Private Tours from Montego Bay

[kapono]

Our family has hired one of the private guides mentioned on the boards for our arrival on the Liberty of the Seas in Montego Bay in June. I'm wondering what some of you have done for the day when arriving in Montego Bay. I didn't realize that some of the guides only work out of Ochos Rios and it is quite a distance to the Falls from this port although the ship does offer these excursions. Also, I see that our ship doesn't dock until 10:30 and leaves at 6. Does anyone have any experience with this itinerary or any suggestions? We are mostly trying to please 6 young adults (ages 17 - 24) and some of the parents and trying to keep to a budget. Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

[JHCALLAHAN]

Our guide on our last trip was Richard Robinson thru Marva Shaw. We basically just told him to show us around. We went to Rockdale Bird Sanctuary and loved it, could have spent the whole day there. We went to some estate (don't remember the name :confused: ) that overlooked MoBay and loafed around awhile and took pictures. We had lunch at the Pork Pit (man, you GOTTA go there!) and went to a "farm" a friend of his owned and took a little tour. That about used up the day. We had a GREAT time! No problem at all with any of the locals, found them very friendly. Both times we've been there I've found the vendors on Cozumel much more annoying than the Jamaicans.

 

A private guide should be willing to taylor the tour to your desires. Just tell him/her what you want to see and experience (but DEFINITELY eat at the Pork Pit!!!!!:D )

 

Have a great cruise and enjoy Jamaica (Oh yeah, did I mention DON'T MISS THE PORK PIT!!!!!) ;)

[kapono]

JH Thanks for taking the time to reply. We are also using Marva and she has already made several suggestions. I'm still looking into going to YS Falls or Mayfield Falls from MoBay, but I'd love to do just what you did, especially Pork Pit! I'll report back when we return.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

[Texas_Diver]

We went to Sunset Beach while in MoBay. Lots of great info here about Sunset Beach.

 

D.

[clodzilla]

I was on the Liberty of the Seas last week with the same itinerary.

Mayfield Falls was absolutely amazing! I've heard that DRF gets really crowded (and it looks that way in pictures) but at Mayfield I didn't see any other groups until the very end. It feels like you're just discovering it for yourself hahah!

Afterwards we went to Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. Feeding the hummingbirds was quite an experience but there isn't much else up there. Also, we had spent a lot of time at the falls so we were rushing a bit by the end. We did hit up the Pork Pit but got take out :P

[kapono]

I was on the Liberty of the Seas last week with the same itinerary.

Mayfield Falls was absolutely amazing! I've heard that DRF gets really crowded (and it looks that way in pictures) but at Mayfield I didn't see any other groups until the very end. It feels like you're just discovering it for yourself hahah!

Afterwards we went to Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. Feeding the hummingbirds was quite an experience but there isn't much else up there. Also, we had spent a lot of time at the falls so we were rushing a bit by the end. We did hit up the Pork Pit but got take out :P

 

This sounds like a great itinerary! I'd like to try to get to Mayfield Falls, but with our late arrival (10:30?) I wonder if this will be all we will have time to do. Just a couple of questions... What time did you leave on your tour and when did you get back? How did you find the drive to Mayfield Falls, was it interesting on the way? Did you need water shoes for the tour, or would an old pair of tennis shoes work? And, more importantly, how was Pork Pit??? Thanks for your reply!

[Crown Prince]

These are the places I am most interested in:

 

1. Bob Marley's House

2. Gardens: Shaw Park, Coyaba River Gardens and Museum

3. Rose Hall Great House.

4. Ian Fleming's Home.

5. James Bond Film Location.

6. Green Grotto Caves.

7. Harmony Hall.

8. St. Ann's Bay.

 

On the below website, there is a lot of good information describing the history, culture, and sights to see.

 

We are going with Wentworth Pearson:

 

http://www.wentworthtours.com/links.html

[clodzilla]

This sounds like a great itinerary! I'd like to try to get to Mayfield Falls, but with our late arrival (10:30?) I wonder if this will be all we will have time to do. Just a couple of questions... What time did you leave on your tour and when did you get back? How did you find the drive to Mayfield Falls, was it interesting on the way? Did you need water shoes for the tour, or would an old pair of tennis shoes work? And, more importantly, how was Pork Pit??? Thanks for your reply!

 

I was in port from 10:30 am - 5:30 pm so I think you would be able to do more than just Mayfield Falls. The drive up was really nice and scenic but super bumpy cause it was up a mountain and at places it was only wide enough for one car so you hope you don't meet any oncoming traffic! You definitely need water shoes. I don't know if you would wanna use old tennis shoes cause they'd get really heavy and they might fall off in the water. I didn't get to try a lot at pork pit cause I went late (around 4 pm) so they did have much left but what I did try was really good!

I'm sooo sorry it has taken so long for me to reply! I hope it's not too late!

[oldmedic]

you might also contact carolyn barrett at http://www.barrettadventures.com she does a great job and has an encyclopedic knowledge of Jamaica.... you can see some of my pics of ys falls and rockland bird sanctuary at: http://www.oldmedic.smugmug.com

[kapono]

I was in port from 10:30 am - 5:30 pm so I think you would be able to do more than just Mayfield Falls. The drive up was really nice and scenic but super bumpy cause it was up a mountain and at places it was only wide enough for one car so you hope you don't meet any oncoming traffic! You definitely need water shoes. I don't know if you would wanna use old tennis shoes cause they'd get really heavy and they might fall off in the water. I didn't get to try a lot at pork pit cause I went late (around 4 pm) so they did have much left but what I did try was really good!

I'm sooo sorry it has taken so long for me to reply! I hope it's not too late!

Thanks so much for your reply. We just returned from our cruise and had a fabulous time in MoBay with our guide Maxine and driver Javia booked by Marva Shaw at http://www.knowjamaica.com/. You were so right about those water shoes! Actually my husband and my sister and I did fine with Teva sandals, but the kids never listened to my suggestions about what to bring so they all had to rent water shoes at the Falls ($5pp). It had rained hard four days before we arrived so the current was especially strong. Even with water shoes it was hard for some and my son lost one of the water shoes after the first jump into the water.

We never made it to Pork Pit and ate at Scotchies instead because my sister had heard so much about it from fellow employees at the Ritz Carlton in Jamaica who ate there all the time. Javia said the food is just as good at both places but at Pork Pit you can actually see it being made. I guess I'm glad we went to Scotchies because I'm sure we didn't get there until about 4 p.m. and there was still plenty of everything left. We had pork, chicken, fish and yams, sweet potato, festival and breadfruit along with plenty of Red Stripe beer. I think the total bill for 10 of us after a few rounds of Red Stripe and some extra sides for everyone came to about $79 US.

[atomicaunt]

Hi, we are traveling on the Liberty in September and wondering how you made out with your excursion. Did you get to do the fall? If so how was it and who did you go with? Any suggestions on the Liberty?