Renting a car

[coaster]

Have always rented a car on our past stops in Grand Cayman. Looked at the ship calendar and there will be 18,000 unloading there on April 10th. Seems like a huge number compared to past visits. Anyone else been there when there has been so many large ships in port? We will be on a baby sized one with only 2,000 passengers on the Rhapsody of the Seas.

[drew sailbum]

With that many it will be a busy day. The major tourist spots may be noticeably more crowded. I like to suggest renting a car and exploring away from the crowds. Many rental companies will pick you up near the port and take you to their airport office to complete the rental. One local company, Cayman Auto Rentals, is on the waterfront and within walking distance of the port.

 

There might be a traffic backlog coming back into town from the Seven Mile beach area in the afternoon. If you are planning a stop in that part of the island do it in the morning and head east afterwards so you don't get stuck in the afternoon traffic.

 

Drive east and see Pedro Castle and the Botanic Park. Enjoy a nearly empty beach at Coe Wood Beach right in the heart of Bodden Town. Shop for crafts at Pure Art on South Church St. Or just make a drive around the less populated East End of the island.

[coaster]

Have used Cayman Auto Rentals every time in the past with great results. Was concerned about even trying to navigate the roads on a busy day. You brought up a good point about going east. We have always done a full loop and visited both sides and stopping at random places along the way. This time we might just stick to the less crowded side. Not big on the beaches on Seven Mile beach anyway as we have enough here in Florida. Thank you so much for your input Drew! A local is even better!

 

Any good snorkeling spots on the east side? Have only done it at Cracked Conch in the past on the west side.

Edited March 27, 2018 by coaster

[Ron Don]

We have rented a car from both Cayman Auto Rentals and Andy's Auto Rentals while in the Caymans. Cayman Auto Rentals is a little closer walking but Andy's will come pick you up in port and is just across from the Marriott. While there is a larger choice here, Cayman Auto has changed their rental policy lately and is only allowing rentals to be booked 30 days in advance, so if there are several ships in harbor that day, they may not have availability. Andy's will allow booking 9 months in advance so you can have a better chance to get a vehicle. There are also cars available at the airport but you have to get from the dock to the airport (about $20 US) but the cost is generally higher than from the local companies. I hope this helps.