Table Of Content
Kids and adults alike will love swimming and playing with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove. Swim, dance and sing with these amazing creatures before you say farewell and hit the white sand beach at Doctor’s Cave to relax in style for the rest of the afternoon. Kayak down the Great River as you make your way through the rapids, down the 2 mile long course. At the end of the course, hike up to the zip line platforms and get a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding countryside as you fly over the forest canopies. For adrenaline junkies, there’s plenty to do in Montego Bay that will get the heart pumping and your body moving after a day or two of luxurious cruising.
Cruises from Florida to Montego Bay
This is a cruise line that focuses on enrichment, so expect lots of opportunities to learn about your destinations along the way. Excursion options in Ocho Rios include a 4x4 safari to Dunn’s River Falls, island sightseeing and beach breaks. Cruises to Jamaica tend to be longer, with many itineraries falling into the five- to seven-night range, so you’ll need more than a long weekend for this vacation.
Best Shore Excursions On A Jamaica Cruise
I am the creator of an e-book “Mediterranean Cruise Port Guide“, the most comprehensive guide to 45 Mediterranean cruise ports, & YouTube channel @AdventourBegins. Around the square and on St James St you’ll find numerous shops, shopping malls, restaurants and bars. Craft Market, located a stone’s throw from Sam Sharpe Square on Harbour Street, features dozens of stalls where you can find authentic handicrafts, local art and souvenirs. Aqua Sol is a family-friendly amusement park located within the Walter Fletcher Beach Complex at the entrance of Hip Strip. The park offers activities such as waterslides, banana boat rides, jet-skiing, kayaking, glass-bottom boat trips, go-karts, tennis, and volleyball. Cruise ships dock a few miles outside of Montego Bay proper at the Montego Freeport port -- a rather unsightly complex surrounded by office parks.
Green Grotto Caves Experience
Like many Caribbean cruise destinations, Montego Bay has an attraction where visitors can swim and interact with dolphins. Ticket prices vary by program, but $125 to $150 per person is about average. Nor does it have the same historical attractions and other points of interest within walking distance of the cruise port as some other Caribbean destinations. At the Appleton Estate you can enjoy rum tasting and taking a behind the scenes tour into how it’s all made!
The Hip-Strip area is also flat and easy to navigate, however, the city is partially hilly. Hashtag your cruise photos #carnival and #montegobay — you may see them right here.
Attractions and Shore Excursions
One of Montego Bay's most important historical events occurred in 1832, when Sam Sharpe, a slave who preached nonviolent resistance, was lynched in the center of town in what is now Sam Sharpe Square. (There are memorial statues there dedicated to his courage.) Sharpe was hanged for leading the Christmas Slave Rebellion of 1831, but by 1838, slavery was abolished. Today, MoBay's population is a diverse one, with people from other Caribbean islands, European and North American ex-pats and an influx of Chinese, too. Aqua Sol Theme Park a few miles north of the cruise docks is mostly just a beach with an entrance fee rather than a park. Cruise ships often come to Montego Bay from embarkation ports such as Tampa, New Orleans and Galveston and continue on to the likes of Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
This itinerary does include several sea days, but with cabins that feel more like a home than a room on a ship, lots of great food, and a selection of cocktail experiences, you may not mind. The luxurious ship also offers cooking classes, shows, a spa, and lots of gorgeous photo spots. It also has a sports deck, piano lounge, and a handful of dining venues.
Prices vary somewhat depending on whether they involve a raft or kayak. The Viking Star is smaller than most of the cruise ships that call on Jamaica. It accommodates just 930 guests, ensuring top-notch service for everyone on board. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. If you are into golf, Montego Bay boasts four championship courses rated among the best ones in the world.
Climb to the top of Dunn’s River Falls or opt for a lazy day on a gorgeous beach eating beef patties. Back on board the Independence of the Seas, try out the 40-foot-long FlowRider surf simulator or scale an outdoor rock climbing wall with epic ocean views. Play glow-in-the-dark laser tag or race down dueling waterslides. Montego Bay cruise ship terminal consists of one terminal building where you can find basic facilities including a tourist information desk, a refreshments stand, duty-free shops and souvenir stores.
Back on board the Nieuw Statendam, enjoy having one of the ship’s 12 oceanview solo staterooms all to yourself. These solo staterooms are small —between 127 and 172 square feet— but with so much to do onboard that might not matter. The Nieuw Statendam is a Pinnacle Class ship with several live entertainment venues, an expansive fitness center, shopping, and a spa.
It's a five-minute, fixed-rate ride into Montego Bay from there ($5). Visitors come, largely, for the idyllic tropical weather and beaches, which are among the prettiest in the Caribbean. However, cruisers will find that many of these sandy hotspots are accessible only to the guests of whichever mega-resort or all-inclusive hotel is backing them. That said, there are several scenic beaches for whiling away onshore days, both along the Hip Strip in MoBay and closer to the cruise port. Good vibes are in store when you visit Jamaica with Holland America Line.
Outside the terminal, you’ll find a taxi rank with official taxi rates, shuttle buses and tour buses for those of you joining the shore excursions. From the moment you step off your cruise ship, you’ll enter a dazzling world filled with waterfalls, rivers, coral reefs, and hidden caves. Explore a coffee plantation, visit the birthplace of reggae legend Bob Marley, and shop ’til you drop on the Hip Strip. When it’s time to slow down, unwind at the Bamboo Beach Club or go for a nighttime swim in the Luminous Lagoon. Jamaica is home to five cruise ports equipped to handle everything from intimate yachts to mega-ships. Ocho Rios is Jamaica’s largest port and a gateway to attractions like Dunn’s River Falls.
Carnival Changes Jamaica Port of Call for Multiple Sailings - Cruise Hive
Carnival Changes Jamaica Port of Call for Multiple Sailings.
Posted: Sun, 11 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Dolphin Cove is another popular attraction in Ocho Rios, where you can check swimming with dolphins off your bucket list. Visit the Hip Strip and enjoy the seaside nightclub by moonlight and chill out to the awesome reggae grooves they have on offer. One of the most popular shore excursions in Montego Bay, the Hip Strip is a great place to shop for gifts or duty-free items. With great American and Caribbean fare to be had, you won’t leave hungry or disappointed. In fact, only five bays in the whole world are known to host luminescence like this.
If you are planning a cruise to Montego Bay, make sure you plan your day according to the ship’s schedule to maximize your stay in port. If you are a first-timer, I suggest you explore the Hip Strip, the downtown area and Montego Bay’s beaches rather than Dunn’s River Falls as they are too far and you will waste a lot of time in traffic. The town is a hotspot for reggae music and hosts some of the best live concerts in the Caribbean. But, high on most tourists' to-do list (in addition to sipping fruity cocktails and beach-lounging, of course), are visits to the area's duty-free shopping venues and terrific golf courses. Whatever kind of cruise experience you’re looking for, you can find it on a ship headed toward the sandy beaches and reggae beats of Jamaica. These are some of the best Jamaica cruises for every kind of traveler.
