Greetings from Jamaica, mon! The final port stop on the first segment of this 21-day cruise finds the Rotterdam docked in the country known for Red Stripe beer, Bob Marley, reggae, and Blue Mountain Coffee. Bet you thought I was going to put “weed” on that list, didn’t you? We docked around 6:30 am and were cleared to go ashore beginning around 7 am. Those with shore excursions got off early as all-aboard is at 2:30 pm making for a short stop.
It’s been about 10 years since my last visit to Falmouth and this stop wasn’t on the original itinerary for this cruise. A few weeks before departure, it was announced that a stop in Key West, FL, would be replaced with a visit to Falmouth. Politicians and residents in Key West have been trying to ban cruise ships from docking in the town for environmental reasons. While a full ban was not put into place, Key West now limits the number of cruise ships allowed to visit to one per day. Presumably, there was a scheduling conflict and we got the boot. It wasn’t a last-minute change, but Key West is a great place to visit, so some who booked the cruise a year in advance expecting to go there may have been disappointed.
So what about Falmouth? To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. It’s like going on a Carnival cruise – you go into it with no expectations at all and look at everything positive that happens as a surprise and delight moment. That’s what happened with this visit. When I woke up and walked out on my balcony to check out the surroundings, I had to do a double take.
Are we in Jamaica?
This was not the port I remember from my last visit. The port shopping area featured dozens of shops in modern, clean buildings, a square where a band played throughout the day, several food kiosks selling traditional Jamaican food and drinks, and even a pirate ship-themed kid’s play area that was closed for renovations. There was outdoor seating at benches and picnic tables along with a grassy area for chilling in the shade.
The whole area was kept spotlessly clean and all the locals working the shops, security, and there visiting were extremely friendly. Without a doubt, this is one of the nicest ports to visit. Considering the dump we were at the other day, Puerto Limon, Falmouth is the Taj Mahal.
The Rotterdam was joined by the Carnival Dream and considering the could be upwards of 7,000 passengers and crew ashore, there was no crowding as there was plenty of room.
I stopped in a shop to buy some Cuban cigars, as Jamaica is one country that can import and sell them – unlike the United States. I bought a few and when it came time to check out, the shop’s credit card machines were not working. The shop keeper said it’s very common for their Internet to go in and out – this resulted in people lining up to pay for stuff by credit card. After several attempts on multiple credit card machines, they said they couldn’t take cards but would take cash. I didn’t bring enough cash with me to cover the cost of the cigars, but I told her what I had and she said, “I’ll take it.”
So for the future, take cash.
Back on board the ship many were out on deck as we sailed away a tad bit late because four people, who’s names got called over the ship’s public address system over and over again, didn’t make it back by all aboard. The captain kept blowing the whistle to get attention and finally ordered the ship’s lines to be hauled in, the four came running towards the ship 15 minutes after scheduled departure, or 45 minutes after the all-aboard time. They made it just in time as the captain was ready to leave them behind.
The highlight of the evening was the Orange Party. On other cruise lines, there’s usually a White Party or White Night where guests are encouraged to dress in all white and head up to the lido deck for a party. On Holland America, the line goes orange – a color that pays homage to their Dutch roots. So you could wear a splash of orange with your evening attire to celebrate. Don’t worry if you don’t have anything orange, the gift shop can hook you up.
The Orange Party was held in B.B. King’s Blues Club and featured music, dancing, drinks, and passed treats to nibble on. Because of the Orange Party, there were no other scheduled shows in the ship’s theatre, the World Stage.
While all this was going on, I was with a group of people who had all congregated at Half Moon Bar each evening before dinner for cocktails. Since some didn’t think they were going to make it Thursday night, we all agreed to meet for a last drink. Well, all of us let time slip away as we sipped away and it was after 9 pm when we looked at the clock and realized we already missed dinner and were about to miss the Orange Party.
With the main dining room already closed, I headed up to the Lido Market and the only things still available were desserts and sandwiches. I quickly checked with the sushi bar to see if they were still open and they said they already seated the last guests for the night. The only other option besides room service was pizza as they stay open until 11 pm.
So pizza, wings, and a salad brought back to my room ended up being dinner.
I go back to the fact that Holland America caters to an older crowd where the majority of the ship is having dinner at 5 pm, so having restaurants open past 9 pm or even other options available till 11pm or midnight just isn’t worth it, so plan accordingly.
All in all a busy but enjoyable day in Jamacia and onboard. We’re currently sailing back to Fort Lauderdale where we will arrive at 7 am on Friday, November 3rd. It’s then when those who aren’t staying on for the next segment will disembark and others will join the ship. Since I’ll be staying on, there is a little bit of a procedure to go through on Friday morning.
Once the ship is clear of all guests, those staying on will be escorted off as a group to go through Immigration. Once cleared, we will be escorted back onboard before the next round of guests start embarking. A bit of a process, but it’s like anything the government is involved in. The reason this is done is that the United States requires a “zero count” – meaning the ship has no guests on board the vessel – before any passengers are allowed on.
So there’s that to look forward to. Thanks for following along.
Links to Rotterdam Restaurant Menus
Restaurant menus for November 1, 2023, on Holland America Rotterdam:
- Lido Market – Breakfast Menu
- Lido Market – Lunch Menu
- Lido Market – Dinner Menu
- Main Dining Room – Breakfast Menu
- Main Dining Room – Lunch Menu
- Main Dining Room – Dinner Menu
- Club Orange – Breakfast Menu
- Club Orange – Dinner Menu
- Pinnacle Grill – Lunch Menu
- Pinnacle Grill – Dinner Menu
- Canaletto – Dinner Menu
- Nami Sushi – Dinner Menu
- Tamarind – Dinner Menu
- Tamarind Bar – Lite Bites Menu
- Rudi’s Sel de Mer – Dinner Menu
- Rotterdam Room Service Menu – All Day Menu
- New York Deli & Pizza – All Day Menu
- Dive In Burgers & Hot Dogs – All Day Menu
Daily Planner for Day 11:
