Anyone just off the Emerald Western cruise? Jamaica question.

[mtaylor04]

Could you be a bit more specific? What happened?

 

We will be doing a tour with Mark Morris in August, and I understand that a tour with any of the often mentioned guides on this board will be not only informative and fun, but very safe as well.:)

 

 

I doubt you will have any problems on a tour, we went into town just to do some shopping on our own. First off, the taxi driver drove like a crazy person, and several times barely missed hitting other cars. Needless to say, we didn't use him going back to the ship. We had several people try to sell us drugs but the proverbial straw came at one of the shops where I had purchased items...another clerk came out of the shop and loudly accused us of not paying for our items (drawing a crowd). It was clearly, some kind of scam, that the shop had run more than one time. Luckily, at that particular shop I had paid with a credit card, but if I had paid with cash, I hate to think what might have happened. I would never recommend going it alone in Jamica. We learned our lesson, and it is one port I will stay on the ship from now on. Just my experience and opinion.

[snowman]

My husband and I have been to Jamaica MULTIPLE times- we were married there and have visited Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril MULTIPLE times. I LOVE JAMAICA- but we are world travelers and are able to adapt to different places very easily....the area in Jamaica that the cruise ships stops is not the prettiest nor the safest- BUT keep your wits about you. There are good places and BAD places in everyone's hometown....don't kid yourself, you know it is true. Get off the ship- find a jerk hut and you will have the BEST CHICKEN you have ever had!! Find a patty hut- jamaican meat pastries are to die for!!! Go on the Dunn's River Falls tour- you will have a blast!!! Just say no thank you to the locals trying to sell you stuff- this is how they earn their keep- buy if you want, but they are fine with a no thank you for the most part. Just have respect for them and they will have respect for you. We will be stopping in Ocho Rios on a western cruise this August and you can bet that we are getting off the ship and having a BLAST in Jamaica~ I hope you do as well~:)

I could not agree more. But don't forget the Jerk Pork as well, along with a ice cold Red Stripe. it is to die for.

[Hunwolf]

I could not agree more. But don't forget the Jerk Pork as well, along with a ice cold Red Stripe. it is to die for.

 

A littel off topic...but on our Emerald Princess cruise several weeks ago I asked the bar tender for a Red Stripe on the first day. He looked at me like I was crazy. He said "cruise ships don't carry that". Well...that's news to me since I've always been able to get one or two or a dozen on RCCL. :rolleyes:

[Lisa1983]

DUNN RIVER

When we (there were 4 in our party and maybe 20 in the tour @ the falls) were done climbing the falls, the guides literally were following people harassing them for tips. "I was good to you, you be good to me". I gave them each (there were two guides) $5... Then they went to my wife... and then my sister.... then my brother in law. All in all 40 bucks in tips at the first stop. :mad: When we were leaving, we walked by a few shops, and the vendors wouldn't leave us alone. They would walk up to you and say "respect" and reach out to shake your hand. Then they wouldn't let you go. As you say no thank you and try to walk away they were very rude.

 

Sounds like they got you pretty good. Our tour guides were good, and at the end, they asked for tip, we told them all our cash was in our locker, and asked them to follow us back for it. They said "no problem, mon" We gave them $2 each. They said "thank you" and we left to go back to the bus. No harassing whatsoever. They can't force you to give them money. Then again, we went on a tour through Princess so maybe that made a difference?

[DrivesLikeMario]

We're on the western cruise next Sunday. Since Jamaica seems to get such a bad rap and with the issues that have been going on lately, I'm not sure we'll get off ship. Just wondering, for those that just got back, if it was okay. We're planning to just do Dunns River Falls and Mystic Mountain.

 

We did Mystic Mountain last March and LOVED it!! You absolutely have to do the bobleds. They were SO much fun! Next time, I would also do the ziplining. Taking the ski lift to the bobsleds was an experience in itself. We saw spiders that were literally bigger than my opened up hand!! :eek: The views were great for pics of the ship too.

 

We've spent a lot of time in Jamaica on land and on port stops and never had a problem. Sure, DH has been asked many times if he wants to buy illegal substances, but he just gives them a smile and a simple "No thanks" and he's not bothered again.

 

The island is beautiful and the people are generally good people. It would be a shame to miss it just because you're afraid.

[Colo Cruiser]

A littel off topic...but on our Emerald Princess cruise several weeks ago I asked the bar tender for a Red Stripe on the first day. He looked at me like I was crazy. He said "cruise ships don't carry that". Well...that's news to me since I've always been able to get one or two or a dozen on RCCL. :rolleyes:

 

Yeah but, you were on Princess.

[katruiz]

We are leaving Sunday on Emerald and also booked with Peat Taylor tours as there were a lot of great reviews about his tour. He is very inexpensive compared to the ship excursions and will custom your tour to what you want. So I was glad to see a positive comment on here about Peat Taylor. I've also been to Jamaica many years ago and it still sounds the same. Very poor country with people making a living the best way they can. My husband is a world travelers with his work and is firm with "no" and it seems to work.

[centurycruiser]

I just returned from Ocho Rios this week. I was there last Wednesday the 23rd. We did a Peat Taylors tour consisting of Dunn River Falls, Cool Blue Hole, and river tubing. The tour was "good"- we went to Dunn River Falls before all the mass of people came. Cool Blue Hole was absolutely beautiful!! And the tubing was very relaxing. That's the good side...

 

At each stop, there were local guides that expected you to tip. I was expecting this to a certain degree. What happened was way beyond.

 

DUNN RIVER

When we (there were 4 in our party and maybe 20 in the tour @ the falls) were done climbing the falls, the guides literally were following people harassing them for tips. "I was good to you, you be good to me". I gave them each (there were two guides) $5... Then they went to my wife... and then my sister.... then my brother in law. All in all 40 bucks in tips at the first stop. :mad: When we were leaving, we walked by a few shops, and the vendors wouldn't leave us alone. They would walk up to you and say "respect" and reach out to shake your hand. Then they wouldn't let you go. As you say no thank you and try to walk away they were very rude.

 

COOL BLUE HOLE

Had to drive WAY off the beaten path to get to this. If seeing poverty to the nth degree bothers you, then this isn't for you. The guides that we had here were two young boys- maybe 15 to 17 years old. Again- had to tip them, this time it was only $20 for the four of us.

 

RIVER RAFTING

Again, two guides for our float down the river (nine total people). When the tour was over, $20 to one guide, and $10 to the other (I was out of tip $).... And they stalked us all the way out of the park to our bus.

 

All in all $90 in tips, on top of the $65 + tip per person for the tour.

 

So would I do Ocho Rios again? NO! I would enjoy it from the privacy of my balcony.... Where the tip is already included.:D

 

You were thinking like an American. The minimum wage in Jamaica is $25 per week. Average annual income is around $2500. So, you paid people close to or more than one weeks minimum wage. I am generous, but, I try to keep in mind what would be more than generous rates in the country when I tip.

[firstimer2]

Did anyone go on the cave tour?? Just wondering how it was. We are doing the cave and falls tour together in 2 weeks. Are the lockers safe?

 

Thanks for all the advice about Jamacia. I am used to Cozumel, so maybe it won't be so bad.

[rachel58]

we were also in Ochos Rios in November and had a great time.We did the canopy zip lining (with princess tours)and enjoyed it and found it proffessionally organizied,and we felt safe.we were bothered a bit by hawkers on the way back to the ship when we stopped to shop but when we ignored them they left as alone