Grand Caymon Excursions Cruise Line or Independent?

[txlions]

New to cruising and don't know what would be the best way to book an excursion in Grand Caymon. Does anyone have a recommendation? If outside the cruise line, which vendor?

[bkerber]

Do a search on the message boards for the type of excursion you want to do. We did Stingray City and reef snorkel. We booked through Moby Dick since it had excellent reviews on CC and TripAdvisor. They were very good and didnt have to pay until we got there. I would highly reccomend them.

[milhouse0506]

I would definitely book a private tour. Anything booked through a cruise line will be over crowed and you'll have less time with the sting rays. We used Nativeway and did the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour and it was a great time! I can answer any questions about that specific tour if you have any.

 

Although I would recommend Nativeway, the tour companies that people recommend on here will all do a great job.

[JohninDC]

Moby Dick - we've used them twice and would love to go back again! :)

[Keith1010]

If you are new to cruising I would go with a cruise excursion for your first visit here.

 

Keith

[jon_davidson]

We had a great time on Grand Cayman. We walked from the port two blocks to the city bus station. We paid $2.50 US per person for a one way trip around the western end of the island. Our bus driver even told us about all the things we were driving past. He stopped several places and let us take photos. Then we paid another $2.50 per person for the same ride back toward the cruise ship. We told him we wanted to get off at Seven Mile beach, he suggested a nice location along the beach. We got off spent the afternoon on the beach. Then paid another $2.50 per person for a ride back to downtown where we did a little bit of shopping. So all in all we paid $7.50 per person to go everywhere we wanted to go and we got to spend some time with people who actually lived on the island.

[OCruisers]

Since it's your first time cruising thus your first time in Grand Cayman, you would probably be much happier booking through the cruise line.

 

Excursions booked through the cruise line will pick you up at the ship, take you to have fun, return you to the ship.... and you'll never miss the boat. :D

 

LuLu

~~~~

[cb at sea]

What do you want to do? That will determine how best to do it! If it's shopping or going to the beach, you don't need an excursion at all!

[Morgsmom]

I would definitely book a private tour. Anything booked through a cruise line will be over crowed and you'll have less time with the sting rays. We used Nativeway and did the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour and it was a great time! I can answer any questions about that specific tour if you have any.

 

Although I would recommend Nativeway, the tour companies that people recommend on here will all do a great job.

 

 

I ditto the recommendation for Nativeways. Great time with them.

[txlions]

Appears experience is a key element in the decision making process we just don't have. We greatly appreciate everyone's feedback.

[bookbabe]

Appears experience is a key element in the decision making process we just don't have. We greatly appreciate everyone's feedback.

 

Experience is one of the reasons many of us would recommend doing excursions through the ship for your first cruise, especially if you're venturing far from the port area. While there's generally more crowds, fewer options and greater expense when going with the ship, there's a sense of security and comfort. The guides handle all the planning, you just have to follow along and enjoy. Also, if the excursion is late getting back, the ship will generally wait for you (or pay your way to the next port) which won't happen if you're on your own.

 

That being said, for Grand Cayman, you really don't need an excursion to shop (downtown is right there) or to do a shore snorkel (Eden Rock, again within a few minutes walk) or beach break (Seven Mile Beach, an easy 10 min taxi ride to one of the beach clubs). Those are pretty easy and close enough that you'll be fine as long as you watch the time.

 

However, Stingray City, a sandbar where wild stingrays hang out looking for handouts from the tourists, is Cayman's top attraction, and really a must see. There are lots of good private operators you'll see mentioned here, but the ship's tours go to the exact same location. The only difference tends to be the number of people on the excursion and the cost.

[blue_water]

New to cruising and don't know what would be the best way to book an excursion in Grand Caymon. Does anyone have a recommendation? If outside the cruise line, which vendor?

 

If you're comfortable managing your own time and dealing directly with operators I would book directly with an operator and I would recommend a jet-ski excursion with Fat Fish Adventures. There are several great and some more mediocre motorboat operators but this particular excursion on jet-skis was one of our best ever. In other ports where sailing is more the theme we would opt for a cat sail. But here (and in Bermuda) we will always choose an excursion like Fat Fish, and we can't recomment this outfit enough. If they're offered through the ship then by all means book them that way.

[RACexplore]

I booked our tour through Dexter Fantasea tours. It is a catamaran ray and snorkel tour (2.5 - 3ish hours) that has a maximum of 20 people per boat. Dexter was very nice and answered my questions by email quickly, and we didn't have to pay ahead of time. He even offered to dive a conch for me when I asked. :) He gets good reviews on tripadvisor. We are doing that tour first thing, so hopefully we will have no trouble getting back to the ship on time... If we miss anything, it will be the cat tour.

 

That said, we haven't been on the tour yet (2 more weeks!) I will try to come back here and post about it after we do.

[maryhou]

currently booked with Capt Marvins to go to stingray city. Has anyone did a jet ski private tour their instead? My hubby has never been on a jet ski and it's on his bucket list. Thought it may be a nice surprise......

Thanks in advance :)

[lawton54]

Maryhou, we just recently returned from a stop at Grand Cayman. We did the Jet Ski excursion with Fat Fish and had a WONDERFUL time. The groups are small (only 7 people on 4 wave runners in our tour) and the guides are great. Spent a lot of quality time with the stingrays, feeding and holding them, then on to Starfish Point and later the reef for some beautiful snorkeling. The wave runners ride single or double and are in top shape. They go fast and are a super fun ride. My DW had said once before when we saw some folks riding them that it looked like fun. After our tour she said it didn't just look like fun, IT WAS FUN!!!

[kratescape]

Do a search on the message boards for the type of excursion you want to do. We did Stingray City and reef snorkel. We booked through Moby Dick since it had excellent reviews on CC and TripAdvisor. They were very good and didnt have to pay until we got there. I would highly reccomend them.

 

Grand Cayman is a lot of fun and easy to get around. We booked through Moby Dick as well and would go with them again. They also recommended a local restaurant for lunch that was close to the port. They will also drop you off at the beach and will give you instructions on their bus system to get back.

[Traveling Library]

If you want to see some of the sights (e.g. Turtle Farm, Hell, etc.) then wait until you get off the ship. There are many jitney drivers who will take you on a tour. At the end we had a choice of getting off at the beach or going back to downtown. Spent far less than a ships tour.

[blue_water]

Fat Fish rocks - one of the best excursions we've taken in our 15 years in the Carib, locals and tourists agree it is the best on GCM.

[Colorado Kat]

I practically always book independant tours. Nativeways was great. Another plus for Grand Cayman is that everyone speaks English, so it is easy to ask for help.

 

However, be warned. Grand Cayman is an expensive island.

[blue_water]

Some operators only deal with the cruise line or you need to give them a hotel key card. But there are several ops that take direct bookings.

We don't think that GCM is as expensive as some other destinations. The biggest difference on an excursion on GCM is the bar is usually not an open bar as in other areas.

[jilro]

I ditto the recommendation for Nativeways. Great time with them.

 

Hi, how long were you on the beach? Was there a lunch also. Do you think this is better than the tour that they do with the goverment house and turtle place? I am leaning towards the one you took, but my family would prefer the other. I may just go on my own. Thanks Judy

[sloper12]

We would like to go to the East side of Grand Cayman but don't want a tour that lasts 5+ hours because we want to have time to snorkle at Eden Rock.

I found a tour company called Reality Tours. Ever heard of or used them?