VOS Review - Ports- Jamaica & Grand Caymans

[stuNYC]

Jamaica

 

Almost all excursion in Jamaica included climbing the 600 ft waterfall at Dunes Falls. Having seen a video of my son’s trip to Jamaica and his climbing the falls, I decided it was much too strenuous for me. Instead I went on an excursion to the rejuvenating falls. We first took a tour of the Gardens at the top of the falls where all the unusual floors were pointed out to us. There was also a peacock with its wings continually spread and a man with a parrot on his shoulder. After the tour, there were changing rooms if you needed to change into your bathing suit and off we went to climb the 80 foot waterfall. This was more my speed. I can’t describe how great it felt to lean against a rock and have the water fall on your shoulders. No shower head I know of could be that intense and that relaxing. There was a photography there to video the excursion and I bought a VHS for $20 but have yet to play it.

 

After leaving the falls, we spent 30 minutes at a shopping complex where I bought my cigars and liquor and another tie shirt. Franking, after comparing the price I paid to those on the liquor sold on the ship. The ones I bought on the island were slightly higher.

 

Grand Caymans

 

In Grand Caymans we took an excursion that was a once in a lifetime experience. We in actually went under the sea, not in a Nautilus with a dozen other people or a semi-submergible, but a BUBBLE SUB, that fit only my DW and I. The pilot was outside the sub in scuba gear and not only piloted the sub but provided a narration about the fish and coral. We could also speak to him and ask whatever question we had. We were down for about 45 minutes. I can’t stop singing the song “Under the Sea” because that was what it felt like inside a sealed clear bubble with a 360 degree of the sea life all around us.

 

The owner told us that there are only 6 such subs in the world, three of which are used for tourism and 3 others used for deep sea research. Ours only went down about 40ft.

[PelicanBill]

Thanks for posting! We go on that itinerary in October. We too do not want to do Dunn's River Falls, but the alternate one sounds good... was it a ship based tour or did you find this on your own? Was it the only thing you did, and how long an excursion was it? Cost?

 

Thanks!

[stuNYC]

The above tour was a ship excursion. It started with a ride to the falls through fern valley. There are gardens at the top of the falls and a tour guide showed us all the local flowers for about 30 minutes. After the garden tour, changing rooms available with lockera in case people wanted to change into bathing suits or leave something behind. Then a different guide led us to and up the 80 ft waterfall. The climb was not as difficult as Dunns River but just as much fun. At various points I leaned next to the rocks and let the power of the falls hit my shoulders. It felt fantastic.. After the 30 minute climb we got back on the bus which stopped at a shhopping mall near the ship for about 30 minutes. The excursion lasted about 3 hours

 

Pelican Bill - I recall you mentioned SOX during a previous post- I am also involved in that debacle at my company