Cayman is expensive

[m steve]

We are staying for a week and the restaurant prices blow me away. Beach buffet advertised at $12.95 Cayman ended up at $72 US with 4 drinks. Most restaurants so far have added a 15% tip on the bill. Dinners have been over $100 for 2 drinks, 1 starter shared, 2 fish plates and no coffee or desert. Heading into Georgetown today as only one ship in port-Inspiration.

[LA Lady]

I believe it! When we went to Rum Point beach after our stingray excursion in April, dh went to the bar with a $20 to get two drinks and came back empty handed!!!! That's just crazy.....

[bookbabe]

We are staying for a week and the restaurant prices blow me away. Beach buffet advertised at $12.95 Cayman ended up at $72 US with 4 drinks. Most restaurants so far have added a 15% tip on the bill. Dinners have been over $100 for 2 drinks, 1 starter shared, 2 fish plates and no coffee or desert. Heading into Georgetown today as only one ship in port-Inspiration.

 

I'm a little confused. Yeah, Cayman is relatively expensive compared to some of the other islands commonly used as cruise ship ports. However, it's 100x safer, so I'm happy to pay a little extra for that piece of mind.

 

But, people have to remember it's another country. They use their own currency, and thus there is an exchange rate. $1 CI = $1.25 US

 

So, the $13 CI is $16.25 US. Times two (I'm guessing) is $32.50 US for just the dinner. Drinks are an average of $7 CI each in the tourist areas, say, depending on what you order. So four drinks brings it up to around $68 US, before tip. Add the traditional 15% tip, and you have around $78 US. $72 US sounds about right...a bit of a deal, even.

 

And yes, restaurants in tourist areas tend to add in the tip automatically, probably to make things easier for visitors who may come from countries with different tipping customs.

 

As for the $100+ dinners, if you eat in the tourist areas, expect to pay tourist prices, just like you would at home. A nice hotel bar or restaurant or the restaurant at some tourist attraction at home would be pricier than the "locals" restaurants, so why would it be any different in Cayman? And that doesn't even take into account that everything has to be shipped to the island and the raw ingredients are thus more expensive.

 

Cayman does have a Dairy Queen, a Wendy's and a Burger King, though, that are relatively convenient to the port area if you're looking for something more economical... :D

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I don't see those prices out of line with what one would pay in vacation spots such as Hawaii, NYC, LA, etc. Even in my own town, a 'cocktail' is going to average $8 without tax and tip.

 

Part of the fun of planning a vacation is doing the research whether it is transportation, hotels, activities, or dining. You gotta love all the information available on the internet. You can read reviews, see menus, make reservations.

 

I would ask around the hotel/condo where you are staying. The locals always know the best places to eat!

[GeneHunter]

Prices are not out of line with other islands. Get away from the tourist areas and eat where the locals do. To see Grand Cayman restaurants, menus and prices see: http://www.caymangoodtaste.com

[m steve]

No need to insult me or take me apart for my comment. Today we stopped at Rum Point and it was $17 US for a rum punch and abottle of water. I know that vacation prices are high but I think they overdue it a bit here. Just driving around the island we saw several hundred for sale signs on existing property. I think people are bailing out from the economy, not the weather. One house had a cute pink sign on the property calling itself NOT FOR SALE. It is a pretty island.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

M Steve, I don't see where anyone insulted you and when you make a post, of course, people are going to provide their opinions and experiences.

 

Enjoy your vacation.

[bookbabe]

No need to insult me or take me apart for my comment. Today we stopped at Rum Point and it was $17 US for a rum punch and abottle of water. I know that vacation prices are high but I think they overdue it a bit here. Just driving around the island we saw several hundred for sale signs on existing property. I think people are bailing out from the economy, not the weather. One house had a cute pink sign on the property calling itself NOT FOR SALE. It is a pretty island.

 

I'm not trying to insult you, I was trying to be serious and explain why the costs are what they are. (If I was snarking, trust me...you'd know. :D) We have property at Rum Point and have been vacationing on the island multiple times a year for quite some time now. I'm very familiar with the costs involved in a vacation there.

 

Yes, the island seems expensive at first glance. It's not a cheap vacation spot by any stretch of the imagination. Items you purchase are more expensive because of the duty on imports to the country and shipping costs involved in getting items there.

 

Generally for budget purposes, we figure items will cost us the same in CI as they would at home in Canadian dollars, eg. the $1 CDN can of soup at home would be about $1 CI to buy there, which does result in costs of 1.5 to 2X what we'd pay at home when you factor in the exchange.

 

There's also the whole "no tax" issue - no income taxes, no property taxes, no sales taxes, etc. The import duty is the only tax on items, so the item that costs a dollar only costs a dollar, not a dollar plus tax like it would at home. (And if you live there, I'm guessing your dollar would go further since you actually take home all of your earnings rather than giving half to the government before you even see any of it, but that's a whole 'nother issue.)

 

As I said, I personally am willing to deal with that extra expense in exchange for the improved safety in staying there. I don't want to go to Mexico, no matter how cheap it may be, when tourists are killed there on a regular basis (there's been a rash of Canadian tourists killed there in the last year or two). I'd rather pay extra and be safe than have it be my last vacation ever. :)

 

As for the "for sale" signs, as Drew mentioned in another thread, they've been there for years and are mostly unrelated to current economic times. Many of those houses are investment or rental income properties, and the owners rarely stay in them. They rent them out via one of the vacation rentals agencies, and leave them on the real estate listings just in case someone meets their dream price. For example, the house next to us has changed hands at least twice that I know of in the last five or six years, and the last time it went back on the listings at an increased price the week after it was sold.

 

Overall, I am sorry, though, that you were surprised by prices in Cayman. It's rough when you get caught off-guard by anything unexpected during a vacation, since it detracts from your enjoyment of the destination. (I know quite a few people that have been unpleasantly surprised that way on trips to Walt Disney World.) At least on your next trip there you'll know what to expect, or you'll be able to plan to go somewhere cheaper. I hope you can enjoy the rest of your stay, though...I'd swap places with you in a second...we're not back to our "home away from home" until July.

[Satara01]

my husband has a business in Georgetown...when he's there, he thinks like he's a local...what costs $1 here costs about the same there...when away, forget about doing the exchange rate, just enjoy everything around you...no matter where you go. Go to where the locals hang out for great food and entertainment.:)