ROYAL PALMS, anyone???

[firstcruiserDB]

Just hoping to get some recent information on this beachfront resort. We have booked a cabana on the beach, and we're hoping for a relaxing beach day.

 

Has anyone visited this resort lately? What can you tell me about it? Food? Drinks? Taxi ride? Anything you can think of.....

 

We will reallly appreciate any information we can find! Thanks!!

[TurtleTagger]

Does this help?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1593469

[mn_isla_girl]

Royal Palms is great, we walked from the port (about 2 miles) taxi was $4 back to the ship. We didn't have a cabana just loungers on the beach but the servers made sure we had cold beers and whatever we needed. Lunch was excellent, prices are higher in Grand Cayman than other islands so be warned. The beach was beautiful and calm for swimming even though the day we went all the Stingray City excursions were cancelled due to high wind. Water is clear as a pool. Here's a few pics...

 

 

 

We weren't charged a $2 resort fee like others have said. And we got 3 loungers and 1 umbrella for $20 instead of the posted $10 each.

[green eyed lady]

We HATED the lounge chairs there - very uncomfortable. Otherwise it was very nice but lunch was definitely expensive :eek:

[firstcruiserDB]

Pictures look awesome. We are looking forward to our day there. Thanks to all who posted!!:D

 

If anyone else has some recent infor about Royal Palms, we'd love to hear more! Thanks!

[jen&samcantwait]

Pictures look awesome. We are looking forward to our day there. Thanks to all who posted!!:D

 

If anyone else has some recent infor about Royal Palms, we'd love to hear more! Thanks!

 

I'd like some recent updates as well. Thanks!

[sml3]

In May of 2011 I was there and the beach was wonderful. Nice and easy entry into the water and you could go out quite a ways and it was still only about thigh high. In February 2012 it was terrible! There was a huge drop off just as you entered the water. It was so bad that once people went over it to get into the ocean it was extremely difficult to get back up and over it to get out. My DH is 6'3 and he spent a good chunk of time just helping people back out of the water. Any thoughts as to why that was or what it is like now? Considering going back February 2013.

[TurtleTagger]

In May of 2011 I was there and the beach was wonderful. Nice and easy entry into the water and you could go out quite a ways and it was still only about thigh high. In February 2012 it was terrible! There was a huge drop off just as you entered the water. It was so bad that once people went over it to get into the ocean it was extremely difficult to get back up and over it to get out. My DH is 6'3 and he spent a good chunk of time just helping people back out of the water. Any thoughts as to why that was or what it is like now? Considering going back February 2013.

 

Beaches naturally wax and wane due to the surf and currents from the tide and storm systems.

[travellover39]

Pictures look awesome. We are looking forward to our day there. Thanks to all who posted!!:D

 

If anyone else has some recent infor about Royal Palms, we'd love to hear more! Thanks!

 

if you go to royalpalms dot com, there is a live webcam under beach activities and you can read all about the resort, menus etc. enjoy:D

[blue_water]

http://royalpalmscayman.com/royal-palms-webcams/

 

Great spot to relax with a great burger and a cold drink, nice beach there and jet ski rentals are available. We're staying on SMB in a couple weeks and we will definitely stop at the Reef Grill (outside patio par) there a couple times because it's within walking distance from our hotel.

 

Enjoy!

[EBM]

Is there snorkeling?

[Lisaanne]

Is it okay to go to Royal Pams and NOT order food and drinks? We just want a great beach to hang out at and get in the water for a couple hours. Would another beach better suit our needs?

[Artemis]

By law, Cayman beaches are public (free) up to the high water line (this will be clear to you). So you can go to Royal Palms and lay your towel on the beach. If you stay all day, and you use their restrooms, they might ask you to pay the $2 facilities fee. If you go up to the bar/restaurant and order food or drinks, they probably won't assess the $2 fee.

 

If you get beach chairs ($10 each, an umbrella for two is $10), waiters will come by periodically. When we were there in June, they weren't aggressively pushing sales We got there early in the AM and stayed until 2:45 to make the 3:15 back on board. We had two beers the whole day and never felt unwelcome.

 

Hope this helps! That was our first time to Royal Palms--we liked it. So easy for a near-ship lazy beach day, and clean, friendly, equipped with all the things you need/want...for a really fair price (for Cayman!).

[sml3]

Beaches naturally wax and wane due to the surf and currents from the tide and storm systems.

 

So would how the beach was in February 2012 be typical of how it will be in February 2013 or is it hit and miss and constantly changing?

[blue_water]

Don't worry so much about the "natural wax & wane", just enjoy the beauty of SMB. On a sunny day the water colors are beautiful and the sand soft, can't ask for much more than that except the sunny day!;)

[sml3]

Don't worry so much about the "natural wax & wane", just enjoy the beauty of SMB. On a sunny day the water colors are beautiful and the sand soft, can't ask for much more than that except the sunny day!;)

 

I have been to the Cayman's 5 times and that was a first that the ocean was not easily accessible (after seeing others struggle I didn't even try and go in the water-thank goodness for the pool to cool off!). It was also the first time I was there in February. Was just curious as to whether it was the time of year or just one of those things. Not worried about it lol just wondering. I will ask in another thread to see if someone else knows my answer. Thanks for your reply.

[ODECCIT]

Beaches naturally wax and wane due to the surf and currents from the tide and storm systems.

As of now beaches from Marriott towards George town are gone.

[blue_water]

I have been to the Cayman's 5 times and that was a first that the ocean was not easily accessible (after seeing others struggle I didn't even try and go in the water-thank goodness for the pool to cool off!). It was also the first time I was there in February. Was just curious as to whether it was the time of year or just one of those things. Not worried about it lol just wondering. I will ask in another thread to see if someone else knows my answer. Thanks for your reply.

 

Sorry, didn't realize you were asking about the beach. Latest reports are that the beach at the south end is much narrower than at the center of the bay. Still looks decent at RP, at Marriott where we're going in a couple weeks they lost alot with Ivan on '04. There are several areas you can walk to and relax on a nice stretch of beach. Recent guests at the Marriott are saying even though much of the beach was lost in '04 entry into the water is very nice and the ocean is beautiful and the snorkeling fun.