Trolley Roger & Stingray City Tour...HELP!!!

[talar63]

I'm trying to make arrangements for our upcoming trip & am needing some help. Our ship is in GC from 7am-4pm. The ship excursion for the trolley is at 8am & then another one at 12. But we are trying to do a stingray city tour as well thru Capt Bryan. There is a 2 1/2 hr tour @ 9:30-12 and then a 3 hr tour from 10:30-1:30. If we did the trolley at 8, would that give us enough time to get to the meeting location for Capt Bryan for the 9:30 tour, leaving the afternoon for shopping or should we do the longer tour @ 10:30-1:30 & not have much time for shopping? Is the trolley even worth doing, and can you do this on your own when you get there and not worry about booking ahead?? So many questions....but I appreciate all input!

[cruisersnorkler]

We are doing the 10:30-1:30 tour. With the confusing time difference, I think it means we actually meet the tour at 11 am ship time. This means the tour ends at 2:30 ship time at the port. With most stores right there at the port, we will have time to shop our favorites before the excursion and back to the ship a little early. In your case I would do the three hour tour which hits the highlites, save the trolly or another excursion for next time. I think your day will be more enjoyable and you won't feel rushed.

[redtop101]

My wife and I just booked with Capt. Bryan's Stingray City tour on the catamaran Hannibal in October. His web site stated that the tour was 9.30 am - 12 noon. When I got the confirmation e-mail of the booking it stated that the tour was from 8.30 am to 11.00 am and to meet at 7.45 am. This is all apparently local time in Grand Cayman which is on Central DST. Our ship of 3100 passengers doesn't start tenders until 7.00 am and they give priority tendering to passengers who have booked with the ship's tours, so to make a 7.45 am meeting time is cutting it a little fine, although the staff at Capt. Bryan's has assured me that there hasn't been a problem with this.

[cruisersnorkler]

Doesn't that mean the meeting time time would be ship time of 8:45? The ship is on a different time. Please advise, I am confused about this, except he said ship time and GC time were not the same.

[redtop101]

I am also confused over this time issue. We are on the Caribbean Princess out of Fort Lauderdale Oct 21st on the Western Caribbean itinerary. Fort Lauderdale is on Eastern time. 2 days later our ships clocks go back one hour to Central time, which is the same as local time in Grand Cayman. But I booked Capt Bryan's tour from the web because it said that the tour started at 9.30 am and I thought that would give us plenty of time to tender to shore. When the confirmation e-mail came it said the tour started at 8.30 am and to meet at 7.45 local time. Our ships clocks will be in sync with local time, when we arrive at 7.00 am giving us just 45 minutes to get off the ship. To confuse matters even more Capt. Bryan's staff person thought our ship arrived at 6.00 am - so I'm totally confused.

 

I just hope that someone on the Caribbean Princess who is also taking this 8.30 am tour this summer will post a response to let us know exactly what is happening with these mixed messages concerning times.

[talar63]

we are sailing on the Rhapsody, which leaves Galveston, TX (time zone central standad) & I always thought the ship was set to whatever time zone you left from, e.g. leaving Miami, EST, ship is on EST. So if the Rhapsody is CST & Grand Cayman is CST, isn't that the SAME time?? I "spoke" with the live chat person on the Capt Bryans website & she indicated that the ship actually arrives @6 am, but according to the intinerary, it comes in @ 7am! I don't know what to do....we have 2 older people who don't think they want to do the stingrays, but 3 teenagers & mom (me!) who does. I thought originally we would try to do the trolley all together,then split up, but it's just getting more & more complicated. Does anyone know if that trolley is available independently or do you have to do a ship tour? I can't seem to find any info other than thru the ship...

[cruisersnorkler]

I was told, RCCL stays on Miami time, not GC time, when going to GC. I believe that if the ship arrives at 7am--which mine does--I was told it was actually 6am GC time. The immediate town is not that big. The shops are steps off the pier. The Trolley doesn't interest us but you may like it. I would not chance missing a snorkling tour for the trolley. If I was in your group, the ones doing the trolley would do that, the ones doing Cpt. Bryan do that. You'll have interesting stories to tell each other at dinner. It is too hard to please everyone. Your time is limited, make the most of it doing what you really want to do.

[cruisersnorkler]

The Miami time is probably where Cpt Bryon is getting the 6am time. Did he understand you were leaving from Tx? RCCL shore ex desk might be able to help you with time issue. When you call main number ask to talk to them--I think they are only open during the week.

[TxRose]

When coming from Texas on Daylight Savings Time, Grand Cayman and Texas are the same time zone. Check out this link. Maybe that will help your dilemma.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=377

[lorriv20]

I am also confused over this time issue. We are on the Caribbean Princess out of Fort Lauderdale Oct 21st on the Western Caribbean itinerary. Fort Lauderdale is on Eastern time. 2 days later our ships clocks go back one hour to Central time, which is the same as local time in Grand Cayman. But I booked Capt Bryan's tour from the web because it said that the tour started at 9.30 am and I thought that would give us plenty of time to tender to shore. When the confirmation e-mail came it said the tour started at 8.30 am and to meet at 7.45 local time. Our ships clocks will be in sync with local time, when we arrive at 7.00 am giving us just 45 minutes to get off the ship. To confuse matters even more Capt. Bryan's staff person thought our ship arrived at 6.00 am - so I'm totally confused.

 

I just hope that someone on the Caribbean Princess who is also taking this 8.30 am tour this summer will post a response to let us know exactly what is happening with these mixed messages concerning times.

 

I am very glad to see your post; as I am booking my excursions now. My DH and I will be celebrating (early) our 25th wedding Anniv. I am going to look in to the time change thing with all operators. I have been looking at SOTOS, Buccanneer and Nativeway. Please let me know if you find anything else out.

[MaddyDarby]

Just as a side note, we had a spectacular experience with Moby Dick Tours last week and they have a sort of 'rolling' schedule. They worked with us very carefully as we were only in port from 7-2 (go figure that). They have 3 boats and work to get groups together who are on the same general time schedule to help you with tender times, etc. The crew and both stops were terrific and we pre-booked for $35/adult and $30/kid, while my 3 year old was free. The ship would have charged me $45 a head.

[talar63]

We just got back from our Rhapsody cruise & since the ship left from TX (CST) there was NO time change at all...tendering process was quick, we were off by 8:15 am & walked to Capt Bryan's & there by 8:45. Everyone else was already there, so we left a little early & had a great time on the excursion. I would highly recommend this tour company....great time was had by all!!