rosebud1g

We'll also be in Falmouth on the Allure in May (maybe same cruise, OP?) and are considering river tubing. I'd also love to hear from anyone who has done this, either with Royal or a private company.

We were on the Allure in August docked in Falmouth. We used this company and highly recommend them.

www.libertytoursjamaica.com

We were picked up inside the port with our group of 8 at Falmouth, went to Secret Falls (also known as the Blue Hole), a few in our group were dropped off for river tubing while the remainder of us went to Shaw Park for picture taking and sight seeing overlooking Ocho Rios, then we picked up the few from river tubing and we all went to Scotchies for lunch.

I would do this tour again in a heartbeat, Secret Falls is secluded, away from the ship crowds, non touristy, very private, not crowded and you basically have the place to yourself! The driver from Liberty Tours will stay with you the entire time and be on your schedule, you can stay as long as you would like. This was an amazing tour, I had never seen anything like it, lasting memories that will last a lifetime. Watch this video and you will see why!

Great, I was hoping for that answer, since I have read so many great reviews on this place, I was hoping there was more to do. I have also read great reviews on Liberty Tours! I will check them out as well. Thanks!:)

We also used Liberty Tours Jamaica and was the highlight of our cruise vacation! Here is a video they made that features the Blue Hole, so you can get an idea of what it looks like and what you can do there.

Thank you for all of your replies we have decided to go with liberty and are booked hurray ,.We are doing secret falls/tubing/shopping/Scotchies looks like a full day of fun ..price is good too.

We also used Liberty Tours Jamaica over the summer and LOVED every aspect of the tour. Secret Falls was the highlight, we had SO much fun there. It was so beautiful there we didn't want to leave. Scotchies was awesome too. The best jerk chicken ever!

Here is a video of Secret Falls and what Liberty Tours offers.

Here is a video of what Liberty Tours Jamaica offers.

This features the Blue Hole and Scotchies. ENJOY!

My group intends to visit Blue Hole, then lunch at Scotchies, then tubing at White River. And I have lots of questions....

 

How long does it take to get to Blue Hole from the Ocho Rios port?

 

How much time did you spend at Blue Hole? (I know it will vary- but I don't think I've ever read anyone telling how long they spent there)

 

Does the sequence of our tour make sense? Or does it take us out of the way? Is there a better way?

 

Thanks

We used this company:

www.libertytoursjamaica.com

email them and they will be able to answer all your questions. They

are a wonderful company and your driver will stay with you the whole time, and will customize your tour for the day to fit your needs.

You will be very close to the Blue Hole being docked in Ocho Rios.

We spent about 2 1/2 hours there, but you can spend as long as you want there since your ship is docked in Ocho Rios. Our time was limited at the Blue Hole since we had an hour drive back since our ship was docked in Falmouth on Allure. Scotchies is to DIE for! The jerk chicken is fabulous along with the $2 Red Stripes. The River Tubing was very close as well. A few in our group went there. I would do an organized tour with Liberty Tours again, just for peace of mind. Our driver was very aware of our time in port and got us safely back to Famouth on time.

I have never been to Tortola before....I was wondering if, instead of getting one of the shore excursions, you could just take a taxi to The Baths. If so, how far is it and about how much would it cost? Thanks a bunch!

We too did this excursion thru Carnvial while on Freedom. I had not been to this port before, so I was unsure of the time restrictions. Carnival also uses

Speedy's Ferry for the excursions. It was at least a 45 minute ferry ride to Virgin Gorda. Once there, Carnival had arranged open air buses to take us to the Baths, approx 15 min ride. From there we walked down a long dirt path until we saw the Ocean and caves to explore. There were also lockers to rent to put our belongings in, since you will get wet while hiking thru the caves. Once you reach then end of the cave, a gorgeous almost deserted

beach with turquoise water awaits you. The waves were very rough, and the water got very deep. Water shoes are a must here. We were informed on the time to be back. There was also an outdoor restaurant to purchase drinks and limited food. This was high on the top of the mountain, great for picture taking.

This was a fantastic excursion that my whole family enjoyed.

Arriving in Falmouth in March. Through recommendations on this board, I have already booked a private tour through Liberty Tours to take us to the Blue Hole then Scotchies for Jerk Chicken lunch.

 

However, for some reason, I did not know, and just found out that the blue hole is actually a little bit of a drive, about 60-70 minutes, from Falmouth. I'm not sure I want to spend 2-2.5 hours of my time travelling.

 

So, I have some questions:

 

1. Can anyone confirm the drive time from Falmouth to Blue Hole?

2. Is Scotchies near the Blue Hole too, or is it closer to Falmouth?

3. Does anyone have any other suggestions on something a little closer to Falmouth? Last year we did the buggy tour around town, and then shopped at port. We do not want a beach day. I'm kinda leaning towards the zipline, or the bamboo raft down the Martha Brae river.

 

Any other thoughts? Or maybe the drive is actually worth it to the Blue Hole? I've seen several videos and it looks really nice, but does't look like you spend more than 30-60 minutes there.

Is this the video you were referring to?

I didn't think the drive to Secret Falls was long at all from Falmouth.(about one hour each way)

Considering I just sat in traffic here in PGH for 2 hours in snowstorm on Tuesday to get to work that on a normal day takes 1 hour, I'd gladly welcome a one hour drive in Jamaica to get to PARADISE, refreshing blue water, warm air temperature, waterfalls, Tarzan rope swing, hiking, jerk chicken, cold beer, need I say more?......wish I was going in March, like you!

Ok, so if we do Irie with Liberty Tours is Irie the whole day? What else can we/should we do besides eat at Scotchies?

 

Docking in Falmouth. Is it a long ride there?

After Secret Falls, Ricardo took us to an overlook at Shaw Park for some sight seeing and picture taking. The Carnival Breeze was docked and we took some lovely pictures with the ship, beach and resorts in the back ground. It was a full day with a lot packed in.

I didn't see prices on the website, anyone have a price list???

Send them an email with what you are interested in doing,and how many people are in your group. A rep will email you or call you back. We got a small group from our roll call and took this tour together, which gave us a great rate.

I see you are from the BURGH also-so am I!

Oasis is a wonderful ship, it's one of my favorites. The shows are fantastic, especially Hairspray and the Aqua show.

There's so much to see in Jamaica, you may miss them if you just go to the beach!

Have you gone to Secret Falls? Can I suggest a company we used while on Allure this past summer? Take a look at this-they have a lot to offer.

http://www.Libertytoursjamaica.com

I highly recommend them!

Will be on the Breakaway to Bermuda May 18-25/14. We are considering driving from Ontario, arriving May 16 as we want to have the weekend in NYC prior to the cruise. We obviously wouldn't stay right in Manhattan with a car, but require easy access into the city for our weekend activities. Park and stay hotels seem to be somewhat difficult to find, so we are looking for recommendations - any help is appreciated. We are open to staying on either the NJ side, or the NY side. Thanks!

I have been researching this myself hoping to sail from Manhattan soon. I have found the Sheraton Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken, NJ is half the price of the hotels in Manhattan. There is also a parking rate included with the room rate. I have AAA and its about $242 total per night.

There is a ferry dock right outside the hotel for $9 pp each way straight to Manhattan. I figure this would be good to use to go a few days eariler to sight see. There is also a bus for $3.20 pp each way.

Then the day of the cruise, a parking garage called Port Imperial is close by to drive to leave your car for $15 per day. There is also a ferry dock that takes you to Manhattan. The pier is about 10 blocks away. People say they have walked, but with luggage you can grab a cab.

Go on google/trip advisor and check this out. This is what I will probably end up doing. I thought about taking Megabus, but dont want to sit on there for 8 hours when we can drive it in about 4.5 hours.

Hope this helps. I have been reading these threads trying to find info, and this is the best I can find.

First time to Jamaica. I haven't yet found an excursion or tour that really appeals to me (I'd love to do the day pass at Rose hall, but seems pricey for roughly 3.5 hours of beach time). Hoping maybe a group on my roll call will want to get together and book something through Courtney Taylor.

 

If I decide to just get off and walk around the port area - what's there? Are there shops and restaurants? Are there people hassling you to buy M.J., etc?

 

Thanks!

There are a lot of shops right at the port, crafts, coffee, basket weavers, wood carvings, bottles of alcohol, jewelry, just about everything.

We did exactly that last year while on Oasis being the 1st time to Falmouth, but not the first time to Jamaica. It was rather boring, and later realized I should have gotten out there and done something more exciting.

SO....

This past summer we got a small group together on our roll call and went to the Blue Hole with Liberty Tours Jamaica. I highly recommend them, as this was the best tour we have ever done and the highlight of our cruise. They can accomodate your roll call group. Give them a try!

We will be the only ship in port when we arrive in Falmouth, Jamaica the first week in February. Will it be possible to get a last minute excursion to the blue hole or something similar? I understand there are different rules about excursion operators having to stay away from the gated port area in Falmouth. Is this accurate? Are any tour operators allowed near the port or must everything be pre-arranged?

They have to have a certain number of people going on their tour to be able to come inside, with proper paperwork that was completed ahead of time. Why do you want to do something last minute?

We used this company:

www.libertytoursjamaica.com

and it was the highlight of our cruise to the Blue Hole. I highly recommend them.

For those of you who have been there, how strenuous is this? I'm a big guy with bad knees. How is the walk to the Blue Hole area? I know I won't be going into the hidden cave and probably not jumping off of the falls, but is there another way to get in and out of the water?

 

Thanks!

Ron,

There is a flat, wooded area that we explored with small waterfalls, with the guides next to us. We went with Liberty Tours Jamaica, who parked at the top of the falls and we walked down a path that was very easy. I did see other companies that parked at the bottom and those people climbed up. To get into the Blue Hole, most people jump, but there are lower areas. We got out with mandmade steps. I can send you pictures via email if you would like, just use my screen name @msn.com

This is a trill! Better than walking around town, shopping.

Highly recommend doing this private tour with Liberty Tours Jamaica.

If you stay on the ship, you will be missing out on The IRIE BLUE HOLE also known as Secret Falls. We went on this private tour with Liberty Tours Jamaica in August and I highly recommend them! Watch this video and you will want to go even more. It is much more beautiful being there. I have never seen anything so gorgeous in my life. It is very secluded, no ship tours go to this hidden piece of paradise. There are waterfalls, a Tarzan rope swing, turquoise waters, hidden caves, and a plush green shaded areas all around you. Guides will help you explore every inch of this hidden Gem. This was the highlight of our cruise.

First time going to Jamaica with 2 boys aged 14 & 12. Should we see both of these places or choose one or the other? How much time is spent at each place approx?

 

Was thinking of taking one of the tour companies and would also like to throw in lunch and maybe some sightseeing. Is that too much packed into a 10-7 day?

 

Also I see there is tubing, is that fun to do? Sorry for so many questions but a first timer.

 

Thanks

Stacy

I suggest the Blue Hole with Liberty Tours Jamaica. Your kids will LOVE this!

Here is a short video of what we did this past summer.

I highly recommend them. This by far was the best tour I have done

with a private company. They will take you river tubing as well, lunch at Scotchies, and you can design your own tour. It is not too much to do in one day. The Blue Hole was the highlight of our cruise!

Hello,

 

I received a quote from Liberty Tours, Recardo and he quoted me:

 

"Secret Falls / Blue Hole / Lunch"

Cost of Tour: $75.00 U.S.D per person Roundtrip Transport + Entrance Fee + Lunch

 

I thought I read that the price was closer to $70.00 p/p + entrance feel of $15.00 to the Secret Falls / Blue Hole and lunch (Scotch's) was included....

Can someone confirm this one way or another as why my quote is on the high side??? :eek: (I have a party of aprox. 5 as of now)

 

Thanks,

bpphoto

That is actually a reasonable price based on the service you will be receiving. You will be with him all day, he will stay with you the entire time and help you at the falls, watch over your valuables in his locked van, you will be on your time, not ship tour time. I would not hesitate to pay that price, its a steal for what you are getting.

Considering the ship tours are $100 and higher for less time, a taxi meter would be running by the second, you will not be with a bus load of people herded like cattle, the falls are only available with a private tour, these are only a few of the negatives...think positive!

I have a couple of questions referring Ricardo's tour......

How many can he take in the van? Has anyone booked a "private tour?"

 

We are thinking about a "private tour" for our small group of 4.

Thks!

We used Ricardo in August for a private tour with our group of 8. He had a new Toyota Van when we went. You may want to email him and ask him to call you to arrange your custom tour. He can accommodate larger groups if need be as well.

Our tour with Liberty Tours Jamaica was private and Ricardo did not let the locals try selling their goods. We did not encounter any of that.

We did not sit on a bus either waiting for a group of passengers to go to or from Secret Falls. This is why I prefer to do my own private tour and not the ship excursions.

We are wondering if it would be safe to do an excursion with Liberty Tours Jamaica to the Secret Falls and river tubing. I have heard great things about this company but my main concern is that we will be the only ship in port that day and feel we could be targeted. Normally there are more than one ship in port. Should we stick to a ship excursion this time?

Here you go.

I'm just wondering which excursion would be best to do in this port? We want to see Dunns River Falls but there's not one for just that. Can anyone recommend a good excursion with this included? Thanks you. We are sailing May 11, 2013. Just me and my husband.

I recommend Secret Falls instead of Dunns with Liberty Tours Jamaica. We used them in August and had a fabulous time.

Secret Falls

What's the best way to reach the falls? Taxi? Bus?

approx cost for 4 ?

 

Thanks.

This place is much better- skip Dunns! I've been to both and prefer Secret Falls!