Mad OYE !!! WWYD??

[cruisinmama]

Ok, I called RCI as we are planning on booking an excursion in GC...and I asked how they allow passengers to get off the ship at the Ports..well this snotty bag.."not the word I would like to use"...said well why ?? I said we booked a private tour...she says Why would you even book a private tour when the ship has their own??? I said well this company came highly recommended and we like the one we signed up for.

She said well then you take the chance that you won't make it,as we let OUR "louder when she spoke" booked excursion passenegrs off first..

So I will email our TA, but does anyone know how it works.. we haven't been on a ship this large b/4 so not sure how it works..

I have to make a deposit on our private booked one, but I hate to waste that money if I don't have a hope or a prayer of getting off in time..

Thanks

:undecided:

[Bodger]

Just walk off the ship and go meet your party. If the ship docked at 8 AM I would probably schedule for 8:30 or 9AM.

It is only an issue if you are tendering. Then you have to go to a meeting place and get a tender ticket.

It may be new to you but the tour operator has done this many times. Take your queue from them. Don't sweat the little things and have a good time. Oh yes, get back at least 30 minutes before the ship sails.

Bodger

[cruisinmama]

Thanks for replying...we are tendering..so can I still get off in time for a 10:00 eastern time..??

is Grand Cayman on Eastern time?? have to check on that..

Thanks again

[DaCruzNut]

I wouldn't schedule any shore excursion, in Garand Cayman, less than two hours after docking. It's definately true that the ship's shore excursion passengers get to disembark first, and they fill the first few tenders. You will have to get a ticket for a tender.

[cruisinmama]

Thanks Jeff...

Ok, the ship docks at 7:00am..and the latest we can meet up for the tour is 10:00am.. as they told us the time not us picking...now with 6 other ships in the same day.. not sure if they are the exact same times...

But does that make a difference??

Thanks :smiley:

[DaCruzNut]

cruisinmama-

I'm slightly puzzled.....

There are only a limited number of things to do in Grand Cayman (not one of my favorite stops)...

A tour of the island. with stops at the Turtle Farm, Seven Mile Beach and Hell;

Swimming with the stingrays;

The Atlantis Submarine (one of mt favorites-done it 3 times)

Glass-Bottom Boat;

My alltime favorite-going to the Tortuga Rum Cake Factory, ordering a slice of rum cake and coffee, and people watching....

The cost for these is the same with the ship excursion as private, usually.

Is there something I'm missing? Why do you need a private shore excursion?

I can see it in a lot of other ports, but Grand Cayman?

By the way, I think Seven-Mile Beach was definately nemed by a man; it's only 5 1/2 miles long :grin: :grin:

[jbond]

With six ships in, tendering could take some time. We've been to GC several times with RCI and never had a problem getting off the ship. RCI issues tendering tickets, just get up early and pickup your tickets at the pursers desk. On all our RCI cruises, ships tours have been intermingled with regular passenger tendering. As for customer service with RCI, my experience is they don't know too much, they try to wing it, and you will get a different answer if you call back and get another rep.

On some of the other boards, the biggest problem with GC private tours has been the time difference. Make sure your tour operator and you are on the same time.

I tend to agree with Jeff about a private tour, not a big difference in price. Which tour are you taking?

[cruisinmama]

Hi Jeff and jbond

I was going to take the Native Way, Stingray and Island Tour ... we have to meet by 10:00am, we tender at 7:00am, if we are on time of course..I did calll RCI again this am and got a very nice lady. she said yes when you tender Cruiseline excursions are allowed off first....I did ask if we would be off by 10:00 am and she said it might be a tight fit and we should try for a later time..but thats the only time we can...

I did check all other Ships ..there are 3 in at the same time as us...

I'd hate to pay all that money and miss the Tour and be out the money...

I forgot to add its $ 85.00 more for the ships Tour....to me thats enough to take the private tour...

We have never been to GC, so I'm looking forward to it..and they changed our next Port after GC to Costa Maya and I think we will just walk around for that one..

Thanks for any help

:smiley:

[DaCruzNut]

I don't want to be negative, but, as I said, Grand Cayman is not one of my favorite ports, by far.

The island is flat, with very little scenery. Most of the houses are typical British island homes There's very little in the way of scenery.

Hell is a small rock formation that is interesting, but nothing terrific. The big claim to fame is the "Hell" postmark and t-shirts that proclaim, "I've been to Hell!"

The Turtle Farm is interesting.

The Atlantis submarine is terrific!The views, 100 feet down the Cayman wall, are nothing less than spectacular!

The glass-bottom boat is really very nice, with good views of the reef.

I've never done it, but the swimming with the stingrays is supposed to be great.

Shopping is not so hot, and prices are high. The economy of Cayman is based on banking and insurance, and is very high, for the Caribbean.

The Cayman dollar is higher than the U.S. dollar. You won't find many bargains. e.g. Black coral jewelry that sell for several hundred dollars as $50 - $60, and is nicer, in Cozumel...

[cruisinmama]

Hmm, so is it worth any of the Tours then?? as we also have to do the exchange from USA - Can as our dollar sucks big time...so $200.00 is more like another 40-45 dollars on top of that...

I thouht the Stingrays would be fun for the kids....so I think your saying even with the exchange $250.00 buckaroo's to spend in GC isn't worth it??

Okie dokie..

Thanks :smiley: