All‑inclusives recover, villas struggle amid cruise uncertainty

Larger, all-inclusive hotels in the Ocho Rios-Runaway Bay corridor were largely spared the worst of October’s Hurricane Melissa and, six months on, are mostly recording their customary high occupancy levels.

The picture is less encouraging for smaller properties. Villas and apartment-style accommodation continue to struggle and will require targeted support, according to Vana Taylor, chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s (JHTA) Ocho Rios-Runaway Bay chapter.

Of greater concern, Taylor warns, is the cruise sector. Just six cruise ships are scheduled to call at the port of Ocho Rios during the summer, a figure he describes as alarming for a destination that depends heavily on cruise tourism.

“The larger hotels are doing very well, especially the all-inclusives, the villas and apartments are not doing as well,” Taylor told The Gleaner.

“The smaller properties didn’t get any damage but they’re not as vibrant as the larger ones; those will need some support and help to move them forward.”

Some of the region’s larger resorts were forced to close temporarily in the wake of the hurricane. The 850-room Bahia Principe in Runaway Bay, for instance, only resumed operations on April 1.

Yet it is the summer cruise outlook that troubles Taylor most.

“We are very concerned about the cruise shipping for the summer months and we only have six calls so we really need that to be addressed because that affects everybody – merchants, transportation sector everybody; that needs to be addressed urgently,” Taylor said.

According to a popular cruise website, the port of Ocho Rios is slated to receive just six cruise ship visits over the five-month period from May to September 2026. The schedule includes the Carnival Horizon on May 20 and June 3; the Carnival Sunrise on June 10; the Carnival Horizon again on June 17 and August 12; and the Margaritaville Islander on September 12.

“I don’t know if anything can be done this season but we all need to come together to ensure this doesn’t happen for the next season,” Taylor said.

The outlook improves later in the year. Cruise schedules show seven calls in October, rising to 13 in November and peaking at 24 in December – a stark contrast to the lull expected during the summer months.

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