I love cruising to Grand Cayman, or more to the point I love what I get to do when I visit that port. But I will get to that in a sec.
First lets talk about HOW we get to Grand Cayman. The cruise ship gets you 99% of the way there. But to actually set foot on the island, you will need to take a tender from the ship for the last little stretch. That is because there is not a pier built for the ships to dock. So they hang out at sea and let the little boats bring passengers in. It a short ride, maybe 15 minutes and it is neat to see the large ships sitting out there bobbing in the water waiting for you to get back.
Once you get to the port, there waiting for you, are lots and lots of “vendors” that have signs held up showing you the excursions they offer. They might even have little binders with pictures. There are so many different people offering so many different activities, it can overwhelm you. Don’t be afraid to say NO. Don’t be afraid to take a minute and think about it. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the price and lastly don’t be afraid to say YES.
(I wrote more on my opinion of none cruise line excursions on my post reviewing Costa Maya Mexico, if you are interested).
My favorite excursion, and the one I have done at least 3 times already is the Stingray City/Snorkeling one. I have always booked it after getting to port and I have always gotten a really great deal. I am also with many other passengers from the same ship, so I do not worry so much about not making it back on time. One thing I have learned about these tour operators and that is that they live off a good reputation. If they were ever not to get a group back to the ship on time, it would be the end of their business. So they make sure to factor in plenty of time to get you back.
So about swimming with stingrays. Wow want can I say besides it is freaking amazing! Yes it can be scary to see this very large creatures swimming below you and around you, even rubbing up against you. But they really are so gentle. The last thing they want to do is hurt you, they just want you to feed them, something which is also pretty crazy to experience. Their mouths are on their bottom side so they have to swim over your hand to “suck” the food in (squid if I remember right). And it takes a will of steal to keep your hand still the first time.
You also have the chance to hold one in your hands (don’t worry it still safely in the water), get a little back rub from one. Or my personal favorite, give one a kiss. The local “legend” is that kissing one gives you 7 years good luck.
After kissing one in spring 2009 I met my future husband, and by the next year I had the baby girl I though I would never have. So I for one, am a believer!
Once the visit to stingray city is done, you are taken to this reef area to snorkel. It has always seemed to me that they just spread the boats out to random spots and let you out to swim. On my last cruise the area they took us too was a bit rough. There were a lot of waves and I struggled so much I thought I was in trouble. I was able to get back to the boat, thank God, but for a minute there I was not sure I would.
When you are done and get back to the port be ready for a CRAZY LONG LINE to get a tender back to the ship. Most people that go to Grand Cayman take an excursion and most of them get back around the same time. That causes the huge back up, so be ready for it and make the most of it.
In closing I would say for sure add a visit to Grand Cayman on to your must see list. It will be totally worth is.
Oh but one last thing, this is not a poor island. The American dollar is not worth as much as their currency. So keep that in mind when you plan to have a meal or purchase something so you are not taken by surprise.
(If you want to learn about how I budget and save for my cruises check out www.CruiseWithJosie.com)
PEACE.LOVE&CRUISES to all...