EXCURSIONS TERRESTRES

Two of Grand Cayman's most popular activities, visiting the Turtle Farm and literally going to Hell, are included on this cruise tour. Sit back, relax and enjoy the highlights of Grand Cayman.

Your tour begins in George Town - this prosperous capital ranks as the fifth-largest financial center in the world - with a guided drive along Seven Mile Beach, briefly stopping along the way to capture once-in-a-lifetime snapshots. Continue on to quaint local neighborhoods on your way to the Gingerbread House, followed by a stop at Hell, a small tourist village known for its unusual inferno rock formations.

After a 'hell' of an experience, you'll visit the Turtle Farm, home of the world-famous green sea turtle. On the way back to the pier, you’ll make a brief stop at one of Cayman's rum cake outlets.

OVERVIEW

Interact with southern stingrays on a shallow sandbar and observe an abundance of other marine life by snorkeling a barrier reef off Grand Cayman. A scenic cruise along beautiful Seven Mile Beach will bring you to Stingray City, a collection of sandbars teeming with stingrays. These graceful creatures may look somewhat ominous, but they are docile and shy, often burying most of their flat bodies in the sand. While swimming with the stingrays, you might feed them, run your hands over their sandpaper-like skin or simply allow them to brush by. The stingrays that inhabit this particular sandbar are quite friendly and accustomed to sharing the water with people. After cruising to a nearby reef, you will see many of the other marine creatures that live in the crystal-clear waters. Among the most colorful are queen parrotfish, red-and-white striped squirrelfish and silvery yellow French grunts, whose name refers to the noise they make by grinding their teeth.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Visit a series of shallow sandbars with so many stingrays that it’s called Stingray City.
• Feed and touch the stingrays or simply watch them from a distance.
• Snorkel a barrier reef and observe the other marine life that lives off Grand Cayman.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

The Dolphin Encounter is a unique opportunity to meet these incredible mammals up close and personal in waist-deep water. Experience first-hand the connection of a lifetime, while our marine mammal specialist guides you through all the fun and excitement. While enjoying the encounter, you will also gain important knowledge about conservation and education about bottlenose dolphins. Following a brief educational session into the world of our dolphins, you will also gain important knowledge on the conservation of our amazing dolphins and be given demonstration on proper hand placements for each behavior to better prepare our guests for a great experience. Our Dolphin Encounter program is specially designed for visitors of all ages looking for an in-water experience with a dolphin. In this program, guests will be able to experience multiple behaviors, including an unforgettable hug, the infamous hand target and a heartfelt handshake with our playful friend. Guests will be standing on a submerged platform for the entirety of the program.

Our talented photographers will be there during the entire program capturing your experience of a lifetime. Before heading back to your ship, relax on a motorized boat with shaded areas while you head to Cayman's famous Sand Bar to interact with southern stingrays in their own natural habitat.

OVERVIEW

Ride a bicycle around the beautiful West Bay district, stopping along the way at attractions that best characterize Grand Cayman. You will begin at Morgan’s Harbor and before long pedal down country lanes and through lovely residential neighborhoods. The winding route will become a bit more rugged as you approach Boatswain’s Bay, where phosphate mining once flourished. Other points of interest include the Cobalt Coast, which was named for the sea’s brilliant blue color, and Hell, an infernal-looking expanse of jagged black limestone that lies inland. You will also stop to sample a selection of cakes infused with locally distilled rum before traveling on to Seven Mile Beach, a crescent-shaped stretch of sand on the island’s west coast. You might lie back in a lounge chair and bask in the sun, stroll along the lengthy shoreline and take a refreshing swim in the sea. You could also dine on your own.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Pedal a bicycle along a spectacularly scenic route in the island’s West Bay district.
• Follow the shoreline through beautiful areas such as Boatswain’s Bay and the Cobalt Coast.
• Stop in Hell, an ungodly looking spot named for its jagged black limestone formations.
• Spend free time relaxing on Seven Mile Beach.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Walk through a series of inland caves formed eons ago and admire the island’s natural beauty while driving along the coast. Pirates once used the Crystal Caves as hideouts and legend has it that treasures are still buried in their depths. While following a winding trail through the ancient caverns, you will see eerily illuminated stalactites and stalagmites, a glass-smooth underground lake and a cave whose ceiling collapsed ages ago. The guide will describe how the caves were formed and the wonders that lie within them. Back on the surface, you will settle in for a panoramic coastal drive, during which you will pause for photos at the Wreck of the Ten Sail memorial. It commemorates the convoy 10 British ships that wrecked on the reefs just offshore in 1794 in a massive maritime disaster. You will also stop to witness the coastal blowholes that spew ocean water as high as 20 feet into the air..

HIGHLIGHTS

• Follow a guide through the Crystal Caves, which pirates once used as hideouts.
• View a collection of coastal geysers that spray water spectacularly high into the air.
• Stop at a memorial that marks where 10 ships wrecked on the reefs in the 18th century.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See the natural wonders of Grand Cayman that lie below the water’s surface, along the coast and inland and come away with an understanding of the island’s many charms. For a look at the teeming marine life that inhabits the coral reefs, you will glide through the sea in an air-conditioned Nautilus semi-submersible submarine. Expect to see an ever-changing parade of brightly colored fish, an old shipwreck and perhaps a sea turtle or two. Back on shore, you will pause for photos at gorgeous Seven Mile Beach and then go straight to Hell, a sinister-looking patch of jagged black limestone that lives up to its name. There is even post office there, if you wish to send a card from Hell. Grand Cayman is also known for its outstanding rum cakes, several of which you can sample along with a variety of premium rums that may be flavored with coconut or banana.

HIGHLIGHTS

• View the underwater wonders while gliding over reefs in a semi-submersible submarine.
• Walk along crescent-shaped Seven Mile Beach and snap photos of the gorgeous scenery.
• Stop in Hell, an ungodly looking spot named for its jagged black limestone formations.
• Sample a selection of premium rums and moist cakes made with flavored rums.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Paddle a kayak along beautiful mangrove-lined Camana Bay and spend free time in the waterfront town of the same name. After a briefing to ensure that you maximize the experience, you will ease into a two-seat kayak and follow the guide into the bay. The mangroves are protected because of their environmental benefits. You will notice that the exposed intertwined roots of the mangroves form a protective cage of sorts above the water, which provides an ideal breeding area for fish and other marine life. Mangroves also stabilize the coastline and filter the water, keeping it crystal-clear. It makes for a wonderfully serene setting. Be sure to look for wildlife, especially birds that find shelter in the thick mangroves. Upon arriving in the town of Camana Bay in the heart of Seven Mile Beach, you will be free to explore on your own. The shopping is excellent in this delightful setting with a New Urbanism design.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kayak through environmentally protected Camana Bay, which is lined with mangrove forests.
• Enjoy the serenity of the setting while looking for wildlife that thrives in the mangroves.
• Explore the town of Camana Bay, which features an appealing New Urbanism design.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Drop by three attractions that best represent the unique character of Grand Cayman, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. In the island’s northwestern interior, you will get a good look at an eerie expanse of jagged black limestone that was named for its appearance – Hell. There is even a Hades-themed post office where you can send a card from Hell. A slice of heaven awaits you at a nearby rum cake factory, where you will sample delicious Tortuga-brand cakes infused with rum. A tour will reveal the array of products made there, including rum liqueur coffees and red-hot pepper sauces. You will enjoy another tasting at Seven Fathoms, a distillery that ages its spirits on the ocean floor at a depth of 42 feet or seven fathoms. The ocean keeps the casks at a constant temperature and the currents gently rock the spirits inside to extract the optimal flavors from the oak barrels.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stop in Hell, an ungodly looking spot named for its jagged black limestone formations.
• Sample a selection of moist cakes made with flavored rums at the Tortuga rum cake factory.
• Taste a selection of spirits aged on the ocean floor, which imparts them with unique flavors.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Sample some of Grand Cayman’s most characteristic rum, beer and cuisine and discover how they are produced using locally sourced ingredients. Rum has long been associated with the Caribbean as it is typically made with sugar or molasses, two products prevalent in the islands. Grand Cayman is no exception as you will discover while touring a rum distillery, after which you will be offered a tasting of the spirit. The island may be even more well-known for its cakes made with barrel-aged spiced rum, which you will enjoy during another sampling. An enlightening tour and tasting at a local brewery will reveal some of the tropical flavors such as mango that are used in the production of beer. Although jerk-style cooking may have originated in Jamaica, it has long been long popular on Grand Cayman. However, the spices can be somewhat different, which you will likely notice at yet another sampling.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour a rum distillery, a rum cake factory and a brewery on Grand Cayman.
• Sample a variety of spirits, beers and the island’s signature rum cake.
• Enjoy a tasting of jerk-style cuisine that is characteristic of the Cayman Islands.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a panoramic drive around eastern Grand Cayman with stops at iconic attractions before dining at a characteristic waterfront restaurant. The island is known for its rum cakes, and you will enjoy a tasting that will confirm why they are so popular. The blowholes along the rocky shore are among the more outstanding natural features. It will be quite the sight to watch the incoming waves force ocean water up through vertical shafts along the coast and create epic geysers up to 20 feet high. That same shoreline was once extremely treacherous as you will discover at the Wreck of the Ten Sail memorial. It commemorates the convoy 10 British ships that wrecked on the reefs just offshore in 1794 in a massive maritime disaster. Amazingly, only six people lost their lives. Later, at the beachfront Eastern Star Bar & Fish Fry, you will dine on traditional Cayman cuisine.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See the attractions in eastern Grand Cayman on a relaxing panoramic drive.
• View coastal geysers that spray spectacularly high into the air.
• Pause at a memorial to an 18th-century maritime disaster where 10 ships wrecked on the reefs.
• Dine on authentic Cayman cuisine at a beachfront restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy the surrounding natural beauty and irrepressible charm of George Town through signature attractions that present an overall picture of the capital of the Cayman Islands. A cultural dance performance will set the stage for your exploration, which will include an enlightening tour of a rum distillery and a tasting of the spirit. Still, it is the island’s tropical scenery that may leave the most lasting impression. While pausing for photos at Camana Bay, you will see how this New Urbanist town naturally complements its seaside setting. A bit inland, you will visit Hell, a sinister-looking patch of jagged black limestone that lives up to its name. There is even post office if you wish to send a card from Hell. In contrast, Seven Mile Beach will seem paradisiacal. You will be free to relax however you wish on this long crescent of white sand that rims the beautiful turquoise sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a scenic drive in and around George Town with enlightening stops along the way.
• Watch a cultural dance performance and tour a rum distillery.
• Pause for photos in lovely Camana Bay and at a hellish-looking patch of black limestone.
• Relax on Seven Mile Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on Grand Cayman.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Take a short drive in air-conditioned comfort to Dolphin Discovery where you’ll begin your journey of fun and excitement. The highlight of your stay will be when you see the family of beautiful bottlenose dolphins at play in their natural habitat. You’ll begin your Dolphin Swim experience with a brief orientation, and then enter deep water where you’ll be introduced to these friendly dolphins. Get ready for an experience of a lifetime! Feel the magical thrill of "riding" the dolphin belly to belly. Get to know the dolphins and even enjoy a kiss or two. Professional Photographers are there to capture your memories and experience of a lifetime.

Next, you’ll take a short bus ride over to the Yacht club where you’ll board a spacious boat with shaded areas for a 30 minute ride to Grand Cayman’s famous Stingray City Sandbar. Here you’ll interact with and feed dozens of Southern Stingrays in the wild. Then return to the Yacht club before being transported back to George Town for optional shopping.