A cruise ship is a good way to get a taste of Jamaica. About one million Caribbean cruisers visit the island each year. Most Jamaican cruises leave from one of the Florida cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. Common ports in Jamaica are Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio. Consider what kind of vacation you want when choosing a ship and what kind of cabin you prefer.
Cruise ships offer many on-board amenities and activities. They allow travelers to visit more than one destination during a vacation. Cruise lines also feature a variety of packages that can make traveling very affordable.
Deciding which cruise to take depends on where you would like to visit, what kind of ship and cabin you want and how much money you want to spend. When picking a ship, you need to decide if you want a larger cruise ship with lots of amenities and on-board activities or a smaller ship that allows for more port options. Several types of cruises are offered, including luxury cruises, value cruises, specialty cruises and premium cruises. Value cruises are the most affordable and are offered by cruise lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Premium cruises tend to be the norm for smaller ships, such as Celebrity and Holland America. Specialty cruises usually have a theme, while luxury cruises are the most expensive.
Cabins vary. The cheapest usually have no view, while adding a porthole will cost a bit more. Some cabins include balconies. Some ships also offer suites, which are larger than the average cabin.
Also consider what time of year to cruise. The cold of winter combined with holidays send lots of travelers south via a cruise ship. Therefore, cruises between December and April are popular and, as a result, more expensive. Consider that Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving and Easter usually mean full ships. It is cheaper to cruise the Caribbean in the spring and summer, though it is riskier because of hurricane season.
Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America and Royal Caribbean regularly serve Jamaica, and all have ports of call at Ocho Rios. Holland America also docks at Montego Bay.
Choosing a cruise ship also depends on what part of Jamaica you would like to see.
Ocho Rios: Check out the Prospect Plantation Tour, showing off the island's agricultural goods, such as coffee, bananas and sugar cane. Island Village, minutes from the cruise dock, offers a boardwalk, natural-spring lagoons and wonderful scenery. Visit James Bond Beach with its clear waters and mountain backdrop.
Port Antonio: Visit the Blue Lagoon, a small cove long believed to be bottomless. The Port Antonio Walking Tour gives visitors a tour and overview of the port city, once the banana capital of the world.
Montego Bay: Here, see the Greenwood Great House, once owned by Elizabeth Barrett-Browning's family. Or try the Chukka Caribbean Adventure's Buggy Adventure, which will take travelers over the mountains of Jamaica.
