drew sailbum

Just from looking at their website descriptions:

Fat Fish promotes a 2.5 hour tour with stops at the Stingrays, Starfish Beach, and a mangrove tour. Ground transport from the port area is included. Snorkeling gear is provided.

Island Marketing promotes a 2.0 hour tour with stops at the Stingrays and Rum Point. There is no mention of ground transport from the port area being included. Snorkeling gear is provided.

So the Fat Fish tour is a little bit longer and includes a ride through the mangroves. (NOTE: The mangroves are a protected area. During this part of the tour jet skis MUST be driven s-l-o-w-l-y.)

Also, Fat Fish stops at Starfish Beach while Island Marketing stops at Rum Point. There are facilities at Rum Point (gift shop, bar, restaurant, restrooms with fresh water showers, beach chairs) but none at Starfish Beach.

The biggest difference I see is ground transportation. I would suggest asking about ground transport if you choose to go with Island Marketing. The resort they depart from is not on the regular bus line so you might need to include taxi fare in your cost comparison if Island Marketing does not include it.

Shared ride taxis are available directly from the tender piers to various beach spots along Seven Mile Beach. Cost is about US$5-6 per person, one way.

Private taxis (not sharing with others) to other destinations can be quite a bit more expensive. Fare is based upon distance traveled with a minimum fare of CI$10 (US$12.50). The fare covers up to three passengers. Each additional passenger incurs a charge of 33% of the base fare. So a group of five passengers taking a private taxi might see a fare of CI$24 on the meter. That CI$24 only cover the first three passengers. Each additional passenger pays CI$8. Total for the group is CI$40 which is US$50. Fares between the hours of 12 midnight and 6am are subject to a 25% surcharge, but cruise ships visitors won't normally experience that.

Occasionally the discrepancy in fares between cheap shared ride taxi fares to the beach and private taxi ride fares elsewhere can lead to disagreements when a passenger thinks the taxi driver is trying to cheat them. I have never seen an instance in Cayman where the taxi driver was demanding more than the legally approved fare.

Negotiation is not the norm in Cayman for anything other than buying a car or real estate.

He is always aware of germs - if you use the stingray sailing tours snorkel equipment I'm assuming it would have been sanitized after each use. ...

Dive and snorkel tour operators routinely sanitize masks and snorkels. They often use a commercial product that is similar to sanitizer used in commercial dishwasher machines or else soak in a dilute bleach solution - works the same.

I have no connection to this particular tour operator. Years ago I did work for a watersports operation in Cayman and we certainly sanitized our rental gear.

A taxi certainly is the easiest way to get to Smith Cove. The road from the port area is a busy two lane road with no sidewalks and scarcely any shoulder for the entire way. The shore is sharp ironshore rock and you cannot walk along the shore.

Getting a taxi back to town would be a bit difficult. Taxis normally do not hang out there waiting for fares and it is away from the primary flow of tourist traffic so they are less likely to just pass by.

Adding to TurtleTagger's info....

There are LOTS of buses for routes 1 & 2 to West Bay, quite a few for route 3 to BT, and a handful for route 4 to East End and route 8 to North Side. There are a couple of buses plying routes 5 & 8 on an irregula basis covering the East End and North Side combined loop.

And then the is the rarity --- like seeing the Green Flash, a Yeti, and the Loch Ness Monster all in one day --- routes 6 & 7 serve George Town. I have only very rarely seen them and certainly would not recommend anyone rely on them.

So wait, I'm now a little confused after re-reading this.

 

It was said that a cab ride was $5. When I ask if it was pp, a poster said they paid $17 for 6 people. So is there a flat fee depending on how many people are in the party? Or is it per person?

Taxi fares are, to say the least, a bit confusing. YMMV

Taxis licensed to operate from the port often charge a flat fee per person for trips to any of the Seven Mile Beach stops. Not sure how they handle trips to other destinations such as Smith Cove.

Some taxis are not licensed to pick up and drop off in the port area on cruise ship days. Fare structures with them may be a bit different.

Sunset House:

1.Shore is ironshore (like the rocks you see in the pictures of Smith Cove) but has a "sea pool" area carved out of the rocks that divers use for easy entry. You may find a bit of snorkeling there, but most of the snorkeling is a bit further out from shore.

2. Non-guests are very welcome to come for lunch at the bar and/or go snorkeling.

Taxis are generally per person for at least the first four persons. YMMV.

Water temp is coldest in February at about 78F. Water temp rise as high as about 88F in Sept/Oct.

Bookbabe is right on the mark about how to get to and from Rum Point.

Each Cayman bus is a private business. It is very common that a bus does not complete its entire route to the eastern districts... once the bus empties they turn around. This means they might not go within 7 miles or so of Rum Point when you are depending upon them to come pick you up. Not worth the risk.

Several car rental companies will come to the waterfront to pick you up. They will take you to the airport to complete the transaction and for you to pick up your car. Cayman Auto Rentals is the only company within walking distance of the port.

Whether the water was rough at a particular snorkeling spot during your last visit has nothing to do with how it will be during your next visit. Sea conditions are highly dependent on wind strength and direction and varies greatly from day to day.

I think the BBD rum line is a product exclusively for the Blackbeards Liquor Store chain in Cayman.

Blackbeards has locations in the Island Plaza complex (ground floor, underneath Margaritaville), the basement level of the Landmark Building (where Breezes Restaurant is located), and the second floor of the Flagship building on the waterfront.

No. You do not have to go through Margaritaville.

Margaritaville is located on the second floor of the Island Plaza shopping centre and has a gift shop on the ground floor. There are several other shops on the ground floor - mostly jewelers but one liquor store is tucked in a corner.

CI$31 = US$38.75

That would be a reasonable price to buy the rum for consumption on-island.

Most cruise ship visitors are buy liquor to take back home and can pay much lower prices at the duty free stores. MUCH lower.

City Bus :

WestBay beach areas - every 15 minutes, from 6 a.m.. Fare CI$1.50 each way.

BoddenTown - Every 30 minutes from 6 a.m . Fare CI$1.50 each way.

East End and North Side - Every hour, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fare: CI$2 each way.

Even bus fares are based (in part) upon distance travelled. Usually CI$2 to CI$4 per person. No way you'll get to east End or Northside for CI$2.

All ships are required to anchor in the harbor ..the water surrounding the island is very shallow,...

Hell - a tiny seaside village...

Mastic Trail ...a hiking trail through the dry forests in the centre of the island.

Well, stingrays are a favorite food of hammerhead sharks. No joke.

Sharks are rarely seen by the many tourists visiting the Stingray sites. However early morning fisherman have reported sightings many times as have the helicopter pilots and tours guests.

They are out there. You are just highly unlikely to catch a glimpse.