Jamaica Experience

[hal2008]

All along my impression of Jamaica was that it is just like any other Carb island. Beautiful but poor. Some bad parts but safe in turist area.

 

Reading CC posts over last few months scared me.

 

Our experience was very different.

 

Everyone was very nice.

 

No one approached even once.

 

Even the supposedly horrible craft market upon exit from DRF involved absolutely no one approaching us. In fact, I had to approach two of them to find out price on item I wanted to buy. (oh yes, they did bargain)

 

The local guide (in blue uniform did not help much) and the video dvd guy was bit obnoxius. But overall extremely positive experience at DNF in particular and our day in Jamaica (which also included a stop at Green Grotto Caves)

 

Caves by the way were so-so (nothing great and nothing bad) and there were no mosquitoes at all. Due to strange pricing by RCCL, visit to caves was free.

 

We always use local private tour operators/vendors but after checking out almost all tour operators recommended bon CC, shore excusion from RCCL turned out to be cheapest (yes, really) and peace of mind of ship excursion was added bonus.

 

Would havce preferred to go to Ocho Rios rather than Falmouth but othwerwise based on our experience, I would certainly not recommend someone to stay onboard ship. (IMHO. YMMV)

 

Guess your own cultural/ethnic background gives different perspective on the same facts/situation and hence so many different observations.

 

One day experience of one family is obviously not statistically significant. But given that thats all we have, I would not bad mouth Jamaica at all.We found Jamaica more pleasant, more hospitable, more beautiful than highly commercialized Cozumel. (again, IMHO - YMMV)

[ladiva]

Thank you so so much for your post!! I'm like you, some of the posts on here had me scared at first....but I shrugged it off. I've decided to make my own opinion when I get there in Sept-and I'm really looking forward to it! In my experience if someone is pushy...walk away-simple as that! And a simple "No thank you" goes a long way. I'm looking forward to our stop at Montego Bay! :)