If all you want is a one-day taste of Jamaica, then consider
arriving by cruise ship.
A cruise is a good way to get a feel for several
Caribbean destinations, and can even help you select a site for a future
land-based vacation. Jamaica is one of the most popular calls on Caribbean
cruising itineraries, recording 711, 699 cruise visitors in 1997.
Visits
are usually one-day stopovers on longer Caribbean itineraries. The cruise
companies provide buses for passengers, and taxis are available (US$7 to
downtown). Ocho Rios (532,408 passengers in 1997) and Montego Bay (178,
637 passengers) are Jamaica's two major curies ship ports.
We are here to assist you should you need further advice on planning your cruise to Jamaica.
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Cruise Ships are floating resorts , with all meals, activities, and
entertainment included in one price. Most feature a swimming
pool, spa, health club, beauty ship, duty-free stores, theatre, card
room, library, bars and l9ounges, dining rooms, and medical
facilities. Larger, ritzier ships will usually have a casino,
orchestras, and lavish Las Vegas-style revues.
Cruise experiences vary vastly according to the cruise company and ship you
choose. While some cruise lines are relaxed, others are regimented, with
neatly choreographed dining and entertainment. Princess Cruises, for
example, requires formal wear for dinner (remember scenes from love boat?), but
Carnivals ships are all kitschy, Las Vegas-style glitz, and appeal to a younger,
more budget conscious party crowd.
The Cruise Line International Association can provide information on cruising
and individual cruise lines, originating in the USA or abroad. The
following included Jamaica in their 1999 itineraries:
Carnival Cruise Lines Celebrity Cruises
Commodore Cruise Lines Costa Cruise Lines Crystal Cruises Canard Line
Holland America Line Mediterranean Shipping Norwegian Cruise Line
Premier Cruises Princess Cruises Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Star Clippers
World Explorer
Prices vary according to how deluxe a ship is, length of cruise, and
which cabin you choose. Most ships have a range of accommodations.
The cheapest cabins are usually in the center of the vessel-midships-and often
lack windows, but are less prone to rolling and pitching. You'll pay more
for an ocean view and more still for an upper-deck cabin. The Vacation
Store offers discounted cabins.
Seven-day cruises begin at US$1500. Remember, you get what you pay for
including all meals and entertainment. You'll sve money by booking early.
Don't forget to budget for tips. Cruise lines promote tipping to an
extreme.
Most Cruises that call in Jamaica depart for Florida, less frequently from
New York. A few depart Los Angeles and travel via the Panama Canal.
Most days are spent partaking of optional short excursions, or you can
sightsee on your own. World Explorer Cruises offers the widest range of
shore excursions, and features Ocho Rios and Montego Bay on its eight and 14-day
midwinter educational cruises aboard the SS Universe Explorer.
In 1997, the Jamaican government approved a US$35 million project o rebuild
the cruise berths in Kingston, formerly a vital cruise. More likely, the
investment will go into the US$60 million reconstruction of Port Royal -
slated to being in 1999 - which will be converted Jamaica's third port of call
and is intended to be a cruise destination rivalling the best in the
Caribbean......I think we better wait and see.
If all you want is a one-day taste of Jamaica, then consider
arriving by cruise ship. 
