Conquest November 20 Sailing...Day Five

[texas greeneyes]

Day five of our cruise, in the Cayman Islands, turned out quite funky and not at all as planned. We really had to overlook a lot of what happened that day so that we could enjoy the rest of the cruise. Part of it was due to the outcome of a private excursion, and part of it involved a Carnival excursion that went sour. Read on:

We awakened and breakfasted early, at the buffet, in order to tender off the ship in time to meet at the Captain Marvin’s Watersports office by 8:00 for the 8:30 Stingray and Snorkel tour. We were all looking forward to our first encounter with the stingrays, and learning how to snorkel. Our original plan was to walk from the pier to the Captain Marvin’s office, per their instructions. But due to the weather, we tendered to a different location than expected, which necessitated transportation other than on foot. When we went ashore, we were directed to a Captain Marvin’s employee called “Dreads”, who led us to a bus and told us to wait. He said he was going to get a few more passengers and would then drive us to the Captain Marvin’s office in time to begin the 8:30 tour. He left the bus engine and A/C running. It was about 7:45 AM. According to the Captain Marvin’s website, we were supposed to arrive at the office by 8:00 for our 8:30 excursion.

To make a long story short, at 8:30, all the passengers gave up, and exited the bus, its engine still running. “Dreads” remained nowhere to be found. :eek:

Eventually we located another Captain Marvin’s driver, who was very apologetic about the disappearance of “Dreads” and the subsequent time wasted by our party as a result (it was now after 9:30, and the excursion for which we were booked had long since commenced.) He explained that he had to transport the people that were already on his filled bus to the Captain Marvin’s office, but offered to return to our location to take us anywhere we wanted to go. By this time, however, it was too late to do the stingrays, with Captain Marvin’s or any other company, due to us being booked on a Carnival excursion that was scheduled to begin at 12:15.

My family and I were so very disappointed. Interacting with the stingrays was an experience we had been eagerly anticipating for months, as well as learning how to snorkel. For some of us, we may never get another opportunity to visit the Cayman Islands, and we spent a good portion of our one day there waiting for an excursion that never happened. I certainly was quite embarrassed :o to be the one in our party who, based on reviews from fellow CC’ers and others, assured everyone else that Captain Marvin’s was a well-respected and trustworthy company and not to worry that the excursion was not sponsored by Carnival.

By now it was after 10:00 and we were to meet for our Carnival excursion at 12:15, so we took the tender back to the ship to have an early lunch. We returned to shore via tender at about 12:00, and waited for the Grand Cayman Highlights Tour operator to arrive so we could begin our tour, which included the town of Hell, the Tortuga Rum factory, and the Turtle Farm. Our tour guide and bus were more than twenty minutes late arriving to begin the tour, and the tour was quite rushed.

At our first stop, the town of Hell, we were allotted exactly fifteen minutes to take photographs, purchase souvenirs, and mail the requisite postcards. Most of us were not wearing watches, and the tour operator did not make an announcement that it was time for our group to reboard, as I heard and saw other tour guides do. I apparently did not return to the bus quickly enough to please our tour guide. When I exited the souvenir shop he had already moved the bus to the other side of the building out of my view. I was inquiring of another tour operator where our bus was :confused:, when our tour guide rounded the corner and began to loudly berate me for not being on the bus already. He continued to yell at me the entire time we walked to the bus. His behavior completely shocked me and greatly embarrassed me. Then, to add insult to injury, he chose to get on the bus PA system and berate me further, for all the passengers to hear!

Needless to say, at our next stop, the Tortuga Rum Factory, I dared not leave sight of the bus. While all the other excursion guests went into the factory to sample the famous rum cakes, I stayed out next to the bus, embarrassed and in tears. (And mad as !#$%& at myself for getting all emotional and crying instead of defending myself!) :mad:

Upon returning to the bus from the factory, fellow passengers who were complete strangers approached me to tell me that what had happened was not my fault and that the tour guide was out of line. I asked how long the tour operator waited before moving the bus, and was told “Probably about two minutes.” I learned later that my party actually had to stand up and threaten to exit the moving bus so that I would not be left stranded. Keep in mind, the tour guide himself was more than twenty minutes late arriving to begin the tour, and two minutes was too long for him to willingly wait for me! Needless to say, Carnival Guest Relations has been notified about this tour operator. If and when I receive a response from Carnival regarding this complaint, I will post it here.

The rest of the excursion was uneventful, except for the rushed feeling we had throughout. We enjoyed the little time we had at the Turtle Farm and got some nice souvenirs. Though The Cayman Islands had already had more than a year to clean up after Hurricane Ivan, the damage was still evident, and quite sad to view. We passed piles and piles of debris, from downed trees to the remains of demolished buildings, scattered on either side of the road. The light rain and grey skies added to the sad look of it all as the tour guide drove us back to the pier. I, for one, was glad that our day in the Caymans was over. I plan to return in the future and have a vastly better visit…nice reason to book another cruise that stops in Cayman!

We waited in line for a good half an hour to forty-five minutes to board the tender to return to the ship. Once back on board, we went up to our cabin to get some refreshments from the soft-sided cooler, full of ice as always…thanks, Dave! Went up on deck to enjoy the music and get back into “happy mode” following our little fiascos in the Caymans. A Caribbean breeze, a drink in hand, my sisters all around me…I wasn’t complaining! ;)

Nephew (sister two’s son) had signed up that morning for the Guest Talent Show, and the rehearsal was scheduled for that afternoon, so nephew and sister two took off for that, while the rest of us just relaxed on deck.

An hour or so and a nice light buzz later, we met up with sister two back in the room to get ready for formal night 2. We kept sister four busy again as the official hairstylist. This night I wore a full length satin-lined lace dress, chocolate brown, with short handkerchief sleeves. (It just occurred to me that I didn’t mention my dress for formal night one: it was a form fitting, knee length, glittery green strapless from the forties.) When all of us were ready, we headed to the photo ops to pose for formal portraits in all our finery. This is the night we had fun with the photographer, thanks to our Billy-Bob teeth. His reaction was, as they say, priceless.

Our excursions for the following day in Cozumel had been canceled due to damage from Hurricane Wilma, so we had no plans other than getting up at our leisure and shopping near the pier. Knowing that, after dinner we did the lounge circuit again. We visited the piano bar for awhile, then stopped by the karaoke lounge. After that it was back up to the casino, where neither my new friend, the roulette table, nor my old pal, the slots, were very nice to me. Sister two and I were the last two up, until I finally left her sitting there, feeding coins into the flashing, beeping machines, and dragged myself up to the cabin at about 1:30. I told her I would wait up for her, but after ordering and eating a turkey sandwich from room service, it was after 2:00 and I just could not keep my eyes open any more. I have no idea when she finally turned in; I didn’t hear a sound when she came in, I was so beat from the long day. Once again, the ocean gently lulled me into sleep.

 

Next…day six, including my little niece’s near-miss with a “human steamroller”…

[TXParrothead]

Interesting. I would told the tour operator where to put his bus. Glad you kept your cool though.

[CordovaMom]

Sorry you had a bad experience with Capt Marvin's -- they came highly recommended to us and lived up to the recommendation. Of course it wasn't complicated by tendering in at a different spot, we just walked the two blocks to Capt Marvin's from the ship.

[texas greeneyes]

Interesting. I would told the tour operator where to put his bus. Glad you kept your cool though.

 

I did not have the presence of mind to put him in his place. :rolleyes: But, sister one told him off for me in front of the whole bus full of passengers. :D Gotta love big sisters! ;)

[texas greeneyes]

Sorry you had a bad experience with Capt Marvin's -- they came highly recommended to us and lived up to the recommendation. Of course it wasn't complicated by tendering in at a different spot, we just walked the two blocks to Capt Marvin's from the ship.

 

I emailed Captain Marvin's to let them know what happened. To their credit, they responded very quickly and apologetically. They have offered me 50% off their Stingray and Snorkel Excursion for up to five people if I visit the Caymans again.

 

This offer will not change what has already happened. Nothing can. But it does illustrate that Captain Marvin's is at least attemting to rectify what went wrong. If/when I return to the Caymans, I will give Captain Marvin's another try, because of this good faith effort.

[Mgetta]

So sorry you had two bad experiences at Grand Cayman. As you experienced, your Carnival excursion can go wrong just as well as a private cruise operator. It will be interesting to see how they respond.

[texdeb]

I hope we have better luck next month. We are using Capt. Marvins.

[texas greeneyes]

I hope we have better luck next month. We are using Capt. Marvins.

 

With as many great reviews as I have read about Captain Marvin's, I can only have the opinion that our experience was an anomaly. I am sure you will have a great excursion! Enjoy the stingrays, and please let us know how it you liked it when you return. :)

[texdeb]

Thats why we picked him because of all the good reviews.

[TexasFyre]

Can I borrow Sister #4 to do my hair on my cruise? :D ;)

[texas greeneyes]

Can I borrow Sister #4 to do my hair on my cruise? :D ;)

 

I betcha she'll be glad to accompany you on your cruise as your personal hairdresser, if you pay her cruise fare! ;)

[GioFamily]

Hi Texas, You certainly are a class act! Many other people would bash a company with an experience such as y'all had in the Caymans. Good for you for staying positive. I am enjoying your review, as we leave in February on the Conquest!

[texas greeneyes]

Hi Texas, You certainly are a class act! Many other people would bash a company with an experience such as y'all had in the Caymans. Good for you for staying positive. I am enjoying your review, as we leave in February on the Conquest!

 

GioFamily,

 

What a nice thing to say! Thank you.

 

I have to ask, where are you from, before Medford? (The "y'all" in your post begs the question. ;) )

 

Patty in Texas

[GioFamily]

Hi Patty,

You're welcome for the well deserved comment.

Born and raised in the Boston area......surprised? It's a nod to a good friend from the south and I think it just flows better than youse guys!! Mary