Excursions in Cayman?

[nicwoodard]

We have been there before, but didn't do an excursion (mistake). I am traveling with DH and DS17 and DD13. We are doing beach clubs in Cozumel & probably in Jamaica. Although I would be fine with another one, the kids want something else.

 

My daughter is a bit afraid of stingrays, but says that she might try it...maybe. Would love thought on excursions any of you have done. I do have MS, so walking a long way or up steep inclines is not preferred. Any suggestions would help. Thank you!

 

 

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[slk230red]

We've done many excursions in Grand Cayman when we fly there and stay for a week. My favorite is Stingray City.

 

When we go by ship, we usually just go to 7 mile beach for the day.

[cb at sea]

Google GC, or get a guidebook..that might be best...and let the kids read it, and decide what they might want to do! A guidebook will give you ALL the points of interest! After you decide WHAT to do, go to the "Port of Call" boards on this site, and see if others have done the same thing...and how they did it! You really don't need excursions for most things! But, you do need to know something about where you're going to get the most out of your time ashore.

Edited May 8, 2014 by cb at sea

[funnel]

Did a catamaran and snorkel tour when I was there lat year. Thought it was nice, but it was my first time in Grand Cayman (on my first ever Caribbean cruise).

 

One guy in our group did a helicopter tour, which he said was nice (but short).

 

/Erik

[jticarruthers]

Loved Stingray City, the rays can be intimidating (especially some of the ones that are 4-5 feet across!) but awesome once you are in the water.

 

Did it with my son was about 5 or 6 at the time and have some great pictures of him climbing up me to stay away from the Rays :) Once he gave it a try though he loved it and cant wait to go back next year and do it again.

[Sitzmark]

We did the turtle farm in GC, we all enjoyed it quite a lot. There is some walking but it's fairly flat and for the most part it's on nice smooth cement so no uneven ground.

[cello56]

Stingray City was the best excursion we have ever done! I LOVED the rays!!

[fragilek]

I have family in cayman so have been a few times, I also have MS and swam with the stingrays before I got ill- getting back out the water can be a bit tricky. Now I would need to make sure that any boat we booked had an actual stairway info the water and not just a ladder. There are a few coves that are very good for snorkeling if you like that (I can get the names if your interested)- also

 

Rum point has a nice shallow beach easy to get in.out the water and some OK snorkeling under the jetty - but some large fish are there - my youngest (at 7) got spooked when a 5ft Snook swam past her - but it is quite a distance from the port so I would only do a trip there on a tour.

 

I would avoid the turtle farm- we found it an awful place and will never go back.

 

Hell is an unusual place to visit (just to say you have been) probably on some of the tours that the ship do may be combined with stingrays or Rum point

 

Nice relaxing bar/cafe is at Kebbo (or Kybo- I will check)- it has a beach area and marina area.

[brillohead]

You can get a Stingray City / snorkeling combo tour on the pier in GC without pre-purchasing through the ship. (I got the tour for about $20-$25 last year, as I recall.)

 

The rays are very friendly (they know you will feed them, and they don't bite the hands that feed!), and the tour guides will pick one up so you can see it up close / get a picture taken. (Bring a waterproof camera... they way overcharge for photos purchased from the tour!)

 

Life jackets will be provided for anyone who doesn't have strong swimming skills (rather than wear it over the neck and down the front of the chest, just wrap it around your waist to offer flotation assistance when snorkeling, so you can still put your face/mask in the water to see all the cool fish).

 

At Stingray City, you're on a sandbar in waist-deep water, so no swimming skills are needed.

[OCruisers]

We have been there before, but didn't do an excursion (mistake). I am traveling with DH and DS17 and DD13. We are doing beach clubs in Cozumel & probably in Jamaica. Although I would be fine with another one, the kids want something else.

 

My daughter is a bit afraid of stingrays, but says that she might try it...maybe. Would love thought on excursions any of you have done. I do have MS, so walking a long way or up steep inclines is not preferred. Any suggestions would help. Thank you!

 

Not everyone actually gets into the water to swim with the stingrays. Normally, crew members will lift them up to allow those on the catamaran to get a good look and even pet them.

LuLu

Edited May 8, 2014 by OCruisers

[Scotty G]

Loved Stingray City, the rays can be intimidating (especially some of the ones that are 4-5 feet across!) but awesome once you are in the water.

 

Did it with my son was about 5 or 6 at the time and have some great pictures of him climbing up me to stay away from the Rays :) Once he gave it a try though he loved it and cant wait to go back next year and do it again.

 

DW agrees with this. She did it and has MS. She was not intimidated by the rays and was impressed with the great crew!!! Go for it!!!

[Cruisinchristie]

Stingray Sailing is awesome. Love Chip and his crew. He has a catamaran with max of 25 ppl.

 

We have been 3 times with him with our kids (starting when our youngest was 5). Our older son (now 12) LOVES the rays and jumps right in. My 10 yo was still a bit intimidated but did swim with them for a little while. He is great with the kids if your daughter is afraid. He teases me now bc I still get freaked out by them even though I have been 3 times!

 

Chip has a couple of the rays trained and they always come to him bc he has the best food :)

 

Prices are very reasonable, and you can go snorkeling after stingray city.

We also had him drop us off at 7 mile beach after and we had lunch at a restaurant on the beach, and had a great time swimming and snorkeling off of a reef that is right off of the beach. Beautiful beach and water!

 

Have fun!

[marci22]

I would do any kind of boat/catamaran excursion here. The water is beautiful.

 

Stingray City is fun. I would try to do a private excursion as there are not as many people vs a ship tour. See the Ports of Call boards for ratings and reviews and also TripAdvisor.