Ocho Rios Cruise Guide

Ocho Rios would seem to be Spanish for "eight rivers," but it is most likely a corruption of the Spanish word chorreras, which means "waterfalls." Jamaicans refer to it fondly as Ochee. The second-most important tourist town on the north coast, it offers the island's best shopping, plenty of regional attractions, varied nightlife and fairly good (though often crowded) beaches. It sits on the edge of the jungle in a sheltered bay with a mountainous backdrop—truly lovely. Ocho Rios is Jamaica's most visited cruise-ship port, and many noncruisers frequent the all-inclusive resorts in the area. Our only regret is that Ocho Rios can be crowded, especially when the cruise ships are in port, and as it continues to develop, it is losing the charm that made it so popular in the first place. Recently, however, there has been a town-wide drive to crack down on hustlers and illegal vendors and to encourage residents to take more pride in their city and property, with regular maintenance and decorative plantings.

Most ships dock at the cruise-ship terminal on Ocho Rios Bay (the UDC Port), on the west side of town, just off the main coastal road. Others berth just west of the cruise-ship terminal at Reynolds Pier. Some of the larger ships anchor off the coast and take passengers to the terminal in smaller craft, though this is only done in instances where there are two to three large ships in port at the same time. Larger ships dock at the UDC Port.

When you disembark at either pier, you'll walk into a fenced, secure area that is off-limits to vendors—only licensed taxi and tour companies can solicit business within the compound. Just outside wait throngs of taxi drivers, beggars and vendors of all sorts. There are police officers on duty at all times to ensure that no soliciting of visitors takes place. The only cabs allowed in the vicinity are those that have prior arrangements to collect customers.

You can take a cab or walk into town from either pier (there's no bus service between the piers and town). Shuttle service is provided at US$3 per person or US$6 round trip. It's about 0.5 mi/1 km to the center of Ocho Rios. A tourist-information office, run by the TPD Company, has an ATM machine at the cruise-ship terminal.

Consider signing up for the excursions offered by your ship. They may not be the least-expensive way to see the island, but you won't have to waste your limited time making arrangements yourself—and you won't have to worry about missing the ship. One of the most popular excursions is to Chukka Caribbean Adventures at Chukka Cove, where horseback rides, all-terrain vehicle adventures and a canopy zipline ride are offered. Options for nature lovers include excursions to Cranbrook Flower Forest and to Dunn's River Falls. Trips to Harmony Hall and Wassi Art appeal to shoppers and art lovers. Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. Check with your ship's shore-excursion staff or your travel agent for additional information.