Rays, Reef, Rum Pointe tour: timing re 3:30 last tender??

[emd1]

I have booked the Nativeway Rays, Reef, and Rum Point tour for Cayman. Sharon has emailed me that the tour "ends at 2:30 ship time" and that we will be back in plenty of time for the tendering (she knows our last tender is at 3:30). The confirmation email from her says the tour ends at 1:45 CST (that would be 2:45 ship time, so that is later than her first email indicated). Last tender is at 3:30, ship leaves at 4 pm.

 

Now I am concerned as I saw this post last night:

 

"Grand Cayman we did the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour with nativeway. It was a good day.... I think we stayed too long. We were supposed to be back to the pier by 230 ship time and did not get there till 325. Last tender was at 330. We jumped out of the shuttle a block away and ran to the pier to find a long line to tender back, so we were ok but nerve racked."

(See: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=559203)

I do not want to get back at 3:25 and be running for the last tender. The stress is not worth it to me.

What has been the experience for others who have done this tour w/a 3:30 last tender to catch?

 

 

[cruzobsessed]

emd1....are you sailing with royal caribbean? we'll be on the brilliance in december and have reserved this excursion as well. i was assured that we'd be back in time. i too would like to know how close they cut it:eek:

[emd1]

Yes, I am on Freedom of the Seas, like the poster I noted.

 

I did get this email (below) back from Sharon today, after I emailed her expressing my concern about not getting back in time and how someone had posted that they had to run for the last tender and they were also on Freedom of the Seas last week. I don't know what to do. I am hoping to hear that no one else has had this problem w/the Nativeway RRR tour. I want to do this tour since it includes Rum Pointe.

 

Hi Eileen,

I can assure you that you will not be running to catch your last tender. You should be able to relax on vacation. So, if you are really concerned, please consider taking the shorter tour that goes to Stingray Sandbar and Coral Gardens. It gets back to the pier at 11:30 AM local time (this is 12:30 PM ship time).

Let me know what you want to do.

Sharon

[Jan_In_Maine]

I too am interested in knowing as we also have a short day and have signed up for the same tour. (our cruise is in August). Thanks Jan

[lindalo5032]

We are booked on that tour for 8/2/07. I think if we watch the time and make sure they know what time our last tender is, they will get us back to the ship on time. This is a small boat that takes small groups, and I'm sure they will accommodate our time schedule and preferences. I've heard so many wonderful things about this tour and the people who run it, I'm not gonna worry. :)

[cjb0717]

We were on FOS May 17 in Grand Cayman and took the Nativeway Rays, Reef and Rum Pointe tour. Some people in our van were getting nervous on the way back to the pier, but the driver assured everyone we would get back in time. We got back to the pier right around 3:30pm ship time and the line for the tenders was really long. As long as you are in the line you will not be left behind. The tenders kept running probably until 4:00. The people with Nativeway know what they are doing and they can't afford to have anyone miss their ship. We had a great time with them and would do it again.

[emd1]

Great info, thanks cjb. I am excited about this tour. Some people on our roll call are also going. I am not going to worry about it.

[bookbabe]

If people are that worried about making it back to the tenders on time, then their safest option is to book a ship excursion. Yes, you pay more money for a tour, but you are guaranteed that the ship (and tenders) will wait for you to get back, no matter what. Think of the extra expense as "insurance" just in case of problems...

 

If you go with the cheaper, independently-booked tours, then you have to be the one ensuring that you're back on time...it's not the tour operator who will be left behind if the boat breaks down and you get back late. :)

[emd1]

Bookbabe: There are no tours available from the ship that go to Rum Pointe. That is the reason we are booking the Nativeway tour. You either have to drive yourself to Rum Pointe, or go there with this one Nativeway tour, or do an excursion thru another company that stops at some inland places (rum cake factory, etc.) on the island and then goes to Rum Pointe.

[mom2girls]

I have booked with NativeWay for our upcoming cruise. I e-mailed Sharon about Liberty of the Seas departure time. (She hadn't realized that there would be two ships named Liberty there that day.) She rescheduled the tour to start at 8:30 instead of 9:30. (This is Grand Cayman time.) She stated that she would have us at the tender by 1:45 Cayman time. This will give us 45 minutes before the last tender. Sharon was wonderful to work with. I was very happy that she changed the tour time for us.

[bookbabe]

Bookbabe: There are no tours available from the ship that go to Rum Pointe. That is the reason we are booking the Nativeway tour. You either have to drive yourself to Rum Pointe, or go there with this one Nativeway tour, or do an excursion thru another company that stops at some inland places (rum cake factory, etc.) on the island and then goes to Rum Pointe.

 

In that case then, if you're worried about getting back on time, why go to Rum Point? It's on the far side of the island, a 45 minute drive from Georgetown, and when all is said and done, it's really just a beach. Yes, it's a nice beach...we liked it so much we bought property in the area...but then again, all the beaches in Cayman are great ones.

 

Seven Mile Beach is just as nice, it's just a bit more developed, and it's a lot closer to the ship. And in fact, sometimes I think Seven Mile is actually a better beach overall, due to the excess of Casarina (sp?) trees at Rum Point...I really hate those needles when I'm walking in bare feet. :D

 

The vast quantity of great beaches in Grand Cayman are one of the benefits of the island...so if it was me, I'd just go to one of the closer ones, so that I didn't have to spend my time watching the time and worrying about missing the ship...the whole point of relaxing on the beach is so that you can relax and forget your worries, after all... :D

[jmo1]

emd1,

 

I would go on the Rays, Reef, and Rum Point tour and relax and enjoy it. Like others have posted, there will be a line of people waiting for a tender. The cruise line would like you to think the last tender is at 3:30, but they will never get everybody tendered back that fast, so there will most likely be tenders right up to the ship's departure time.

[ginag]

We did the Rays, Reef & Rum Point tour a few years ago. First, Nativeway is a great company. They took great care of us! We had some concerns about getting back to the pier as well, but they know that everyone has to get back at a certain time. And as Sheldon, our captain and guide told us, leave the worries to us! So we did! We had over an hour to spare when returning to the tender, which was plenty of time for us to grab a few souvenirs. We had a great day in the Caymans and are anxiously awaiting our trip in December.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[emd1]

A big reason we want to go to Rum Pointe is that there is a lot of shade there. My husband will need to wear a special water shirt while he is doing the rays and snorkeling, he has very light skin and is prone to skin cancer, has had several removed already. So while we are at the beach, shade is really key for him; he just can't take the blazing sun for long.

 

I understand that 7 mile beach has little shade. I've done research and Rum Pointe has shade galore apparently.

 

So we have very good reasons for wanting to go to Rum Pointe, and that is why I am pursuing it.

[ginag]

A big reason we want to go to Rum Pointe is that there is a lot of shade there. My husband will need to wear a special water shirt while he is doing the rays and snorkeling, he has very light skin and is prone to skin cancer, has had several removed already. So while we are at the beach, shade is really key for him; he just can't take the blazing sun for long.

 

I understand that 7 mile beach has little shade. I've done research and Rum Pointe has shade galore apparently.

 

So we have very good reasons for wanting to go to Rum Pointe, and that is why I am pursuing it.

 

There are lots of shade trees at Rum Point, as well as hammocks. We had a nice relaxing time there. I'd pick Rum Point over 7 Mile Beach anyday! Have a great time!

[bookbabe]

I understand that 7 mile beach has little shade. I've done research and Rum Pointe has shade galore apparently.

 

Good point! That is the one advantage that Rum Point has over Seven Mile...or disadvantage, depending on your viewpoint (see my comment about Casarina needles). :D Seven Mile is a much sunnier beach.

 

For shade at Seven Mile, there would really only be rented umbrellas, which probably wouldn't meet your needs. If shade is a must, then you're right to go for Rum Point.

 

Are you interested in seeing/touring other stuff? Or are you just looking for a way to get to the beach? Do you drive? Because the car rental option is a really good one, and an economical way to get to Rum Point on your own schedule, so that you don't have to worry about timing...

[emd1]

Hi bookbabe. Yes, I have investigated renting a car and going to Rum Pointe. I thought that might give us more freedom and enable us to see Starfish Beach, and another one or so stops on the way to/from Rum Pointe.

 

However, we are tendering off our ship, and that starts (supposedly) at 8 am. But as I understand it, the 1st people to get off will be those w/excursions thru Royal Caribbean. And the last tender back is at 3:30 pm.

 

So we would need to get off the ship, get to the point about 15 min. walk away where the shuttle picks us up to go to the airport rental area for cars (as you must go to the airport to rent a car), then rent the car at the airport, and then venture off to Rum Pointe, which is another 45 min to 1 hr from the airport by car. So if we get off the ship at 9 a.m. by tender (as they take the people who have excursions thru Royal Caribbean on the tenders first) and get to the shuttle area by 9:20 or so, and get to the airport and get all squared away w/renting the car by 10 a.m., and then get to Rum Pointe by 10:45 and get settled by 11:15 am, we would need to leave there by 1:30 at the latest to be able to get the car back to the airport (45 min) and have time to get a shuttle or cab from the airport back to the port and get the last tender.

 

That sounds stressful to me. If we were in Grand Cayman for a FULL day (til 5 or 7 pm or something) it would be different.

 

Don't get me wrong. My travel style is VERY independent, and I have traveled independently thru Asia and Europe several times in the past 5 yrs. But I really don't want to stress about timing and rent cars at the airport, etc. on our first family cruise.

 

I don't want stress about timing. That is why I asked about the timing stress regarding the Nativeway tour to begin with.

[bookbabe]

So we would need to get off the ship, get to the point about 15 min. walk away where the shuttle picks us up to go to the airport rental area for cars (as you must go to the airport to rent a car), then rent the car at the airport, and then venture off to Rum Pointe,

 

That does make it a bit tight. I just have an aversion to paying extra to go to a free beach. :D When you can rent a car for $30 or $40 for the whole day, why pay that much a person for the ride with someone else driving?

 

There is an Andy's location on Seven Mile Beach, about a 10 minute cab ride from the port...that might be closer, or at least another option if you do want to rent a car. Otherwise, yeah, the tour is probably your best option, and I'm sure if you tell them you absolutely need to be back for the last tender at 3:30 they'll make it back on time...all of the companies are really accommodating. After all, that's their livelihood...

 

Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

[Ripley]

emd1,

 

We took the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour with Nativeway in 2005 and it was the highlight of our cruise. Nativeway provided excellent service! We actually had to stop to help a boat in distress and we passangers were quite nervous about getting back to the pier in time. Sheldon and the crew assured us we would, and after some amazing feats of boating and driving , we did, with plenty of time to spare...the tenders ran quite a bit longer than the ship announced. Just be sure your captain knows what time your ship sails and they'll get you back in time.

Relax and enjoy the tour...you're going to love it!

[Bebet]

I was in Grand Cayman last Thursday. Came in on RCL Rhapsody of the Seas.

We had planned on the reef and ray tour that should have us back to the dock at 12:00 or so. When we got out to the boat we were told that the group we were supposed to be with had cancelled (it was raining). We were already on another boat with a group that was doing the reef, ray and rum point tour. They said we could go on that boat and do the extra stuff and have lunch, they wouldn't charge us any more for it. They said we would be back at 1:30 ships time (central). I asked them if they were sure we would be back, no question about it. (our last tender was also 3:30. They said yes we would be back. It continued to rain off and on the whole time we were out. It poured all the way back from Rum Point. But we still got back to the dock in plenty of time. We even did a little shopping. These people don't want to lose business, they want happy people. You should be fine.

[emd1]

Very good help, thank you all so much!

 

All of this has made me decide to just go w/Nativeway, esp. after I did the cost comparison of renting a car and driving to Rum Pointe and doing the stingray tour from Rum Pointe that Red Sail offers. That woud all cost more than the Nativeway tour and also be much more stressful re renting the car at the airport and driving to Rum Pointe and getting the Red Sail tour (whcih I understand can run over longer than they indicate -- see my other thread on that option), returning the rent car, etc...

 

I am going w/Nativeway!

[ginag]

Glad to hear you're going with Nativeway! You won't be disappointed! Enjoy your cruise.....

[viciouslysh]

I have booked the Nativeway Rays, Reef, and Rum Point tour for Cayman. Sharon has emailed me that the tour "ends at 2:30 ship time" and that we will be back in plenty of time for the tendering (she knows our last tender is at 3:30). The confirmation email from her says the tour ends at 1:45 CST (that would be 2:45 ship time, so that is later than her first email indicated). Last tender is at 3:30, ship leaves at 4 pm.

 

 

What has been the experience for others who have done this tour w/a 3:30 last tender to catch?

 

 

 

 

 

 

We just did that excursion last week and made it back in plenty of time. It was a wonderful day! Native Way is awesome.

[Ellya]

We also have taken the Rum Point trip with Nativeway. I was concerned about the return time and received the standard "maybe you should take another tour" response. We did decide to stick with Rum Point. In spite of the assurances that we would be back in "plenty" of time, in fact we were returned in the nick of time to catch the last tender. Granted we did make the boat, but the day was pretty much ruined for my husband who was a nervous wreck the last hour. I'm not sure why they don't follow the schedules needed to make cruisers feel secure booking with them. I'm not sure I'd take that trip again given our experience. It was a lovely day and if you can put your trust in them completely knowing that I've never heard of anyone actually missing the ship with them, then go ahead. But, if you will be stressed when you find yourself far from the ship at the appointed return time, then perhaps another activity would be more relaxing. Rum Point is definately more peaceful and scenic than 7 Mile Beach.

[emd1]

Well, that is discouraging. I saw the post I originally started this thread with about a poster who recently got back late from the NAtiveway Rays, Reef, and Rum Pointe tour and ran to the tender line at 3:25 (last tender at 3:30), although she said there was a long line for the tenders and they were ok, but were nervewracked.

 

Now, Ellya had the same experience, getting back in the nick of time to catch the last tender.

 

Maybe there IS someone out there who has missed their tender due to getting back late?

 

The documentation sent to me from Nativeway says the tour completes at 2:45 ship time. Nativeway does not give themselves a lot of time to play with- if they don't leave the last stop (Rum Pointe) on time, then we won't get back at 2:45 and coudl be scrambling like the other poster and Ellya.

 

I am reconsidering this excursion now. We would need to cancel by June 21, next Thurs.