Ocho Rios Tour...not to miss

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awsmrn

Guest
Just wanted to give everyone some helpful info about a tour we took in Ocho Rios this past May. We booked a private tour with Phil Lafayette. His tour starts 30min after the ship docks. He will be waiting for you at the end of the gangway. This is how it works. You will pay $15 at Dunns Falls to get in (another $5 for water shoe rental, we took our own). You then pay $20 at the river for tubbing. Then when the tour is done you pay Phil $20 for his services. Lunch of course is an added expence.

So for $55 per person you tour Dunn's Falls, Fern Gully and have a relaxing tubing adventure down White River. You will also drive around town to many sites, stop at local side vendors if you choose and get some great Jamaican food. He will also make sure you have time for some shopping if you want. He will guide you with much enthusiasim and fun. He is a proud Jamaican who will share his great love for his home. You can feel safe in his care and leave personal items on the bus when out and about. He is a very trusworthy man who the locals seem to respect. He works on your time and your interest. He shared with us about his home, his culture and the everyday life of the Jamaican people. Phil is a patriotic Jamaican and enjoys sharing his heart and soul. . If you are looking for a trust worthy tour guide full of heart and fun look no further.
. The lessons we learned will stay with us our entire lives. We feel fortunate to have met a proud Jamaican Patriot who showed us a side of Jamaica that goes unseen by Worldly standards. If anyone has questions please feel free to e-mail us at angawsmrn@sbcglobal.net.
Phil has become a part of our family. He opened his heart and taught us that there is more to life than living. You will not go wrong with a tour from Phil. The knowledge and heart he brings to you will make you shine bright. Here is hi website...give it a look...It's IRIE Mon!!! www.phil-lafayette-tours.com
 
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nimbex

Guest
okay, this sounds great, but I am a natural skeptic. I'm assuming our cultures are a bit different, because to me, your post comes off as a strong sales pitch... no offense intended.

what cruise were you on, it wasn't mentioned.... how did you find phil? How many did you have in your group?

did you have any kids with you? thanks for the info, looking forward to talking more about this great excursion.
 
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awsmrn

Guest
Hi Nimbex,
wow it does sound like a sales pitch!!! We( husband and I) were on Carnival Victory 5/22/05. I found out about Phil from the cruise critic message boards. There seemed to be a lot people happy with his service. I think in general Phil usually has 6-10 groups on his bus. However, when we went there was suppose to be 6 groups total and we were the only ones who showed up. So we had a total private tour. Are you planning a trip to Ocho Rios?
 
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marvholly

Guest
I, too, have seen Phil MUCH discussed on other cruise forums and am considering using him the next time I am in Jamaica. March 04 i used a-zjamaicaplanners and put together a group from my roll call. However, this is too much work for me to do again right now. Another private guide I often see mntioned is Peat Taylor.
 
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gtlovell

Guest
We were on the Royal Caribbean. When we went to Ocho Rios we had Trevor Hudlin. He was GREAT! It was just my husband and I on his tour. He told us if we wanted to bring friends we could so we invited a couple from our table with us. We had so much fun!!!
We went down the falls, had jerk chicken for lunch, went through fern gully, tried the local foods (coconut, etc), shopping and then he dropped us off at another shopping center near our pier. He was very personable. He took us wherever we wanted to go; he told us we were in charge. And one of the best things he did was steer us clear of all the riff-raff and vendors and drug dealers. We never saw them!
His price was about the same as other tour guides. He was very reasonable.
 
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linmil

Guest
We just returned from our cruise that stopped in Ocho Rios. We took Phil Lafayette's tour and it was EXACTLY like 'awsmrn' described. I have been on many different types of tours over the years while on cruises, and this was probably the best planned, timely, organized and VERY safe. We had our two children with us and it couldn't have worked out better had we planned it ourselves. The kids LOVED the tour. Phil is very professional and we also noticed how well respected he is on the island. Well worth your time and money. Highly recommended.
 
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giesecar42

Guest
okay, here's my dumb question. I just booked an 8/5 Conquest cruise. It goes to Montego Bay. Where is Ocho Rios? Is it accessible from Montego Bay? The Phil Lafayette tour sounds wonderful but don't know if it is available to us. Sorry for being so clueless!:help
 
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Lor

Guest
This is our 1st cruise (DH & I). My DH wants to stick with going with RCI. Do you know how crowded those tours of the falls, is?
 
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