SHORE EXCURSIONS

Your tour begins with a scenic drive along the coast to a small town known as St. Ann’s Bay. View the sights from your comfortable coach as your guide narrates the history and provides interesting facts about Jamaica. Observe the town’s classic Court House of 1866 and Statue of Columbus, honoring his landing here. Continue to Fern Gully, a gorge filled with a hundreds of varieties of ferns.

Visit Konoko Falls and Park, the Taino Indians called this Paradise and you’ll see why these original inhabitants choose this as a settlement site. You’ll hear the roar and feel the fresh mist of the spray from the spectacular waterfall. Follow the trails with your guide through this amazing rainforest. Visit the museum which features artifacts from the original inhabitants and early colonials that were excavated on site.

Stop at the colorful gift shop offering native products and handicrafts before re-boarding your coach. Enjoy a cup of Jamaica’s Blue Mountain Coffee and delicious banana bread as you relax at the Almond Tree Restaurant overlooking the Caribbean Sea. On the return, you’ll drive through bustling Ocho Rios, there’s an optional drop off at the shops in the center of town or you may return directly to the ship.

Located in Mammee Bay, Bamboo Blu is a short drive from the Ocho Rios Cruise Terminal. The warm ivory sand and the cool turquoise water makes Bamboo Blu exceptional. Enjoy a complimentary welcome drink in the double-deck, open-air restaurant, where the breeze is constant and the food is deliciously Jamaican. Wade or swim in the tranquil Caribbean Sea. Play volleyball or just relax on a lounge chair. Don't forget to check out the gift shop.

A 40 minute drive from the pier along the coastline provides some insights about Jamaica’s culture and lifestyle. Your guide will unfold Jamaica’s history in a lively and interactive conversation en route to the Green Grotto Caves in Discovery Bay. Located just 3 km from where Christopher Columbus landed in 1494, it is said to be the place that the Arawak (Tainos) Indians first found shelter. It was also known to be a place of refuge for runaway slaves in the 18th century. Estimated at over 5 million years, it’s the first historic cave worldwide to receive the Green Globe 21 certification, a global affiliation working with travel and tourism companies and communities to develop and maintain good environmental practices. The caves are characterized by coastal limestone and feature a series of interconnected passageways and chambers, light holes, stalactites and stalagmites, as well as two lakes.

Their most striking features are rock formations and the small ‘grotto’ lake at the innermost cavern. Take a 3/4 mile guided stroll through a maze of exquisite dripstone formations and learn about the sensitive eco-system found within and around the caves. See limestone formations that have been christened after the individuals they resemble, including Abraham Lincoln, Freddie Krueger and the cartoon character, Scooby Doo among others. Your attraction guide will also demonstrate the cave’s musical stones and be sure to toss a coin in the wishing well before your departure. A refreshing beverage is provided at the end of the tour.

OVERVIEW

Visit the landmarks in and around Ocho Rios and Saint Ann’s Bay that best reflect their histories before heading to a tropical resort for an inspired tasting of Jamaican rums. The highlights that you will see along the way include a Christopher Columbus monument, a statue of locally born Pan-African leader Marcus Garvey and the Spanish-style Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. The natural beauty on the outskirts of town is equally captivating as you will discover while gazing out over the lush countryside from the High View Point lookout and driving through Fern Gully. Jamaica is also known for its rum, which has long been intertwined with the culture of the island. It tends to be exceptionally aromatic and flavorful as you will discover while sampling a selection of premium rums at Reggae Hill. If time permits, you might swim in the White River and stop for a bit of shopping.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See the best of Ocho Rios and Saint Ann’s Bay with a focus on their histories.
• Appreciate the area’s gorgeous natural beauty, especially in lush Fern Gully.
• Sample a selection of Jamaican rums at Reggae Hill.
• Take a dip in the White River and shop if time permits.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Ascend the forested slopes of the Mystic Mountain eco-adventure park on the Sky Explorer chairlift and then race through the tropical woodlands at the summit in a sleek bobsled. The chairlift is open-air much like the ones at ski resorts, allowing you unobstructed views of the scenery as you rise high above the rain forest that blankets the mountain. The ride will be exhilarating the entire way, but especially as you approach the top of the peak, which rises 700 feet above the sea. A different sort of thrill awaits you on the bobsled, which resembles the one that Jamaica’s Olympic team famously rode in the 1988 Winter Olympics. You won’t have to do a thing but sit back and enjoy the ride as the bobsled is gravity-driven. The track winds through a narrow chute cut through the trees that twists and turns for more than a half mile. The thrills will be nonstop.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride the Sky Explorer chairlift up and down the forested slopes of Mystic Mountain.
• Tear through the rainforest on a bobsled track with countless twists and turns.
• Enjoy the natural beauty of the Mystic Mountain eco-adventure park.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Experience two exhilarating rides at the Mystic Mountain eco-adventure park as a warm-up to visiting the natural wonder Dunn’s River Falls. Covered by rainforest, Mystic Mountain rises 700 feet above the sea and the views on the way up are extraordinary. You will ascend on the Sky Explorer, an open-air chair-lift much like the ones used at ski resorts. The higher you ascend, the more thrilling the ride and the more spectacular the views. At the summit, you will hop in a bobsled patterned after the one that Jamaica’s Olympic team rode in the 1988 Winter Olympics. The big difference is that this bobsled follows a twisting track through the dense rainforest. As an alternative to these manmade thrills, you will enjoy an easy but exhilarating climb up gently cascading Dunn’s River Falls, perhaps Jamaica’s most iconic attraction. Pause any time you like to relax in the terraced pools and soak up the tropical scenery.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride the Sky Explorer chairlift up and down the forested slopes of Mystic Mountain.
• Tear through the rainforest on a bobsled track with countless twists and turns.
• Climb gently tumbling Dunn’s River Falls and enjoy a refreshing dip along the way.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in Jamaica in 1494, the Spanish settlers established a capital and called it New Seville in homage to the celebrated Spanish city of the same name. Your tour will take you through St. Ann’s Bay, a town juxtaposed with the spot where Jamaica’s first capital once stood. St. Ann’s Bay boasts a statue of Columbus which you’ll see during your drive through town. The drive along the coast will take you through Runaway Bay where some of the last Spanish settlers fled after the British captured the island. After a scenic drive passing seascapes and mountain ranges you’ll arrive at your destination, the Martha Brae River.

Your raft Captain will tell you the tale of Martha Brae, the magical Indian maiden whom the Spanish colonists tortured to reveal the location of a secret gold mine. She ultimately succumbed to her tormentors and led them to the mine. En route Martha summoned her magical powers to transform the river, drowning the Spanish soldiers and herself as well. Legend says that her ghost still guards the entrance to the mine to this day. Ponder the legend as you glide downstream this 90 minute tranquil river ride.

Settle in for an exceptionally scenic drive along Jamaica’s lush northern shore with stops every so often for photos. As you travel west, the area’s stunning natural beauty will be on full display. Expect to see one iconic tropical vista after another, as the land is largely undeveloped. Upon reaching the settlement of St. Ann’s Bay, you will pause at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a church built with quarried stone from an unfinished church from the 1500s. Nearby, you will find statues of Marcus Garvey and Christopher Columbus, both of whom significantly influenced Jamaica and the Caribbean. Continuing on to the parish of St. Mary on the eastern side of Ocho Rios, you will visit the Rio Nuevo battle site, where in 1658 the invading English defeated the entrenched Spanish troops for control of the island. Another stop at Oceans of the Ridge will offer the ultimate hilltop view of Ochos Rios.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a panoramic drive through the gorgeous countryside east and west of Ocho Rios.
• See a historical church in St. Ann’s Bay that was built with stones quarried in the 1500s.
• Visit the battle site where in 1658 the English defeated the Spanish for control of Jamaica.
• Pause at the Oceans at the Ridge lookout for the ultimate view of Ocho Rios.

OVERVIEW

Become immersed in the culinary traditions of Jamaica in a hands-on cooking workshop and enjoy your creations for lunch. The venue for this deep dive into the local cuisine will be the duty-free shopping mall Island Village. You will begin by watching an introductory film on Jamaica that will set the stage for the Appleton rum tasting that follows. This spirit is made with rich molasses, sugar cane juice and limestone-filtered water, ingredients that impart a distinctive taste. The story behind the rum’s distillation is also multi-faceted. You will delve even deeper into Jamaica’s traditional dishes during the cooking class, where a local chef will teach you to prepare a traditional jerk pizza and duckunoo, a spicy dessert made with cornmeal, sweet potatoes and bananas. As the dishes are cooking, you will enjoy a Jamaican mule concocted with rum, ginger beer and lime. After dining on your creations, you can shop.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Join a hands-on cooking class in Island Village, a duty-free shopping mall.
• Learn to make jerk pizza and duckunoo, a dessert also known as blue drawers.
• Enjoy your creations for lunch along with a rum-based Jamaican mule.
• Sit in on an Appleton rum tasting after watching a short film on Jamaica.
• Spend free time shopping for duty-free merchandise at Island Village.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Delve into the history of St. Ann’s Bay on a panoramic drive through town before returning to Ocho Rios for an authentic Jamaican lunch. The capital of Jamaica’s largest parish, St. Ann’s Bay was named in honor of Ann Hyde, the wife of England’s 17th-century monarch King James II. Today, it is better known as the birthplace of national hero Marcus Garvey. You will pause to snap photos of his bronze statue by the parish library and perhaps see a statue of Christopher Columbus, as well. It marks the spot where the explorer is said to have first landed on the island in 1494. Back in Ocho Rios, you will settle in for a delightful meal at Miss T’s Murphy Hill, a restaurant revered for its signature Jamaican dishes. You will have the opportunity to select your main course from a vegetarian option, a fish dish and a jerked chicken entrée grilled over pimento wood.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through the parish capital of St. Ann’s Bay while admiring the historical landmarks.
• Drop by the statue of national hero Marcus Garvey, who was born in St. Ann’s Bay.
• Enjoy an authentic multi-course Jamaican lunch at Miss T’s Murphy Hill restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a panoramic, mostly coastal drive to historic Port Maria and then indulge in a delightful lunch at a waterfront resort. Sights along the way include the Couples resort at Tower Isle, Rio Nuevo – where the largest battle in Jamaican history was fought in 1658 – and Firefly, the former hilltop estate of British playwright, actor and composer Sir Noël Coward. The guide will describe each of these attractions as well as the landmarks in Port Maria, the capital of Saint Mary parish. It was the second town that the colonizing Spaniards established in Jamaica, although little colonial-era architecture remains. St. Mary Parish Church may be the most photogenic landmark. Built of locally quarried limestone in 1861, it overlooks the sea. Back in Ocho Rios, you will dine on a traditional Jamaican lunch at Hermosa Cove Villa, an idyllic lushly landscaped waterfront resort.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire landmarks such as St. Mary Parish Church while driving through Port Maria.
• Pass a historical battle site and pause for photos of Sir Noël Coward’s former house.
• Enjoy a traditional Jamaican lunch at the waterfront resort Hermosa Cove Villa.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Spend hours relaxing however you please on the beach at Discovery Bay, a beautiful stretch of sand with plenty of amenities, including a floating water park.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic drive along Jamaica’s lovely northern coast to Discovery Bay. When Christopher Columbus landed here in 1494, he called the town Puerto Seco or Dry Harbor because the natural harbor lacked fresh water nearby.

Although the area’s colonial-style architecture is a draw, Discovery Bay is known more for beautiful Puerto Seco Beach, which is rimmed by the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean. You will spend hours here enjoying the setting, as well as all sorts of other amenities.

You might stretch out on the sand, take an invigorating dip in the sea or in the freshwater swimming pool and stroll the horseshoe-shaped shoreline. Stands of palm trees line the beach, so there is also plenty of shade if you wish to get out of the sun.

If you are looking for activities, a floating water park is just offshore with slides, trampolines and a rock-climbing feature. You could also rent snorkeling equipment and see the tropical wonders that lie beneath the water’s surface.

When you are ready to dine, a hearty lunch will be served in the Santa Maria Restaurant. It is named for one of Columbus’ ships, and the park along one side of the bay is also named for the explorer, who is revered here.