5/25/06 review - Nativeway/Seagrape Beach vrs. Captain Marvins.

[larie]

We were in Grand Cayman last week. We decided to try Nativeway as we went with Captain Marvins the prior time. I must say I thought both companies were very comparable and can't say one was better than the other. I would base my trip on who had the better time to accomodate me. Stingray city was overly crowed this time. The tour guides had to go find a ray and let us touch it and hold it. Last time we were there, the stingrays were swimming all around us and were everywhere. It just depends on how may boats are there which is obviously uncontrollable. We still had a great time and the snorkling at the coral gardens was very good. We were dropped off at Seagrape beach and could have stayed there forever. The beach and water were exquisite. My kids had a blast and do did we. We didn't rent any water toys as were tight on time. Bring your money though, as things are quite expensive. We had lunch there and 5 of us shared 3 meals and we were all full. Again, expensive, but good. There were 5 ships when we were there. It still felt managable until we got back to the tender line. It was very long. Bring your water and sunscreen for the line back. Beautiful day. By the way, we got off the ship early to shop before our excursion. We had to wait for the shops to open. They don't open until 8:45 or 9:00 local time.

[slineberry528]

We will be in Grand Cayman on July 4th. We are interested in just going to the beach. Can we tell the cab driver to drop us off at Seagrape beach? It sounds wonderful.

[finoky]

We used Nativeway this past April and had them drop us off at Sea Grape. It was easy to grab a cab for the trip from there back to the tenders. I posted a few pics in a thread a while back. Here is the link.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=320287

[twinkletoes4445]

We will be in Grand Cayman on July 4th. We are interested in just going to the beach. Can we tell the cab driver to drop us off at Seagrape beach? It sounds wonderful.

 

Sea Grape is at the far end of 7MB. The cab drivers don't like to go that far down because they charge $5 per person each way (so the closer they drop you off, the sooner they can get back to pick up more people). Be insistant that you want to go to SG. It's across from the Courtyard Marriott, and past the new Ritz. Traffic tends to get snagged up there, so allow plenty of time to get back to the ship. Everytime we drove by SG, there were cabs lined up waiting to take people back to the port. The cabs aren't regular yellow cabs, but white van-type cabs (at least we didn't see any of the yellow types).

 

Another option is Royal Palms. It offers a beach, food, water toy rentals...the same as SG.

 

We drove past SG many times, and although we never stopped, it looked very nice. If we to ever visit GC on a cruise ship, I'd head straight to SG or Royal Palms.

[zydecocruiser]

I consider Sea Grape to be closer to the middle than the end - Cemetery Beach being the end or close enough. Sea Grape is adjacent to Marriott Coutyard so you can go to either at will, but I think that is the dividing line between taxi rates. It might a a buck cheaper per person to go to Sea Grape.

[twinkletoes4445]

I consider Sea Grape to be closer to the middle than the end - Cemetery Beach being the end or close enough. Sea Grape is adjacent to Marriott Coutyard so you can go to either at will, but I think that is the dividing line between taxi rates. It might a a buck cheaper per person to go to Sea Grape.

 

Sea Grape really isn't "at the end," but from our stays there, I considered it to be at the far end of the beach area that has food, water toys, etc. The cabbies would prefer to drop tourists closer than Sea Grape (and often do), because it's so far down the road...and it does tend to get congested. I don't think Cemetery Beach offers food, water rentals, or restrooms. I think it's just a beach...you have to bring everything you want to eat, and your own snorkel equipment. I think the next time we are there, we're going to visit Cemetery Beach. Is it close enough to Sea Grape that you can walk there and use their facilities? For some reason, I just can't remember how far apart they are. :)

[zydecocruiser]

Sea Grape really isn't "at the end," but from our stays there, I considered it to be at the far end of the beach area that has food, water toys, etc. The cabbies would prefer to drop tourists closer than Sea Grape (and often do), because it's so far down the road...and it does tend to get congested. I don't think Cemetery Beach offers food, water rentals, or restrooms. I think it's just a beach...you have to bring everything you want to eat, and your own snorkel equipment. I think the next time we are there, we're going to visit Cemetery Beach. Is it close enough to Sea Grape that you can walk there and use their facilities? For some reason, I just can't remember how far apart they are. :)

 

No facilities at Cemetery. You can walk anywhere if you have enough time, but I'd guess it is about 2.5-3 miles.

 

These people say $14 rt pp to Cemetery. I may try them next time...

http://www.stingraycabandtours.com/bookings.htm

[twinkletoes4445]

No facilities at Cemetery. You can walk anywhere if you have enough time, but I'd guess it is about 2.5-3 miles.

 

These people say $14 rt pp to Cemetery. I may try them next time...

http://www.stingraycabandtours.com/bookings.htm

 

That's not too bad of a distance. Is the entrance to the beach right by the cemetery? We didn't get out and explore this part of the beach, but I wished we had. One day when we drove by, there was a funeral going on. When you go to the beach, do you know if you part in the area right in front of the cemetery? We should have taken the time to explore that area more, but it seemed like our week there filled up quickly.

 

Thanks for the info on the tour company. Their prices look good. The other day, a poster was looking for a tour company to take them around the island. It looks like this company does this. I'd not seen this offered before.

[woodofpine]

We went to Cemetary Beach after an outing with Captain Marvin's. There are no facilities there but its a pleasant fairly empty section of beach. There is a public beach access path that runs from the road outside of and along the side of the cemetary so you're not intruding or traffic desecrating the cemetary. The cemetary does come right up to the sands of the beach though so its a little unusual as a setting. Naturally, most beach goers angle off a little ways...

 

I went with my family of 6. I don't remember the "taxi" being as expensive as reported, say 7-8 pp one way, (I think I would have remembered THAT) We returned to the pier using a public transport van/mini-bus so I'm not sure that we were using a "taxi" or public transit...

[twinkletoes4445]

Thanks for the information. We're going back in January, so we're going to make sure and stop at this beach then. Our week there went so fast...we kept driving by there, mentioning that we should stop...but we never did.

[oliviaonthe beach]

for those wanting to avoid cabbies dropping them off someplace other than Sea Grape Beach, would it work to request drop off at the Courtyard Marriott instead to avoid the potential conflict since it is across the street?

[twinkletoes4445]

for those wanting to avoid cabbies dropping them off someplace other than Sea Grape Beach, would it work to request drop off at the Courtyard Marriott instead to avoid the potential conflict since it is across the street?

 

That's an excellent idea. But you also have to be careful they don't drop you ar the Marriott Beach, which is a lot closer to the port area. :)

[katie286]

Do you mean that if we ask a cabbie to bring us to Sea Grape Beach, they will take you somewhere else? Do they all know where Sea Grape Beach is?:confused:

[twinkletoes4445]

Do you mean that if we ask a cabbie to bring us to Sea Grape Beach, they will take you somewhere else? Do they all know where Sea Grape Beach is?:confused:

 

Yes, they know where Sea Grape is, it's just that they are paid the same amount of money no matter where they go along the 7MB area (you may have to pay more to go past Sea Grape). They would prefer to drop you off closer, so they can get back to the port area and pick up other passengers. I've read about this many times here on this board.

 

If you want to go to Sea Grape, just be insistant. It's past the new Ritz, and across from the Courtyard Marriott. I remember someone wanting to go to Sea Grape and they were dropped elsewhere and were not happy.

 

Another option would be Royal Palms. It's closer and has the same type of things that Sea Grape offers. I don't know which has the better beach area...but I'm sure someone who has been to both would be able to tell you this. We've not been to either (we stayed at a condo on the beach and only used that area), but they both look very nice and if I were to visit GC again on a cruise ship, I'd be very happy at either place. :)

[cruislovin]

Has anyone been to Sea Grape and the Royal Palms? What is the difference between them? Does either one have snorkeling available?

 

Where is the Royal Palms located?