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Cruise Stop in Jamaica
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Feb 17, 2019 09:24:56   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panama Canal. We have been on this cruise once before and taking it again because we loved Cartagena. This time instead of going to Aruba we will be stopping in Jamaica the port is Falmouth. As in all our past cruises we do not book shore excursions with the ship. I usually find a good driver and say this is what all I want to see. I have gone over what to see and do in Jamaica now a dozen times. I like to do people and street photography and places of interest. I know they have the falls but as all 4 of us or not in any condition to climb it we will not do that. But I would like to hear from anyone that can help me in what to see and if we are safe hiring our own cab driver. Thank you ahead of time for any help I can get.

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Feb 17, 2019 09:33:07   #
DragonsLady Loc: Los Alamos, NM
 
You don't have to climb the falls unless you get on an excursion to do that. There is a well paved path from where the water enters the ocean up to the top, the last part is the worst. It's well worth going part way up. If you go on a boat excursion, they will most likely stop for an hour or two so you can climb up if you wish. I wouldn't access the falls from the top - that means it's all up hill to get back to where you joined. With the boat - it's all down hill back to your ride.

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Feb 17, 2019 09:41:22   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
DragonsLady wrote:
You don't have to climb the falls unless you get on an excursion to do that. There is a well paved path from where the water enters the ocean up to the top, the last part is the worst. It's well worth going part way up. If you go on a boat excursion, they will most likely stop for an hour or two so you can climb up if you wish. I wouldn't access the falls from the top - that means it's all up hill to get back to where you joined. With the boat - it's all down hill back to your ride.


Like I said we don't do the boat excursions as I want to see and photography as much as I can where ever to dock. I would love to get a photo of the falls but as two of us have back and hip issues going up hill might not work for us. And if we went half way up can we turn around and come back down and not be in anyones way? Have you been to Montego Bay is it worth going?

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Feb 17, 2019 09:49:59   #
DragonsLady Loc: Los Alamos, NM
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
Like I said we don't do the boat excursions as I want to see and photography as much as I can where ever to dock. I would love to get a photo of the falls but as two of us have back and hip issues going up hill might not work for us. And if we went half way up can we turn around and come back down and not be in anyones way? Have you been to Montego Bay is it worth going?


Yes, you can go half way up and turn around to go down. The path is easily 3 or 4 people wide.

We didn't go to Montego Bay either time we went; husband doesn't swim and I don't like to swim in water I'm afraid to open my eyes in. (Raised in the high desert mountains of New Mexico - not much swimming done there except in pools.) BTW - my husband and I are in our low 70's.

Getting to sites can be a long, bumpy ride; it took us almost 2 hours to get to the falls from where our ship was docked; and obviously almost 2 hours to get back. Keep that in mind as your ship will sail without you if you hire a cab and he can't get you back before the ship sails. If you go on an excursion that you book on the ship, they will wait for you or get you on a plane to the next stop.

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Feb 17, 2019 11:00:46   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
DragonsLady wrote:
Yes, you can go half way up and turn around to go down. The path is easily 3 or 4 people wide.

We didn't go to Montego Bay either time we went; husband doesn't swim and I don't like to swim in water I'm afraid to open my eyes in. (Raised in the high desert mountains of New Mexico - not much swimming done there except in pools.) BTW - my husband and I are in our low 70's.

Getting to sites can be a long, bumpy ride; it took us almost 2 hours to get to the falls from where our ship was docked; and obviously almost 2 hours to get back. Keep that in mind as your ship will sail without you if you hire a cab and he can't get you back before the ship sails. If you go on an excursion that you book on the ship, they will wait for you or get you on a plane to the next stop.
Yes, you can go half way up and turn around to go ... (show quote)


Thank you we cruise a lot so I know about getting back on time. Like you we 4 of us that travel together don’t do any of the water sports either. I live 5 miles from the ocean and I don’t swim in that hahaha. I am looking for things I can shoot and I do stories about what I have seen for my friends on FB only.

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Feb 17, 2019 11:06:52   #
repleo Loc: Boston
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panama Canal. We have been on this cruise once before and taking it again because we loved Cartagena. This time instead of going to Aruba we will be stopping in Jamaica the port is Falmouth. As in all our past cruises we do not book shore excursions with the ship. I usually find a good driver and say this is what all I want to see. I have gone over what to see and do in Jamaica now a dozen times. I like to do people and street photography and places of interest. I know they have the falls but as all 4 of us or not in any condition to climb it we will not do that. But I would like to hear from anyone that can help me in what to see and if we are safe hiring our own cab driver. Thank you ahead of time for any help I can get.
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panam... (show quote)


Consider going to Shaw Park Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls which is a little bit past Dunn's Falls and just south of Ocho Rios - about an hour from Falmouth. You could have a nice day trip with a short stop at Dunn's Falls - you can get a shot of the falls from the road or take a short walk down to the beach 'estuary'. Continue on to Shaw Park. The Guides at the park should be able to help you figure out how much of it you can handle, but from what I recall the main botanical garden is mostly level and is very beautiful. Head back through Ocho Rios which is pretty active with local color. There is a somewhat disappointing 'market' for local crafts and produce. However, the only souvenirs we saw were cans of Blue Mountain Coffee (pretty good but not cheap) and teeshirts with marijuana leaves and/or Bob Marley images.

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Feb 17, 2019 11:21:35   #
PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panama Canal. We have been on this cruise once before and taking it again because we loved Cartagena. This time instead of going to Aruba we will be stopping in Jamaica the port is Falmouth. As in all our past cruises we do not book shore excursions with the ship. I usually find a good driver and say this is what all I want to see. I have gone over what to see and do in Jamaica now a dozen times. I like to do people and street photography and places of interest. I know they have the falls but as all 4 of us or not in any condition to climb it we will not do that. But I would like to hear from anyone that can help me in what to see and if we are safe hiring our own cab driver. Thank you ahead of time for any help I can get.
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panam... (show quote)
The important thing always in my mind by hiring a taxi driver to take you(Which I have done many times) around is to plan for a breakdown of the taxi so you get back to the ship before it sails without you.

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Feb 17, 2019 12:16:08   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
repleo wrote:
Consider going to Shaw Park Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls which is a little bit past Dunn's Falls and just south of Ocho Rios - about an hour from Falmouth. You could have a nice day trip with a short stop at Dunn's Falls - you can get a shot of the falls from the road or take a short walk down to the beach 'estuary'. Continue on to Shaw Park. The Guides at the park should be able to help you figure out how much of it you can handle, but from what I recall the main botanical garden is mostly level and is very beautiful. Head back through Ocho Rios which is pretty active with local color. There is a somewhat disappointing 'market' for local crafts and produce. However, the only souvenirs we saw were cans of Blue Mountain Coffee (pretty good but not cheap) and teeshirts with marijuana leaves and/or Bob Marley images.
Consider going to Shaw Park Botanical Gardens and ... (show quote)


Thank you I will look into this. Hey 7 of us over 70 and from the 60’s maybe we should get the shirts with the marijuana leaves LOL.

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Feb 17, 2019 12:19:23   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
PixelStan77 wrote:
The important thing always in my mind by hiring a taxi driver to take you(Which I have done many times) around is to plan for a breakdown of the taxi so you get back to the ship before it sails without you.


UGH bad thought to but in my head. I know our travel agent has some off ship companies he uses I might on this island ask him. But in Cartagena we are going to look for our guide we had before. He was beyond above and had a driver and he got out and walked with us. His name was Ball and everyone knew him.

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Feb 17, 2019 12:50:02   #
repleo Loc: Boston
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
Thank you I will look into this. Hey 7 of us over 70 and from the 60’s maybe we should get the shirts with the marijuana leaves LOL.


Don't bother with the Tee shirts - get the real thing. Re-live your youth. You are on vacation!!!

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Feb 17, 2019 13:14:29   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
repleo wrote:
Don't bother with the Tee shirts - get the real thing. Re-live your youth. You are on vacation!!!


🤪😆

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Feb 18, 2019 06:21:47   #
par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panama Canal. We have been on this cruise once before and taking it again because we loved Cartagena. This time instead of going to Aruba we will be stopping in Jamaica the port is Falmouth. As in all our past cruises we do not book shore excursions with the ship. I usually find a good driver and say this is what all I want to see. I have gone over what to see and do in Jamaica now a dozen times. I like to do people and street photography and places of interest. I know they have the falls but as all 4 of us or not in any condition to climb it we will not do that. But I would like to hear from anyone that can help me in what to see and if we are safe hiring our own cab driver. Thank you ahead of time for any help I can get.
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panam... (show quote)


Stay on the ship!

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Feb 18, 2019 07:30:54   #
traderjohn Loc: New York City
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panama Canal. We have been on this cruise once before and taking it again because we loved Cartagena. This time instead of going to Aruba we will be stopping in Jamaica the port is Falmouth. As in all our past cruises we do not book shore excursions with the ship. I usually find a good driver and say this is what all I want to see. I have gone over what to see and do in Jamaica now a dozen times. I like to do people and street photography and places of interest. I know they have the falls but as all 4 of us or not in any condition to climb it we will not do that. But I would like to hear from anyone that can help me in what to see and if we are safe hiring our own cab driver. Thank you ahead of time for any help I can get.
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panam... (show quote)

"if we are safe hiring our own cab driver."
Who the hell knows? How would you know the answer to that?

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Feb 18, 2019 09:24:14   #
Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC
 
traderjohn wrote:
"if we are safe hiring our own cab driver."
Who the hell knows? How would you know the answer to that?


I guess from others that have done that on Jamaica. I can speak for all the other islands we have visited and it is very safe. I was just asking as I have been told that Jamaica is not a safe island. Friends that went to a resort said armed guards stood outside the gates to the place.

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Feb 18, 2019 11:13:07   #
C. Loren Loc: MN
 
Girl with A Canon wrote:
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panama Canal. We have been on this cruise once before and taking it again because we loved Cartagena. This time instead of going to Aruba we will be stopping in Jamaica the port is Falmouth. As in all our past cruises we do not book shore excursions with the ship. I usually find a good driver and say this is what all I want to see. I have gone over what to see and do in Jamaica now a dozen times. I like to do people and street photography and places of interest. I know they have the falls but as all 4 of us or not in any condition to climb it we will not do that. But I would like to hear from anyone that can help me in what to see and if we are safe hiring our own cab driver. Thank you ahead of time for any help I can get.
We are heading next month on a cruise to the Panam... (show quote)


I have been to Jamaica multiple times and have been warned that it is not a safe place to travel without a guide/driver. Resorts have a reputation to protect and they also have drivers/guides available. Maybe the best idea is to go to a resort and have them supply you with the driver that will meet your needs.

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