Historic Falmouth Cruise Port – Creation of a new destination

As the cruise industry continues to grow, the quest never ends to find new ports. One of the newest cruise destinations is Historic Falmouth Cruise Port. It officially opened March 22 when Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas did its maiden call there.

Oasis of the Seas' Maiden call

Historic Falmouth Cruise Port accommodates the world’s largest cruise ships, Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. In addition, two “Freedom-class” ships, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas visit this port, as do three “Voyager –class” ships, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Voyager of the Seas.

This innovative cruise port facility is an industry first, with its thematic destination appeal. The first phase has a two berth pier, restaurants, retail services and a transportation center.  Later phases will include adding onsite experiences and attractions, along with hotel developments and more restaurant and retail options.

How Historic Falmouth Cruise Port Evolved

The development of Historic Falmouth Cruise Port came about through a partnership between the Port Authority of Jamaica and Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., parent company of Royal Caribbean International.  It took four years to develop and create this innovative facility, with environmentalists pulled in to review everything along the way.

Experiencing the Craft Fair

Historic Falmouth – a step back in time

When I recently spoke with Chris Wright from the Jamaica Tourist Board, he shared some of the fascinating history about Falmouth, which was actually founded in 1790 from land was owned by Edward Barrett. (Yes, his granddaughter was Elizabeth Barrett Browning, one of the greatest English poets.) Back then, Jamaica was the world’s leading sugar producer, with 80+ sugar estates nearby.  And Falmouth actually had the first piped water supply system in the Western Hemisphere, dating to 1799.  The town evolved into a Colonial presence with streets named after British heroes and royalty, and a strong cultural history.

As Chris Wright further explained, Falmouth is like going back in time. The 19^th century architecture combines well with some unique tours, including 30 foot bamboo rafts offering adventure rides on the Martha Brae River. Guests can relax as the raft captain takes them through the island’s tropical scenery.

Location is another advantage.  Falmouth is just 22 miles from Montego Bay and about 40 minutes from Ocho Rios. So cruise guests can take advantage of the best that both these resort areas have to offer with tours and sightseeing if they like, yet can experience Falmouth, a destination with its own fascinating past.