Ocho Rios Upgrading Cruise Facilities. Who's cruised to Jamaica?

Jan115 · January 16, 2014

It's about time. Any improvement's gotta be good for this port, which is the ugliest, most congested I've experienced.

cruisetarp · January 16, 2014

Sounds good but I hope they also increase security there. Our last 2 trips there we never left the ship after being constantly followed and bothered by the locals on our previous trips. It's a shame but we wanted to see so much of Ocho Rios but really felt unsafe.

Jan115 · January 17, 2014

I agree about the security, MaryLou. I had read so many unfavorable reports before our one and only time there. We avoided all the harassment and did a tour with a trusted local guide. Even then, though, I never felt entirely at ease.

jacketwatch · January 17, 2014

I remember when we went to OR on land vacations many hrs. ago and had a ball. We went there 3 times and never felt harassed or hassled. We had a port stop there in 2009 and got a hard sell when we got off. It's sad to see had things have deteriorated.

JohnG · January 17, 2014

In July I toured all of Negril, Whitehouse, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay over a week's time, doing an agent familiarization trip of every Sandals, Beaches, and Grand Pineapple resort on the island. I never felt threatened. My wife and I stayed at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios in February. We have done excursions there, too. One year several years ago I took sick and had to visit the hospital in St Mary's Parish (Ocho Rios) at night. I never had a problem. We haven't stopped on a cruise ship there in a while, but when we did, we just "no" and kept moving.

Shari2 · January 19, 2014

The security was my fear, also. When we were there in the 1980s we were harassed by people trying to sell drugs to our young people. After we had been there others had been robbed when on tours. John, that's good that things seem to be safer there now.

DebbieandJerry · January 23, 2014

It's a good thing that they are pouring money in to improving this port. I, however, will not return to Ochos Rios.

WeCruiseToo · February 11, 2014

We’ve been to Ocho Rios four times so far and never felt unsafe. Sure, there were guys offering items for sale that may have been less than legal, but we’ve seen the same thing on many islands (just like New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas and Honolulu). We’ve always found that a polite but firm “no thanks” sends them on to the next prospect in no time. That being said, improvements to a port are always good news!