Advice about Rose Hall Hilton Day Pass through Resort for a Day and other Beach Clubs

[tusconcam]

Hi there.

 

I'm looking for some advice/help with making a decision about where to spend my Beach Day when stopped in in Falmouth Jamaica with my Royal Caribbean cruise in a few weeks.

 

I've already booked (but can cancel) an All-inclusive excursion at a fairly new Blue Waters Beach club.(not many reviews about this place)

It looks good; however I've read some mixed reviews about it: shortage of chairs, no shade,minimal food etc, but the beach looks nice and is close to port. (Thoughts?/experiences?)

 

Others have directed me to Bamboo beach Club all inclusive which appears to be okay as well, with some mixed reviews: smallish beach, limited food, swimming maybe not the best etc.(thoughts/experiences?)

 

I know I can't expect the world for my beach day but I'd like to have the best experience possible (not for an unlimited budget though)

 

So can someone chime in about another option proposed to me:

Rose Hall Hilton All Inclusive Day Pass (ideally purchased through Resort for A Day tour company)?

 

It looks like an interesting resort with perhaps better looking pool/water-slides/lazy river than the Beach area? Is this true?

What about value/quality of food and drink/service etc?

Did the transportation to/from work out well?

What are your thoughts/impressions of the place?

 

My quoted price is $117 US (am a Canadian so i'm getting dinged for exchange) and hope to get some feedback here from others about Rose Hall Hilton (and hopefully Blue Waters and bamboo Club) so I can make the best decision.

 

I would appreciate your advice/experiences and assistance about what beach Day choice would be best.

 

I have read many reviews yes, but I'm hoping for responses that would help me to better compare them.

 

Many thanks.

[mickeymouse12]

Hi there.

 

I'm looking for some advice/help with making a decision about where to spend my Beach Day when stopped in in Falmouth Jamaica with my Royal Caribbean cruise in a few weeks.

 

I've already booked (but can cancel) an All-inclusive excursion at a fairly new Blue Waters Beach club.(not many reviews about this place)

It looks good; however I've read some mixed reviews about it: shortage of chairs, no shade,minimal food etc, but the beach looks nice and is close to port. (Thoughts?/experiences?)

 

Others have directed me to Bamboo beach Club all inclusive which appears to be okay as well, with some mixed reviews: smallish beach, limited food, swimming maybe not the best etc.(thoughts/experiences?)

 

I know I can't expect the world for my beach day but I'd like to have the best experience possible (not for an unlimited budget though)

 

So can someone chime in about another option proposed to me:

Rose Hall Hilton All Inclusive Day Pass (ideally purchased through Resort for A Day tour company)?

 

It looks like an interesting resort with perhaps better looking pool/water-slides/lazy river than the Beach area? Is this true?

What about value/quality of food and drink/service etc?

Did the transportation to/from work out well?

What are your thoughts/impressions of the place?

 

My quoted price is $117 US (am a Canadian so i'm getting dinged for exchange) and hope to get some feedback here from others about Rose Hall Hilton (and hopefully Blue Waters and bamboo Club) so I can make the best decision.

 

I would appreciate your advice/experiences and assistance about what beach Day choice would be best.

 

I have read many reviews yes, but I'm hoping for responses that would help me to better compare them.

 

Many thanks.

 

We booked Hilton Rose through Resort for a day a few years ago and had a great time. Transportation was great to and from the resort. We didn't use the beach area, we floated in the lazy river and went to the swim up bar all day. We are going back in Sept. and plan on going there again. Jamaiican jerk chicken there was awesome.

Have fun!!

[slotmomma3]

I have booked Hilton Rose Hall on 3 cruises. It was a great day all 3 times. The beach isn't great there but everything else is. My last trip 2 weeks ago I did not go to Hilton because Royal is using this resort as one of their excursions and I was worried about it being to crowded. i booked Royalton White Sands through Island Marketing instead. The beach at this resort was a lot nicer than Hilton and it was much closer to ship, The food was not as good as Hilton but it wasn't bad. The cost through Island Marketing was $88.00 plus $10.00 per person transportation round trip.

[CaptainEd]

I have booked Hilton Rose Hall on 3 cruises. It was a great day all 3 times. The beach isn't great there but everything else is. My last trip 2 weeks ago I did not go to Hilton because Royal is using this resort as one of their excursions and I was worried about it being to crowded. i booked Royalton White Sands through Island Marketing instead. The beach at this resort was a lot nicer than Hilton and it was much closer to ship, The food was not as good as Hilton but it wasn't bad. The cost through Island Marketing was $88.00 plus $10.00 per person transportation round trip.

 

 

Thank you for the above review in Royalton White Sands.

We have booked this same resort while in port in May.

[dna1990]

i booked Royalton White Sands through Island Marketing instead. The beach at this resort was a lot nicer than Hilton and it was much closer to ship, The food was not as good as Hilton but it wasn't bad. The cost through Island Marketing was $88.00 plus $10.00 per person transportation round trip.

 

Did you use IM's transportation option or on your own? Either way, how well did it work out? Where was the pickup point at the port? Assuming IM's option - how long to wait until everyone was ready to leave, and did they tend to cut the day short while trying to getting everyone loaded back up for the return?

[slotmomma3]

I used IM transportation. You have to walk out of the port to the right to the courthouse. The driver was very prompt. It was a cab. We were booked with another couple. The driver came back and picked us up at the time the both parties agreed on to go back. It was very smooth. I was a little worried at first when we left the port, but it worked out fine. It is a very short trip too the resort.

[dna1990]

...The driver was very prompt. It was a cab...

 

How did you know he was your specific ride? Sign? Or he was parked somewhere specific away from other cabs? How well were the IM instructions laid out for the pickup?

[slotmomma3]

How did you know he was your specific ride? Sign? Or he was parked somewhere specific away from other cabs? How well were the IM instructions laid out for the pickup?

 

We stood in front of the courthouse(with my husband screaming at me the whole time lol), it was very congested with traffic, and a man in a cab called out to us and asked if we were the(our last name) I said yes and we got in. I was a little nervous but it worked out fine. He said he had to pick up 1 other couple. A couple was walking toward the courthouse and he called to them asking if they were the so and so's. They said yes and got in.

[mimireese]

We booked Hilton Rose through Resort for a day a few years ago and had a great time. Transportation was great to and from the resort. We didn't use the beach area, we floated in the lazy river and went to the swim up bar all day. We are going back in Sept. and plan on going there again. Jamaiican jerk chicken there was awesome.

 

Have fun!!

 

 

My husband is wanting to try the "authentic jerk chicken", I am glad to hear it is good. We go to Hilton Rose Hall next week! Can't wait!

[Mjasp]

I used IM transportation. You have to walk out of the port to the right to the courthouse. The driver was very prompt. It was a cab. We were booked with another couple. The driver came back and picked us up at the time the both parties agreed on to go back. It was very smooth. I was a little worried at first when we left the port, but it worked out fine. It is a very short trip too the resort.

 

How much was the cab ride and do you remember how long the ride was?

Edited June 21, 2016 by Mjasp

[Mjasp]

I used IM transportation. You have to walk out of the port to the right to the courthouse. The driver was very prompt. It was a cab. We were booked with another couple. The driver came back and picked us up at the time the both parties agreed on to go back. It was very smooth. I was a little worried at first when we left the port, but it worked out fine. It is a very short trip too the resort.

 

Do you remember how much your cab ride was and also how long a ride to get to the resort?

 

Thanks

[slotmomma3]

Do you remember how much your cab ride was and also how long a ride to get to the resort?

 

Thanks

 

The cab ride was 10 -15 minutes and the cost was $10.00 per person round trip.

[Mjasp]

The cab ride was 10 -15 minutes and the cost was $10.00 per person round trip.

 

Thanks

[carbon]

Jewel runaway beach

Has anyone done this resort?

[lesaj]

We also booked the adults-only Jewels resort, curious to hear input from others.

[carbon]

Has anyone been to this resort Jewel's runaway adults only. We are looking to book for October

[JP350Z]

I just stepped off the Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean route this past Sat. The area I researched the most was Falmouth Jamaica and available all inclusive day passes near port. Yes I know Dunns/Blue hole/bobsled/zip line are all great too but my kids are 3 and 6 so none of that is age appropriate and I've already climbed the Falls anyway. You should know the Jewel resort Disney uses for an all inclusive excursion is 45 min away so you loose 1.5 hours of your day on a bus with that option.

 

I chose the Royalton White Sands in Trelawny due to its close proximity to the port (3.5 miles), it's large pools, waterslides and large kids pool/play complex. I was 100% satisfied with this choice, it's fabulous. Especially after the disappointing small pools on the ship with 4,000 other people.

 

Where to buy all inclusive day pass:

 

I can't post a link but Google Jamaica cruise excursions (all one word) dot Com and you will find them for $88pp adult and $44pp kids. Do not chose to add transportation with them because their drivers meet you outside the secure port where you don't want to go. Inside the secured and beautiful new port there is a taxi/tour stand. It will be $10pp on the way there but you can negotiate $5pp on the way home. The resort will sell you a day pass directly but their price is $100 and you must find their direct number and call ahead.

 

Upon arriving at the resort go to guest services and pay the remainder of your balance because the excursion company only takes a deposit before hand. Be sure to have your printed confirmation with you. You will be given wrist bands and they ask to hold your drivers license which I didn't like but had no problem getting them back at the end of the day.

 

Pool facility is HUGE with 2 family pools and one adults only pool with a swim up bar. We had no problem finding chairs with umbrellas. Towels are available so you don't need them from the ship.

 

Beach has a Sandy bottom and is shallow so you can walk pretty far off. Some wave action but nothing hard for small kids to play in.

 

Non motorized watersports such as sea kayaks, paddle boards, pedal boats are included and available at the watersports hut on the beach you just have to sign the waiver first.

 

They have 4 large waterslides for bigger kids (my 6 yr old was tall enough so 48 inches) and a pirate ship small slide play area for little kids.

 

Food is available inside the buffet but bring a dry pair of shorts or at the beachside jerk chicken and BBQ hut which was yummy.

 

Drinks are anything you want, Red stripe on tap and a long list of frozen cocktails all included. I brought singles for tips and we had servers coming around taking drink orders. It was faster to go directly to the swim up bar though.

 

I would absolutely stay a week there and was pricing it out on the way home.

 

They had kids games in the afternoon with prizes and I heard they had a children's character Mike the Knight the day before. I believe this is why Disney does not work with them, they have a contract with another studio. For a brief time last year Disney did offer this as an excursion but stopped it so now you have to book it on your own.

 

They are currently building a large lazy river complex and a new tower of rooms so I think it will be an even better resort in the near future. Hopefully they don't discontinue the day passes when they have more guests.

 

I have a full review on TA under the same username with pictures. Currently working on a Gopro video of our trip will post here when done.

 

Royalton Video starts at about 6:15 mark.

 

[JP350Z]

I just want to highlight the transportation to the Royalton. I did not use Island management/Jamaica cruise excursion dot com transportation and ended up spending $15 a person round trip. BUT..... My spouse, parents and kids where all very happy and felt safe just using the taxi stand in the secured port for the extra $5 per person instead of the several block hike to the courthouse outside the port gates.

 

Here is what you do: Walk off the ship, you will enter the port through the main gait at the tip of the pier. There is an open area in front of you with steel drums and stores on both sides, at the far end of this triangle there are three "roads" or paths into the Disneyland like, RCI owned and secured port. Your far Right is towards Margaritaville, far Left would be towards ship excursions, straight up the middle takes you to the taxi stand for people doing their own thing. Once there you will find a traffic square with a large sign listing set prices to each resort or attraction. Someone by the sign will ask you where you want to go and call over a driver. Sadly Royalton is not on the sign by Rose Hall is and I was told $10pp one way. I have since emailed the port of Falmouth and asked to have The Royalton added to the sign. The vehicles used where all mini vans so our party of 6 rode together. On the return trip I negotiated $5 pp with one of the many cabs waiting at the resort and the door guy helped me as well. This is all the information I would have loved to have but this forum will not let me post helpful reviews like this unless I'm asked a question.

 

Also note in another thread it was mentioned the cost of this excursion is going up this summer through island marketing but will still be much cheaper and less crowded than a ship beach excursion.

Edited July 7, 2016 by JP350Z

[LuckyTheRooster]

Thanks for this - this is exactly what I was looking to do!