Things to do in Falmouth port

[lmgouglas]

Totally agree with you! We did the Jamaica Culinary Tour in Falmouth as well. We very much enjoyed it! The group is escorted walking through the town. We felt very safe and it was extremely interesting to get a sense of the local culture and of course the food. You will also stop at an old plantation in town. Everybody was very friendly.

 

So good to hear!!! We will be in Falmouth in March and have been considering this tour. Safety was our biggest concern as was learning about the culture and this sounded like it fit the bill. Any other thoughts/reccomendations about this tour would be wonderful!! Thanks!!!

[TeeRick]

You will enjoy the Culinary Tour - definitely a bit different to experience - you get more of the local culture and flavor than staying behind the fence and going to the typical cruise line stores. The tour guides are very professional. It is a good value for $45. The only thing to add is make sure to wear comfortable shoes and prepare for hot & humid conditions. Bring a bottle of water. We were there last year at the end of November on Freedom OTS. We are stopping in Falmouth again in a couple of weeks on Celebrity Reflection. We might take more of a historical walking tour or the trolley tour this time.

[TeeRick]

We just came back. We did the trolley this time. There is a booth within the protected port area and you can just pay there ($22 pp) and go. It takes you around the town with a few stops. About 1 hour. Escorted with a guide.

[epc3099]

One week from now we will be boarding the Eurodam for a 7 day Western Caribbean itinerary. I am getting nervous because the tour companies either do not have the minimum number of participants necessary for the tours I inquire about or the tours available do not work with the timing of when we will be on port.

 

Does anyone know if there are tour companies offering services on site at the port? We are not very fond of cruise ship excursions and would be our very last option if I cannot find anything else.

[mcase131]

Do you remember how much the chairs and umbrella rentals are? Thanks in advance

[TeeRick]

One week from now we will be boarding the Eurodam for a 7 day Western Caribbean itinerary. I am getting nervous because the tour companies either do not have the minimum number of participants necessary for the tours I inquire about or the tours available do not work with the timing of when we will be on port.

 

Does anyone know if there are tour companies offering services on site at the port? We are not very fond of cruise ship excursions and would be our very last option if I cannot find anything else.

 

The secured cruise port area of Falmouth is only a couple of years old and it is modern and clean with excellent facilities. You will find a variety of new shops, a few dining options and bars (including Jimmy Buffet's), some music & entertainment, and a flea-market type area under tents with local Jamaica items. It does not have the usual local vendors trying to sell excursions inside this secured area. The only ones in there have been sanctioned by the cruise line (Culinary Tour, Trolley Tour). You might find some of the typical locals beyond the security gates trying to sell excursions but I personally did not see much evidence of it last week. I think you are better off in Falmouth sticking to the ship's excursions.

[epc3099]

Thank you so much for your advise, TeeRick! Looks like going through the ship excursions would be the best choice for this port.

Edited November 18, 2015 by epc3099

[Moonarino]

Adding my two cents (I've been to Falmouth twice, RC Oasis and Carnival)...

 

1. Sad to say, apparently RCI is no longer sponsoring the 4-hour ATV ride through the Good Hope estate. But maybe something like that can be found locally? Anybody? (I'm also researching myself but would appreciate any input.)

 

2. Low-intensity tour, about 90 minutes (plus the bus ride to and from): Good Hope Estate House walking tour. We did that through Carnival, but RCI appears to have something similar. Our guide presented an interesting and informative picture of Jamaican history, the sugar plantation and so on.

 

For BOTH of these excursions we were bussed (about 20 minutes) to a cluster of buildings near (or at?) the Good Hope Pottery & Gallery. It's landmarked on Google Maps. The ATV ride started there, and the Estate House tour also went through there. We also had some very tasty jerked chicken for lunch there on both excursions. Restrooms, a small souvenir shop, a shady, relaxing, pretty little area.

 

There is also an old mill just south of the Pottery. We stopped there on the return from the Estate House.

 

It's nice/interesting countryside in that area, as you can see from a Google Maps satellite view:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@18.413741,-77.6804128,2728m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

A major point to make here is that there are apparently several tours that go through this same focal point, at or near Good Hope Pottery & Gallery. From reading some Trip Advisor comments (below), I gather you can also find a Zip Line and Rafting nearby. And I do remember seeing some tubers (and kayakers?) floating down the Martha Brae while we were terrorizing the ATV trails.

 

More info:

 

http://insidejourneys.com/good-hope-great-house-plantation/

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g612473-d184429-Reviews-Good_Hope_Plantation-Falmouth_Trelawny_Parish_Jamaica.html

Edited November 19, 2015 by Moonarino

[Bankergrl]

I've been occupied checking them out online and didn't notice your post.

How long is the drive from Falmouth port?

We actually did it out of Ocho Rios last year. But I believe it is about an hour from Falmouth.