MSC Seaside Excursion - Ocho Rios & Dunn's River Falls (OCH29)

[joanneTravels]

Ocho Rios & Dunn's River Falls (Ship Excursion code: OCH29) Duration 5h30

I'm considering booking this and want to know all about it, and can't find find any reviews!!! Thus far, my understanding is that this ship excursion begins with climbing the falls, Jamaican lunch on a beach, and ends with tour of Ocho Rios. Adults US$75, child US$53 (you can save if booked prior to cruise). The pricing is cheaper than private tours I researched where food isn't included.

Please give me lots of details...;)

 

Sample questions I have:

- what time is pick-up and drop-off?

- how many people are on the tour with you?

- where exactly do they take you for the Jamaican lunch?

- are there tables by this beach to eat on?

- does the tour take you thru gorgeous Fern Gully? The scenic outlook where one can view the ship?

 

Also, how far in advance should one book this tour? That is, do they fill up? I have a party of 8.

 

Thanks in advance.:D

[lovelights]

Ocho Rios & Dunn's River Falls (Ship Excursion code:OCH29) Duration 5h30

I'm considering booking this and want to know all about it, and can't find find any reviews!!! Thus far, my understanding is that this ship excursion begins with climbing the falls, Jamaican lunch on a beach, and ends with tour of Ocho Rios. Adults US$75, child US$53 (you can save if booked prior to cruise). The pricing is cheaper than private tours I researched where food isn't included.

Please give me lots of details...;)

 

Sample questions I have:

- what time is pick-up and drop-off?

- how many people are on the tour with you?

- where exactly do they take you for the Jamaican lunch?

- are there tables by this beach to eat on?

- does the tour take you thru gorgeous Fern Gully? The scenic outlook where one can view the ship?

 

Also, how far in advance should one book this tour? That is, do they fill up? I have a party of 8.

 

Thanks in advance.:D

 

We took this exact shore excursion almost a month ago when we were on Seaside. Even though it indicates that you'll have a Jamaican lunch by the sea, it's by the sea, but not at a beach. We thought the same thing. That it was going to be at a beach, but it wasn't. It's at a place called Almond Tree Restaurant, where you walk out back and they have a buffet sort of lunch. The chicken is spicy, but it was good. They also had beans & rice, but it was just okay. Not much flavoring and no salt or pepper are offered.The people were friendly, but I felt they were watching over us as we ate, waiting to take our plates. The sea is where the restaurant is located. It's up on a cliff, and you can view the sea from where the restaurant is at. You're not inside the restaurant. You are behind the restaurant. For MSC to word the excursion as lunch by the sea, is very very deceiving.

 

Our pick-up was around 9:00 - 9:30am, and we were dropped back off between 2:30 - 3:00pm.

 

They put you on a bus, and I think we had 34 people in our group. I had family on a different bus, and they said that there were 35 people on their bus. They arrived at the Falls and the lunch place about 45 minutes after we did, so we would meet up to find out how their trip had been, up to that point.

 

There was no real tour. We didn't even get off the bus, except at the Falls, and the restaurant, and on our way back to the ship, they stopped at a rip-off place to shop, called "Rainbow Place", or something like that. Our tour guide on the bus made an announcement before we got there that she had called ahead, and was told they were having a 50% off sale on everything in the store. (The tour guide on my family's bus, also told them the same thing). The prices were astronomically expensive. I didn't see one person on our bus buy anything. A few people didn't even get off the bus. Shortly after the bus picked us up, our bus driver pulled into a road where there was an old church, and it was like "there's the church, take a photo if you'd like through the window of the bus, and now let's go."

 

My family that was on the other bus, said that the only place their bus stopped, was on the side of the road, where they were told that they had to buy water shoes for $10.00 a pair, in order to even enter the park (which was a lie). My niece walks with a cane, and just wanted to do the walking next to the Falls on the deck areas, but they told her that she had to buy the shoes just to get inside the park, whether she was climbing the Falls or not.

 

When she got to the Falls, their tour guide didn't get off the bus with them, and her and her husband had to pay another $20.00 ea. to get inside the park. She ended up paying it, and then when she got back to the ship, she informed MSC what had happened, and MSC refunded her back the money for the water shoes, the money that she had to pay to get in the park (since she had already paid $150.00 for her husband and her to take the excursion to begin with), and they also gave her back 1/2 of her money for the excursion.

 

Getting out of the Falls park area to get back to the bus is a tour in its own. The hagglers almost make it impossible for you to get out of there. They just don't take "no thank you" for an answer. They want to pull you by the arm, or touch you, shake hands the Jamaican way. I had a woman that pulled me by my arm, and tried to insist for me to take a beaded necklace and told me that it was free, and it would just be a donation to help the children at their local orphanage. :O I just wanted to get out of there so bad and get back to the bus.

 

If I would have known then, what I know now, I would not have paid $75.00 a person to take this excursion. Considering that it's $20 a person to get in the park, the other $50.00 a person was not worth it, compared to what we received. I felt that the majority of the trip was a scam.

 

 

We got a much better tour in Grand Cayman. Stopped like 6 different places, and it was only $20.00 per person. It was the first time we had done anything like that without going through the cruise line. We only had 10 people on our tour and it was very nice. However, in Jamaica, I would not suggest doing anything unless you go through the cruise line. Maybe someone else had a better excursion, and can suggest something different.

[lovelights]

 

My family that was on the other bus, said that the only place their bus stopped, was on the side of the road, where they were told that they had to buy water shoes for $10.00 a pair, in order to even enter the park (which was a lie). My niece walks with a cane, and just wanted to do the walking next to the Falls on the deck areas, but they told her that she had to buy the shoes just to get inside the park, whether she was climbing the Falls or not.

 

 

I forgot to say that the place where the bus stopped to buy water shoes, was not a store. It was a car on the side of the road that was selling them out of the trunk of the car.

[stuart2468]

Can i ask why are you doing Dunn's River falls? Is it because its the done thing to do and everyone does it?

 

If the answer is yes, then i recommend you save your $75. We did this as part of a 3 stop tour in Ocho Rios a few years back. We booked an excursion for the Blue hole, Dunn's River Falls & River Tubing. I've just looked up the excursion operator who is charging $60 for this package currently. I'm not sure if i'm allowed to tell you here which company it was??

 

The Blue hole is just stunning with a far more impressive waterfall system that Dunn's. Dunn's is just a tourist trap and is way over commercialized and so spoils its beauty. you are literally dragged up the falls along with hundreds of other people. The tubing on our tour was so relaxing as you watch the canopy float by.

 

If you want beauty, waterfall jumping and river swimming then the blue hole every time!

[windlicht]

I did the sea kayaking and dunn‘s river falls last summer through the Divina.

We enjoyed it very much!

Nobody said we had to buy anything. We were maybe 20 people.

The kayaking was fun but a bit short.

The Falls were a lot of fun, as well.

At the top of the falls there were s lot of very pushy vendors. Now, I have no problem walking on and saying no but they pulled aside my teenage son a couple of times and had to get stern.

I had no cash left otherwise I would have bought a beer offered by a vendor right at the exit lol.

We enjoyed our tour very much.

[windlicht]

I think this year I would go with the River rafting (despite crocodiles lol)

[CruisingFox27]

I think this year I would go with the River rafting (despite crocodiles lol)

 

If it's the bamboo river rafting trip I'd not bother with that either, we did it in the summer and were disappointed.

[Asecert]

Can i ask why are you doing Dunn's River falls? Is it because its the done thing to do and everyone does it?

 

If the answer is yes, then i recommend you save your $75. We did this as part of a 3 stop tour in Ocho Rios a few years back. We booked an excursion for the Blue hole, Dunn's River Falls & River Tubing. I've just looked up the excursion operator who is charging $60 for this package currently. I'm not sure if i'm allowed to tell you here which company it was??

 

The Blue hole is just stunning with a far more impressive waterfall system that Dunn's. Dunn's is just a tourist trap and is way over commercialized and so spoils its beauty. you are literally dragged up the falls along with hundreds of other people. The tubing on our tour was so relaxing as you watch the canopy float by.

 

If you want beauty, waterfall jumping and river swimming then the blue hole every time!

 

 

I completely agree with Stuart. The few times we have been to Jamaica, we have always booked our own independent excursions which turned out to be much cheaper than the cruise line's tours. We have done the Blue Hole which is absolutely amazing- beautiful waterfalls and nowhere near as crowded as Dunn's which means you have more time to actually enjoy your surroundings. We also add on river tubing, Shaw Park Garden, beach time (usually Bamboo Blue), and lunch.

 

We have used Marvyn's Paradise Tours in the past and he is awesome! We emailed him with the activities we were interested in doing and he promptly responded with additional info, suggestions and pricing. The cost for us to have our own completely private tour (just the 2 of us) was not much more than booking a ship excursion. With 8 people in your party, I am sure you can get a great rate (less than the $600 from MSC).

 

I recommend looking at some reviews on Trip Advisor for tour operators and get a few quotes, just so you can explore all of your options.

[joanneTravels]

Thank you all for your details :cool:. The Almond Tree Restaurant looks nice from the pics. I actually prefer a cliff site to a beach (I'm not that much into sand). Scotchies restaurant also interests me--outdoors, a bit rugged, but still alluring.

 

I am stunned to hear about the pit stop which forced the buying a water shoes from a car, as well as no sightseeing as advertised!!! This surprises me given it's affiliation with the cruiseline.

What is the name of that tour company?

 

I am now looking into some private tours and I am considering Mystic Mountain in the a.m., Jamaican lunch, Dunns River Falls, and hopefully a quick scenic tour which includes Fern Gully. I came across a tour company that includes lunch at Scotchies in their already low price (Karandas Tours). Island Transfer & Tours appears to have a great reputation on TripAdvisor and reasonable pricing. I e-mailed these two tour companies today and am waiting to hear back.

[joanneTravels]

I have now looked into private tours for Dunn's River Falls, to compare them with MSC Seaside OCH29. I've decided to do Mystic Mountain in the a.m., a Jamaican lunch, climb Dunn's River Falls in the p.m., and take a tour of Ocho Rios, including Fern Gully prior to returning to the ship. I read many reviews on TripAdvisor, and narrowed it down to a top four. Next I e-mailed each for pricing options for my group of 8. The first three tour companies surprisingly responded within a few hours (#1 and #2 wrote back even though it was nighttime for them in Jamaica, and #3 wrote back early the next morning). The reply e-mails were all professional, friendly, and not a hard sell. Know Jamaica's response was especially personable.

 

1.

Island Transfer & Tours

Transpo Adult $35pp, child $28pp. We pay all our own entry fees. Driver will stay with us all day.

 

2.

www.knowjamaica.com Know Jamaica

$45 pp/child $30 (you pay the entrance fees). Build it yourself. Customize it. We pay all our own entry fees. Driver will stay with us all day.

 

3.

http://www.marvynsparadisetours.com/ Marvyn’s Paradise Tours $180 for all 8 of us. We pay entrance fees and lunch. Driver will stay with us all day.

 

4.

toursinochorios.com/best-of-ocho-rios-tour/ Karandas Tours

website states all their tours include lunch (e.g. at Scotchies -- outdoors jerk restaurant)

They wrote back just over 24 hours later and wanted more info as to what activities we wanted at Mystic Mountain so as to give us an accurate quote. I was hoping they would just give me their pricing options. I am waiting to hear back again now that I said we're not sure yet (with bobsled, without bobsled, likely not ziplining)

 

I like the idea of not filing onto a tour bus of 30, and having a van all to ourselves whisking us away to wherever our heart desires, and making stops at our request. Jamaica is such a beautiful country with lots to see and do, so why waste precious moments. I was born and raised in Kingston so I really want to give my friends the best experience possible of my home country.

 

TripAdvisor has so many wonderful reviews for all these 4 companies, it would be hard to choose. As you can see, pricing does vary. I'm leaning towards #3 since I will be paying the van/driver myself as a treat to my guests.

 

The first three come across as "mom and pop", while the fourth is more corporate.

 

I still would like to hear from others who went on the OCH29 excursion with MSC Seaside as the one that did respond didn't have too great of an experience. I was especially dismayed to hear that she had not gotten a tour of the city as described in their promo.

[joanneTravels]

Karandas Tours got back to me after a day and a half of my e-mail:

 

US$190.00 for group of 8 persons. Covers round trip transpo only and allows open itinerary to do any tour you would like to do and pay your own entrance fees.

I need to ask if they still include lunch on a private tour.

[joanneTravels]

Their private tours do not include lunch. Fair enough! Still a great deal.