Grand Cayman beach break - with complications

[spanner14]

Hello,

 

we'd really like a "typical" beach day on Grand Cayman (we'll be on Freedom of the Seas at the end of October) so I was wondering about Royal Palms or somewhere like that.

 

The complication is that I'm disabled and can only walk a little way. If there's a lot of walking (a lot of walking for me would be about 15 mins!) I take my wheelchair but it doesn't have beach-friendly wheels.

 

I'm guessing when we tender or dock at GC it's not too far to walk to taxis - is that right?

 

And is it easy to hail another taxi to take us back to the port? We'll have our 10 yr old DD with us so I'd like to make life as easy as possible!

 

Thanks - hope someone can help!

Kind regards,

[star of county down]

I'm going on September 19th, so, I can report back after that. I think transportation will be easy for you. And as far as walking, It looks as though that place Eden Rock is close by. I also know you can take a bus to Seven Mile Beach for about $2.50 per person. I haven't been there since we were on our honeymoon 25 years ago;)

[TheWog]

If you can traverse the beach you should go to Sea Grape or Courtyard beach on Seven Mile Beach. We were at Courtyard and they have all the facilities you need. You are dropped at the entrance and you can then walk down to the beach area and have one of the attendants bring a chair down for you. There is a cost to rent the chairs and a tip if they do the lifting. You can decide where you want it and he will bring it there for you. There is food, drink, restrooms, outdoor shower and a taxi stand right there with taxis lined up when departing. It is about a 10 min or so cab ride each way. The taxi area is not far from where you tender as well. Neither area is a 15 min walk or longer. Good luck.

[sun~]

Are you stable enough on your feet to get on and off the tender? From what I have seen first hand, the ship will not allow wheelchairs on the tender (for several reasons - crew health & safety, for passenger safety, and the dock only has narrow concrete steps, completely not wheelchair accessible). If you are able to go with the wheelchair separately, you will be able to get a taxi on the main road. It is only a few meters from the tender landing area (I can't stress enough that that area is not wheelchair accessible).

 

The taxis will go to seven mile beach, there are various access points. I last time I was there in January, getting into the water was very difficult. There was a huge dip from the beach to the water (it is quite pebbley). The beach is quite wide.

 

Perhaps on the disabled board there may be more suggestions regarding hotels that will offer good facilities.

[Star1]

Where on 7 mile is sea grape or Courtyard located?

Thanks

[spanner14]

Are you stable enough on your feet to get on and off the tender? From what I have seen first hand, the ship will not allow wheelchairs on the tender (for several reasons - crew health & safety, for passenger safety, and the dock only has narrow concrete steps, completely not wheelchair accessible). If you are able to go with the wheelchair separately, you will be able to get a taxi on the main road. It is only a few meters from the tender landing area (I can't stress enough that that area is not wheelchair accessible).

 

The taxis will go to seven mile beach, there are various access points. I last time I was there in January, getting into the water was very difficult. There was a huge dip from the beach to the water (it is quite pebbley). The beach is quite wide.

 

Perhaps on the disabled board there may be more suggestions regarding hotels that will offer good facilities.

 

Thanks everyone, all great info. I've learned that you can't be spontaneous when mobility impaired! :)

 

I should be able to get onto the tender with my husband's help and walk the few metres to the taxis. It sounds as if it will be easier to leave my wheelchair on board because I can't use it on the sand/pebble beach anyway.

 

If I can easily get a taxi there and back then Courtyard sounds great - what is it? Sorry for the stupid question! Is it a hotel?

 

Thanks!

[TheWog]

Where on 7 mile is sea grape or Courtyard located?

Thanks

 

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl

 

If you look at this image: follow A1 W. Bay Road "up" the screen and you will see Fosters Drive and Governors Way. The Marriott Courtyard is at the corner of Fosters Dr. Across from the Marriott is Courtyard Beach. You will see buildings on the beach and if you zoom in you can see them better. While zoomed in looked "down" the beach and you will see a cluster of buildings with chairs about halfway between Courtyard Beach buildings and "Harbor Heights". This is Sea Grape beach. As you can see in the pictures both have taxi stands there with cars waiting. If I am remembering correctly and reading the image properly this is where both these particular beaches are located.

 

As an aside, it appears there were two ships in port this day. :D

[drew sailbum]

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl

 

If you look at this image: follow A1 W. Bay Road "up" the screen and you will see Fosters Drive and Governors Way. The Marriott Courtyard is at the corner of Fosters Dr. Across from the Marriott is Courtyard Beach. You will see buildings on the beach and if you zoom in you can see them better. While zoomed in looked "down" the beach and you will see a cluster of buildings with chairs about halfway between Courtyard Beach buildings and "Harbor Heights". This is Sea Grape beach. As you can see in the pictures both have taxi stands there with cars waiting. If I am remembering correctly and reading the image properly this is where both these particular beaches are located.

 

As an aside, it appears there were two ships in port this day. :D

 

While the landmarks are accurate, almost none of the road names are accurate. Curious. I wonder who Google got their map from.

 

There is a West Bay Road (it is never referred to as A1). There is a Fosters Drive but it is on one of the other Cayman Islands, about 90 miles away from where it is showing. The Google map also shows Admirals Way... but a road with that name doesn't exist. Admirals Avenue does, but is halfway across Grand Cayman.

[spanner14]

Thanks guys

 

so (sorry, stupid question), where should we ask the taxi driver to take us?

 

And at Courtyard, is there a place with restrooms and where we can get drinks and lunch? Or would we be better going to Royal Palms?

 

Thank you! :)

[TheWog]

Ask them to take you to the beach name. Courtyard Beach. They will bring you there. If they seem confused tell them either Sea Grape of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel beach. That should work.

 

Yes, there are facilities at Courtyard Beach. There are rest roooms, food, drinks, chairs, umbrellas, water sports rentals, outdoor showers to rinse off and a taxi stand for your return trip. I do not have experience with Royal Palms, so I can not say pick one over the other. I know we had a great experience at Courtyard and wouldn't hesitate to return. Good luck.

[spanner14]

Ask them to take you to the beach name. Courtyard Beach. They will bring you there. If they seem confused tell them either Sea Grape of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel beach. That should work.

 

Yes, there are facilities at Courtyard Beach. There are rest roooms, food, drinks, chairs, umbrellas, water sports rentals, outdoor showers to rinse off and a taxi stand for your return trip. I do not have experience with Royal Palms, so I can not say pick one over the other. I know we had a great experience at Courtyard and wouldn't hesitate to return. Good luck.

 

Thank you so much - fantastic info. I think we'll give it a go!

Thanks again x