Jamaica’s Falmouth development has been a dramatic undertaking for the country along with principal investor Royal Caribbean Cruises. The project, which was supposed to see its first call late in 2010, has suffered from a slower-than-expected work schedule but took its maiden call today with the Voyager of the Seas.

“The port development, there is nothing like it anywhere in the region” said William Tatham, vice president of cruise shipping and marina operations for the port authority. 

“It’s on a scale and level never seen before. We’ve reclaimed more than 30 acres from the sea and everything is incredible, but the challenge is you have this development and the contrast between that and town, so now the town needs a retrofit. We need to work on bringing that up to a certain level.”

Cruise passengers will see a historic location, in a “very old town,” which is under going a refit in infrastructure, with work being done on plumbing, roadways and more.

Tatham added that when the finishing touches are put on Falmouth, they will go back and refresh Montego Bay.