputable company that the cruise line suggests. The island is too beautiful too pass up. I have "family" there so my experience is not like most tourists, but it's too wondreful a place. Go to Dunn's River, have some Pepper Shrimp at the Black River Junction, Tour the Great House of Rosehall (you'll love it if your a history buff) or tour a coffee plantation.

I hate it when people knock Jamaica..the country bends over backwards to please tourists. Yes people may ask you to buy a trinket but remember, they are just trying to earn an honest living. It's a wonderful place and you'll miss it if you stay on the ship.

Heading there shortly. Absolutely petrified about the experience from what I am reading but being a history buff, I really want to experience & learn about the country. Heard a few comments about Marva & knowjamaica tours. Give me the good, the bad & the ugly. Do you have to book them in advance or will they just be hanging out at the pier when the ship docks.

everyone has different experiences no matter where you go...

took a ship's tour and decided to do some shopping got a taxi-price agreed upon before we got into the taxi--after the driver brought us back to the ship we went to pay him the agreed price and a small tip he insisted on more money--this part was a little scary for me--hubby pushed me out of the taxi gave him a dollar for each of us more and he was not happy--this was the first time we have had a "taxi" experience like this but have heard other stories similar in other ports including Jamaica (talking to others after we got back on board)

Not eveyrone is like that..do you really think he was going to do something crazy right in front of the ship with all those witnesses? Really?

Think of it from a cultural persepctive..someone trying to make a living sees big behemoth ship with hundreds of passengers..they arent dumb..they know that a tourist must have some money to spare if they could afford a cruise..rightly or wrongly, it's their perspective.

If he tried to push you for more cab fair that's wrong..if it's to give a bigger tip, that's not any different than what you see in Miami or NY.

everyone has different experiences no matter where you go...

 

took a ship's tour and decided to do some shopping got a taxi-price agreed upon before we got into the taxi--after the driver brought us back to the ship we went to pay him the agreed price and a small tip he insisted on more money--this part was a little scary for me--hubby pushed me out of the taxi gave him a dollar for each of us more and he was not happy--this was the first time we have had a "taxi" experience like this but have heard other stories similar in other ports including Jamaica (talking to others after we got back on board)

Have only been once, and we avoided the main shopping area by the ship based on folks telling us it was crazy. We took a pre-arranged tour right from the gate. The only place we hit pushy vendors was as we were exiting Dunns river. We didn't feel unsafe or threatened, but we knew what to expect. If we were clueless about the vendors being so pushy, and seeing the way they act and dress, I think it might have been intimidating. Our driver told us to hold out our hand (as if to say stay away) and say "No problems." About half of the vendors left us alone doing that. The other half weren't fooled. LOL. We asked our driver to take us shopping away from the ship. A couple of minutes away was a very busy street with lot's of shopping. No one on the sidewalk pestered us. The shop workers nudged us to spend more, but they weren't "in your face" about it.

Jamaica is cool, No problem. Although the old man in the jungle who eats fire had me wondering.......

And at Dunn's River Falls you can skip the shopping area completely upon exiting the falls--our guide, Phil Lafayette, explained how to do it. It's been a few years, but I think you just walk to the right as much as you can.

I have to say, the first time we went to the falls, the people in the shops there were extremely aggressive--I actually would have bought some things except that I was turned off by the belligerant attitudes. And I have been in some pretty intense shopping areas, such as in Cairo. (Whole 'nother story)

I don't mind bargaining and I would much prefer to deal with locals and not a fancy store, but it was too much for me.

Our last cruise we just got off the ship and walked to Margariteville, since we'd done most things we wanted to, including the falls twice. Vendors in the ? Island Village (I think that's the name) on the way were very pleasant and did not pressure us. It was very enjoyable, and, yes, I did buy.

We grabbed a licensed taxi cab right outside the port gate, and had the driver take us around the area. He went up to Fern Gully, Dunn Rivers, a beach with authentic Caribbean food/Jerk, and we finished up with shopping. I believe we paid $15-$20 pp, and we were out all day. Again, no need to be scared, but safe and smart!!!! Travel in/with a group, and be mindful of your surroundings just as you would anywhere else.