Excursions...... HELP!!

[MissyL]

My family of four (husband/myself mid/late forties and 2 kids, 17 & 9) are taking our first cruise (so please be kind, I have NO idea what I'm doing! Lol) we depart May 6th for 7 days to Jamaica, grand Cayman & Cozumel on the carnival Magic. I would like to do @ least 1 excursion but can't break the bank. Can any of you tell me the ends and outs to finding locals for tours or cheaper tours/excursions than what they offer through Carnival? My daughter wants to swim with the Dolphins, but we all don't and I can't seem to find any where we can just watch/wait for her (9 years) to do it. My son (17) wants something exciting but again I'd like to wait/watch. Lol.

 

Also any tips or things I/we should know please throw out there. I am seriously clueless and would so much appreciate any help/tips & ideas!

 

Thanks

Missy

[Clarea]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

A good place to start would be the Ports of Call forums. Lots of good information there, and folks with local knpwledge:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587

[whataboutport]

I really loved swimming with the stingrays in Grand Cayman. It's really not as scary as it sounds. The stingrays are used to people and are very gentle. You can book online in advance or just find a guide once you get off the ship. I prefer to know where I am going and with who beforehand though.

 

Dolphin excursions are pretty expensive.

 

In Cozumel if you guys are into Mayan ruins, I would recommend going to Tulum, but it is a very long day and that you must book through the ship in case your tour runs late, you wouldn't get left behind.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

A good place to start would be the Ports of Call forums. Lots of good information there, and folks with local knpwledge:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587

 

 

 

This!

 

You'll find a ton of information about your ports of call with descriptions and recommendations for tour providers.

 

Have a great cruise!!

[cb at sea]

A guidebook will tell you all you need to know about the places you'll visit....then you can decide WHAT you want to do! Many things require NO excursion at all! You need info on your ports, tho....hard to have a great, cheap day, if you're "winging" it!

 

So, read up on your ports...decide WHAT you want to do...and we can help with HOW!

[John Bull]

I really loved swimming with the stingrays in Grand Cayman. It's really not as scary as it sounds. The stingrays are used to people and are very gentle. You can book online in advance or just find a guide once you get off the ship. I prefer to know where I am going and with who beforehand though.

 

 

Agreed. And the stingrays are wild and free - they congregate at a sandbank (called Stingray City) a mile or two out at sea, you're taken out there by boat. The water is clear and usually about waist deep. Take snorkelling gear for the best experience. Put Stingray City into google images and google videos.

We picked up a tour at the pier, easy & inexpensive.

 

Cozumel being an island and Tulum being on the mainland, safest to book ship's tour rather than use the ferry.

 

Jamaica really needs a tour as well. Climbing Dunns River Falls or rafting on the Martha Brae or river-tubing on the White River - to some extent depending where you port.

 

JB :)

[bigsky]

Grand caymans.... We like to do the sting ray excursion with captain marvins... Google him. Very popular!

Cozumel...we go to Chankanaab park a lot. Watch the seals for free.. Swim with dolphins. Different programs. Dh and my son watched not too far away while my dad and I swam with them. Great food and places to snorkel. Google them. Cheaper to do on your own. So many taxi's waiting to take you where you want to go. When you're done, many are there to take you back.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[bigsky]

Depending on where in Jamaica you go, Dunn's Falls is closer to one than the other. We did it once and it was nice. Wouldn't do it again. Don't wander around all over by yourself there. There was a shopping center right outside the gates and it was fine there. But wouldn't go elsewhere walking around alone.

Forget who we used, but basically had a private tour take us around and then did the Dunn's Falls and back. You'll get most of your questions answered at the Ports of Call boards.

Welcome and I'm sure you'll have a great time!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Here is another vote for swimming with the Stingrays on Grand Cayman and you can arrange that once off the ship.

[SuiteTraveler]

I highly recommend the river tubing in Jamaica on the White River - so clean - no critters in the water and there are natural chutes and rapids that make it fun and exciting but it is very safe.

 

Here is a dolphin program in Cozumel where your daughter can be the lone participant if she is over 8:

http://www. dolphin discovery .com/cozumel/chankanaab-national-park.asp

TAKE OUT THE SPACES AROUND THE WORDS "dolphin discovery"

If she is 8 or under, at least 1 parent must be a paid participant. Btw, Chankaanaab is really nice with many other things to do for the rest of the family. There is a coupon for Chankanaab you can print out from the Home page. Take a taxi from the port to Chankanaab.

 

Grand Caymen - it's all about the stingrays. Literally every tour there includes going to the stingrays. Stingrays CAN sting you and they CAN bite. Usually, they won't sting unless they feel threatened and they usually bite if they mistake you for food, as Richard Branson recently found out:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3440576/Richard-Branson-attacked-STINGRAY-Cayman-Islands-Entrepreneur-shows-injuries-says-cut-head-open-walking-glass-door.html

 

At any rate, I've been bitten by any number of fish while snorkeling but stingrays have bigger mouths and can inflict more damage than most reef fish. So, I'm not all that crazy about interacting with them when they are feeding which is what everyone does at Stingray City.

Edited February 22, 2016 by SuiteTraveler

[whataboutport]

I highly recommend the river tubing in Jamaica on the White River - so clean - no critters in the water and there are natural chutes and rapids that make it fun and exciting but it is very safe.

 

Here is a dolphin program in Cozumel where your daughter can be the lone participant if she is over 8:

http://www. dolphin discovery .com/cozumel/chankanaab-national-park.asp

TAKE OUT THE SPACES AROUND THE WORDS "dolphin discovery"

If she is 8 or under, at least 1 parent must be a paid participant. Btw, Chankaanaab is really nice with many other things to do for the rest of the family. There is a coupon for Chankanaab you can print out from the Home page. Take a taxi from the port to Chankanaab.

 

Grand Caymen - it's all about the stingrays. Literally every tour there includes going to the stingrays. Stingrays CAN sting you and they CAN bite. Usually, they won't sting unless they feel threatened and they usually bite if they mistake you for food, as Richard Branson recently found out:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3440576/Richard-Branson-attacked-STINGRAY-Cayman-Islands-Entrepreneur-shows-injuries-says-cut-head-open-walking-glass-door.html

 

At any rate, I've been bitten by any number of fish while snorkeling but stingrays have bigger mouths and can inflict more damage than most reef fish. So, I'm not all that crazy about interacting with them when they are feeding which is what everyone does at Stingray City.

 

Yes it's true but I wouldn't worry too much about it. The guides will tell you how to interact with the rays. Shuffle your feet in the sand so you won't mistakenly step on one. That is what will make them sting you, you scaring them, and they trying to defend themselves. They won't go willy nilly stinging people. They are very gentle.

 

As for the biting. You feed them with pieces of squid. You hold the squid in your fist with your thumb tucked into your fist. Last time I didn't tuck in my thumb and one ray chomped down on my thumb, but it's like cartiledge and not actual sharp teeth. It did hurt a tad, but no broken skin and not blood. Just keep that thumb tucked in and you will be fine. They mostly suck up the squid anyway.

[whataboutport]

Depending on where in Jamaica you go, Dunn's Falls is closer to one than the other. We did it once and it was nice. Wouldn't do it again. Don't wander around all over by yourself there. There was a shopping center right outside the gates and it was fine there. But wouldn't go elsewhere walking around alone.

Forget who we used, but basically had a private tour take us around and then did the Dunn's Falls and back. You'll get most of your questions answered at the Ports of Call boards.

Welcome and I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

Jamaica is not a place I would go walking around without a guide. The locals there are very aggressive, even more so than in Nassau (which I personally found the locals much more aggressive at Orient Beach on St Maartin than Nassau). Many people get offered drugs. My friend was offered drugs while she was out in the ocean swimming. Same friend was put up on a mule/donkey and held hostage until they paid for a photo. Also her brother was held up at knifepoint. When I went I didn't remember anything particularly scary but my sister reminded me there was a guy that followed us for quite a long time.

[MissyL]

Thank you all so much! This is super helpful! I'm a little scared of Jamaca now, I won't lie. I'm thinking stingrays are a must! I'm researching as much as I can. Keep the tips coming they are very much appreciated! :)

[bigsky]

Thank you all so much! This is super helpful! I'm a little scared of Jamaca now, I won't lie. I'm thinking stingrays are a must! I'm researching as much as I can. Keep the tips coming they are very much appreciated! :)

 

Dont' worry too much. Like I said, just don't wander all over by yourself. STick with an excursion and your guide.

 

Which stop in Jamaica are you going to? Would make it easier for suggestions of what to do.

[MissyL]

Well this is going to sound silly, but I have no idea. Guess I thought that all the ships docked at the same port. I actually never even thought about that. I'll have to try and check. I know we leave March 6 out of Galveston on carnival Magic. I honestly don't even know what order our stops are in. Hummmm, gotta go see if I can figure out how to find this out. Lol. Sorry, I know this sounds like I'm stupid. I'm not really, just kinda clueless on this cruise thing! Lol I have a friend of a friend that is a TA and she's booked everything for us.

[MissyL]

I do know it's Montego Bay. Is there more than 1 port there?

[whataboutport]

I googled and this was what I found:

 

Port Arrival Time Departure Time

Day 1 Galveston, TX 4:00 PM

Day 2 At Sea

Day 3 Cozumel, Mexico 7:00 AM 3:00 PM

Day 4 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 9:00 AM 5:00 PM

Day 5 Montego Bay, Jamaica 8:00 AM 4:00 PM

Day 6 At Sea

Day 7 At Sea

Day 8 Galveston, TX 8:00 AM

[MissyL]

Thank you so much!!