Looking for excursions outside of cruiseline!

[carnival0421]

Hi! I am going on my first cruise in April with my bf. We are looking for ideas for excursions in Grand Cayman that are away from our cruise line excursions! Any suggestions are welcome!

 

Thanks!!:):o

[lemstar]

We went to the stingray sandbar with Eco Adventures. They were great. Their boat is fast, so you get out there quickly, and they don't overcrowd it. The max is like 25 people, but we were there when there were 7 ships in port, and there were only like 12 people on the boat. It was great!

[SkiQueen2007]

I booked through grandcaymanshoreexcursions.com and had a great time! We did the Stingray City with 2 snorkel stops for $39, it was great! Nice catamaran, great crew, not overcrowded. We booked the jet ski tour for our cruise next week through them!

[steeler72901]

10 years my wife and I used Captain Marvin's. He is the man who originally discovered the sand bar the sting rays call home. Smaller boats with few people (4-12) without the crowds. Very nice staff and cheaper than the cruise lines. Had a great time with these guys.

 

We're using him again when we sail April 14 out of New Orleans. Last time, Captain Marvin himself was driving the boat.

[BeccaStorm]

Skiqueen, do you mean http://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com ? Is that the Buccaneer Catamaran? The Buccaneer is awesome. When we went it was three stops, stingray city, the reef and another snorkeling stop.

 

We also did the wave runners to stingray city and to rum point, its a lot of fun. The water was so smooth when we went, so clear and flat, it was amazing! Hope you ahve a good time

[caribsun]

There will be many vendors offering tours when you get off the tender and their rates will be lower then the cruiselines.

[cruse2loose]

I just googled cruise shore excursions and then picked a port. They show alot, what it involves, the price and review from customers. Alot cheaper than going through the cruiseline.

[Colorado Kat]

We went to StingRay City with Nativeways. Very enjoyable, and not overcrowded.

 

I've been to Gand Cayman many times, and lately we just like a beach day. Lots of spots on Seven Mile Beach. Royal Palms is a nice spot.

 

Warning: food & drink is pricey in Cayman. Find out if prices are US or CI (Cayman) dollars.

[happymom88]

We went to the stingray sandbar with Eco Adventures. They were great. Their boat is fast, so you get out there quickly, and they don't overcrowd it. The max is like 25 people, but we were there when there were 7 ships in port, and there were only like 12 people on the boat. It was great!

 

Was this booked before the cruise, or did you just find them when you got off the ship in GC?

[wrigley80]

I highly recommend Moby Dick Tours. You get a stop to snorkel and a lengthy stop at Stingray City. We have went with them twice in the past

[wolfganghowell]

We have used Island Marketing aka grandcaymanshorexcursions.com 3 times doing the waverunners to stingray city and rum point. We have it booked for the 4th time in 3 weeks. Lots of fun and it is limited to 6 waverunners. Plus you have access to the pool at the Grand Caymanian resort which seems to always be empty. They make great pinacoladas, mudslides and bushwhackers there too. :)

[cruse2loose]

on any of these excursions with swimming with the stingrays or snorkeling, can you take pictures? I have read you can get a good price, but they don't allow you to take pictures, you can only buy the ones they take and they are pretty pricey... Thanks for your help :)

[Pookeybear1966]

on any of these excursions with swimming with the stingrays or snorkeling, can you take pictures? I have read you can get a good price, but they don't allow you to take pictures, you can only buy the ones they take and they are pretty pricey... Thanks for your help :)

 

We took an underwater camera and took a tons of photos. We booked with Nativeways and they did have a DVD you can purchase but you don't have to. You can take all the photos you want on your own.

[carnival0421]

We went to the stingray sandbar with Eco Adventures. They were great. Their boat is fast, so you get out there quickly, and they don't overcrowd it. The max is like 25 people, but we were there when there were 7 ships in port, and there were only like 12 people on the boat. It was great!

 

Thank you! We explored all the options and I think we are going with this one!!

[carnival0421]

I believe we are doing the EcoAdventures tour which is onlya few hours of the total time we are in port. They say they will drop you by the port or at 7 mile beach... We would love to go to the beach but we do not know how far that is from the cruise ports or how we can get back to the cruise termimal from 7 mile beach....HELP!! Thanks!

[ahecht]

We took an underwater camera and took a tons of photos. We booked with Nativeways and they did have a DVD you can purchase but you don't have to. You can take all the photos you want on your own.

 

We did the "Stingray Sandbar, Coral Gardens and Star Fish Snorkel" with Nativeway and there wasn't a photographer or DVD available (but that's probably because there were only 6 people on our boat!). We had no problem using our own waterproof cameras, and the captain even took a few pictures for us. Unfortunately, many of the pictures and video from my $50 camera ended up a shaky mess. I'll get an underwater camera with image stabilization for next time.

 

I posted my pictures and video in my cruise review at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=37329170#post37329170

[drog]

Hi! I am going on my first cruise in April with my bf. We are looking for ideas for excursions in Grand Cayman that are away from our cruise line excursions! Any suggestions are welcome!

 

Thanks!!:):o

 

The best excursion we ever did anywhere is Fat Fish Adventures Jet Ski to Stingray City. It is awesome, very small groups ours was just 9 of us, great people. If you have never done Stingray City it in itself is must do but combine with a 10 mile Jet Ski ride across crystal clear ocean waters and you can beat it. They let you enjoy the ride too none of this single file stuff. They park a little away from the crowds at Stingray City so you have your own space and hit a snorkeling spot on the way back. We even had an encounter with a dolphin! It was amazing I cannot recommend it enough

[carnival0421]

The best excursion we ever did anywhere is Fat Fish Adventures Jet Ski to Stingray City. It is awesome, very small groups ours was just 9 of us, great people. If you have never done Stingray City it in itself is must do but combine with a 10 mile Jet Ski ride across crystal clear ocean waters and you can beat it. They let you enjoy the ride too none of this single file stuff. They park a little away from the crowds at Stingray City so you have your own space and hit a snorkeling spot on the way back. We even had an encounter with a dolphin! It was amazing I cannot recommend it enough

 

:) this is great! We are definitely going to check this out! Thank you :)

[Doggiesandme]

Does anyone know if Captain Marvin's offers drop off at 7 mile beach on the way back like some of the other tour operators do?? I've emailed them but have yet to get a response.

 

Is it doable to walk back to port from a 7 mile beach drop off point?

[ahecht]

Walking from most of 7-mile beach is probably not doable. That said, most of the popular beach spots will have cabs lined up to take you back to the port for $4-$5 per person, or you can take the "bus" from anywhere along 7-mile beach for $2.50.

[BigRed93]

I believe we are doing the EcoAdventures tour which is onlya few hours of the total time we are in port. They say they will drop you by the port or at 7 mile beach... We would love to go to the beach but we do not know how far that is from the cruise ports or how we can get back to the cruise termimal from 7 mile beach....HELP!! Thanks!

 

It's too far to walk, but a quick cab ride. Cabs will be readily available, or you can walk to the opposite side of the street (they drive of the left there) and wait until you see one of the public buses. Just waive and they will pick you up.:)

[carnival0421]

It's too far to walk, but a quick cab ride. Cabs will be readily available, or you can walk to the opposite side of the street (they drive of the left there) and wait until you see one of the public buses. Just waive and they will pick you up.:)

 

 

Thanks! I love any little pieces of advice like this! :):D

[JLTx2]

The girls in my group are going to dolphin cove, dolphincove.ky the guys, we are renting scooters... So look out! Lol

[wolfcallbritt]

Well my boyfriend and I are thinking of trying out Dolphin Cove. We are going on the Disney Fantasy and they have a Disney Cruise special on their website http://www.dolphincove.ky/cruiseships-dolphin-swim-reference-in-cayman.php it's Stingray city and dolphins all in one day. They also let kids under 8 swim free, we don't have kids but maybe I can pull off 8, haha. My boyfriend and I have visited Cayman before and the Stingrays where AMAZING! We went there for a scuba trip and did the deep site but now we're going to the shallow site, so I'm kind of curious what the difference will be. We're excited to go back! plus swim with the dolphins check off my bucket list :D