Getting there & away
Contents
Travel documents
Passport
US citizens traveling to and from the Caribbean by air or sea are now required to have a passport or another secure, accepted document in order to enter or re-enter the USA.
Canadian citizens do not need passports for visits of up to six months. However, they do need two pieces of identification, including proof of citizenship or permanent residency, such as a passport, birth certificate or driver’s license with photo ID. Other visitors must arrive with a passport. British citizens need passports that will still be valid six months after their arrival.
Tickets
The cost of plane tickets to Jamaica varies widely, depending on such variables as time of year, weather and traffic in the region. Higher fares normally apply in ‘high season, ’ from mid-December through mid-April, with even higher fares for peak times such as Christmas and around the New Year. You can save 20% or more by traveling in low season; weekday flights offer savings, too.
Airlines often run specials fares, so it’s worth checking their websites or calling directly. Before you book, compare ticket prices on online travel sites. Some discount online services are likely to quote rates offered to wholesalers and consolidators, for which special conditions and restrictions apply. Here are some that we recommend:
The travel agencies usually can’t match rock-bottom fares, but offer greater security. Firms such as STA Travel (in the USA 800-781-4040, in the UK 0870-160-0599; www.statravel.com) have offices worldwide and specialize in low fares for students, although no discount fares are available to Jamaica from North America.
If you plan on visiting additional Caribbean destinations, consider buying an air pass that permits any number of stopovers.
Sea
Jamaica is a popular destination on the cruise roster, mainly for passenger liners but also for private yachters. Arrival by freightliner is even an option.
For maps and charts of the Caribbean, contact Bluewater Books & Charts (954-763-6533, 800-942-2583; www.bluewaterweb.com; 1811 Cordova Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316). The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (301-713-9312; chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov) sells US government charts.
Cruise ship
More than 800, 000 cruise-ship passengers sail to Jamaica annually, making it one of the world’s largest cruise-ship destinations. While the ships get bigger, the amenities also grow and today your ship can have everything from climbing wall and inline skating rink to nightclubs and waterfalls. Most ships hit four or five ports of call, sometimes spending a night, other times only a few hours.
The typical cruise-ship holiday is the ultimate package tour. Other than the effort involved in selecting a cruise, it requires minimal planning – just pay and show up – and for many people this is a large part of the appeal. While the majority of mainstream cruises take in fine scenery along the way, the time spent on the islands is generally limited and the opportunities to experience a sense of island life are more restricted.
Port visits are usually one-day stopovers at either Ocho Rios or Montego Bay, with Falmouth expected to become a port of call in 2009. Most cruises last one to two weeks and will include other western Caribbean destinations such as Cozumel and Progreso in Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Key West and Miami FL. Cruise lines featuring Jamaica as a port of call include the following (all phone numbers are in North America).
Carnival Cruise Lines (800-327-9501; www.carnival.com)
Celebrity Cruises (800-722-5941; www.celebritycruises.com)
Costa Cruise Lines (800-462-6782; www.costacruises.com)
Holland America (800-426-0327; www.hollandamerica.com)
Princess Cruises (800-774-6237; www.princess.com)
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises (877-505-5370; www.rssc.com)
Royal Caribbean International (888-398-9819; www.royalcaribbean.com)
Cost
The cost of a cruise-ship trip can vary widely, depending on season and vacancy. While it will save you money to book early, keep in mind that cruise lines want to sail full, so many offer excellent last-minute discounts, sometimes up to 50% off the full fare. You’ll pay less for a smaller room, but beware that the really cheap cabins are often claustrophobic and poorly located (be sure to ask before booking).
Some cruise lines provide free or discounted airfares to and from the port of embarkation (or will provide a rebate if you make your own transportation arrangements), while others do not. Meals, which are typically frequent and elaborate, are included in the cruise price. Alcoholic drinks are usually not included and are comparable in price to those in bars back home. Guided land tours are almost always offered at each port of call, generally for about US$40 to US$100 each. Most cruises end up costing around US$200 to US$400 per person per day, including airfare from a major US gateway city. Port charges and government taxes typically add on about US$150 per cruise. Be sure to check the fine print about deposits, cancellation and refund policies, and travel insurance.
Booking a cruise
When it comes to figuring out what cruise to take, read whatever you can, ask around for referrals, then call some travel agencies. Agents most knowledgeable about cruises usually belong to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), an organization of cruise lines that works with about 20, 000 North American travel agencies. Check out Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com), which gives ship profiles, reviews of the different cruise-ship companies and details about bargains and special deals.
For travelers with physical limitations, Flying Wheels Travel (507-451-5005, 800-535-6790; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) specializes in booking disabled-accessible Caribbean cruises.
Several agencies in the US deal specifically in booking Caribbean cruises. They are often a great source of information on special deals. Here are some we recommend:
Cruise Outlet (800-775-1884; www.thecruiseoutlet.com)
Cruise.com (888-999-2783; www.cruise.com)
Cruise411 (800-553-7090; www.cruise411.com)
Cruises at Cost (800-274-3866; www.cruisesatcost.com)
World Wide Cruises (800-882-9000; www.wwcruises.com)
Freighter
Several freighters that ply between North America and Europe call in on Jamaica, and some take paying passengers. Most have plush cabins and passengers are well looked after by stewards. Book early!
Ford’s Freighter Travel Guide (818-701-7414; 19448 Longelius St, Northridge, CA 91324, USA) lists freight ships that take some passengers.
The following agencies specialize in freighter cruises:
Freighter World Cruises (626-449-3106; www.freighterworld.com; Suite 335, 180 South Lake Ave, Pasadena CA 91101)
Hamburg-Sud Reiseagentur (040-370 5155; Ost-West Strasse 59-61, 20457 Hamburg, Germany)
Maris USA (203-222-1500, 800-996-2747; www.freightercruises.com; 215 Main St, Westport CT 06880, USA)
NSB Frachtschiff-Touristik (0421-338-8020; www.nsb-reisebuero.de; Cioenstrasse 22, D-28195 Bremen, Germany)
Private yacht
Many yachters make the trip to Jamaica from North America. If you plan to travel in summer, keep fully abreast of weather reports; mid to late summer is hurricane season.
Upon you arrival in Jamaica, you must clear customs and immigration at either Montego Bay (Montego Bay Yacht Club), Kingston (Royal Jamaican Yacht Club, Port Royal), Ocho Rios (St Ann’s Bay) or West Harbour in Port Antonio. In addition, you will need to clear customs at each port of call in Jamaica.
You’ll need the regular documentation for foreign travel.
Entering the destination
Entering the country
Expect a wait in the immigration halls at the airports in Kingston and Montego Bay. There are often only two or three immigration officers on hand to process the planeloads of passengers and often multiple flights land within minutes of each other, increasing the burden on officials.
Air
Airports & airlines
Jamaica’s international airports are in Montego Bay and Kingston. For flight arrival and departure information, call the airports, visit their websites or call the airline directly.
The majority of visitors to Jamaica arrive at Donald Sangster International Airport (952-3124; www.mbjairport.com), about 3km north of Montego Bay.
There’s a Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) information booth in the arrivals hall and a 24-hour money-exchange bureau immediately beyond immigration. There is also a transportation information desk plus desks representing tour companies, hotels and rental cars immediately as you exit customs. A police station (952-2241) is outside.
Ensure your luggage is locked and never leave valuables in unlocked pockets.
The adjacent terminal serves domestic flights. The terminals aren’t linked by walk-ways and are a sweaty 10-minute walk apart. The charter airlines, including Air Jamaica Express, provide connecting shuttles.
Norman Manley International Airport (924-8452, 888-247-7678; www.manley-airport.com.jm) is 18km southeast of Kingston downtown.
There’s a JTB desk in the arrivals hall, a money-exchange bureau before customs, and a taxi information booth as you exit customs. Beyond customs there’s a bank and Island Car Rentals. Ahead is the JUTA taxi office, a police station (924-8002), an ATM, a telephone office and the Otahetis Café.
The following major airlines have offices in Jamaica:
Air Canada (www.aircanada.com) Kingston (924-8211); Montego Bay (952-5160, 888-991-9063)
Air Jamaica (www.airjamaica.com) Kingston (888-359-2475)
Air Jamaica Express (www.airjamaica.com/express.asp) Kingston (888-359-2475); Montego Bay (952-4300; 9 Queens Dr); Ocho Rios (726-1344)
American Airlines (www.aa.com) Kingston (800-744-0006; 26 Trafalgar Rd); Montego Bay (800-744-0006)
British Airways (www.britishairways.com) Kingston (929-9020; 25 Dominica Dr); Montego Bay (952-3771)
BWIA West Indies Airways (www.bwee.com) Kingston (800-538-2942; 33 Tobago Ave)
Cayman Airways (www.caymanairways.com) Kingston (926-1762; 23 Dominica Dr)
COPA Airlines (www.copaair.com) Kingston (926‑1762, 926-1763; 23 Dominica Dr); Montego Bay (952-5530)
Cubana (www.cubana.cu) Kingston (978-3410, 978-3406; 22 Trafalgar Rd); Montego Bay (952-0527, 940-2345)
International AirLink (www.intlairlink.com) Montego Bay (940-6660)
Northwest Airlines (www.nwa.com) Montego Bay (800-225-2525)
US Airways (www.usairways.com) Montego Bay (800-622-1015)
Charter flights
Charter flights from the US, Canada, UK and Europe offer another option for getting to Jamaica. Fares are often cheaper than on regularly scheduled commercial airlines, but you usually have to go and come back on a specific flight, and you’ll probably have no flexibility to extend your stay.
Although charter companies do most of their business booking package tours that include both accommodations and airfare, they will often find themselves with a few empty seats on planes they’ve chartered. The seats will sometimes be sold for bargain prices a week or two prior to departure.
In the USA you can sometimes find these seats advertised in the travel pages of larger Sunday newspapers, such as the New York Times and the Boston Globe.
Travel agencies that specialize in discount travel can also be helpful.
Asia & africa
There are no direct flights; travelers fly via London or the USA.
In Asia, there are several offices of STA Travel (Bangkok 0-2236 0262; www.statravel.co.th; Hong Kong 2736 1618; www.statravel.com.hk; Japan 0353-912 922; www.statra vel.co.jp); Singapore 6737 7188; www.statravel.com.sg).
Another resource in Japan is No 1 Travel (0332-056 073; www.no1-travel.com); in Hong Kong try Four Seas Tours (2200 7760; www.fourseastravel.com/english).
Rennies Travel (www.renniestravel.com) and STA Travel (www.statravel.co.za) have offices throughout Southern Africa. Check their websites for branch locations.
Australia & New Zealand
Travelers from Australia or New Zealand must fly via the USA, where you can connect to flights to Jamaica. Fares from Australia to Los Angeles begin at about A$1850. From New Zealand, fares to Los Angeles begin at about NZ$2650.
Direct service between Australia, New Zealand and California is provided by the following airlines:
Air New Zealand Auckland (0800-737-000); Sydney (02-8235-9999; www.airnz.co.nz)
Delta Airlines Auckland (09-379-3370); Sydney (02-9262-1777)
Qantas Auckland (09-357-8900); Sydney (02-9957-0111)
United Airlines Auckland (09-307-9500); Sydney (02-9237-8888)
You can also fly via Santiago, Chile, or Buenos Aires, Argentina.
For online bookings, try www.travel.com.au, www.travel.co.nz, www.zuji.com.au or www.zuj i.co.nz.
These are tour agencies that specialize in the Caribbean:
Caribbean Bound (02-9267 2555; www.caribbean.com.au; Suite 102, 379 Pitt St, Sydney 2000, NSW, Australia)
Contours (03-9670 6900; www.contourstravel.com.au; Lvl 6, 310 King St, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia)
Flight Centre Australia (133 133; www.flightcentre.com.au); New Zealand (0800 243 544; www.flightcentre.co.nz)
STA Travel Australia (1300 733 035; www.statravel.com.au); New Zealand (0508 782 872; www.statravel.co.nz)
Canada
Air Canada (888-247-2262; www.aircanada.com) serves Montego Bay from Montreal, Halifax, Kingston and Winnipeg in winter, and Montego Bay from Toronto daily year-round. Air Jamaica (888-359-2475, in the USA 800-523-5585; www.airjamaica.com) flies nonstop from Toronto. Fares from Toronto to Montego Bay begin at about C$800.
Canadian Universities Travel Service (866-246-9762; www.travelcuts.com) sells discount airfares. The agency has 25 offices throughout Canada.
Check with the following companies for information on charter flights and package charters to Jamaica:
Air Transat Holidays (800-587-2672; www.airtransat.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Toronto, Quebec and Montreal.
Conquest Tours (866-266-7974; www.conquestvacations.com)
GG Tours (416-487-1146; www.ggtours.ca) Charters to Kingston from Toronto.
Signature Vacations (416-967-1112; www.signaturevacations.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Toronto.
Sunquest Vacations (416-485-6060, 877-485-6060; www.sunquest.ca) Charters to Montego Bay from Toronto and Ottawa.
Tours Maison (800-361-8835; www.toursmaison.ca) Charters to Montego Bay from Montreal.
The caribbean
Air Jamaica (www.airjamaica.com; hub Kingston; Europe 020-8570-7999; Jamaica 888-359-2475; North America & the Caribbean 800-523-5585) uses Montego Bay as a hub for connecting its US flights with the Caribbean destinations of Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Havana (you can reserve flights between Jamaica and Cuba in the USA, but you must purchase your ticket in Jamaica), Curaçao, Santo Domingo, Grenada, St Lucia and Turks and Caicos. Many flights are operated by Air Jamaica’s domestic airline, Air Jamaica Express.
Other airlines flying within the Caribbean include the following:
ALM/Dutch Caribbean (876-926-1762; www.flydca.com; hub Curacao) Serves Montego Bay and Kingston from Curacao.
BWIA (800-538-2942; www.bwee.com; hub Trinidad) Serves Kingston from Antigua, Barbados and Trinidad.
Cayman Airways (876-926-1762, 876-926-7778; www.caymanairways.com) Serves Montego Bay and Kingston from Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.
Sky King (649-941-5464; www.skyking.tc) Serves Kingston from Turks and Caicos.
Continental Europe
The following carriers provide direct flights. Typical return fares to Montego Bay are €550 low season and €800 high season.
Condor (01802-337135; www.condor.de) Serves Montego Bay from Frankfurt.
Iberia (902-400-500; www.iberia.com) Serves Montego Bay from Vienna, Dusseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Hamburg.
LTU (800-888-0200; www.ltu.de) Serves Montego Bay from Dusseldorf.
In France, recommended travel agencies include these ones:
Anyway (08 92 89 38 92; www.anyway.fr)
Lastminute (08 92 70 50 00; www.lastminute.fr)
Nouvelles Frontières (08 25 00 07 47; www.nouvelles-frontieres.fr)
OTU Voyages (www.otu.fr) This agency specializes in student and youth travelers.
Voyageurs du Monde (01 40 15 11 15; www.vdm.com)
In Germany, try:
Expedia (www.expedia.de)
Just Travel (089-747-3330; www.justtravel.de)
Lastminute (01805-284-366; www.lastminute.de)
STA Travel (01805-456-422; www.statravel.de) For travelers under the age of 26.
Other recommended travel agencies in Continental Europe include the following:
Airfair (020 620 5121; www.airfair.nl) A reputable agency in the Netherlands.
Barcelo Viajes (902 11 62 26; www.barceloviajes.com) In Spain.
CTS Viaggi (064-62-04-31; www.cts.it) In Italy, specializing in student and youth travel.
Nouvelles Frontières (902-17-09-79; www.nouvelles-frontieres.es)
In Spain try the following:
Viajes Marsans (913 43 30 00; www.marsans.es) Offers charter flights to Montego Bay from Madrid.
UK
The following airlines offer direct flights to Jamaica. Typical fares average about £875 in the low season, and £950 in the high season.
Aeroflot (Eire 06-47-2299; UK 020-7355 2233; infres@aeroflot.co.uk; 70 Piccadilly, London W1V 9HH) Weekly service to Montego Bay from Ireland.
Air Jamaica (UK 020-8570 7999; www.airjamaica.com) Serves Kingston and Montego Bay from London-Heathrow.
British Airways (0870-850 9850; www.britishairways.com) Serves Kingston and Montego Bay from London-Gatwick.
Virgin Atlantic (0870/380-2007; www.virgin.com) Serves Kingston and Montego Bay.
It can be cheaper to instead fly via the USA, changing aircraft in New York or Miami (return fares between London and Miami can be as low as £250 in low season). Airlines that fly to the USA from the UK include American Airlines (800-433-7300; www.aa.com), British Airways (020-8897 4000; www.britishairways.co.uk), Delta Airlines (800-221-1212; www.delta.com), United Airlines (084-5844 4777; www.unitedairlines.co.uk) and Virgin Atlantic (800-862-8621; www.virgin.com).
For discount tickets from the UK, try the following travel agencies:
Council Travel (020-7437 7767; 29a Poland St, London W1V)
London Flight Centre (020-7244 6411; www.topdecktravel.co.uk; 125 Earls Court Rd, London SW5)
STA Travel (087-0160 0599; www.statravel.co.uk; 86 Old Brompton Rd, London SW7)
Trailfinders (020-7937 5400; www.trailfinders.co.uk; 215 Kensington High St, London W8)
For additional low-fare options, look in the magazine Time Out and the Sunday papers for ads.
Charter flights
Jamaica is a major charter destination from the UK. All charter flights are into Montego Bay. They are usually considerably cheaper than scheduled fares, although departure and arrival times are often inconveniently scheduled in the middle of the night. You should be able to find fares as low as £300 in the low season, and £650 in high season.
Good resources include Charter Flight Centre (020-7854 8434; www.charterflights.co.uk) and Dial a Flight (087-0566 6666; www.dialafl ight.co.uk).
Leading charter operators to Jamaica include the following:
British Airways Holidays (01293-617000; www.britishairways.com/holidays)
Caribtours (020-7751 0660; www.caribtours.co.uk)
Cosmos Holidays (08704-435285; www.cosmosholidays.co.uk)
Thomas Cook Airlines (0884-855-0515; www.thomascookairlines.co.uk) Charters to Montego Bay from London-Gatwick.
Thomas Cook Signature (0870-443 4582; www.thomascooksignature.com)
Thomson Holidays (0870-165 0079; www.thomson-holidays.com)
USA
The most popular routings are via Miami (90 minutes) and New York (three hours, 20 minutes). Jamaica is also served by direct flights from about a dozen other cities.
Fares quoted around press time for round-trip travel to Montego Bay originating on a weekend averaged about US$600 low season and US$750 high season from New York, and US$500 low season and US$650 high season from Miami. These should be considered only ballpark figures.
The following carriers fly from the US to Jamaica:
Air Jamaica (800-523-5585; www.airjamaica.com) Direct flights from Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
Air Transat (866-847-1112; www.airtransat.com) Has regular service to Montego Bay from Toronto and Montreal.
American Airlines (800-433-7300; www.aa.com) Flies to Kingston and Montego Bay from Miami, New York and Boston.
Continental Airlines (800-523-3273; www.continental.com) Flies to Kingston and Montego Bay from Newark.
Delta (800-221-1212; www.delta.com) Flies to Montego Bay from Atlanta.
Northwest Airlines (800-225-2525; www.northwestairlines.com) Flies to Montego Bay from Detroit, Minneapolis and Memphis.
United Flies to Montego Bay from Chicago.
US Airways (800-428-4322; www.usairways.com) Flies to Montego Bay from Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale and Philadelphia.
Charter flights
These flights generally offer the lowest fares for confirmed reservations (as much as one-third lower than regular airline prices). Some of the key operators to Jamaica include the following:
Adventure Tours (800-999-9046; www.adventuretoursusa.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Denver.
American Trans Air (800-435-9282; www.ata.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Dallas.
Apple Vacations (800-365-APPLE, 847-640-1170; www.applevacations.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Chicago, Detroit, St Louis and Milwaukee.
Funjet Vacations (800-558-3050; www.funjet.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Chicago, St Louis, Detroit, Houston and Milwaukee.
GWV International (800-225-5498; www.gwvvacations.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Boston.
MLT Vacations (800-328-0025; www.mltvacations.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Minneapolis.
Sunburst Holidays (800-MONTEGO, 800-666-8346; www.sunburstvacations.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Boston.
Trans Global Vacations (800-338-2160; www.tgvacations.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Minneapolis.
Vacation Express (800-486-9777; www.vacationexpress.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville and Washington.
Vacations by Sun Country (800-752-1218; www.suncountry.com) Charters to Montego Bay from Minneapolis.
Discount & last-minute tickets
Discount travel agencies in the USA are known as consolidators (though you won’t see a sign on the door saying ‘Consolidator’). San Francisco is the ticket consolidator capital of America, although some good deals can be found in Los Angeles, New York and other big cities.
A number of discount ticket agencies sell reduced-rate tickets to the Caribbean. Online, try Airfares For Less (800-627-8468; martintravelservices.com/airfares/); Cheapairlines (800-852-2608; www.cheapairlines.com) and Discount Airfares (www.discount- airfares.com).
If you can fly on very short notice (usually within seven days of booking), consider buying a ticket from a ‘last-minute’ ticket broker. These companies buy surplus seats from airlines at hugely discounted prices. Discounts can be as great as 40%.
Last Minute Club (416-449-5400, 877-970-3500; www.lastminuteclub.com) specializes in air and hotel packages to the Caribbean. Also check out Moment’s Notice (888-241-3366; www.moments-notice.com).
Jamaica
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