Jamaica’s newest cruise port is Falmouth. It is a beautiful facility, very large, with many shops and restaurants. The town of Falmouth is right outside the gates of the port. There are not a large number of things to do in Falmouth proper, and there is not a beach within walking distance. Pictured above is a historic church in downtown.
In order to enjoy Jamaica from this port it is best to choose a shore excursion. You can either book an excursion on the ship, or you can set up a tour in advance through a vendor on the internet. If you are a first timer, a ship tour can be a best bet.
Jamaica has several popular tours, including climbing Dunn’s River Falls, a drive through Fern Gully, going to the Great Houses, rafting on the Martha Brae, or doing a Bob Marley experience. These are all
enjoyable choices.
Carriage Tour at Falmouth Jamaica port
In many ports it is easy to walk out of the gates & take a taxi, doing the same as the ships tour. In this case it does not work very well. The local driver will show you photos & say we will go to these places, and the price is cheap. But what you may not realize is that going to these places & going in and visiting these places are not the same thing. For example going to Dunn’s River falls, means stopping beside the road to look though a hole in the fence at the falls. In each case you would need to specify that you want to visit a certain location, and for how long you want to stay & you will have to pay the admission fee. If you choose to do a taxi tour to Ocho Rios, and want to see some of the falls, you can have the driver stop at “The Ruins” restaurant, and pay a few dollars to see the falls where it drops in to the restaurant, and even walk above some of the falls for an additional tip.
Falls at The Ruins Restaurant on Ocho Rios, Jamaica
A local dressed as a Jack in the Bush, if you take their photo they will want a tip.
You can get a taxi to take you to a beach near the cruise ship, and the beaches are beautiful. However, keep in mind that if you are not on a resort, you will likely have vendors continue to come to you and ask you to buy things. If you dont mind, then go and enjoy your day at the beach.
Jamaica is a not to be missed experience, plan in advance & you will have a fantastic visit.