On my recent cruise aboard the Independence of the Seas, through Royal Caribbean, we had a one day stop in Jamaica. The ship docked early in the port of Falmouth. The April weather was great, low 70’s and slightly humid. Through the cruise line, we had booked an excursion to a private beach in Montego Bay. The beach was called Tropical Bliss and there’s no wonder why. This place was beautiful compared to other parts of the island.
The excursion cost covered the transportation from Falmouth to the beach, which was about an hour drive away by tour bus. We made a stop about mid-way at a souvenir shop/liquor store. Once we arrived at Tropical Bliss, we had to pay the entrance fee separately, I believe it was 8 US dollars each. The fee included a welcome drink of rum punch or a pina colada.
The white sand beach was not crowded at all. There were plenty of lounge chairs in the sun and in the shade. In the tranquil blue water, there were several blow up toys to play on. One was a round jumping platform, another was a volleyball type court, and another was a seesaw. If you have never tried these inflatable obstacles, they definitely take more skill than you would think. Expect to be sore and have a few bruises the next day from all the fun and falling.
This beach also had a lifeguard on duty, which makes you feel a little better letting your children enjoy the inflatables without you being by their side. I felt very safe here and never worried about leaving my valuables unattended at the lounge chair. The beach has a small souvenir shop and a bar that serves food on-site. I was not impressed with the service or menu at the bar. It took quite a while for someone to take out order, just to find out that most of the items listed were not available. I ordered the jerk chicken which is a great local favorite worth trying during your visit to Jamaica. The portion of chicken was quite large, and it came with a side of French fries.
Besides slow service, we also witnessed a fight between a server and someone from the cook staff located in another building. It seemed as though the bar staff was unaware other items were not available but still being ordered. The cook was yelling, making a huge scene. This made all the tourist sitting around the bar very uncomfortable.
Once we left the beach, we headed back to the port at Falmouth. Compared to the rest of the town, the port area was very clean and nice. There were many shops with lots of handmade items to browse and were reasonably priced in my opinion.
Overall, this excursion was worth the money spent. It allowed us to see a few other towns and the Montego Bay area. The tour guides taught us many Jamaican phrases and some of the history of the island. However, Jamaica was a little disappointing. It does not make my list of recommended islands to visit in the Caribbean. No problem man.