Falmouth

[centurycruiser]

Is the port of Falmouth open and being used by any cruise lines?

 

If not, where are they going instead when they have Falmouth on their itinerary?

[LHT28]

Falmouth U.K. or Jamacia ?

[lady_cruiser]

We have a cruise booked on The Voyager for late February. Falmouth is listed as one of the ports on our interary but so far I can't find any ship-sponsored excursions being offered for this port. The other two ports we will be visiting already has a list of excursions and tours being offered.

 

Last I heard is that the new terminal won't be ready in time for our cruise so I have a good feeling that we might be docking near Montego Bay.

 

If you do go to Mo'Bay and love haunted houses you need to take a tour to Rose Hall, a haunted plantation. We did this and loved it. And the best part of this tour was that our shopping stop was at The Shops of Rose Hall. A small upscale shopping center with actual stores you can shop in, instead visiting a straw market where each stall is opened.

[centurycruiser]

I was thinking of Falmouth Jamaica.

 

I heard the port wasn't ready yet and some of the January 2011 cruises I've been looking at include port calls there. I was wondering what was being used instead. I didn't know if some would go there or they would go to Montego Bay or Ocho Rios.

[DonnaK]

Some of them are going to Costa Maya instead. Come over to the Royal Caribbean board, since Falmouth is basically an RCI port, and ask your question there.

[centurycruiser]

Some of them are going to Costa Maya instead. Come over to the Royal Caribbean board, since Falmouth is basically an RCI port, and ask your question there.

 

Some of the cruises I've been looking at are Royal Caribbean but some are Holland America. That's one reason I chose this board.

[DonnaK]

Some of the cruises I've been looking at are Royal Caribbean but some are Holland America. That's one reason I chose this board.

 

Sorry, I didn't realize that HAL was also going to use that port....I thought it was just RC and Celebrity (who are owned by the same company)

[Essiesmom]

The pier may be ready, but the shoreside infrastructure is in woeful disarray. Lots of talk and no action. It has been postulated that if they opened the pier/port as scheduled, the only business ready for customers would be Diamonds International. EM

[Krazy Kruizers]

Falmouth, Jamaica was on our Ryndam itinerary for Oct 17th. The port is not ready.

We found out a couple of weeks before the cruise that we would be going to Ocho Rios.

[lady_cruiser]

I just noticed that our cruise on Royal Caribbean for the end of February has the excursions available for Falmouth so I am sure we will be docking there.

[MethodKS]

I just checked and they added the Falmouth excursions this weekend to RCI website for our Jan 10-15th cruise so I am guessing we will be going there

[jewopaho]

According to what I recently read, the port is scheduled to open on January 7th, with either te Navigator or Mariner of the Seas being the first to dock there (I keep confusing the two). We're on the 1/16 Voyager sailing out of Galveston, and Royal Caribbean is booking shore excursions from there ... so I guess it's a go. The only drawback seems to be the lengh of time that would be spent on tour buses getting to and from Montego Bay and Ocho Rios ... not exactly my idea of a relaxing tour, given the condition of the Jamaican countryside. We'll just likely poke around for a while and return to the ship.

[Gathina]

My s/o is a commerical diver who was one of the one's working on the construction and I have a second home there..the answer is, "I HIGHLY doubt it"there was alot of local politics going on (mostly with the workers not being paid,contract issues with govt, etc, and subsequently VERY unhappy employees..a Jamaican doesn't take that stuff laying down)

 

Unless it's changed drastically since summer, I HIGHLY doubt you'll be in Falmouth. It's a nice area though, closer to Montego Bay than Ocho Rios. I'm glad for the local community that something good is coming there.

[Tazsamp]

According to what I recently read, the port is scheduled to open on January 7th, with either te Navigator or Mariner of the Seas being the first to dock there (I keep confusing the two). We're on the 1/16 Voyager sailing out of Galveston, and Royal Caribbean is booking shore excursions from there ... so I guess it's a go. The only drawback seems to be the lengh of time that would be spent on tour buses getting to and from Montego Bay and Ocho Rios ... not exactly my idea of a relaxing tour, given the condition of the Jamaican countryside. We'll just likely poke around for a while and return to the ship.

 

It's the Navigator which will be there on Jan 7th, it's the cruise I'm booked on :p!

 

Even though they've added Falmouth excursions to the website, I'm honestly not holding my breath about us being able to visit. From all I've heard/read, it really doesn't sound like it'll be ready in time. But where will we go...who knows! I've emailed Royal Caribbean asking how far in advance we'll be notified of any itinerary change, but of course I haven't heard anything yet.

 

I'm seriously thinking of just making this a ship day, as I'm also not too keen on travelling 45 min to an hour from the ship for an excursion - I've been to Jamaica a few times before on previous cruises and participated in excursions, so I'm really not sure if there's anything else I really want to do there anyway.

[jewopaho]

I'm seriously thinking of just making this a ship day, as I'm also not too keen on travelling 45 min to an hour from the ship for an excursion - I've been to Jamaica a few times before on previous cruises and participated in excursions, so I'm really not sure if there's anything else I really want to do there anyway.

 

My sentiments exactly! If Falmouth holds true to the Jamaican "model," it will be yet another port for street hustlers to apply their craft. This will probably be my 10th trip to the island, and I've pretty much seen and done what I wish. Come to think of it, I'm Cozumel'd out as well, and the stingrays in Grand Cayman know me by my first name . The possibility of our not leaving the ship at all looms large right now.

 

Al

[Gathina]

Street Hustlers? You mean the people that are trying to make an honest living selling their crafts so they can feed their families? You mean the people that make a living and have a different culture than you? Or do you mean the people that see the big Americans coming on the big ship and think they have money so they try harder to sell their stuff? Or are you talking about the rasta man that sells weed who could care less about you?

 

How sad to have such a negative view of Jamaica. You really need an education on the country.

 

My sentiments exactly! If Falmouth holds true to the Jamaican "model," it will be yet another port for street hustlers to apply their craft. This will probably be my 10th trip to the island, and I've pretty much seen and done what I wish. Come to think of it, I'm Cozumel'd out as well, and the stingrays in Grand Cayman know me by my first name . The possibility of our not leaving the ship at all looms large right now.

 

Al

[wdw1972]

Parts of Jamaica are beautiful, but my only experience in port was ruined by the ridiculously aggressive/obnoxious locals trying to make a living. I can understand the culture is different from ours, but the pushiness went far beyond even what you typically see in ports in Mexico. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth, so I can sympathize with what the other poster was saying. Sometimes the truth hurts - but saying the people encountered at the port doesn't mean every citizen is. Unfortunately, the people at the ports are the ones we see when we visit, so it's little wonder people talk about just staying on the ship.

 

When Jamaica gets serious about being a tourist destination they'll clean up the ports & get control of the overbearing locals.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Zuiderdam 11/23/10

Eurodam 3/5/11

[lady_cruiser]

My sentiments exactly! If Falmouth holds true to the Jamaican "model," it will be yet another port for street hustlers to apply their craft. This will probably be my 10th trip to the island, and I've pretty much seen and done what I wish. Come to think of it, I'm Cozumel'd out as well, and the stingrays in Grand Cayman know me by my first name . The possibility of our not leaving the ship at all looms large right now.

 

Al

 

Or you can start cruising the Eastern Caribbean; Key West, Freeport, Nassau, etc.

[jewopaho]

Street Hustlers? You mean the people that are trying to make an honest living selling their crafts so they can feed their families? You mean the people that make a living and have a different culture than you? Or do you mean the people that see the big Americans coming on the big ship and think they have money so they try harder to sell their stuff? Or are you talking about the rasta man that sells weed who could care less about you?. You really need an education on the country.

 

Oh, please ... I do not mean to offend you; but my view of the culture has nothing to do with it. I've toured Jamaica on numerous occasions (I've lost count, but it's more than ten), have spent a week there at least three times, and have always found the people to be friendly, accommodating and personable. What I'm referring to are the hordes of individuals who descend upon us like vultures to road kill ... and when politely told, "No, thank you." (emphasis on "politely") insist upon revving it up until I'm forced to be somewhat aggressive myself. I don't enjoy having to be that way, but there doesn't seem to be another option. Yes, it happens in other ports, as well (and I don't like it any better, no matter where it occurs) ... but nowhere near the extent that it does in Jamaica.

 

Or you can start cruising the Eastern Caribbean; Key West, Freeport, Nassau, etc.

 

I know about this itinerary ... but having lived in Florida for over 20 years, and taken many trips to Key West and the Bahamas, it's pretty much the same as the western ports for us.

 

This cruise is simply a getaway ... and we regard the ship as our primary destination. Our overall preference is the southern Caribbean, and we generally fly to Fort Lauderdale to do a 10-night cruise. But we've flown so often in recent months, we're just not in the mood for another plane trip ... but we'll never say no to a cruise!