taking a taxi in ocho rios? beaching in gc

[ligal]

we are going to ocho rios and would like to take a taxi to the falls, is it safe? my sister docked here years ago and it looked scary, however, i stayed a hotel and had no problem with a taxi.
also, we were thinking of take a taxi to a beach in grand cayman but we don't know where to go, is there a public beach or do we go to a hotel, if so which one would allow us on their property?
thanks for any input!

[Zee]

As soon as you get off the ship in Ocho Rios there will be A LOT of locals asking if you need a taxi ride. Many of them look like they are in their own personal cars, nothing actually says 'taxi.'

As soon as you get off the ship in Grand Cayman there are people with signs offering a taxi ride to the beach. You will need to take a taxi, it cost us $4.00 per person there and back. Grand Cayman is a much safer place to take a taxi!!

[penny3333]

Hi ligal, welcome to Cruise-Chat. Jamaica is a beautiful island, but very poor. Please make sure if you're going to take a cab that the driver has credentials. Stay in a group, stay in the tourist areas. They are very aggressive and will try and sell you everything. Learn to say "no thank you" and keep walking. It is one island I highly recommend staying with a ship's excursion, but if you have to go on your own, just be very aware of your surroundings. Don't wear a bunch of jewelry, don't take a wad of cash, and use good street smarts.

Grand Cayman is a very safe island. Seven mile beach is my favorite, and there have been some good reviews of Rum Point. I haven't been to Rum Point, but have been to 7 mile a few times. It is a beautiful beach. There are cabs available where you tender to. Just tell them to take you to a good area on 7 mile, tell them what you'd like to be near and they'll find a perfect location for you. Stingray City is another fantastic excursion there.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise!

[spoheat]

My sweet friends explored Jamaica on their own with a "guide" and their young children got to be educated as to the biggest joint anyone had ever seen really isn't candy. Just because someone drives a cab doesn't mean it is his only business, and people you don't want to mix with are free to approach it at intersections. I like Jamaica but enjoy it from the safety of a ship sponsored tour, or shoretrips.com. My safety is not worth a few bucks.