Falmouth-most stay on or get off?

[iamporch]

I know it can vary by cruise but typically do you think a lot of people stay on the ship at Falmouth? Or do most get off where the ship might be less crowded? I am thinking we are just going to step off for a hour or so to walk around the port area so also wondering if we should go off for a couple hours right away and come back or stay on the ship until after lunch and then go off for a bit. Thoughts?

All ashore is 7:30 and All aboard is 4:45 if that matters.

Thanks

 

[Dug720]

I know it can vary by cruise but typically do you think a lot of people stay on the ship at Falmouth? Or do most get off where the ship might be less crowded? I am thinking we are just going to step off for a hour or so to walk around the port area so also wondering if we should go off for a couple hours right away and come back or stay on the ship until after lunch and then go off for a bit. Thoughts?

All ashore is 7:30 and All aboard is 4:45 if that matters.

Thanks

From reports I keep reading on here, it seems this is kind of the Nassau of the Western itinerary. People stay on expecting to be the only ones and get an "empty" ship with a couple thousand of their closest friends.

 

[lklgoodman]

We stayed on during our cruise last January. While there were lots of others who stayed on, it was also easier to find chairs by the pool and there wasn't much of a wait to do the Aquaduck like on a sea day. As the day went on it seemed more people were showing up, which makes sense, most people leave after breakfast for port excursions. A lot of excursions can involve long travel time there, so seems like people were leaving earlier than on other ports.

 

[GeneralTso]

We're getting off. It will be the first and probably last time we will see Jamaica. Doing "Disney certified" excursions. No going off on our own on this one.
For us, there's plenty of ship time. Ports are for exploring a bit. What's a cruise without a little abject poverty?

 

[iamporch]

We're getting off. It will be the first and probably last time we will see Jamaica. Doing "Disney certified" excursions. No going off on our own on this one.
For us, there's plenty of ship time. Ports are for exploring a bit. What's a cruise without a little abject poverty?

We aren't staying on just to get more ship time, we just didn't really see any excursions we cared for. That and with a family of 6 excursions get costly real fast so we are only doing them on 2 of the 3 ports. I just didn't want to get my hopes up of a less crowded ship if it wasn't going to be and wondered if we were going to get off if we should go in the afternoon vs the morning when most people that are getting off get off.

 

[KashasMom]

I don't like the port area in Flamouth - it is so touristy. We've had 2 excellent excursions in Falmouth - river tubing on the Rio Bueno, which was a blast - and the Heritage Walk (booked locally). It was very interesting and informative. Afterwards we went off on our own for amazing jerk chicken and some ice cold Red Bull. I'm probably too nosy to NOT get off the ship although I'm going to try that when we're docked in Nassau on our upcoming (short) Dream cruise.

 

[iamporch]

Our staying on the ship doesn't have anything to do with the not wanting to see the country. It is mostly that we just can't really spend another $700+ for the 6 of us to do an excursion when we are doing them at the other ports. I also thought it would be a good day to let the kids sleep in hoping they would stay awake for the fireworks and other pirate night activities.

 

[dtrain]

A lot of people stayed on during our Western in January. We got off and did the Bobsled / Dunn's River Falls excursion and it was awesome.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

From reports I keep reading on here, it seems this is kind of the Nassau of the Western itinerary. People stay on expecting to be the only ones and get an "empty" ship with a couple thousand of their closest friends.

This was our experience.... it was as busy as a sea day...

 

[condorthb]

You mean people don't get off and buy an overpriced meal at Margaritaville?

 

[cheermom2four]

We are ones that just walked around the port shops at this port because we had booked excursions at Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and on CC and just didnt want to do yet another one and chose this stop to just shop. The port shop area is really nice and it was great to get off. It was great having a lot of the ship to ourselves too.

 

[lorimay]

We are going there for the first time in Sept/Oct Western cruise, its our first time in Jamaica, so we will get off and do a DCL excursion. We will be staying on board in Cozumel and Grand Cayman though.

 

[Matm]

A few years back we did an excursion on a rccl cruise in Falmouth to red stripe beach. The excursion was cheap for 2 adults and a 1 year old. Beach was about 20 min shuttle ride. We felt very safe the whole time with security at the gates of the private beach. No panhandlers on beach cheap bar that served red stripe beer by the bucket for very cheap. They ran dance classes and had beach chairs at no extra unlike other beaches in the Caribbean. Anyways this was my favourite beach of all the Western caribbean.

 

[iamporch]

A lot of people stayed on during our Western in January. We got off and did the Bobsled / Dunn's River Falls excursion and it was awesome.

We would do the bobsled if they offered it by itself. We have no interest in Dunns Rivers Falls. And my husband won't do zip lining.

 

[OKW Lover]

We get off, but stay in the secure area. We spend a few hours shopping in the shops there (love Jamacian Rum Cream) and then get back on board. Good day to schedule a massage in the afternoon!

 

[luvthemouse71]

I know it can vary by cruise but typically do you think a lot of people stay on the ship at Falmouth? Or do most get off where the ship might be less crowded? I am thinking we are just going to step off for a hour or so to walk around the port area so also wondering if we should go off for a couple hours right away and come back or stay on the ship until after lunch and then go off for a bit. Thoughts?

All ashore is 7:30 and All aboard is 4:45 if that matters.

Thanks

We got off the ship but we did a shore excusion through RC..otherwise I wouldn't bother.

 

[luvthemouse71]

We're getting off. It will be the first and probably last time we will see Jamaica. Doing "Disney certified" excursions. No going off on our own on this one.
For us, there's plenty of ship time. Ports are for exploring a bit. What's a cruise without a little abject poverty?

My favorite ports are the ones in countries/islands where there isn't that kind of poverty. I feel badly for one and secondly, I hate being pressured by panhandlers or pressured to buy trinkets.

My favorite ports out of all my cruises are Bermuda, and Grand Cayman.

 

[phinz]

Beef patties and a Ting at the food stand then Duty Free for Jamaican Captain Morgan (which isn't anything like the spiced garbage we get in the States) and Coruba. Those are my only two reasons for getting off the boat in Falmouth. This time I'm doing Be Our Chef and then disembarking for these things and heading right back to the boat full of beef patties and Ting and clutching my spoils of liquor shopping.

 

[barbarossa_hoosier]

So, if we don't plan on doing any of the excursions, it sounds like it might be a decent idea to stay on the ship in the morning, and then check out the port in the afternoon, when people start returning to the ship from their excursions? (But in any case, don't expect an empty ship?)

 

[2_Eagle_Mom]

We didn't like any of the excursions offered through Disney. I did some research and found a walking food tour. It was a great way to get a bit of history and taste some non-tourist local food. It was amazing! Yes, you do have to walk out of the secure area, but with two tour guides for 15 people we felt completely safe. Since it was a walking tour we didn't have to worry about missing the all aboard time. It was $98 for 2 adults.

http://jamaicaculinarytours.com

Food Items tasted: Fresh fruit (and sugar cane), beef patties, jerk chicken and festivals, coconut (coconut water, coconut jelly, fresh coconut) coconut cookies.