Ocho Rios

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Kevin

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We are on the Mariner for the 7-4 sailing. Thank you all for answering the Capt. Marvins tours, has anyone booked an excursion to Dunn's Falls not using the cruise line & what was the experience like. We have 2 15 year old girls.
 
I'm using Peat Taylor for Dunn's Falls on my 4/17 cruise on the Enchantment of the Seas.

I'll post a review when I get back!
 
As an alternative, contact Belinda at a-zjamaicaplanners.com. Her tours are really great and can be customized to your liking. Her vans are new and airconditioned. Reyn was our driver and a great one tour guide. Cost will be less than ship's tours.
Bon Voyage
 
Have been to Ochie many times. Get your own driver (don't worry, they are safe) and head to the falls. When you get there, have your driver arrange a private guide up the falls so you don't have to hold hands with a bunch of slow moving people in a huge line up the falls. Also, if you're feeling brave, you don't need a guide at all. Don't let anybody tell you that you must have a guide!! The first time we went up with our own guide. The last two times I have been the guide and taken the newbies up the falls myself. BRING WATER SHOES!!! You will be very sorry if you make the climb without them. You can rent them at the falls, but you can buy your own before you go for the same price. Also, my last pointer, at the end you can bypass the hawkers and go directly to the parking lot. Don't get caught up in the small village of peddlers, they are VERRY pushy. Hope this helps.
 
We used Peat also and he was great. We didn't get a private guide and didn't really use the public one. We kind of branched out on our own. Beware, though.....the guides will try to keep their "group" together for tips at the end.

I second the water shoes, though. They are a must! Go to WalMart and get them for $5 or so.
 
Can you wear a good pair of sandals instead of water shoes??

we wiil be there next week.

thanks
 
My boyfriend did wear his Teva sandals and didn't have any problems. I'd probably dislocate a toenail or something if I tried that, though! :)
 
Last week we negotiated in the parking lot and got a small bus/cab for $5.50 a person to go to the falls for a group of 16. Of course, the negotiations started at $20 a person!!! Besides seeing our lives flash before our eyes numerous times (they drive CRAZY, and I frequently drive in BOSTON!!!) it was an uneventful ride. Then the Falls costs $10 for adults and $8 for kids (so if they sell you tickets in the cab or bus you can feel okay about paying it, they weren't ripping us off). We arranged for the time thte bus would pick us all back up and it worked out great, for a LOT less than it would have cost to arrange on the ship.

The Falls are INCREDIBLE!
 
We used Ionie McBeam and loved her. She was waiting for us at the pier and tailored our time to our needs. She was great and very professional even when I paid her too little (senior moment on my part) and she had to come looking for us!
 
Another vote for Belinda at a-z jamaica planners. Daughter & I have been to Jamaica before and done the falls. We set up a tour/shopping/river tubing with them which I posted for others on our cruise. We ended up a group of 7 and had a great driver/guide in a nice new a/c van.
 
another option for ocho is the shaw park and gardens... its a bueatiful garden full of all the native plants and birds...as well as a water fall that runs through the entire area..we got a cab and went alone... there is a a small fee to get in the park..then you have a guide that walks you through the gardens... with a detailed tour.. 2 things.. they will videotape your tour... its worth the $20 or so.. they deliver it to the ship later in the afternoon.. also tip the guide afterwards....
great alternative to the dunns falls.. also the gardens are way up on a mountian top overlooking the port... some really cool pics can be taken of the ship in port..

hope this helps someone!!

madison
 


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