Falmouth, Jamaica Appleton Rum Factory

katlady · #1 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 11:38 AM

So my hubby is planning the shore excursion for our current cruise leaving in less then a month. I decided to not do the planning this time and let my hubby do all of it. He is a last minute kind of a guy. It's pretty entertaining to watch him swearing a RCL's website, getting confused and running around like a chicken with his head cut off.

That man can not skip trace worth a damn. Oh wait it's called research for a cruise isn't it.

He did have a request in Falmouth Jamaica we are interested in seeing the Appleton Rum Factory, but there are no shore excursions for it on RCL's website. Do you guys know if Royal has any shore excusions to the rum factory? Thanks for your help. Finding out this information will cause my hubby's head to not explode.

I probably shouldn't be enjoying this as much as I'm.

Dude my mother, dad, hubby, sister, and nephew had me plan an entire transatlantic cruise including trains to venice, pre and post cruise hotels, shuttle, and all tours. Then my dad yelled at me in Rome because I didn't purchase his train ticket. Of course he spent the day looking for the train stop (which was one metro stop from the hotel) so if he had found the train station (he never did) he would have purchased the tickets and we would have been stuck with extra train tickets.

So watching my hubby is just pay back. Also I'm hoping he will appreicate the work involve with planning a trip now that is has to do it.

Trip · #2 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 02:05 PM

To be honest, if the ship doesn't have their own excursion, I would be a bit leery of doing it on my own in this port, which gets very sketchy reports.

ship2shore · #3 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 04:55 PM

my daugter wants to know how you get a horse to fart a rainbow...

katlady · #4 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ship2shore

my daugter wants to know how you get a horse to fart a rainbow...

Please information your daughter that is a unicorn not a horse and unicorns of course shoot rainbows out of their butts. This is common knowledge.

Where do you think leprechauns get the rainbows to hide their pots of gold.

katlady · #5 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trip

To be honest, if the ship doesn't have their own excursion, I would be a bit leery of doing it on my own in this port, which gets very sketchy reports.

I'm a bit nervous to got to far from the ship on my own in Jamaica since I'm not familiar with this port.

ToddDH · #6 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 09:45 PM

Katlday,

I have to aree with Trip. Although I've been retired for 16 years, I maintain contacts with many divisions of law enforcement (including Federal law enforcement with whom I worked on more than several occasions).

My personal advice is that given current conditions, all the the advice that I can give is to forego the trip to the rum factory in Falmouth. It's not just Falmouth, it's as much as going and coming in addition.

A cheap bottle or two of rum could be far more than it could cost you in the long run. I am truly sorry to make this recommendation because while I personally think it a shame not to admit otherwise, it is nevertheless unbable to safely travel and to see the outlying areas of places I've never been.

The truth is that the Caribbean has changed in some regards and changed BIG TIME!

Also, there might be a very good (but unpublished) reason why RCL doesn't offer an excursion there. I'm not saying for a second there is, as I just don't know, but I'm not ignorant when it comes to such things either.

katlady · #7 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToddDH

Katlday,

I have to aree with Trip. Although I've been retired for 16 years, I maintain contacts with many divisions of law enforcement (including Federal law enforcement with whom I worked on more than several occasions).

My personal advice is that given current conditions, all the the advice that I can give is to forego the trip to the rum factory in Falmouth. It's not just Falmouth, it's as much as going and coming in addition.

A cheap bottle or two of rum could be far more than it could cost you in the long run. I am truly sorry to make this recommendation because while I personally think it a shame not to admit otherwise, it is nevertheless unbable to safely travel and to see the outlying areas of places I've never been.

The truth is that the Caribbean has changed in some regards and changed BIG TIME!

Also, there might be a very good (but unpublished) reason why RCL doesn't offer an excursion there. I'm not saying for a second there is, as I just don't know, but I'm not ignorant when it comes to such things either.

Thank you for the information. We will take your and Trip's advice and skip the rum factory. Is there anything safe to do without booking a shore excursion. Aside from staying on the ship.

Trip · #8 (**permalink**) April 6th, 2012, 10:21 PM

Kat, staying within the gated area, is your best bet here. Honestly, if you enjoyed ship time in this port, rather then going off ship, you would be more comfortable, imho....heck out the spa. salon options they offer on port days.,,,reduced prices can make it a relaxing day, for you and hubby...

ToddDH · #9 (**permalink**) April 7th, 2012, 06:54 AM

This is only my opinion but since I do a lot of reading it is my conclusion that the influx of cruiseships to Jamaica did not unduly influence the crime problem.

I think it actually germinated many years before when hotel chains and investors started building those all inclusive resorts to which you have to fly. They wouldn't buy nary a thing from the locals, preferring to import virtually everything from the States even though a couple of these mega resorts were I believe British owned. Some wouldn't even hire the locals most of whom live in squalor outside of the resorts.

That is definitely not the way to build "good will" or offer even a modicum of support to the country or island on which you wish to do business.

katlady · #10 (**permalink**) April 7th, 2012, 10:44 AM

Since there is 4 port days on a 7 day cruise taking a quick tour around the gated area then heading back on board could be a good thing. After all this is the Freedom of the Seas and it's my first time on board. I bet I can find something to do.:-D

ToddDH that is very stupid of the resorts to not use local labor or local suppliers. They could have greatly helped the economy of the area and fostered good will in that way. Because it's not a hand out it's receiving a salary through hard work and that is satisfying in a way that a hand out can never be.

ship2shore · #11 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2012, 01:22 AM

A Unicorn.? Aparently I seem to have missed the point.

katlady · #12 (**permalink**) April 8th, 2012, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ship2shore

A Unicorn.? Aparently I seem to have missed the point.

You were so busy looking at his butt that you completely missed that he was horny. You should be ashamed of yourself.

ship2shore · #13 (**permalink**) April 9th, 2012, 02:32 AM

oh no you didnt...

katlady · #14 (**permalink**) April 9th, 2012, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ship2shore

oh no you didnt...

Oh I totally did.

LisaK · #15 (**permalink**) April 11th, 2012, 09:40 AM

I am not familiar with the new Falmouth port yet, but Jamaica is such a goregous island, don't let fear stop you, if it wasn't safe the cruise ships wouldn't go there -look into another ships tour or a tour with a local, reputable tour operator

Moiraine · #16 (**permalink**) April 12th, 2012, 06:07 PM

The Appleton Estate tour is wonderful. I did it through Carnival a few years ago. Since this is a new port, it may not be available through RCI yet. If you really want to do it, try a private company.