Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman for kids?

[lorasmom]

Any suggestions for excursions at these ports? We will be travelling with a 2 1/2 yo, 10 yo, and 7 yo. We are fairly active, the older two swim well, and we can walk for hours :p

 

DH and I would like to find a beach maybe with some snorkeling, where one of us can sit with the baby, and the others go out?

[onthelake]

In Grand Cayman, I would suggest an island tour which will include the turtle farm and 'Hell'. You won't believe the size of the turtles and there are small/med. size ones the kids can hold for pictures. Then get dropped off at a resort on 7 mile beach for some swimming and catch a cab back to the tender dock.

 

Jamica is not on my list of favorite places, either go to a beach that is limited admission/patrolled (no vendors crawling all over you) or just stay on the ship and enjoy the pool without the crowd.

[lorasmom]

In Grand Cayman, I would suggest an island tour which will include the turtle farm and 'Hell'. You won't believe the size of the turtles and there are small/med. size ones the kids can hold for pictures. Then get dropped off at a resort on 7 mile beach for some swimming and catch a cab back to the tender dock.

 

Jamica is not on my list of favorite places, either go to a beach that is limited admission/patrolled (no vendors crawling all over you) or just stay on the ship and enjoy the pool without the crowd.

Is the Turtle Farm easy to get to? I'm concerned about driving around without a car seat for the baby :o

 

I am considering staying on board for Jamaica, I've heard some not very pleasant things about it.

[brazilgirl]

I will also be visiting Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios with my kids (in December).

 

I am planning on visiting Stingray City with the kids on Grand Cayman ..I have read that it is a truly fascinating experience. My kids (ages 4 , 8 and 11) are pretty open to new experiences and are not afraid of "creatures" , so I am looking forward to it.

 

I am excited about Jamaica and think you might reconsider it. I have booked a private tour with Marva Shaw (read lots of good reviews of her her on Cruise Critic). We plan on visiting Dunn´s Falls (probably will not do the climb) , some beaches , the rainforest and maybe check out a plantation. Marva allows for flexibility .

 

I had a very positive experience on my last cruise when booking private tours.My family was allowed freedom of choice and we were able to make changes in our schedules based on energy levels etc. Really great when you have kids along.I hate being herded around in a big group....

 

Have fun!

 

Kim

[onthelake]

Is the Turtle Farm easy to get to? I'm concerned about driving around without a car seat for the baby :o

 

I am considering staying on board for Jamaica, I've heard some not very pleasant things about it.

 

Since you are going to a number of ports, I would consider taking the car seat with you - you can never count on a vendor having one and you really want to be able to see the sights. Grand Cayman is very small so everything is easy to get to. My son is now 14 and we have been to the turtle farm 3 times - it is a favorite of his. We also did the submarine a couple of years ago and it is memorable but you take a boat out and then have to move from the boat to the sub and, of course, back again. I wouldn't try it with the little one. If one of you wants to take the older two, book online - the office is just a short walk from the tender dock - and you have to walk even if you book from the ship - I think they just supply you with your ticket. You will save many $$$, can book the time that suits you and, at the time we went, my son got to choose between a t-shirt or a cap and got a brochure with pictures of all the sea life - folks from the ship did not get those perks.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We did both of these ports with grandkids who were at that time 3, 4, 5 & 5. The youngest had only just turned three.

 

On Cayman we did a snorkeling/stingray tour with Captain Marvin. The kids loved the ride out to the reef on the boat, but the water was a little too choppy for them to enjoy snorkeling that day. They enjoyed watching the sting rays from the boat and the whole boat experience.

 

I'm sure kids would enjoy the turtle farm. Also, 7-Mile Beach would be great for kids. There are some snorkeling places quite close to the tendering area, I have heard, but you'll need to search the Cayman board for directions, as we didn't do this.

 

On Jamaica we did river tubing and Dunn's Falls. The kids absolutely loved the tubing. We didn't have them climb the falls; we (grandparents) had been up the falls before so we stayed with the kids at the beach by the falls while their parents climbed. They had a great time playing in the water and sand.

 

BTW, all the kids were very comfortable with water when they were that age, and the oldest two could swim so water activities worked well for us.

[Julienatul]

I have never been to Jamaica as our port got cancelled last cruise but have been to Grand Cayman several times with our now 2yr old.

 

As far as a beach you can catch a cab to Sea Grape Beach. There are nice chairs and a waterfront outdoor restaurant called Calico jacks. It is very family friendly and you would be able to sit with the youngest under the resaturant cover and watch your older ones swim in the beach or play in the sand. My DH hates the direct sun and loved this place since it was right on the beach and shaded.

[fiveo911]

Any suggestions for excursions at these ports? We will be travelling with a 2 1/2 yo, 10 yo, and 7 yo. We are fairly active, the older two swim well, and we can walk for hours :p

 

DH and I would like to find a beach maybe with some snorkeling, where one of us can sit with the baby, and the others go out?

 

We are going to Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios in September. We will be travelling with a 23 month old and an 11 year old.

 

We are doing Stingray City and Rum Point Beach in Grand Cayman. We are taking our own life jacket for our toddler. We figured DH could take her in the water.

 

We are probably just going to do a little shopping in Jamaica. We have thought about staying on the ship too.

 

We are also going to Cozumel and we've rented a vehicle for the day - we are taking the baby's carseat with us.

 

I hope this helps some. We've been struggling with what to do because I am so paranoid about my 23 month old's safety.

[rstout]

Go with Marva Shaw in Ocho Rios - she was great and provides flexibility for families. We used her company when we went with our 3 and 4 YO boys. I had never booked a private tour on a cruise before, but she picked us up from the dock when we got off the ship, had comfortable vans, and we felt very safe.

 

You can find Marva at http://www.knowjamaica.com.

[katyjeka]

We've taken our 3 dd's to both places and had a great time. When in Grand Cayman, we took a short cab ride to seven mile beach and had an almost deserted, beautiful beach to ourselves. My dh and oldest(10 at the time)rented jet skis, and had a blast. We also love Jamaica. My oldest and dh did the falls. My youngest 2 and i played at the little beach area at the bottom. It wasnt the prettiest beach, but our girls are still talking about the wonderful little Jamaican girls they played with for the time we were there. I enjoyed talking to their mothers, and the kids played. Everyone we encountered were friendly and made us feel welcome. I'm looking forward to returning one day. Have a great trip. Janice

[twofastdogs]

Hi. We are cruising with our 3.5 and 1.5 yo. We are taking the 3yo on a snorkeling trip through Nativeway (heard good things on CC). They take all ages. We are going to see the stingrays, a coral reef and to a starfish area. I opted to leace the 1 yo on the ship with his grandma. I don't expect her to snorkel, but she will enjoy being out on the small boat, seeing the rays, etc. Plus she is free so if she doesn't participate no big deal.

 

in Jamaica we will stay onboard ship. Love them when they are empty!

[jlbl4902]

Did the 3 year old and 4 year old do the cave tubing? My husband would love to to that but we will be bringing our 4 year old with us so I wasnt sure about it,.

Thank you for all of the info.

[rabelgirls]

I would HIGHLY suggest the turtle farm/City of Hell and Stingray City for your stop in Grand Cayman. It is wonderful!! I did this with my DD last February and we both had a blast. I booked on my own and not with the cruise line.

As for Ochos Rios, as previously metioned, I would stay on board the ship. I have never felt so uncomfortable in all of my life. My DD and I were only off of the ship for maybe an hour to shop then it was straight back to the ship. I will never debark here again. We had reservations for the falls, which I heard was not to be missed, but I just did not feel safe there with just me and my daughter.

[rstout]

If you go with a tour booked through the cruise line, or book through a private company that provides the transportation (I would research companies on the CC Jamaica Port Board), you will be safe in Ocho Rios. Again, Marva Shaw is highly recommended. We were able to leave our stuff in her locked bus when we went to the different stops, and she will tailor the tours based on your family and interests. Just don't go off on your own and you will be fine. If you want to spend the day on the ship because it will be empty and you want the ship to yourself, that's perfectly understandable, but don't miss the chance to see beautiful sites if you want to get off the ship.

 

We did the pirate ship excursion in Grand Cayman - spent the morning on the ship (which WAS nice, since it was empty) and then did the tour in the afternoon. My boys (3 and 4) loved the excursion. I have heard wonderful things about the stingray tour though.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Did the 3 year old and 4 year old do the cave tubing? My husband would love to to that but we will be bringing our 4 year old with us so I wasnt sure about it,.

Thank you for all of the info.

 

Yes, the 3 and 4 year-olds did the tubing and had a blast. The 3-year-old hadn't even been three one month. All the kids wanted to do the tubing again as soon as we finished.

 

The tubes are big, with bottoms, and the kids each rode with an adult. The river is not really very swift or turbulant, but is a fun ride. The guides who go along are really great about keeping everyone together, away from any hazards like low-hanging trees, and general safety. They were in the river keeping people out of trouble more than not.

 

All our little kids were and are very comfortable around water since we live on a lake, but only the 5's were actually able to swim some at the time. We brought their own swim vests (these are by Speedo and aren't actually life jackets but are comfortable for swimming and they were used to them.) We didn't ask, since we had the jackets, but I'm sure the river tubing company had life vests too.

 

Only you know how your child reacts to water and a little mild adventure, but ours loved every minute, and we did too. We used Phil Lafayette as our tour guide.