“We are delighted to see Voyager of the Seas make the first-ever ship call at Historic Falmouth,” said Craig Milan, senior vice president of land operations for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “By partnering with the Port Authority of Jamaica, we are working to deliver our shared vision of Falmouth’s rebirth. Together, we are bringing the town’s historic sites to life and integrating the culture and authenticity of this destination into a superior guest experience.”
The grand opening celebrations will take place on March 22 when Oasis of the Seas makes its maiden call. Other Royal Caribbean ships that will call at Falmouth include Freedom of the Seas on Feb. 23, Navigator of the Seas on Feb. 24, and Allure of the Seas on March 30. Shore excursions from Falmouth include a visit to Good Hope Great House, an 18th century plantation, for a horse-and-carriage ride, river-tubing and ATV exploring; climbing Dunn’s River Falls; sampling rums at Appleton Estate; and river rafting on a 30-foot bamboo raft.
“Falmouth has an important place in the cultural history of Jamaica. It is especially rewarding for us to use that history as an entrée for a new generation of guests,” said Mike Henry, Jamaica’s minister of transport and works, who has responsibility for cruise shipping. “Our sights have always been set on being the pre-eminent cruise destination, and with the best-in-class berthing facilities at the Historic Falmouth port, we’ll now easily welcome the world’s largest ships.”
The revitalization of Historic Falmouth is a multi-phased development project with the first phase near completion; it offers a two-berth pier, retail and restaurant services, and a transportation center. Subsequent phases will include onsite attractions and experiences, hotel and residential developments, and additional retail and restaurant options. The town also has many prominent houses, shops and public buildings built in the 18th and 19th centuries that are still standing, but are in need of refurbishment. The restoration and preservation of several historic buildings in Falmouth is currently underway.
Falmouth was founded in 1790 from land owned by Edward Barrett. His granddaughter was poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. At that time Jamaica was the world’s leading sugar producer, and this was most evident in Falmouth with more than 80 sugar estates nearby. The town was mapped out in the Colonial tradition, with streets named after British royalty and heroes—King Street, Queen Street, Rodney Street (after 18th century naval leader Admiral Lord George Rodney) and Wellington Street (after Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington).
The density of historic Georgian architectural buildings, which residents have lived in and maintained, is reflective of the town’s heritage. Its public amenities included the first piped water supply system in the Western Hemisphere, established in 1799. The town prospered throughout the first half of the 19th century and was the birthplace of the abolition slavery movement. Falmouth was the site of many revolts, and many of the buildings in the town served as safe houses for those who had escaped. In fact, a prominent Falmouth reverend, William Knibb, whose house still stands in the town, was granted Jamaica’s highest civil honor, the Order of Merit, in 1988, 150 years after the abolition of slavery.
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