Grand Cayman, Need help with itinerary

[2happytx]

Hello, my husband & I will be on a 7-day Western Carbbean cruise, and our ship will dock at George Town from 10 am - 6 pm. We have an idea of what we want to do:

- Explore George Town

- Hubby want to do the Stingray City (I need to find something else to do)

- Drive to Rum Point and spend sometime at the beach and relax

- Stop by at the Tortuga Rum Cake factory (where is this exactly?)

 

Questions:

- Will we have enough time to do all the above?

- Do we need to rent a car to go to Rum Point?

- Any suggestions on how to visit all these places the best way within the timeframe?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

[bajathree]

Hello, my husband & I will be on a 7-day Western Carbbean cruise, and our ship will dock at George Town from 10 am - 6 pm. We have an idea of what we want to do:

- Explore George Town

- Hubby want to do the Stingray City (I need to find something else to do)

- Drive to Rum Point and spend sometime at the beach and relax

- Stop by at the Tortuga Rum Cake factory (where is this exactly?)

 

Questions:

- Will we have enough time to do all the above?

- Do we need to rent a car to go to Rum Point?

- Any suggestions on how to visit all these places the best way within the timeframe?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

 

Grand Cayman is a tender port.....you don't dock....you take a tender from the ship into port.

I wouldn't waste my time with a visit to Tortuga Rum Cake factory...it's really nothing more than a store....and there are plenty stores that have samples and sell Rum Cake...including right on the ship.

Rum Point is not real close driving and better accessed by water....via waverunner or boat....you definitely wouldn't want to take a taxi as it will probably run you over $75 each way. Stingray city is a must do if you have never done it before.....the water is crystal clear and there are tons and tons of rays. Take a look at Native way...they have a combo tour that goes to both Stingray City and Rum Point....also Island Marketing has a great waverunner tour that also does both spots.

[slp1323]

We have been to Grand Caymen three times and each time I used the same excursion company. http://www.nativewaywatersports.com/

The owners name is Sharon and she is great. We did the "Stingray and Island" tour. It is fantastic. I've taken several people with us and there has been no one who hasn't had a great time. Even if you don't want to swim with the stingrays GO...it's an experience of a lifetime. You don't have to get in the water if you don't want to but you won't regret it if you do. They are awesome creatures. Native Way takes out a smaller group of people and try to move away from the crowds. They keep to a great schedule and I never feared I would miss the ship. Very accommodating. Give their website a try. You make the reservations and they don't make you pay upfront. She will even call you if you have questions or to make sure the times are right. Best excursion ever!!!!!!:)

[momof4_tn]

We are on a similar sailing in January out of NOLA. Nativeway has a tour that has stingray, and takes you to the beach at Rum Point and it includes lunch I think. Anyway, I emailed them because after looking at their website the times didn't accomodate the time we're docked. Seems like this NOLA itinerary arrives later than most. She said if I could get 10 people together possibly through CC then they would do our own tour accomodating the schedule. She was very prompt with email. I would suggest checking out their website as well.

[mamapan]

Hello, my husband & I will be on a 7-day Western Carbbean cruise, and our ship will dock at George Town from 10 am - 6 pm. We have an idea of what we want to do:

- Explore George Town

- Hubby want to do the Stingray City (I need to find something else to do)

- Drive to Rum Point and spend sometime at the beach and relax

- Stop by at the Tortuga Rum Cake factory (where is this exactly?)

 

Questions:

- Will we have enough time to do all the above?

- Do we need to rent a car to go to Rum Point?

- Any suggestions on how to visit all these places the best way within the timeframe?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

FYI - If you get your own car to explore on your own - traffic can be really lousy...and you'll be driving on the "wrong" side of the road ;)

[luvstwocruise]

We were there last November we did the jetski excursion thru Fat Fish Adventures...it was the Best excursion we have ever done. The ppl there are awesome, friendly and knowledgable.. We going to the Eastern Caribbean in February and my 20yos wanted to know if we could swing by and do the excursion again...lol

 

Have a great time....

[pinklucky61]

can you get priority tender tickets if you have excursion booked thru ccl?

[garnetpalmetto]

Grand Cayman is a tender port.....you don't dock....you take a tender from the ship into port.

I wouldn't waste my time with a visit to Tortuga Rum Cake factory...it's really nothing more than a store....and there are plenty stores that have samples and sell Rum Cake...including right on the ship.

Rum Point is not real close driving and better accessed by water....via waverunner or boat....you definitely wouldn't want to take a taxi as it will probably run you over $75 each way. Stingray city is a must do if you have never done it before.....the water is crystal clear and there are tons and tons of rays. Take a look at Native way...they have a combo tour that goes to both Stingray City and Rum Point....also Island Marketing has a great waverunner tour that also does both spots.

 

I'll politely disagree with bajathree on the Tortuga Rum Factory. While it really is nothing more than a store, their selection of cake varieties is definitely wider than what you can find onboard the ship. Not only that but they have free samples of the rum as well. ;)

[IamaTexasCruiser]

do they remove the barb or stinger from the stingrays that you swim with?

[FOXTROT]

No this is in the wild. Just be careful not to step on one. The water is only about waist deep. Seeing them is no problem.

[Finbar127]

Another vote for Native Way. I've taken their "Rays, Reef and Rum Point" tour which I highly recommend. After the tour you could spend an hour exploring Georgetown. That would take care of everything but the Tortuga factory.

[bajathree]

I'll politely disagree with bajathree on the Tortuga Rum Factory. While it really is nothing more than a store, their selection of cake varieties is definitely wider than what you can find onboard the ship. Not only that but they have free samples of the rum as well. ;)

 

The store that you pass while waiting on line to get back on the tender back to the ship also has many flavors and samples;)...trust me...I have eaten close to half a cake once while waiting on line:o

[AlanFromFL]

do they remove the barb or stinger from the stingrays that you swim with?

 

rotfl!!!!

[mousemom11]

We have been to Grand Caymen three times and each time I used the same excursion company. http://www.nativewaywatersports.com/

The owners name is Sharon and she is great. We did the "Stingray and Island" tour. It is fantastic. I've taken several people with us and there has been no one who hasn't had a great time. Even if you don't want to swim with the stingrays GO...it's an experience of a lifetime. You don't have to get in the water if you don't want to but you won't regret it if you do. They are awesome creatures. Native Way takes out a smaller group of people and try to move away from the crowds. They keep to a great schedule and I never feared I would miss the ship. Very accommodating. Give their website a try. You make the reservations and they don't make you pay upfront. She will even call you if you have questions or to make sure the times are right. Best excursion ever!!!!!!:)

 

I second this recommendation! We did the Rays, Reef, and Rum Point tour with them. It includes lunch at Rum Point. Sharon was great to work with in setting up the tour, and we were able to get a discount on the price because we got a group together from our Meet & Mingle group. The guides on the boat were terrific, very personable and friendly. They made sure everyone had a good experience with the rays.

[Desertbelle]

Also a vote for Nativeway. They were great. On our excursion the boat broke down on the way to the stingrays and within 20-30 minutes they had a new boat there and we continued on our way. I can't imagine how badly that had gone with another tour company.

[SECdawg]

I was a little hesitant about the stingrays as well... but I have to say it was one of my favorite excursions. I even wound up getting a Stingray massage! They are magnificent creatures and as long as you follow the advice given by your guides you will not have any problems. We have friends that do stingray city everytime they go to Grand Cayman. We will probably do it again sometime. We only did Stingray city and a snorkel. I am paranoid aboud making it back on the boat in time and with the added pressure of using the tenders we were back on hours early!!

[2happytx]

Thanks to you all! I think we will book the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour that you all suggested. Sounds perfect. We'll see if I will enjoy the rays.... I am so afraid of them ;)

After the tour, we plan to spend sometime at George Town and hopefully can get some free samples of the delicious rum cake (and buy some!) :D

[mousemom11]

Thanks to you all! I think we will book the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour that you all suggested. Sounds perfect. We'll see if I will enjoy the rays.... I am so afraid of them ;)

After the tour, we plan to spend sometime at George Town and hopefully can get some free samples of the delicious rum cake (and buy some!) :D

 

My youngest DD was afraid of them as well. So she sat on the platform at the back of the boat and watched. The water was so clear that she could see everything.

[garnetpalmetto]

The store that you pass while waiting on line to get back on the tender back to the ship also has many flavors and samples;)...trust me...I have eaten close to half a cake once while waiting on line:o

 

That explains our difference of opinion! When we went to Grand Cayman on Grandeur last year we couldn't use the main anchorage due to weather and had to use the southern anchorage where there was no store. Thanks for the heads up - I'll definitely keep an eye out if we go on another cruise that has Grand Cayman on the itinerary!

[Linco711]

I was a little hesitant about the stingrays as well... but I have to say it was one of my favorite excursions. I even wound up getting a Stingray massage! They are magnificent creatures and as long as you follow the advice given by your guides you will not have any problems. We have friends that do stingray city everytime they go to Grand Cayman. We will probably do it again sometime. We only did Stingray city and a snorkel. I am paranoid aboud making it back on the boat in time and with the added pressure of using the tenders we were back on hours early!!

 

Do you think someone who doesn't know how to swim woulD enjoy this?

[bajathree]

That explains our difference of opinion! When we went to Grand Cayman on Grandeur last year we couldn't use the main anchorage due to weather and had to use the southern anchorage where there was no store. Thanks for the heads up - I'll definitely keep an eye out if we go on another cruise that has Grand Cayman on the itinerary!

 

lolol.......love it when things work out:)

[Darkwolfe]

Thanks to you all! I think we will book the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour that you all suggested. Sounds perfect. We'll see if I will enjoy the rays.... I am so afraid of them ;)

After the tour, we plan to spend sometime at George Town and hopefully can get some free samples of the delicious rum cake (and buy some!) :D

 

Have no fear, you will probably come back a fan of the rays and be looking forward to your next chance to go play again. While I haven't made it to Singray City (yet), I have gotten some close encounters with rays in other places where they were being fed. Rather like a water-born puppy after a treat or a cat wanting attention really. (At least the ones I was around)

 

The guides will tell you how to let the rays know you are coming so you don't step on one. Enjoy!!

[joyride21]

Thanks to you all! I think we will book the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour that you all suggested. Sounds perfect. We'll see if I will enjoy the rays.... I am so afraid of them ;)

After the tour, we plan to spend sometime at George Town and hopefully can get some free samples of the delicious rum cake (and buy some!) :D

 

An excellent decision. Nativeway is a great company to do business with. On our Liberty cruse we had to anchor in a different spot than originally planned due to rough seas near Georgetown. When we finally made it ashore (2 hours late) there was Nativeway, waiting for us. They had been monitoring the situation and knew exactly when we would arrive. Due to our delayed arrival we weren't going to have time to make it to Rum Point, so they offered to sub in an extra snorkeling stop and reduce the price since we wouldn't be getting lunch. And it was a great day, despite missing RP! Plus, when they collected payment at the end of the tour, they reduced the price again. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! (If you encounter the barbless ray the guides call Frisbee, give him an extra piece of squid for me!)

[nana of 3]

We were there at a timeshare in January 2011, if you do the snorkeling have the guide swim down and find a starfish. These are the most awesome starfish you will see, I believe they called them "marshmallow" starfish.

[pilotboy1985]

I'm sorry but when I hear swimming with sting rays I keep thinking about how Steve Irwin met his demise.

There must be some danger involved?