Bahama Mama is here and ready to answer all your questions. Fire away!
BAHAMA MAMA
Leni
Leni/MinuteGal
Ocho Rios means "Eight Rivers", but it could also be a corruption of "Las Chorreras" (the waterfalls) because waterfalls are perhaps the most striking features in the Ocho Rios area.
In fact, Ocho Rios owes much of its fame to Dunn's River Falls, a much-photographed and much-climbed attraction. You can visit Dunn's by boarding a party-type boat at the dock. It takes about a half-hour to reach the falls. Jamaican music is played aboard and a free tropical punch is given to each passenger. You get a great view of the shoreline as you cruise along.
However, Bahama Mama tells it like it is. In her opinion, Dunn's Falls is rather a waste of time and energy. The falls are interesting enough, but the site is commercialized, crowded and it's mostly the young and the brave who climb the slippery ledges behind the cascading water. It's fun to watch the climbers, though, as they all hold hands and snake themselves in a line up to the top of the falls to much applause from those watching on the beach.
A deep-water port with berthing space for three cruise ships at a time has attracted a thriving tourist industry for Ocho Rios. It's a rare sight when the town's streets aren't thronged with cruise ship visitors. There are six shopping plazas, offering everything from Jamaican handicrafts and souvenirs to duty-free bargains in conventional shops, as well as a large outdoor crafts market.
A tip: do your crafts and souvenir shopping in Cozumel on this trip. 'Nuff said.
One thing to do, which I recommend, is to hire a cab or jitney to take you up the mountain to a rain forest. Or hire a van if you can get a little group together to share the fare and tip. You can bargain on the price, as there's loads of taxis and vans waiting for cruise passengers to disembark.
There are lookout spots atop the mountain where you can get out. You will see vistas of enormous beauty. It's breathtaking, to say the least. Bring your camera.
Driving up the mountain's winding road you can observe on either side how average Jamaicans live. It's both interesting and eye-opening, even a little depressing by our standards. But the native folks appear happy and wave to those passing by with cheerful smiles.
The thing I plan on doing on this stop is something I've always wanted to do. I'll take a taxi from the pier to "Firefly", the Jamaican home of the late Noel Coward, British playwright, artist, actor, singer and writer. His home once opened its doors to his rich, beautiful and and famous friends. His guest list, which can be inspected, reads like a Hollywood "who's who" of the 30's era. One can readily understand why his invitations were so sought-after. The view from his home is generally agreed to be one of the most beautiful in the entire world.
An exhibition of Coward memorabilia, his paintings and a bibliographical video of his life and achievements complete the tour. English afternoon tea and light lunches are available.
Jamaica is very third-worldish, but at the same time is one of the most beautiful spots on earth in its uncommercialized, natural areas.
The famous Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is over-rated in my coffee-lover's opinion, but I do know I'll bring back home with me a bottle of pre-mixed Jamaica rum punch, which is fruity and delicious and is not available in the States.
Bahama Mama
For those FReeps Ahoy cruisers arriving in Miami on the Friday before the Saturday, May 31 embarkation, we've made arrangements with Wanda, our travel agent, to handle accomodation reservations for us for that Friday night. It's a winner!
It's an Embassy Suites near the airport and not far from the cruise terminal. The package cost is $133.99 plus tax. There's also a good deal for kids as noted on the Embassy website.
The package includes the suite of rooms, free shuttle service (every 20 minutes) from the airport to the Embassy, and free van transportation for freepers and luggage to the Carnival cruise terminal door on Saturday morning.
Embassy Suites are usually suites only, but in this one there's a small restaurant with Spanish/South American cooking and a bar. Other restaurants are nearby, or we can order pizza in and eat together in an informal room in the Embassy itself.
Free cooked-to-order breakfast is included, plus 2 hours complimentary cocktail hour in the early evening. Wow! Sounds like a fun pre-cruise mixer. Bahama Mama has already made her reservation and hopes to see y'all there.
I'm not going into that much more detail here. There's complete info and a pic of the Embassy on its website
http://www.miamiembassy.com/htm/hf.htm
There are a limited number of these package deals for cruisers, so I suggest, nay, I STRONGLY ADVISE that you phone Wanda at 1-800-890-7583 RIGHT AWAY to make your Embassy reservation. Wanda can also make your air reservations for you if you choose. She will coordinate your Miami arrival time with staying at the Embassy. All can be done by credit card. Then, BINGO, you're all set for the cruise with no hassle or worries.
Further info is on the regular cruise thread (link at the top of this thread). It'll be near the end of the current FReeps Ahoy cruise thread. I haven't typed it yet so I don't have a reply number.
Remember, you can still make your cruise cabin reservations with Wanda, also. Our reserved block of cabins and our low, discounted group fare is still in effect.
Any questions, post them here on this Q & A Bahama Mama thread.
Thanks,
Bahama Mama
Some freepers will arrive the day or night before Saturday's embarkation. We'll be staying at the Miami Embassy Suites. Here's the directions to the hotel:
FROM MIAMI AIRPORT TO THE EMBASSY:
Ask your skycap to take you and your luggage to the "bus terminal" outside the second floor. A van/bus marked "Embassy Suites" arrives there every 20 minutes, 24/7, to take you to the hotel. There is no charge. Make sure you carry enough singles for tips for skycaps, driver, etc.
Remember, the Embassy has a package deal for us for the night's accomodations and free transport to the port terminal Saturday morning.
FOR CRUISERS DRIVING TO THE EMBASSY HOTEL:
Exit I-95 at Rt. 836. Turn west on 836. Go to Lejeune Rd. north exit. Exit on Lejeune Rd. north to South River Drive. Turn right at South River Drive to Embassy Suites entrance on right.
If you're driving, it'll help to bring up a map of the area on your computer to get the lay of the land. Miami is a big city!
Copy these directions and tuck them in with your final cruise ticket packet you'll be receiving in a couple of weeks.
Any questions, post them here or freepmail Bahama Mama at "MinuteGal".
Bahama Mama
Transfer vans are available for hire at the airport. Ask your skycap where to go to purchase this transfer.
One-way or round-trip transfers are available. Cost is $11 per person one-way, or $22 per person round-trip. Tip for driver is optional.
To use the van, you must arrive Miami no later than 2 PM and depart from Miami no earlier than 1 PM.
In some cases, especially if people share a cab ride, the cab may be less expensive and more comfortable. Plenty of cabs are waiting at the airport. The choice of van vs. cab will be yours when you arrive at the airport and compare deals.
Although the returning ship arrives in port ostensibly at 8 AM, this doesn't mean you get off at 8 AM. There's usually several hours of waiting while the ship itself is checked by customs.
During this time, you'll eat breakfast, then wait and chat in designated areas till your number or color-code is called over a loudspeaker to proceed to the gangplank.
After disembarking into the terminal, you'll be checked out by a customs officer (a quick, no-brainer). Then you'll go to a vast holding-area to get your luggage. Redcaps are all over the place and will wheel your suitcases outside to the curb (usual tip for redcap is $1 per piece he handles). He will take you and luggage to cab/transfer van stations.
In short, you'll probably get to the curb somewhere between 10 and 11 AM.
If you plan on using the shuttle van, check your airline arrival and departure times so that everything jibes.
Also, and VERY IMPORTANT, make sure your plane taking you back to your home state isn't leaving before you arrive at the airport that morning!
So far, there are 15 freepers arriving the day before embarkation and staying overnight at the Miami Embassy (fun, fun, fun!). The Embassy provides free shuttle vans from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the Carnival terminal the morning of sailing. So these folks are taken care of transportation-wise.
If you plan on arriving in Miami a day early, the Embassy has a neat cruise accomodations package which includes the free van service. These packages are limited in number, so sign up right away if you're interested. To do so, contact our travel agent, the lovely Wanda, at 1-800-890-7583 (Pacific time zone) to sign up. She can also handle your airline reservations also, which may make life easier for you in the long run.
Any questions, post them here.
Bahama Mama