Falmouth Jamaica was founded in 1769 by Thomas Reid, a planter who envisioned a meticulously planned town (hence the mostly grid layout you still see today). Falmouth’s wealth quickly grew with the sugar trade in the 18th century but its fate reversed with the decline of the sugar industry. Falmouth was declared a National Monument by the Jamaican government in 1996 and a new cruise pier built in 2011.
Unfortunately due to ongoing gang violence & gun crime, Falmouth Jamaica is one of those ports where it’s not advisable to do a DIY excursion – more details below. So in this guide, I’ll highlight the most popular shore excursions at Falmouth Jamaica and hopefully help you pick one that you’d like!
Note: It’s a common misconception that the Falmouth Jamaica is a Royal Caribbean port. Royal Caribbean did develop the cruise port at Falmouth Jamaica in conjunction with the Port Authority of Jamaica, as Royal Caribbean needed a deep-water port for its larger ships. The port at Falmouth Jamaica have been operational for over a decade and frequently visited by not just Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises, but other mainstream cruise lines including Disney Cruises, MSC, NCL, Carnival and Holland America.
Note: So as not to confuse Falmouth Jamaica with Falmouth Antigua Cruise Port in Antigua and Barbuda (where smaller ships dock in Antigua), I’ve used Falmouth Jamaica in this blog post.
This blog post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no cost to you.
On This Page
Falmouth Jamaica Cruise Port: Is a DIY Excursion Easy? 😎 Join a Tour!
Falmouth Jamaica is unfortunately one of those ports where I don’t recommend venturing on your own! Jamaica has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, largely due to gang violence. The US State Department’s current guide is to reconsider travel due to violent crime. The UK Government also recommends high caution due to high crime rates, gang violence and shootings around Kingston and Montego Bay.
So I’m going to write this guide slightly differently. Instead of detailing my usual DIY excursion tips on a port, I’m going to highlight some of the most popular shore excursions around Falmouth Jamaica. Be sure to check the excursions offered by your cruise line. If you don’t see anything you like, chilling by the pool is always an option!
Note: I will not be covering the famous areas of Montego Bay and Negril as IMHO, both areas are full of all inclusive resorts. Unless you’ve a guest in those resorts, there’s little to see other than to sit on the beach. Kingston on the south side of the island is also too far away from Falmouth to make a day trip enjoyable.
Falmouth Jamaica Cruise Port Essentials: All You Need to Know
- Currency: Jamaica dollar (J$) but you’ll find not only is US$ widely accepted, many businesses frequently by tourists have US$ prices
- Language: English
- Official Website: Visit Jamaica is the official tourism website
- eSim for roaming in Jamaica: For a great data connection without the huge roaming fees, use an eSim data pack from Airalo. I always recommend having a smartphone with a valid plan when you’re at port touring. Get US$3 off your first eSIM data pack from Airalo when you use ROXANN1666 when you sign up or apply it at checkout – if you’re on a Caribbean cruise, then buy the Island Hopper, valid in 27 Caribbean Islands!
Falmouth Jamaica Cruise Port Map
- On Desktop | Laptop? Use buttons on bottom left to zoom in/out. Click on the upper right hand corner to see a bigger version.
- On Tablet | Mobile? Pinch your screen to zoom in/out and use two fingers to move map around. If you have Google Maps installed on your tablet/mobile, my map will open in your Google Maps app if you click on the upper right hand corner.
- If map is not loading correctly, click here to see it directly in Google Maps
Falmouth Jamaica: Top Things to Do
1. Bamboo Rafting on Martha Brae River
Martha Brae Rafting Village is about three miles from Falmouth Jamaica Cruise Port, so the proximity makes this one of the most popular excursions. You may wonder how bamboo rafting started as a tourist attraction. Back in the 18th century, when sugar cane was king in Jamaica, the Martha Brae River was used to transport their harvested canes from the fields to the port of Falmouth. Bamboo was abundant and flexible enough to build sturdy rafts to transport the heavy cargo.
Today, the rafts have seats! So you don’t have to worry about getting soggy bottoms! The ride is a sedate three-mile draft down the river but it’s hugely popular with cruisers.
Tip: Local third party cruise excursion operators typically ask you to be picked up just outside the port gates, as they have to pay a port fee to access the port area. Saying yes to meeting outside the port gates will save you the port fee.
2. Tubing Down the Rio Bueno River
Slightly higher on the adventure scale is tubing down either the Rio Bueno River or the White River, both less than a 30 minute drive from Falmouth Jamaica Cruise Port. The White River is known for its calm currents and gentle rapids, while the river winds its way through lush rainforest. The Rio Bueno is believed to be the spot where Christophe Columbus first landed on the island in 1494. He named it “Rio Bueno” (Good River) because of its clear, fresh water. Life jackets and helmets are provided on the tour and I would recommend that you bring along water shoes if you own them or scandals that you don’t mind getting wet.
3. Go Horseback Riding in the Sea
Another popular excursion at Falmouth Jamaica is to go horseback riding but with a twist. The horses are led into the ocean, so both the rider and the horse are enjoying the cool waters. The horses are well trained and gentle, so even if you’ve never rode a horse before, it’s still a fun experience! For those who don’t swim, life vests are provided but you’d find that the horses are surprisingly good swimmers!
4. Climb Dunn’s River Falls
Dunn’s River Falls is famous for the way the falls cascade down in a series of terraced steps, creating a natural staircase that visitors can climb. It’s about 180 feet high and 600 feet long. Dunn’s River Falls is also special because it flows directly into the Caribbean Sea, meaning that you can enjoy a swim in the ocean after your climb.
Featured Photo of Montego Bay by Dre Dawkcide
Jamaica is famous for all-inclusive resorts, particularly in Montego Bay and Negril. If you’ve never been, you may be surprised to know that most of those resort guests rarely leave the resort gates. Unfortunately, cruisers visiting Falmouth also rarely leave the port gates unaccompanied, and IMHO, it’s a wise choice to only do a guided tour in this port. I hope that this guide has given you some ideas on the popular excursions! Happy cruising!
