What to do besides sting ray tours?

[kiraryker]

We will be visiting in January party of 11 ranging in age from 12 to 70 - no one wants to do the stingray thing so what would other good options be?

 

Thanks!

[blue_water]

I was excited to share one of our great experiences from last week but you're there on a cruise right? This would be a evening deal.

 

For a cruise stop if you're not interested in being on the water other options are limited. The turtle farm and visit to Hell are an option but not really the best way to spend your time in our opinion (except for families with young children perhaps). The dolphin encounter would work only if some in the group were participating while the others watched.

You may want to hire a driver or taxi to tour the island. The taxi to East End would be very expensive (~$75/3 ppl) but it's a nice drive and the Queen Elizibeth II Botanic Gardens and blue iguanas are a nice visit. You'd have to rent 3 vehicles to drive on your own and that's not very practical either.

 

If your group can put together enough $$$ you could hire a private charter and go to Rum Point or Kaibo for a nice lunch and beach day. Or you may find a tour that includes stingray city but adds a beach stop perhaps. I would consider that last option since there really isn't alot to see on the island unless you just head to the north end of SMB. Stopping at stingray city and seeing the stingrays from the boat is also pretty neat.

 

Good Luck...

[bookbabe]

Are you looking for a water or land excursion? Beach time? Tourist attractions? Activity level? A few more details about likes/dislikes may help generate some suggestions...

[kiraryker]

I think more of a land type excursion as we will be beaching it in cozumel

[blue_water]

Unfortunately a land tour on GCM isn't a great option. You don't have to go to stingray city but it is included in the vast majority of day sails. There is an amphibous bus that does a land/water tour, you may want to look at that.

 

But if you're doing the beach on Cozumel I would definitely look at a cat sail on GCM that you could all enjoy. Nothing like being on the water and seeing the highlights of the island. Have you done that before? it's our favorite excursion on most islands we visit on a cruise or on a land-based vacation and we're not big snorkelers. Just nice to be on the water with the wind in your face on a gorgeous day. You have a wide range of ages, and this would probably be the easiest excursion as well as the most enjoyable for that kind of group.

[kiraryker]

Unfortunately a land tour on GCM isn't a great option. You don't have to go to stingray city but it is included in the vast majority of day sails. There is an amphibous bus that does a land/water tour, you may want to look at that.

 

But if you're doing the beach on Cozumel I would definitely look at a cat sail on GCM that you could all enjoy. Nothing like being on the water and seeing the highlights of the island. Have you done that before? it's our favorite excursion on most islands we visit on a cruise or on a land-based vacation and we're not big snorkelers. Just nice to be on the water with the wind in your face on a gorgeous day. You have a wide range of ages, and this would probably be the easiest excursion as well as the most enjoyable for that kind of group.

 

That sounds wounderful!!! Any suggestions with who to book with?

[bookbabe]

Actually, there are lots of great land stops in Cayman...not as famous as Stingray City, but still interesting. There will be a variety of tours available through private operators or through the ship, or you could rent a mini-van (or two) and create your own tour.

 

Stops to look for in the tour description:

- Pedro St James historical site

- Queen Elizabeth Botanical Gardens

- East End blowholes

- Cayman Auto Museum

- Turtle Farm

- Hell

- rum factory

- general sightseeing (large homes, gorgeous scenery)

- museum downtown (can't remember name...sorry)

 

If you're willing to split up, the younger members of your party might like the Black Pearl Skateboard park. It's huge! Then the non-skateboarders could visit some of the historical sites and sightsee.

 

There's also a few horseback riding excursions, depending on the overall activity level of the group. I've also seen tour groups on bikes and in jeeps, not sure which companies do what, however.

[blue_water]

That sounds wounderful!!! Any suggestions with who to book with?

 

The Red Sail stingray and Rum Point for lunch would be ideal because you spend alot of time at Rum Point. But it's only offered on Sunday, what day are you there?

http://www.redsailcayman.com/redsailcaymanactivitysailing-activities&cat=Y

if another day there may another option that is similar. Rum Point is the nicest spot to lime on the island and have lunch. It fills up with locals on Sundays too...

 

Bookbabe we covered the obvious attractions, and the east end sights are not practical or cheap for a large group. A Jeep tour would be an option for some but not all. A day on the water would be a great choice for this varied a group. We did several land tours while staying on the island last week, but these aren't doable during a cruise stop, especially for a larger group.

 

There's a day sail out there with your name on it kiraryker!;)

[bookbabe]

Personally, I'd avoid Rum Point like the plague on Sundays...it's a zoo! :eep: I'm glad our place is further towards the Kaibo...way quieter. The best time to be at Rum Point is a weekday in off-season. March is awesome. July and September/October are pretty good too. We've had whole days where we were the only people to be seen for blocks. Perfect bliss...

 

If you rent a couple of the larger vans, which can hold 7-9 passengers, touring Cayman on your own is quite doable. The vans are $80-125 each depending on the time of year, so even for two, you're spending say $300 for a day excursion for 11, plus entry fees for attractions if you want to do more than sightsee. That's way cheaper than the $500+ for a group of that size to do just Stingray City.

 

However, Cayman by water is very nice too, and Stingray City is entertaining even if you don't go in the water.

[blue_water]

Sundays are busier than weekdays but any people like going there on Sunday because the locals are there rather than cruisers. The locas of Grand Cayman are extremely nice and we're always still impressed with that. So even if Sunday is her day I would recommend Rum Point exactly because locals tend to go there.

RP was very boring last week because there was no one there but our small group.

 

And in our opinion GCM doesn't have alot to offer in the wy of a land your. You'd have to choose between the West End and East End as time is a factor. We enjoyed the quiet of the East End as compared to SMB and downtown, but there is not alot there. And the turtle farm and hell were very disappointing to all of us. Many in the group would be bored to tears with the available options. Also keep in mind that most auto insurance policies do not provide coverage for rental vehicles outside the US and her territories so you need a credit card that provides this coverage. Otherwise the daily rate doubles. We paid $35/day gor a small sedan rather than $72 because my card has this coverage. Just something to think about before leaving.

 

On the other hand a day sail would be magical to the young ones as well as the young at heart. This island - much like Bermuda and Aruba - has a gorgeous shoreline and Seven Mile Beach is the prime destination. But if a beach day is not in the cards then a boat ride is the best alternative. Just our opinion of course.

 

Cozumel is a great beach and snorkel destination and you can find some great spots to relax and be pampered if you so wish. Have a great cruise!

[bookbabe]

Well, Blue_Water, we're going to have to agree to disagree. :D I absolutely hate Rum Point on a Sunday. Sure, the locals are generally nice, but there's so many people there that it's impossible to get a chair or hammock, and food service is much, much slower. And the water is so crowded, you feel like you're at the local community pool during the height of summer. Not fun.

 

We have a vacation home in Cayman, and I'm there a couple of months a year in total when you add up all the trips. We almost bought land a couple of doors down from Rum Point, and I'm so glad now that we decided on the location we did instead. On Sundays and holidays, the beach is lined with people all the way from Rum Point proper right down to the end of the point. Not my idea of a relaxing vacation, but your mileage may vary...

 

Same with the land vs. water issue. Sure, Stingray City is one of a kind, but the land attractions and scenery are just as interesting as the water ones, IMO. I could spend hours at the botanical gardens or turtle farm, no matter how many times I go, and we always take the short detour to stop at the blowholes at least once each trip. I will grant that the pirate caves aren't worth a second visit, and probably not even worth a first, unless you're under the age of six maybe. Cheesy to the n-th degree. :D

 

As for the car rentals, our insurance covers rental cars no matter where we are. I think it was about a $25 a year addition to the policy, and we've definitely gotten our money's worth. Even if you do have to add the full coverage at the rental places, that's only about an extra $22 for a one day rental...certainly not double. We rent a lot in Cayman, anytime that we've got more than one couple visiting with us, since our jeep there is only a four-seater. The 9-seater vans aren't glamourous, but they're a really good value for a larger group.

 

The nicest thing about Cayman is that you'll have a good time no matter what you decide to do. Land or water excursion, tour group or on your own, something formal or just wander around downtown...there's something for everyone. And, it's safe and clean and the people are friendly, which is probably even more important in my books... ;)

[kiraryker]

Hey thanks for taking the time and all the info!!! I was thinking that port may just be a stay on ship day - but I'm thinking we will miss out if we don't atleast do something there!

[mrsfuzzmo]

Hey thanks for taking the time and all the info!!! I was thinking that port may just be a stay on ship day - but I'm thinking we will miss out if we don't atleast do something there!

 

It's one of my very favorite ports in all the Caribbean. I wouldn't think of staying on the ship. Lots to see and do.

[bookbabe]

Hey thanks for taking the time and all the info!!! I was thinking that port may just be a stay on ship day - but I'm thinking we will miss out if we don't atleast do something there!

 

The port is right in the middle of downtown. If you don't want a formal excursion, you could always just get off the ship and wander around downtown, maybe grab a nice meal at Breezes or one of the other restaurants that overlook the water. If the water-types want to snorkel, the Eden Rock area is about a 5 minute walk from the port, and you can shore snorkel for free. They rent gear at the Eden Rock dive shop and at Paradise Restaurant if you don't have your own. Paradise is a great option because the non-swimmers can sit in the shade on the restaurant's open-air patio by the water and have a snack and a drink and watch the others snorkel.

 

You would be definitely missing out if you don't get off the ship at least for a bit to see how great the island is. But beware... :D Our first trip to Cayman was by cruise ship on our honeymoon cruise. Sixteen years later, it's our primary vacation spot. The island will addict you, and you won't be able to stop going back!

[blue_water]

Yes bookbabe we always look for secluded and off the beaten path beaches when we travel whether on land-based or water trips

but for GCM we found it to be very different, and the people are much more than "generally nice" as compared to other destinations in our opinion. But as you say to each their own, just a matter of how we all view the world around us! :)

We're looking at property throughout the Caribbean and Mexico (the research is the best part :p), and because the East End of GCM is similar to the BVI areas that we love that's of particular interest to us.

And yes, if you price rentals at Avis or Andy's or any of the smaller agencies the liability and comp insurance actually doubles the price - that's just a fact, I'm not making it up. We paid $288 for a mid-size for 8 days last week rather than the $580 with the full ins. You can avoid that entirely by using the right credit card to book the car, no need to add a rider to your existing policy. And that same card provides great frequent flier miles as well with no annual fee.

 

The size and makeup of this group definitely makes it a challenge to find the one excursion that can satisfy everyone. I would avoid downtown including Paradise Rest unless it happens to be a little more "quiet" that day. Obviously on off-ship days downtown is very quiet and a nice place to walk and look at the statues by the courthouse or have a leisurely lunch at Paradise or any of the restaurants there. If it isn't mobbed the food at Paradise is decent and the waterside tables are nice. For ER you need to swim out quite a ways for the real snorkeling (according to the experts I've met, I haven't snorkeled there for that reason).

 

k, have you shared this information with any of the others in your group to get their input? That's the best approach. I know of one "coordinator" for lack of a better word who is trying to plan an excursion in the BVI (of all places! :eek:) for 500 ppl - how nuts is that??? You can't do that anywhere in the world let alone Tortola! So do ask others in your group what they think of a day sail or a day walking around the busy stores of town and no one will be disappointed with you later. ;) Mrsfuzzomo is right in that you don't want to waste a day on the ship while in port here. Many ppl do that and I feel bad for them.

 

Anyway I think we've beaten this horse to death...since you're coordinating this take the time to research the different day sails available as well as land tour options and make a more informed decision so everyone will enjoy whatever you all decide upon as a group!

[kiraryker]

Thanks again and I did inform everyone that after 4 cruises this will be the last for my "tour guide" duties I just hate trying to find something that makes everyone happy so we can all stick together UGH!

 

I made the mistake of booking a few private tours that were awesome so that is how I got the job

[bookbabe]

And yes, if you price rentals at Avis or Andy's or any of the smaller agencies the liability and comp insurance actually doubles the price - that's just a fact, I'm not making it up. We paid $288 for a mid-size for 8 days last week rather than the $580 with the full ins. You can avoid that entirely by using the right credit card to book the car, no need to add a rider to your existing policy. And that same card provides great frequent flier miles as well with no annual fee.

 

Andy's is $22 a day extra for the full coverage. The difference is that the coverage price doesn't change for a bigger car. With the larger vehicles, the percent added for insurance just works out to less. $22 on a $40 car seems a lot higher than $22 on an $80 car. Again, we rent from Andy's very regularly, so I know the prices really well. (A rental car is way cheaper than a taxi out to Rum Point, so we rent one for a day for the trip to/from the airport, plus large rentals when we have extra people with us.)

 

I wish we had the option for having insurance via our credit card, but that's not available through our bank. (Canadian credit cards are often different than the American equivalents.) :(

 

For ER you need to swim out quite a ways for the real snorkeling (according to the experts I've met, I haven't snorkeled there for that reason).

 

The reef isn't close to shore, but it's not that bad. If you're not a strong swimmer, a life jacket is a must. Even strong swimmers will want flippers, however. DH doesn't normally wear flippers to snorkel, except at Eden Rock due to the current there. Still, for a free shore snorkel it's very convenient and there's lots to see. It's one of our stops every trip.

 

Anyway I think we've beaten this horse to death...since you're coordinating this take the time to research the different day sails available as well as land tour options and make a more informed decision so everyone will enjoy whatever you all decide upon as a group!

 

Agreed! :D

[blue_water]

just a follow up on the rental, I know this is off topic k, sorry! I had quoted Andy's and Avis and both were within $5 of one another surprisingly. The mid size car (in Sept) was $35/day and I remember now that the insurance is $18 for comp and $11 for liab (or vice versa) from either agency for a total of $29/day. So it was slightly less than the $35/day rental price, my mistake.

 

k if you already have a few trips under your belt that were well-liked you should look into becoming a travel agent! :D