Wanna come to this paradise?

Of course one can only think of going to Jamaica.
But far more better is just doing it.
The choice how to come there is not very difficult: by plane or boat.

The plane, the plane!
Most of the visitors are arriving by plane on Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. A minority is coming via Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.
The national aircraft company of Jamaica is Air Jamaica. Until a short time ago this company was owned by the government and operated at rather great losses. In 1995 the company was privatized and in the meantime about 70 percent of the shares are owned by a group under guidance of Gordon Stewart who became a wealthy man with, amongst others, the Sandals Resort Empire.

The government still owns a minor part of the shares of Air Jamaica. And the fiercely orange/yellow colored planes are attracting attention immediately among all the other aluminum on the airports.

Air Jamaica maintains several line services with the United States and Canada. At the same time Air Jamaica provides for charters to and from The United States. Also various American companies are calling at Jamaica.
Among others American Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Trans World Airlines and Canadian Air are regularly providing flights to Kingston or Montego Bay.

From Europe
Several companies coming from Europe are calling Jamaica.
The best connection is from London from where British Airways has a daily line service to Kingston and Montego Bay, sometimes in combination with Air Jamaica. Also there are direct flights from, for example, Dusseldorf (Germany) and Paris (France).

From Holland the KLM flies via Curaçao to Kingston weekly. Martinair, a Dutch charter, flies to Montego Bay once a week (on Sundays), with one stop in Cuba.
Since November 2004 a new Dutch carrier, Holland Exel, flies to MoBay every Thursday, with a a stop in Cancun, Mexico (Thanks Carolien!).

The Belgian company City Bird has stopped their flights to Jamaica in the beginning 2001. From Brussels, take a flight to Amsterdam or London UK. From there use the services of British Airways to get in MoBay or Kingston.
Coming from the Netherlands Antilles it is possible to reach Jamaica by ALM Antillean Airlines. Cayman Airlines is flying to Jamaica from Grand Cayman. Compania Panamena offers a direct flight from Panama. For more detailed information about flights to and from Jamaica look at by air.


Cruises
Jamaica is a popular destination for cruises.
Cities as Montego Bay, Port Antonio and Kingston are popular ports. Ocho Rios, however, caps everything. Over threequarter of all cruiseships in the Caribbean waters moor at Ocho Rios.

During a cruise Jamaica usually is visited for just one single time. In fact cruises are not the right way to get acquainted with a country as Jamaica is. Mainly the time you can spend ashore is not more than a few hours and of course one comes not much further more than the docks. On the other side is making a cruise a luxurious and relaxed way to visit several islands in a short time.
Well-known companies, which provide for complete arrangements are, amongst others, Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Crown Cruise Line and Holland America Lines. Most of those cruises are starting from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and New Orleans. For more detailed information look at cruises.

Jamaica is a popular destination for sailing-and motor yachts too. Good facilities are available in popular ports as Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Port Antonio and Kingston.
Many lovers of aquatic sports sail from the south tip of Florida to Cuba or Haiti. And from there the crossing to Jamaica is made quickly.

If you have plans to make a reconnaissance trip in this area please keep in mind that, from July until November, the area can be harassed by hurricanes. And if you then are in a small boat at sea, well, you really will not be amused. Therefore keep an open eye upon the weather forecasts.
More useful information to be found in by water.