Montego Bay Jamaica

[tiffy0428]

My group of 34 and I are going on Carnival Conquest August 19. I wanted to do sunset Beach in Jamaica but paying $60 per adult and $40 per child is a bit expensive. Is it even worth it, and if not are there other options for Jamaica?

[momof5k]

subbing :)

 

We are going to be getting on the ship just as you are getting off and had the same question...

[doddsm]

My only suggestion for Montego Bay Jamaica is make sure your with a tour group or a Ship Excursion, Very aggressive people.

[LSUcajunmom]

We were worried about safety in Jamaica. We ended going to Margaritaville. They have a slide that goes from the restaurant out into the water. They have a water trampoline and other water toys. You can swim for free and hang out on the balcony of the restaurant. We were about 20 of us. We drank a little and ate. Spent about 3 hrs there and had a really great time. We got a taxi van and the driver dropped us off and we arranged for him to come back in 3 hrs. It cost us $20 pp round trip. We had a great time and felt very safe!!

[andr3a]

Last year we did the Erie Mon beach party through carnival ($40/per adult?)

 

We got off the ship, a short walk to the air conditioned bus, scenic drive to the beach and as we were stepping off the bus they were already handing us rum punch! :D One gentlemen handed me a second and said "take two, it's hot out here!" in a lovely Jamaican accent. It was a private beach, a few local vendors were set up back from the beach and didn't accost the beach goers. They included lunch and all you can drink from quite a few choices. They had a full bathroom and shower to wash the sand off, lounge chairs with umbrellas and staff that would bring drinks etc to your chair. We rented snorkel sets and surpisingly there were a bunch of beautifully colored fish and a bit of coral in the *very clear* water on the beach. They also had a trampoline thing anchored off the beach and the kids all seemed to love that!

 

I would definitely do it again, I felt completely safe, there was plenty of space, and the food/drinks were yummy!

[douglinc@msn.com]

I am not a big fan of Jamacia. Be very careful and stay in groups.

 

Doug

[Sargent_Schultz]

My group of 34 and I are going on Carnival Conquest August 19. I wanted to do sunset Beach in Jamaica but paying $60 per adult and $40 per child is a bit expensive. Is it even worth it, and if not are there other options for Jamaica?

 

Have you contacted them to see if

a) They will take a group of 34?

or

b) if they would offer a discount?

 

It is all-inclusive and has a waterpark, etc. I haven't been there is a few years and the price was lower, but I enjoyed it. Even walker beck to the ship from there and the only people that said anything to me were taxi drivers trying to pick up a fare. I told them to sail on.

[sweetlissa]

Doc's Cave Beach is great and if you stay on the hip strip where there's Margaritaville and shopping and everything a simple no thank you works perfectly, I was so worried the first time we went in Oct of 11 after reading all the stories on CC that I nearly didn't get off the ship, we took a taxi for 5 bucks to Margaritaville, ate, slid into the ocean, played on the water toys, drank, walked down to Doc's cave beach, paid 5 bucks to get in they have chairs and umbreallas to rent as well or you can just use your towels and it was an amazing day! Hope you enjoy it. The only place that even the locals warned us about was the craft market as far as aggressiveness goes. Oh and we weren't in a group, It was just my husband and I. Went back in March with the crazies, did the same exact thing, with no problems! Mobay is great. No thank you works!

[sweetlissa]

My only suggestion for Montego Bay Jamaica is make sure your with a tour group or a Ship Excursion, Very aggressive people.

 

completely disagree with this statement, loved the people, thought they were so sweet and nice, sorry

[nchikk]

Last year we did the Erie Mon beach party through carnival ($40/per adult?)

 

I'm wondering if you have the price confused with another excursion? I just checked on Carnival's site, and it's $89.99 per adult.

[caribsun]

We went to Drs. Cave Beach and had a great time, the admission fee was 5.00. We went shopping along the Hip Strip and had no issues with the locals.

[Carlyzmom]

We have done Sunset Beach and really enjoyed it. As far as being "worth it" - not sure about that. Unless you drink a LOT. We did feel safe and enjoyed the beach. It's all relative on a cruise. Things are pricey. If you look at it that way, I guess it's worth it. ;)

[Carlyzmom]

double post

[countdown2010]

We just got back yesterday. We took a shuttle to Dr. Cave beach ($6 admission per adult, $3 per kid). Shuttle was $5 pp. After beach, we walked along hip strip and did shopping. We walked all the way down strip to The Pork Pit and got jerk chicken and pork. After eating, took shuttle back to ship ($5 pp for shuttle back). This worked great for us so we didn't have to be on a specific time schedule.

[mikehn]

Doc's Cave Beach is great and if you stay on the hip strip where there's Margaritaville and shopping and everything a simple no thank you works perfectly, I was so worried the first time we went in Oct of 11 after reading all the stories on CC that I nearly didn't get off the ship, we took a taxi for 5 bucks to Margaritaville, ate, slid into the ocean, played on the water toys, drank, walked down to Doc's cave beach, paid 5 bucks to get in they have chairs and umbreallas to rent as well or you can just use your towels and it was an amazing day! Hope you enjoy it. The only place that even the locals warned us about was the craft market as far as aggressiveness goes. Oh and we weren't in a group, It was just my husband and I. Went back in March with the crazies, did the same exact thing, with no problems! Mobay is great. No thank you works!

 

 

This is exactly what we did just a few weeks ago. Started at Docs Cave beach, spent a few hours there. We had a great time at Docs with no one approaching and hassling us. We then walked over to Margaritaville, which is maybe 300 yards from Docs Cave and spent another couple hours eating, drinking, and enjoying all the amenities at Margaritaville. This part of town is referred to as the Hip Strip. There are tons of americans walking around between Docs Cave and Margaritaville. No worries mon.

[sweetlissa]

We just got back yesterday. We took a shuttle to Dr. Cave beach ($6 admission per adult, $3 per kid). Shuttle was $5 pp. After beach, we walked along hip strip and did shopping. We walked all the way down strip to The Pork Pit and got jerk chicken and pork. After eating, took shuttle back to ship ($5 pp for shuttle back). This worked great for us so we didn't have to be on a specific time schedule.

 

Great to know, we'll be back there in a couple of weeks, I love it each and every time!

[LSUcajunmom]

I posted wrong amt for taxi. It was $10pp round trip. Forgot I paid for my DD.

[andr3a]

I'm wondering if you have the price confused with another excursion? I just checked on Carnival's site, and it's $89.99 per adult.

 

Hmmm, maybe they upped the price, for some reason I remember it being our cheapest excursion. I could be wrong. Sorry OP. Still a great time! :D

[Sparko1]

Thanks folks. I think you all saved me a bunch of money for an excursion that is long on cost and short on time. I will be going there on the June 9th sailing of the Oasis of the Seas. Based on your comments, I think my wife and I will simply take a shuttle to Margarittaville and explore the "Hip Strip" area you talk about, stay as long as we want, and take the shuttle back to the ship. We did that kind of thing last year on the Carnival Dream, in the Bahamas, we simply took a taxi to the beach and ended up sitting right next to people from the ship that paid $60 or more each for an excursion through Carnival. it only cost us about $20 bucks round trip for two. Did the same thing on St. Thomas. We just went shopping on St Marteen as it was an overcast day.

[sweetlissa]

Thanks folks. I think you all saved me a bunch of money for an excursion that is long on cost and short on time. I will be going there on the June 9th sailing of the Oasis of the Seas. Based on your comments, I think my wife and I will simply take a shuttle to Margarittaville and explore the "Hip Strip" area you talk about, stay as long as we want, and take the shuttle back to the ship. We did that kind of thing last year on the Carnival Dream, in the Bahamas, we simply took a taxi to the beach and ended up sitting right next to people from the ship that paid $60 or more each for an excursion through Carnival. it only cost us about $20 bucks round trip for two. Did the same thing on St. Thomas. We just went shopping on St Marteen as it was an overcast day.

 

I think you'll really enjoy it, also if you want beach time, sitting on Doc's cave they have a bar and waiters and waitresses that will come down bringing menus and drinks and buckets of beer :-)

[ogtiger10]

My son just got back from Sunset Beach and said it was his favorite excursion on the whole cruise. I will be going there on our cruise in May. I've been to Doctor's Cave Beach and to Margaritaville and the Hip Strip. They were fun. I just got tired of digging out money all the time. And Margaritaville is EXPENSIVE!!! As another poster said, it's all relative as to what you enjoy. Have a great cruise.

[tiffy0428]

I have three children that I am taking off the ship with me . I know every minite they are thirsty and hungry so if I don't do all in clusive I think I will be shelling out a lot of money for umbrellas, chairs, food and drinks.

[momof5k]

I have three children that I am taking off the ship with me . I know every minite they are thirsty and hungry so if I don't do all in clusive I think I will be shelling out a lot of money for umbrellas, chairs, food and drinks.

 

 

Ditto! (well we are bringing two this time but ditto the hungry thirsty thing ;) )

 

Pretty sure we are doing Sunset Beach...

[MississippiMom]

I have three children that I am taking off the ship with me . I know every minite they are thirsty and hungry so if I don't do all in clusive I think I will be shelling out a lot of money for umbrellas, chairs, food and drinks.

 

We will also have our three children with us, and those girls can EAT (and the oldest college-aged one can out drink me LOL). In our case the all-inclusive price is actually a bargain.

[ladiva]

This is exactly what we did just a few weeks ago. Started at Docs Cave beach, spent a few hours there. We had a great time at Docs with no one approaching and hassling us. We then walked over to Margaritaville, which is maybe 300 yards from Docs Cave and spent another couple hours eating, drinking, and enjoying all the amenities at Margaritaville. This part of town is referred to as the Hip Strip. There are tons of americans walking around between Docs Cave and Margaritaville. No worries mon.

 

 

Thanks so much for your input! My group of 4 adults will be at the MoBay port in Sept and none of us have ever been (my sister and her husband will be 1st time cruisers) so its up to me to be the leader of the group. We didn't see any excursions that interested us through Carnival so we were just going to walk around. According to other threads I've read today we are going to go to Margaritaville around lunch time, so Docs Cave Beach sounds like a great idea for the morning time. I guess my question is--Can we walk to Doc Cave's Beach from the port? Is it easy to find?

Thanks!!