montego bay barrett adventures

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rox6983

Guest
Just wondering if anyone else has used Carolyn Barrett for shore excursions. I've heard a few wonderful things but just wanted more opinions. All I want to do is see a little of Jamaica, spend some time on the beach, go to Margaritaville and maybe shop. If anyone can give me some thoughts, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
 
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DixieGirl

Guest
We used Barrett Adventures in Montego Bay the first week of March and enjoyed it. We booked our trip with only 11 days to prepare so I didn't have alot of notice. We joined a group of 4 in a mini van and took about a 5 hour tour. Erroll drove us through rich neighbor hoods and poor ones. He gave us alot of info on the people and plant life. We went to Rose Hall Great House, a local craft market, lunch at a local chicken stand (that had surprising clean bathrooms) and made a couple of photo stops. We also had our 4 year old son and everywhere we were we felt safe. All in all, of the stops we made, we felt that we had a good feel for Jamaica and if we went back we would use them again.
 
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Sodey

Guest
Tell Carolyn Barrett you want the "Tom Sodemann" excursion. It sounds right up your alley!

1. get picked up at terminal 8 am sharp
2. drive straight to Rose Hall Beach (arrive 1 hr before ship excursion does)
3. After 2 1/2 hours take drive to local (safe and friendly) craft market
4. Drive up into the hills to see local village
5. Stop at local Jerk Stand (clean bathrooms and "Great" food)
6. Drive to Margaritaville for some refreshments
7. Drive to terminal and last minute shopping (in terminal)
8. Say good bye to Jamaica after a great day!

Oh, did I mention to invite some other cruisers via this message board to help spread out the cost and make some new friends?
 
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rox6983

Guest
Thanks to both of you. The "Tom Sodemann" excursion sounds exactly like something I would want. So what price range are we talking for something like this or does it depend on how many people we can get?
 
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Sodey

Guest
For us it was $240 split between 12 people or $20 per person (extremely inexpensive!)

It took me 2 days after posting the excursion itinerary on this website to get two other groups to join us. Our group then consisted of: 6 Adults and 6 kids aged 12 to 19

My kids still talk about Jamaica
 
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jwmcq

Guest
Those prices are interesting! We are booked with Carolyn for May and she is charging us $540 for 4 adults and 4 children, ages 13, 13, 11, and 10. She is charging $75 for the six adults - she said the two 13 year olds are adults - she has not met them yet! :) and $45 for the 10 and 11 year olds.

We are going to YS Falls and then intertubing down the river, with lunch at a jerk stand. We are very excited, but I sure like the price you paid better! In her brochure she e-mailed me, the price for this tour was $80 each, which includes lunch, but she knocked it down a little for a group rate.
 
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DebraK

Guest
jwmcq: I am booked with Barrett Adventures, also doing YS Falls and tubing. The price you were quoted is what we are paying - I think the lesser price is because there is not a YS Falls stop nor tubing.

I am scheduled for 4/13, so I'll post my experience afterwards.
 
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Sodey

Guest
The $20 did not include any admission fees, food, drinks etc... Also, we probably didn't drive as far as you would to YS Falls. While we were in Margaritaville, Carolyn was just parked down the street waiting for us to come back out. (I don't think she likes the place) she's more of a traditional Jamaica historian etc...
 
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rox6983

Guest
Thanks for all of the pricing information, which is very inexpensive and I would be willing to pay a little more if need be. How far in advance should I start trying to get people to join us and how far do I need to book with Barretts? Our cruise isn't until Sept 5th.
 
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Sodey

Guest
I would book Barrett now but start posting around early July for people to join you.

I'm cruising Aug 21 and am in the process of booking every excursion now and will be asking others to join me mid June.
 
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Nanatravel

Guest
Carolyn has a great tour reputation at Mo Bay if you can get a group together to help share thus reduce the per person price. We didn't have a group, so booked with Belinda of a-zjamaicaplanners.com. We did exactly what you would like to do: Pick up at port with our names on a Clip board, Rose Hall Mansion tour (entry fee included) including a Rum Punch; tour of the countryside, stop and admission to Rose Hall Beach, again including entry fee and chair rental fee with a set time given by us for the driver to return for us; shopping at a local strip mall and a stop at Margaritaville (which we declined as we were tired). All this was $85 per couple. Our driver was Reyn and his lovely wife Ann joined us to celebrate her birthday. Our van was a fairly new air conditioned & very nice. We felt very safe and had a wonderful day. Whatever you choose, don't venture off on your own. You will be able to relax and see this beautiful country with a Barrett or A-Z Jamaica Planners tour. For Jamaican coffee, check out the prices at Rose Hall. I was surprised to learn it was cheaper there than in the shops.

Bon Voyage
 
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emibaby

Guest
I do want to warn you, though, that because there are only two tour guides (Carolyn and Errol-her husband), they can only do the first two tours booked on a given day. My group of 3 wanted to do the Hummingbird tour, but she's already got two tours booked, so either we go on one of those or we find something else to do. The other two excursions are too strenuous for us, so we're left to our own devices...which could be a scarey thing in MoBay!!

Just a warning: Book EARLY!!
 
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Ldodson

Guest
me and my husband are leaving on the conquest on sept 5th also and we might be interested in that excursion.
 
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Nancy M.

Guest
I am looking into booking a tour with them also. She just sent me some tours and prices yesterday. I am thinking about just taking the tour drive that would cost $20 an hour for 2 people. I don't think that is unreasonable at all. I figure 5 hours of their time will only cost me and my husband $100 plus entry fees and food for anything we do. I can't see us getting anything cheaper with any type of excursion. I may see if anyone would like to join us on this when it gets closer. We are cruising the Conquest on June 27th.
 
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Mychelle

Guest
Please be wary of this company. At one time, they may have provided wonderful services, but I too, just came off the Conquest where I did a tour with them. It was absolutely awful!
 
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jwmcq

Guest
Mychelle - were you on the same bad trip with PLG? Where Percy drove a crowded van? Just curious if there was more one really awful adventure.
 
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Mychelle

Guest
Yup, that would be the one!

Absolutely horrible tour. I pretty much agree with most here....next time, Jamaica will just be another sea day for us. When even the highly recommended are that bad, it can only get worse!
 
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Nancy M.

Guest
I am curious about this also. I looked at you website and your pictures are beautiful. Looks like you all had a good time. I am wondering if you did the YK falls also because looking at the pics I thought that was what I had seen.
 
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Mychelle

Guest
Yes the photos are from YS Falls, and it was beautiful. If you can get there another way, SAFELY, I would recommend that! I didn't mind the curves and mountains, but the speed with which we traveled was ridiculous. And no...not everyone was driving THAT crazy!
 
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