| Thursday, May 21, 2009 |
Grand Cayman Shore Excursions |
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Probably the best shore excursion you can take while visiting Grand Cayman is a stingray excursion. We have done it twice, once in deeper waters and once on a sandbar. I recommend the sand bar because you can stand up in the water while visiting the stingrays. In the deepr water, you have to tread water.
You take a 30 minute boat ride from the docks to the area used by several excursion companies for the "Swim with the Sting Ray Excursions. As we left the docks, we passed some multi-million dollar homes. It seemed each one had a blue iguana (frequent sitings in Grand Cayman) in the yard. They were as common as a cat or dog in most backyards.
Anyway, once you arrive at the stingray site, you jump/climb from the boat (most hold 10-20 people). Everyone gathers around the excursion operator as he feeds the stingray. You then get to try it if you like. You hold your hand out and the stingray just swims over the top of your hand and vacuums the food right up. Cool! Feels kind of funny. The stingrays here are used to people (an everyday occurrence) and anxiously await feeding time. After feeding the stingray, you get a kiss. :) Well sort of, the operator holds the stingray momentarily while you reach down for a smooch before the stingray swims off. What is really cool is to feel them swim past your legs...they brush right up against you as they pass by.
Gotta be sure to try it when you visit Grand Cayman. I hear visiting the turtle farm is also pretty cool but haven't been there yet.
When you are ready to book, we will be happy to find you the best cruise for you at the best price. Be sure to call for the best rates as we are not able to display our discounted prices on our website. Visit www.bestcruisebuy.com or call us at 1-866-622-7447. We would love to help you!
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POSTED BY erik AT 12:00:00 AM 0 comments PERMALINK
Grand Cayman shore excursions, Swim with the stingrays |
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| Wednesday, February 04, 2009 |
Cozumel Snorkeling Excursions |
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Walking on board the catamaran, crew members hand us a buoyancy vest, fins and a mask. It’s a large boat with engines and sails. Finding a seat, we wait and enjoy the day.
Heading out for the snorkeling spot, we’re given safety instructions. The water is still a little choppy, and they anchor near the shore where a long pier helps protects us. The water is clear and beautiful, but no reef. The sandy bottom has a few rocks, yet the few fish we see are stunning. I think we’re in this location instead of another because of the waves. That’s too bad.
The sky is beautiful, the water is wonderful shades of blue and turquoise, and the temperature lovely. The crew provides excellent service with their open bar for beer and margaritas. I am especially impressed with how the crew handled a passenger who cut her foot. Fortunately it is not bad. Not only did they have appropriate first aid supplies, but the crew used a glove and disposed of the supplies in a very professional manner.
After the dive, we sail to another location for an hour at a beach. Here there is volleyball, chairs, umbrellas, two person kayaks, floats, a trampoline in the water, beer and margaritas…all included in the $60 per person charge for the entire excursion.
The trip back is relaxing and I enjoy the music and the company. Everyone is tired and in good spirits. |
POSTED BY lindie AT 12:00:00 AM 1 comments PERMALINK
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| Friday, January 30, 2009 |
Shore Excursions Cozumel
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It has been 26 years and a couple of hurricanes since Dan and I were inn Cozumel. We honeymooned here in October 1982. Back then it was a very quaint town and you had to be careful of the water…even the ice cubes. Dan ended up with Turista the last day of our trip. (If you don’t know what it is, you don’t want to. Not fun, especially when you go up in the airplane and the gas in your gut expands.)
But I digress. From the ship I can see lots of new buildings and hotels.
We plan to go on the clear bottom kayak and snorkeling excursion. Meeting at the end of the pier, we discover that choppy water doesn’t permit that. Checking into a few options we choose the catamaran, which has snorkeling and beach time.
Since it doesn’t leave for awhile, so we head off the pier, right into a new take on a tourist trap. The walkways force you to go up an escalator and over the road to a small mall. Lots of vendors are standing outside their stores vying for our attention. It is actually very well done. Two men are playing a large xylophone and the music is very nice. All I buy is a light jacket. |
POSTED BY lindie AT 12:00:00 AM 1 comments PERMALINK
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| Sunday, January 25, 2009 |
7 Mile Beach Grand Cayman |
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After the bike ride the group decides to go to Seven Mile Beach instead of heading back to NCL Jewel. We get dropped off at Calico Jack’s. The Mahi Mahi sandwiches are great. After eating we stroll down the beach a bit and back.
Our bus driver promised to pick us up at 2:30 but never showed. Since we had to get back to the ship (last tender at 3:30), most people were getting a bit nervous. Miss the tender and getting home or to the next port is our responsibility.
Another bus comes along, but it is close to 3:00. Now this is becoming an adventure, as there are already three people on the bus and our group is 18. Someone negotiates a price and makes sure the driver knows where we are going. The first two passengers had a little ways to go so the driver continued in the same direction and dropped them off. The third passenger realized our plight and got off, so we would not go further out of our way.
Arriving where the tenders are, long lines stretch for a few hundred yards. With three cruise ships loading, it took more than an hour to get on the tender. Everyone was good natured about it.
Now here is the amazing part. People were still coming at 4:30. Remember the last tender was supposed to leave for the ship at 3:30. If the tenders had been on time, those people would have been left behind! Very lucky group of people.
When you are ready to cruise, call us at 1-866-622-7447 or visit us at www.bestcruisebuy.com. We would love to share our passion with you and we provide rates better than booking directly! |
POSTED BY lindie AT 12:00:00 AM 0 comments PERMALINK
Grand Cayman, beaches, shore excursion |
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| Tuesday, January 20, 2009 |
NCL Grand Cayman Excursion |
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Huff and puff. huff and puff...
As we head out, I wonder how hard this is going to be. We’re told it is about 7 miles with minimum hills. Although it takes a bit to warm up and I stay at the end of the group, it is an enjoyable ride.
The bike is much better than the one I used at Half Moon Cay. The gears work and it’s easier to get moving because the pedal can be turned backwards to get into the best position. This is important for someone who doesn’t bike often. Once at Half Moon a few months ago and before that was probably over 20 years.
We went to Hell, Grand Cayman first. In this case, Hell is a small area where there are short spiky rock formations. Although there is a land between Hell and the ocean, the tide raises and lowers the water as it changes. The story is that at sunset there is a fiery glow…hence the name.
Other than that, there is a gift shop with lots of related items and you can purchase a postcard and have it postmarked from Hell. Cute!
Next stop is the Sea Turtle Farm. This was pretty cool. To preserve green turtles as a species, they have areas where the turtles can lay their eggs. Then they collected and incubated. The sex is controlled by the temperature of the incubation. The guide says that it is not genetically predetermined.
The farm is run by the government. Some turtles are kept for breeding, some used for turtle meat, some released into the wild when they are 2.
At the rum cake factory outlet store down the road we taste various rum cakes and rums. Yummy!
The ride back has one brief stop. I’m glad to say it was very well managed.
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POSTED BY lindie AT 12:00:00 AM 0 comments PERMALINK
shore excursions, Grand Caymans |
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| Saturday, January 10, 2009 |
NCL Shore Excursions |
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Ride a horse in the waves, take a bus around the island. Swim with the rays or dolphins? Kayak or snorkel…or do both! Glide above the island in a parasail. Shop till you drop.
Our preference is to do something out in nature that gives us a unique experience. Although we are still physically active, things like zip lines or parasailing are a bit more than we want to do. Port visits have limited time, so doing one excursion and wandering around is plenty to do.
A few tips to do what you want.
- Check out available shore excursions at NCL.com
- Book early, either before boarding or the day you board.
- The staff at the shore excursion desk is knowledgeable and experienced.
- If you can’t get what you want, get on a waiting list.
- Change your mind? Usually you can cancel by the night before at no charge.
Prices vary from $15-30 to more than $100 but most activities are under $100 per person. The cost will be put on your room bill and paid with your credit card or out of your deposit.
Be aware that weather can cause your trip to be cancelled. High winds and waves can be too much for some water activities. If that happens, excursion staff are usually around it’s likely something else can be substituted.
This trip we plan to bike in Grand Cayman and kayak/snorkel in Cozumel. I’m looking forward to it. |
POSTED BY lindie AT 12:00:00 AM 1 comments PERMALINK
shore excursions |
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| Thursday, May 01, 2008 |
Best Carribean Cruise Vacation |
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Enduring the long, dark, winters of Alaska must explain why we want to chase the sun and tropical weather for our vacations. We had always chosen Hawaii as our vacation destination, but we were ready for something different. Our daughter suggested a cruise vacation. We could visit several different places, unpack only once, and enjoy tropical weather, ocean, sandy beaches, and relax. It was the perfect idea!
Within a few weeks we were booked for our first cruise vacation, an eleven day Caribbean Cruise!
When the big day came and we set foot aboard the ship, “Wow! And ‘incredible!” were the only words we could manage. The ship was absolutely beautiful. The crew was gracious. Our cabin was everything promised. A cruise vacation was definitely the right decision for us.
We had opted for a cabin with a private balcony, which was an excellent choice! One evening while relaxing on the balcony, our daughter noticed a pod of about a dozen dolphins. They came out of the water several feet in the air in perfect unison, then right back in…they did this several times before swimming on, except for one young rebel who jumped and spun around in midair. What a treat, he gave us our own private show!
The days at sea were nothing short of wonderful. Between all the activities to choose from and time spent exploring the ship, we never lacked for anything. Our daughter attended a cooking class one day, a beauty seminar another. We took in a movie, a show, and spent lots of time at the spa…facials, spa treatments, manicures, you name it. They were there to serve, and left us feeling like celebrities. My husband learned to play Caribbean stud poker, and even won a little at the casino. Our cruise shp vacation allowed us to play hard or not at all. It was totally up to us how we spent our days.
You’ll never go hungry on a cruise. Every meal was fantastic and all the food incredible, making it hard at times to decide what to order. But, even that, we found, was not a problem. On one particular evening, I could not decide on which dessert, and jokingly said to our server, ‘I’ll have one of each.’ He laughed, and then appeared several minutes later with literally one each of every single dessert!
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POSTED BY cindy AT 12:00:00 AM 0 comments PERMALINK
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