Cruises from Jamaica

Jamaica has long been a favourite with tourists. It’s abundance of resort-style accommodation and full service airport, along with a first-rate cruise port facility, make Jamaica easily accessible to travellers the world over.

Jamaica is best known for its Montego Bay area and Ocho Rios. Visiting cruise ships dock in Freeport, which is about three miles from the centre of town.

Montego Bay is the second largest city in Jamaica and is located on the northwest coast of the island. It’s focal point is Sam Sharpe Square, which is a popular spot where you will find lots of vendors selling all manner of wares to the tourists who congregate there.

If you want to venture a bit outside of town, you can sample some of the more active pursuits on the island. Head for Doctors Cave Beach for a day of relaxation or try a bit of river rafting on Martha Brae, a relatively calm river. Dunns River Falls are located just west of Ocho Rios and climbing them has always been a favourite activity with tourists. Be advised that water shoes are an absolute necessity, since the rocks can become extremely slippery. However, your reward for the invigorating climb will be the sight of cool mountain waters plunging some 600ft onto the smooth limestone riverbed below.

Other beaches that might be worth a visit include Rose Hall Beach Club, Freeport Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach. Each offer miles and miles of beautiful powdery white sand, along with some of the bluest ocean waters in all of the Caribbean.

If golf is your passion, there are several championship courses to choose from. The White Witch Golf Course is located at the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall Resort complex, the Three Palms Course at Wyndham Rose Hall Resort & Country Club and the Half Moon or Tryall Golf Course.

Jamaica also offers lots of opportunities for those seeking some serious retail therapy. You can find loads of shopping, both at the cruise ship pier and in the downtown area. There are fine duty-free shops selling designer label fashions and a craft market where you can find an abundance of straw crafts, handmade dolls, wood carvings and fine leather items.

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes for you to choose from, many of them offer outdoor dining as an option.

If you want to take some tours and absorb a bit of the culture of Jamaica, take a trip to Fort Montego, where you can see the ruins of an 18th century British fortress. As a bonus, from this vantage point, you’ll enjoy some of the best views across the whole of Montego Bay harbour. You should also try to visit the Georgian Court, which is a courtyard separating two restored 18th century homes. The complex now houses an art gallery and a restaurant offering casual fare.

Croydon Plantation, which is located slightly inland from Montego Bay, is also well worth a visit. You can take a guided tour of a working plantation and learn something of the island’s agricultural history.

Jamaica has long been a tourist hot spot, but despite that it has always managed to retain its island charm and the warm hospitality of its people. Definitely worth a visit, whether you come by plane or by cruise ship.