Falmouth Progress

[Tranquil Waters]

Despite all the unfinished construction, there is a good side to all this. As it is right now, the town's people are still extremely welcoming to the cruise guests and the town still has that old town feeling. Like I said earlier, that will all change when the big commercial bars like Margaritaville decide to open there.

 

But yea, it did feel as though it was still too early to port there.

 

You do have a point.:) I just have a problem with RCI's actions with this situation and feel they are taking advantage of their customers.

 

They (RCI) are surely not paying the authorities in Jamaica full port fees yet as the site is incomplete (and RCI would have NO leverage to get to site finished in a timely manner if they were paying full fees). Yet they are not passing these savings on their customers. :( Plus they (RCI) come out ahead if people decide to stay and spend their money on the ship (for drinks and spa services etc.) instead of getting off at an unfinished port.

 

A win-win for RCI. A lose-lose for the cruiser........

[travelbig]

Is there a free shuttle to Rose Hall?

 

The free shuttle goes to Shoppes at Rose Hall for shopping, not to Rose Hall Plantation.

[ReelG8r]

name of the local bar? we'll be there in November. It s/b further along.

[Aquahound]

name of the local bar? we'll be there in November. It s/b further along.

 

The bar had no name. Walk straight out of the port a couple blocks and turn right on Upper Parade St. About 1 block in, you'll see an small, open warehouse style building. The bar is in there and on the left. There's also some shopping in the warehouse.

[erbunny]

I find this thread and the pictures rather puzzling. How can RCI offer an unfinished product at a full price? And how can people be so accepting of this? It is not like a weather condition or other event that has arisen at the last minute. This is something that will go on for months.

 

RCI KNOWS this port is not ready for use! :confused::eek::(. Can you imagine booking a new hotel and when you arrive there the place is unfinished and still under construction??? Would you accept hearing - "Oh, the place will be great/nice when it is done!" :p

 

Unbelievable....... :rolleyes:

well, actually we did go to a resort in Cancun that was only 90% finished...it was gorgeous, the service and pool were spectacular, and we got a super rate for going when we did. Very sadly, their beautiful beach was almost obliterated by a hurricane 3 months later

[tropiclvrs]

Yes, a free shuttle is being offered since the shops are not yet open in the port area. However, once you are there you cannot get a taxi to any other place.

[erbunny]

Thank you Paul for your lovely pictures and informative comments. I remember your fab review of Oasis just before we went on Allure in December.

 

Very interesting that you ventured into the town of Falmouth itself. Very glad to hear you found some shopping and a bar: I'm not so sure if I would be as brave !!

 

There has been some progress since we were there Feb 13. The yellow building (Customs House , I think) was completely covered in scaffolding, and the rip-rap breakwater was only 2/3 done. Looks finished now. Yes, construction is slow inthe Third World.

 

You show a sandy area beyond the shanty town . I believe this is the area our guide to Dunn's River indicated is where they are putting a modern shopping center, i.e, for jewelry stores and such. It won't bother me in the least to have DI, Efy's, etc, off on their own. So disappointed to see them front and center in Alaska.

 

BTW, I saw in another thread about some of the ecological controversy the new port has caused, namely taking down forests to build this center, and I am sure the residents of the shacks will be displaced, but lets hope the economical developement will get them into better housing.

[Aquahound]

BTW, I saw in another thread about some of the ecological controversy the new port has caused, namely taking down forests to build this center, and I am sure the residents of the shacks will be displaced, but lets hope the economical developement will get them into better housing.

 

I wanted to judge the people's reactions to the cruise ships being there. On the surface, they all seemed very happy. I'm pretty good at judging sincerity in people's comments, expressions, etc, and I think they were genuinely happy to see us, to the point of accepting envirnmental sacrifice. They are, however, concerned about larger name brand stores coming in and puting their small shops out of business.

 

I got to talking to the bartender, Natalie, at the small bar we visited. She told me an interesting story. She talked about all the hardship and poverty in and around Falmouth. They were uplifted when Usain Bolt won his medals in the Olympics. Bolt was born near Falmouth and grew up in Falmouth. He was expected to return and use his fame to attract some local development there. However, when he returned to Jamaica after the Olympics, he turned his back on the town. She said their hopes were all renewed when the first cruise ship pulled in a few weeks ago.

[time4u2go]

I find this thread and the pictures rather puzzling. How can RCI offer an unfinished product at a full price? And how can people be so accepting of this? It is not like a weather condition or other event that has arisen at the last minute. This is something that will go on for months.

 

RCI KNOWS this port is not ready for use! :confused::eek::(. Can you imagine booking a new hotel and when you arrive there the place is unfinished and still under construction??? Would you accept hearing - "Oh, the place will be great/nice when it is done!" :p

 

Unbelievable....... :rolleyes:

Not sure why you think this is unfair. All RCI promises is stops at ports. They make no promises about number of stores that will be open, how much entertainment there will be, how much food there will be, etc. They only thing they are advertising that they provide (weather and other conditions aside) is that you get to stop at a port and get off the ship, which is the case at Falmouth.

[spiritkat090909]

I find this thread and the pictures rather puzzling. How can RCI offer an unfinished product at a full price? And how can people be so accepting of this? It is not like a weather condition or other event that has arisen at the last minute. This is something that will go on for months.

 

RCI KNOWS this port is not ready for use! :confused::eek::(. Can you imagine booking a new hotel and when you arrive there the place is unfinished and still under construction??? Would you accept hearing - "Oh, the place will be great/nice when it is done!" :p

 

Unbelievable....... :rolleyes:

 

 

Speaking for myself, I accept that the port area isn't finished because it SOUNDS like (maybe is, maybe no) it is somewhat convenient to both other ports excursions. These excursions are offered through RCCL (& independent operators in the future) & are pretty typical in that you have to be bussed to wherever the STUFF to do is.

 

Right now, RCCL has an advantage in that you pretty much have to do stuff through them since the local infrastructure hasn't caught up to have independent offerings. If we don't hear of independent tour operators having 'stuff to do' available in November this year, we will probably stay on the ship...unless RCCL has some really good, unusual, inexpensive shore excursions.

 

When the port is done, it looks like it will just be another shopping mecca. We usually don't even look at the shops as we go by to meet our tours.

 

If we ever sail on Allure/Oasis type ships, we will make the ship the destination, rather than the ports.

[erbunny]

To Kat: Check the Jamaica section on the Shore excursions board. Posters are noting that some of the experienced tour operators from OR and MoBay are starting to work from Falmouth. I think they would have to as ALL Royal ships are now going to Falmouth. Best wishes for a happy cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

Speaking for myself, I accept that the port area isn't finished because it SOUNDS like (maybe is, maybe no) it is somewhat convenient to both other ports excursions. These excursions are offered through RCCL (& independent operators in the future) & are pretty typical in that you have to be bussed to wherever the STUFF to do is.

 

Actually, it sounds to me like it is somewhat INCONVENIENT to both other port excursions. I think it was much better when I could just book a cruise that was stopping in Ocho Rios and take a 10 minute transfer to Dunn's River Falls. Now people get to spend 1.5 hrs of their day riding on a bus.

[Tranquil Waters]

Not sure why you think this is unfair. All RCI promises is stops at ports. They make no promises about number of stores that will be open, how much entertainment there will be, how much food there will be, etc. They only thing they are advertising that they provide (weather and other conditions aside) is that you get to stop at a port and get off the ship, which is the case at Falmouth.

 

Please - give me a break! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: They also only promise to feed you. So by your reasoning as long as there was day old bread and some thin broth on the table 3 times a day that RCI would be doing right by their customers.........

 

For (Mr.) Pete's sake. :p

[wadethegringo]

If you ever want to see that ship, cruise with me. ;) I seem to run in to that ship everywhere I go. I saw it in Messina, Sicily as the Island Star...

 

 

...in Grand Cayman as the Pulmantur Pacific Dream...

 

 

...and now in Falmouth, renamed as the Pulmantur Horizon.

 

I have moved to Belize from the US...I was thrilled to book the Horizon out of Cozumel in June due to the air fare to the States...

 

Great pictures...