Victory / Jamaica /Caymans

[lcp9984]

:)We are looking at sailing in September on VICTORY for the Jamaica/Grand Cayman trip. I would appreciate any comments, concerns, ship info that anyone can provide. Concerned weather may be an issue as well. Thanks !

[HarpHarp]

:)We are looking at sailing in September on VICTORY for the Jamaica/Grand Cayman trip. I would appreciate any comments, concerns, ship info that anyone can provide. Concerned weather may be an issue as well. Thanks !

Jamaica and Grand Cayman are both lovely and VERY different. Go to Stingray City when you are docked in GC-it's a don't miss IMHO.

September is prime hurricane season-so make sure you get trip insurance and realize that ports may change. GC is more likely to be missed because of weather than many other ports.

[Cruizinman]

If your not doing an excursion in Jamaica stay on the ship.

GC , I have been to Hell and got the picture ,not to hot at all.

Shopping is good ,food is expensive.

[nchikk]

We love Grand Cayman. We did an independant excursion of the Turtle Farm and Hell and enjoyed it. We had a few minutes after the Turtle Farm, so we walked across the street to the dolphin place and saw some dolphins. One could get andolphin swim directly with them for $25, I believe. After we got back, we walked around the waterfront.

 

Jamaica, we don't love. If we're on another cruise that calls there, we'd stay on board. The island itself is beautiful. If you're getting off there, it is in your very best interest to be on a ship-sponsored excursion.

 

Our problem is with the locals, some friendly, some not so much. I realise times are tough there but the over-aggressiveness of the vendors we came across was unbelievable. One woman grabbed Hunny and pulled her toward her after we politely declined to see her goods...and yes, we were polite, saying "no, thank you." At Dunn's River Falls, every local was hounding for tips, having done nothing to earn them. It all just got VERY old VERY quickly.

[Cruizinman]

I guess the devil stopped over GC before he went to Georgia :)

 

 

 

 

[PAcruiser25]

I have taken this cruise, but in January. Loved it, great ship. Agree with previous posters about Jamaica. I think this cruise we walked down to the newer mall on the right hand side after you leave the pier and that was pretty nice, there was a guard there, there's a Margaritaville, nice shops and reasonable prices. Have done Dunn's Falls and a beach on a sailboat on a different cruise (Carnival excursion) and that was good but the beach was just so so.

[yogimax]

If your not doing an excursion in Jamaica stay on the ship.

GC , I have been to Hell and got the picture ,not to hot at all.

Shopping is good ,food is expensive.

 

Spot on comments!

 

Jamaica is a waste. In Grand Cayman, "hell" is a tourist trap and the so-called Turtle Farm a place where they raise turtles in inhumane conditions to be a food source for those who enjoy the "delicacy."

[kcdancerkc]

I can only speak of Jamaica -- hire a reputable guide off the tripadvisor.com site -- or the port of call boards here --

 

or take a govt. issued taxi with red plates ONLY!

 

It's just that the cruising to Jamaica for 7 hours is COMPLETLY different picture than staying there for 7 days and able to see the non-tourist areas

 

-- or the lively 7 mile beach - pelican bar -Lovers Leap, Frenchmans Cove, Ricks Café, YS falls -- all world renowned -but not from a cruise ship!

[Colorado Kat]

I like both Grand Cayman and Jamaica.

 

To swim with the sting-rays, we used NativeWays Rays, Reefs, and Rum Point. Very nice. Or Seven Mile Beach is great.

 

In Jamaica, we have used private guides. Look on the Port of Call Board for Jamaica. We've been there 3 times. We used Marva Shaw, and had her son Javier. Delightful. It's late, and the other names escape me at the moment. Sorry.

 

Please don't just stay on the ship!

[dnj1]

We had a great time in Mo Bay Jamaica. Give it a try...visit the "ports of call" board. We rented a private tour guy for the day. Great time and we felt very safe. Nothing is like real "jerk chicken".

[AZmike480]

If you dont have a shore excursion for Jamaica then dont get off the ship! Jamaica is a dump! I was totally disappointed with this stop.

 

Grand Cayman however is awesome, we did the tour just like everyone else and it was cool seeing the island. We skipped the turtle farm so dont know anything about it. When we go back I'd like to try the submarine tours or just hang out on the beach!

 

AZmike480

[buzz2400]

we used nativeway twice in grand caymen. loved it with the stingrays. The port is also very nice to walk around. Jamaica we did dunns fall with phil lafayette. he was very informative while driving. Dunns Falls was very nice as well but very hard for me to climb, the tour guide actually had to pull up most of the time. Also people warned me to be careful in jamaica of people coming up to you trying to sell you marijuana. they end up selling it to you and then informing the police that you bought it (not that I was going to buy any).