Jamaica (MB) with Children (4 and 2)

[erinlaw]

We will be on the Carnival Magic 11/27 and have a stop in Jamaica. With such young children, I have heard that it is best not to attempt Dunn River Falls? Has anyone done it with such young children? What are some other options that people like? I have been looking on the "family" section on the boards, but have not seen a lot of information on this specific topic. Thanks in advance!

[MamaParrotHead]

I haven't done it with children, but I've witnessed several adults have difficulty. I think a lot of it has to do with the "luck of the draw" when it comes to getting decent guides. Our guide STUNK, and because he wanted to get us to the top as fast as he could (so he could pick up another group and get tips in his paws quicker), he zig-zagged us up the Falls (rather than staying to the left with everyone else). The entire time the wonderful (insert sarcastic eye roll) "videographer" is sticking his camera in your face every 5 minutes telling you to look at him and say "yeah mon" so he can attempt to hound you into buying the overpriced DVD at the end. It isn't high on my list of "cruise highlights" to say the least.

 

How far are the Falls from Mo Bay? I'm thinking I read it was a decent ride from MB, I personally don't think it's worth it. I myself also wouldn't take my kids off the ship in Jamaica. I'd use it as a sea day and let them have the run of the ship while everyone else was in port.

[tnincy]

have never done with children, but hubby and i done several years ago on a land trip. not sure i would recommend with ones so young. some tour groups go up in large groups and hold hands all the way up. we started out as a part of a bigger group. we were on a smaller tour beforehand and joined up with a larger one. our tour guide allowed us to break off from the others. i wasn't comfortable holding anothers hand going up. so there was four of us going up with our tourguide/videographer. we are in our 30's and i still needed some help from hubby climbing up some areas. i recommend doing some research and finding a tour company with activites more age and skill appropriate. we used chukka tours for several. there are plenty of other things you can do with youngsters in jamaica. have a great time.

[douglinc@msn.com]

You should be very careful in Montego Bay. Be sure you stay with a group.

 

Doug

[dragonsdesyre]

You should be very careful in Montego Bay. Be sure you stay with a group.

 

Doug

 

 

Ditto if you go to Ocho Rios.

[floodcasso2]

I wouldn't do dunns river falls with children that young. I've even seen some adults injure themselves on the falls cutting themselves on a sharp rock, or slipping and falling, even with the guide there. Probably better to wait until they are a bit older and more sure on their feet to attempt it.

 

I'd also make sure you keep the children VERY close to you. jamaica can get a little crazy with all of the pushy merchants and such, very easy to lose track of people in a crowd.

[ChristieDawn]

In Decemeber we will be in MB Jamaica and we are going to Sunset Resort. We have kids from 12 all the way down to 3 years old. We want to have a fun day at the beach and from what I understand this resort caters to adults and children. They have a waterpark too! This will be our first time to Jamaica!:)

[Dallas Bengal]

In Decemeber we will be in MB Jamaica and we are going to Sunset Resort. We have kids from 12 all the way down to 3 years old. We want to have a fun day at the beach and from what I understand this resort caters to adults and children. They have a waterpark too! This will be our first time to Jamaica!:)

 

I have done Sunset Resort. You and your kids will LOVE it...we had a Blast. Go to the top of the Water slide in the Castle, You can get a great picture of the ship from there.. Great choice.

[hancogran]

I have done Sunset Resort. You and your kids will LOVE it...we had a Blast. Go to the top of the Water slide in the Castle, You can get a great picture of the ship from there.. Great choice.

 

I agree that Sunset Beach Resort is a perfect day with kids in Montego Bay. We were there in January and would definitely go back again if we are ever in MoBay. Nobody bothered us on the beach (no vendors), the pool was great and the lunch buffet was good too. Since we didn't have any kids with us, we didn't bother checking out the waterpark but I heard lots of good things about it.

 

We've done Dunns River Falls and it's definitely not a place I'd want to take kids to. We found we were absolutely hounded constantly by vendors. :rolleyes:

[BaseballMomof4]

We climbed Dunns River Falls when my youngest son was 7. He managed it fine, but I can't imagine doing it with children as young as 2.

 

The vendors are extremely pushy and persistent, but I wouldn't let that keep me on the ship for the day. Jamaica is a gorgeous place and I wouldn't miss it for the world. I would, however, stick with a ship based excursion there.

[nanuak]

We will be on the Carnival Magic 11/27 and have a stop in Jamaica. With such young children, I have heard that it is best not to attempt Dunn River Falls? Has anyone done it with such young children? What are some other options that people like? I have been looking on the "family" section on the boards, but have not seen a lot of information on this specific topic. Thanks in advance!

 

Look into Sunset Beach, it is all inclusive and has a water park for the kiddo's. We took my 2 year old niece and all of us had a wonderful time. You can see the property from the pier, and it only takes a short taxi ride to get to the resort.

[ChristieDawn]

I have done Sunset Resort. You and your kids will LOVE it...we had a Blast. Go to the top of the Water slide in the Castle, You can get a great picture of the ship from there.. Great choice.

 

Thanks! I am really excited now!!! I have been looking forward to going to Jamaica since I was a little girl! :p

[luvmy2redheads]

We have gone with our young ones that little but we were in a group. My husband did the falls with older kids and I walked up the walkway at the side of the falls with the smaller ones. There were a few spots where my little ones were able to get in the water to and take a picture it was a nice day! We have been to Jamaica 3 times and are planning to go again on a cruise next year everytime we have gone we had little ones with us but we have hired Peat Taylor Tours everytime and he has made sure we were kept safe and never bothered. Nobody has ever hounded us or asked for money or even tried to sell us anything and when we went to the falls he walked us in and got us a tour guide and then came and walked us out when we were finished and nobody bothered us. I will never go to Jamaica and not use him!! We feel very safe with him and I am very over protected when it comes to my babies:rolleyes:

[erinlaw]

Thanks to everyone for their comments and recommendations. It's looking like Sunset Beach for us:)

[WestTxCruiser]

One more vote for Sunset Beach!! We've been there twice and loved it both times.

We've also been to Dunn's River Falls, my daughter was 5 at the time and we did not climb the Falls. It was very crowded and long bus ride there and back.

I would like to go there again some day, but only if I am on a ship that docks in Ocho Rios.......I don't want to spend all my time riding on a bus......just my opinion.