excursions questions???

[Warrior64]

Cruising on the Carnival Freedom with our 9-year old daughter in January. Any one have any suggestions for excursions?? We will be in Key West, Grand Caymon, and Ocho Rios. Also who did you book with??? thanks

[Sky616]

Last year when my son was 6 we did the Trolley in Key West and on one of the stops we stopped at the Hemingway Home where they have all those cats, I think around 50 to 60 that live there. Of course he loves cats though. But it was enjoyable. I belive the Conch tour train does not allow you to get on/off but the trolley does. The other 2 stops we are trying to decide this also for our Freedom cruise next October.

[crusinmama06]

First let me tell you one not to do at Key West - the glass bottom boat tour made me soooo sick. The boat was really rocking and we had to stand up to look down at the fish....first time I've ever really gotten sick on a boat.

 

The others are easy....

 

Grand Caymen - you have to go swim with the stingrays. Yes she may be a little freaked out by the stingrays, but it is a great experience. This is by far, the one excursion that the kids rave about around here. ;)

 

Ocho Rios - go climb the waterfalls. We haven't done it yet (my youngest is too young in my eyes). Jamaica is one place that you do NOT just wonder around on your own. Book a tour and have a plan. :)

[EBallgrl]

I second Stingray City in Grand Cayman, we used NativeWay Tours and thought they were great, their website offers a couple different tours that include Stingray City. If you check the individual Port of Call boards you can get answers there, there are a few very highly recommended companies available. Happy hunting! ;)

[ncmomof2]

I'll put in another vote for Stingray City. My DD loved it (and she was only 3.5 at the time) until I made her touch one -- then she freaked out!! By the time we got back to the ship, she was bragging about having touched a stingray, though! :rolleyes: I'm afraid I don't remember for sure which tour company we used -- I think it was this one. It definitely took us to 2 snorkeling sites after stingray city. It was so much nicer than the ship tour as there were only about 10 of us on the boat while the ship tours looked like they had more than a hundred all crammed into the area next to their boat -- and ours was cheaper, too!! They were also really nice about helping with our DD.

 

And, at 8, she and her friend loved the Pirate Soul Museum in Key West. They also enjoyed the aquarium, especially the touch tank, and thought the Southernmost Point was cool. My DD expressed interest in the Butterfly house, but we didn't have time to go (and we have one locally, so that was lowest on our list). We walked to all of the above (even right by the butterfly house, even though we didn't go in), so you really don't need to book a tour. The Southernmost Point was a bit of a hike, but really only because we had a 2 and 3 year old with us as well. With just the big kids (there were two 8 year olds), it would have been fine. If you don't want to walk it, I think there's a bus that would be easy to take.

 

If we were going back to Jamaica (last time we were there was that trip when DD was 3.5), we'd definitely do Dunn River Falls.

[Warrior64]

thanks for all the info. great ideas!!!!