What to do in Ocho Rios?

[kellyrnh]

We stopped in Ocho Rios last year on the Valor. It was by far our most favorite port (we also stopped in Key West and Grand Cayman).

 

We used Courtney Taylor for a private tour to Bob Marley's birth place up in 9 mile. It was a spectacular drive - would do it again in a heartbeat! We even got to do some other things on our list on the way back - your time is your time and they'll accommodate. I think we paid $120 for two people, and IMO it was worth every penny.

 

Don't listen to people who say to stay on the ship - what a shame! I do recommend hiring a tour guide to feel safer and not deal with the hagglers, but it is such a beautiful island I really can't wait to visit it again.

[cmptrwiz]

For those who have used Peat, was there any trouble getting back to your ship on time for departure. That's our biggest fear with doing an activity outside of what Carnival offers.

 

No real concern and no problem getting back on time!

[jdvmd]

It has been a few years ago but we used Peat Taylor also with no problems.

[Dawgfan]

For those who have used Peat, was there any trouble getting back to your ship on time for departure. That's our biggest fear with doing an activity outside of what Carnival offers.

 

We have used Peat Taylor twice before. Peat was awesome and very reasonable, never any issues of any sort and always back on time. If what you want to do is not listed on his website just tell him and he will make it work. We will be using Peat again on Monday when in port with Destiny.

[riclop]

Stay on the ship and enjoy each other:D

[missmacie]

I didn't read the other responses but we did the Carnival excursion with Dunn's River Falls on the catamaran and absolutely LOVED it. It was well worth the money in my opinion. We didn't have to deal with the traffic [and apparently non-air conditioned buses], the catamaran was a ton of fun with free drinks :)

 

We ventured off on our own after the excursion and will never do that again. We were harassed by EVERY.SINGLE.PERSON we walked by, we ended up spending 10 minutes on our own and then heading back to the ship.

 

In my opinion, the carnival excursions in Ocho Rios are your best option.

[captainmayi]

Last year we went to Ocho Rios and used Jamaica for a Day. We went to Jewel Dunn's River resort and it was BEAUTIFUL! They picked us up within the gated area, dropped us off at the resort and when it was time to go, they transported us back to the cruise ship. We got to enjoy all their pools, the ocean, eat and drink all we wanted.

We had already climbed the Falls in the past so we did not have a need to do it again.

*** They now offer, climbing the Dunn's River Falls and then taking you to their resort where you get to spend the rest of your day.

If we go back to Jamaica, we will be using them again!

[zumbafan]

We used Peat Taylor in 2011 while on the Freedom--he got us to Dunns River Falls before the cruise ships and we were about the third group to go up the falls. We had plenty of time to shop and hit Margaritaville before heading back to the ship.

[tdk]

We were there August 2011 and will never return to that God forsaken island again. As soon as you go through the security area you are literately attacked by cab drivers. They block your path and stop you and offer to take you all over the island. They scared the hell out of us so we kept trying to walk but as soon as you get by one another one stops you. We wanted to make it to the shops that Carnival recommended but we gave up and went back to the ship. My advice is do not get off your ship in Jamaica.

 

 

omg....hilarious....my thoughts exactly....Ive been twice and now we make sure any cruise we pick does not include Jamaica.

[pebbles1102]

We were in Ocho Rios on a cruise on the Valor this past summer. We booked and all day tour with Peat Taylor Tours. We ended up with O'neal Taylor his son. O'neal was a fabulous guide. He showed us lots of the sights around Ocho Rios. We have two kids, 12 and 10, and O'neal was wonderful with them. The tour was $125 for the day but was worth every penny. He did drop us off at a flea market in downtown that was scary, the vendors will not leave you alone until you buy. But he did take us to a great place that had wonderful jerk chicken.

[maggie cruises]

My soon-to-be-wife and I will be cruising the Carnival Freedom and are looking for things to do in Ocho Rios. We aren't doing one of the Carnival Excursions there. I know there's Dunn's River Falls. Has anyone just explored that without a guide? Would be nice to see it, but we don't have to climb it.

 

Anyone used any services outside of Carnival to explore this area? We don't want to be slugs all day but we don't want to pay the hefty excursion prices either! Anything will help!

 

This is easily answered...book the ship's excursion that does Dunn's River Falls and have a wonderful time.

 

seriously...it is your best bet and you will come back with a positive opinion of the port stop.

if you do things on your own...well, let's just say you will be of the mind of many of the other posters on this thread...and say that you should have stayed on the ship.

 

I have been to Jamaica 2X and can say with 1000% certainty that I will not go back there.

[LynnAnne]

I second the Cool Runnings catamaran to Dunn River Falls.

[wrigley80]

Stay on the Ship....unless you enjoy being hassled. Ocho Rios is my least favorite port.

[LynnAnne]

That's why I like booking Cool Runnings with Carnival. Your tour is waiting at the end of the pier and drops you off there. You go up the falls from the bottom so no need to be around all the vendors.

[luv cruising 007]

Just came back from Ocho Rios & we had NO problems with being hassled AT ALL!!!! agreed on a price of a licensed & insured taxi of $120 or $60 each for me & my mom to have him as our private driver all day!!!

 

Had 4 things to do to get off the beaten path, climbing up a waterfall holding hands like a chain gang is over rated, do a real waterfall on the other islands or on Jamaica were you can climb & jump off into the water that is more real!!

 

We needed buy Blue mtn coffee, Jamaican, rum & a shot glass, eat jerk chicken, & go to a private beach! Did all that with the private taxi for $120 The private beach was Bamboo Blu beach!! cab needed to get through private guarded gates to get there, VERY SAFE & NO CHARGE FOR THE PRIVATE BEACH BAR WITH DAY BEDS & PADDED LOUNGERs!!!! DEAL OF THE DAY THERE! Plus great bar service at $6.50 a drink well worth it

 

Went to go eat Jerk chicken to a local place, not touristy with a live Jamaican band playing, even bought our driver lunch as a courtesy!!!

 

Then he took us to the shops closer to the ship & acted like security, he SHOOED OFF ANY PEOPLE TRYING TO HAGGLE US, then recruited a very nice young lady from the store he took us to, to be our PERSONAL SHOPPER AWESOME FEELING!!! We got the coffee, sampled TOO MUCH RUM in the store hehehe:D:D, got the shot glass & rum, no hassles! & he included a city tour on the way to the beach about 5 miles away from the crowded port!!

 

A stress free day off the beaten path without a tour! once you get a licensed & insured taxi, you dont get hassled by anyone the whole time & he stayed with us even at the beach & at the end brought us back to the port safe & sound, tipsy, hassle free & full of goodies:D:D!

 

Please don't stay on the ship, if you come in with a negative mindset or not willing to pay $$ for a cab or pay $$ for a tour, then walking around a port area alone SUCKS!!! & thats the same to ANY PORT IN THE WORLD!!!

 

Off my soapbox now thanx for listening:o

[Humarocker]

Agreed like any other port...be mindfull and you shouldn't have a problem...we went with O'Neal Taylor Falls, Tubing abd Blue Hole and we had time to shop

 

My kids said it was there favorite exc. and they have been on 6 cruises w/excursions in every port

[deborahjo]

Best thing for us is to stay on the ship. Was there in January and will never go there again. The hawkers were so bad and scary I hate that port.

[waldocruiser1]

My soon-to-be-wife and I will be cruising the Carnival Freedom and are looking for things to do in Ocho Rios. We aren't doing one of the Carnival Excursions there. I know there's Dunn's River Falls. Has anyone just explored that without a guide? Would be nice to see it, but we don't have to climb it.

 

Anyone used any services outside of Carnival to explore this area? We don't want to be slugs all day but we don't want to pay the hefty excursion prices either! Anything will help!

 

When we went on the Valor last January we found the main thing to do was get accosted by groups of pushy people trying to sell things, or drive you places (probably out to the woods to leave you for dead)

 

We really did not like this port, Maybe if we had made plans it would have been better, but we didn't and did not like the port.

[waldocruiser1]

omg....hilarious....my thoughts exactly....Ive been twice and now we make sure any cruise we pick does not include Jamaica.

 

Exactly, we spent the time walking to the shops just off the gated area, fighting off the panhandlers, walking in a very defensive posture I was in the front, then DW GS DiL then son, Son and I were 6 ft and 300+ but very uncomfortable.

 

I would not get off again, and wont book if it can be avoided.

 

We have added it to the list, and it made the top,

 

Jamaica,

Nassau,

San Jaun

 

Places not to go back to, Nassau just because we have been there to many times,

[dreaminofmeadows]

We were there a few years ago. Yes, the locals outside the port were extremely aggressive and had my dd18 in tears. Once we got through that, we hired a driver for the day, I believe it was $20.00 each negotiated before we got in. The driver was very friendly, kept asking if we were having a good time, and took us to several places on the island. He escorted us every where he took us, and we even went to some road side stands and were able to barter with the locals, and they were not nearly as aggressive as the ones outside the port, they tried to sell to us, but took no for an answer. If my ship were going to Jamaica now, I would probably go to the port shopping area( name is slipping my mind) to buy my rum cream and have a red stripe at Margaritaville and get back on the ship, but I did enjoy the tour of the island we had.

[berwyn]

We were there a few years ago. Yes, the locals outside the port were extremely aggressive and had my dd18 in tears. Once we got through that, we hired a driver for the day, I believe it was $20.00 each negotiated before we got in. The driver was very friendly, kept asking if we were having a good time, and took us to several places on the island. He escorted us every where he took us, and we even went to some road side stands and were able to barter with the locals, and they were not nearly as aggressive as the ones outside the port, they tried to sell to us, but took no for an answer. If my ship were going to Jamaica now, I would probably go to the port shopping area( name is slipping my mind) to buy my rum cream and have a red stripe at Margaritaville and get back on the ship, but I did enjoy the tour of the island we had.

Remember that you can not get to Margaritaville with out going through the hoard of cab drivers. I will never do that again.

[angogl]

Courtney Taylor Tours (I think the other Taylor is his brother -- the dad used to own the business) is WONDERFUL!! They let me schedule what I wanted to do. It was only $35/person (lunch was extra) and we did the following:

 

 

Driver (Marvin) met us with a cooler for our Red Stripe:D at 8:30am

Sightseeing

Blue Hole (a MUST see--you can google it)

More sightseeing

Lunch at Scotchies (approx. $8/person)

Shopping at their free market (where they actually shop, not a tourist area), it was very interesting

Shopping at the Taj Mahal

Back to ship 1.5 hours before departure

[jdvmd]

Courtney Taylor Tours (I think the other Taylor is his brother -- the dad used to own the business) is WONDERFUL!! They let me schedule what I wanted to do. It was only $35/person (lunch was extra) and we did the following:

 

 

Driver (Marvin) met us with a cooler for our Red Stripe:D at 8:30am

Sightseeing

Blue Hole (a MUST see--you can google it)

More sightseeing

Lunch at Scotchies (approx. $8/person)

Shopping at their free market (where they actually shop, not a tourist area), it was very interesting

Shopping at the Taj Mahal

Back to ship 1.5 hours before departure

 

Yes, Peat is his brother.

[javamom]

We were there August 2011 and will never return to that God forsaken island again. As soon as you go through the security area you are literately attacked by cab drivers. They block your path and stop you and offer to take you all over the island. They scared the hell out of us so we kept trying to walk but as soon as you get by one another one stops you. We wanted to make it to the shops that Carnival recommended but we gave up and went back to the ship. My advice is do not get off your ship in Jamaica.

 

Are there any shops before you get to the cab drivers?

[berwyn]

Sorry no.