Buckaroo's Dad
<font color=green>Will suffer in happiness rather
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2002
- Messages
- 1,960
There isn't enough cyberspace here at the Dis for yours truly to write a day-by-day trip report. Being long-winded is one thing. Emulating - as I tend to do - a wind-tunnel is another. Instead, I've decided to recount various "highlights" of our August 16th Magic Western Caribbean cruise. Hopefully these snipets of experiences aboard ship and ashore will provide useful information, dispel useless rumors (including, but not limited to, the ever-insipid piece of DIStaste - pun intended - that there ISN't a crew orgy available for passenger participation) and bring a smile or two to the faces of those choosing to read the whole darn post. By the way, a wealth of additional information concerning our cruise can be found in the trip reports admirably prepared and furnished by ThreeCircles.
Grand Cayman. Having taken a less than satisfactory island land-'n-sea tour last year, I made reservations for my son and I on the late morning Captain Marvin's Stingray City And Snorkeling Tour. At this time in Grand Cayman history all cruise ships must tender passengers ashore. Since there is no way to ascertain an exact departure/arrival time concerning the tenders, I recommend allowing yourself at least 47 minutes between boarding the tender and transferring to/from the Magic.
The tenders we have taken all sport 3 levels. The open-air top (aka the penthouse) seems to suit most leather-skinned passengers dark enough from their tanning rituals to become honorary members of the NAACP. A series of stairs toward the front and rear section of this outdoor penthouse lead down onto another open-air seating area (aka the balcony). From both sections the forward view is remarkably breathtaking. Not as dramatic in appearance as, say, the New York City skyline, but still in all a most Caribbeanesque array of pastel colors framed by alluringly blue ocean waters and a bleached blue sky. A second set of stairs near those to/from the "penthouse" lead into the tender's lower, shaded seating. Proving that older is (usually) wiser, these "mezzanine" seats are more often than not filled with passengers representing the former and current national speed limits: 55+.
Much like the tram at Orlando International Airport, these tenders are not intended to provide public amusement-park rides for DCL passengers. However, should inclement weather arrive while you are on shore, the tenders can easily be transformed into low technology thrill machines. I didn't notice any seasick bags, so the old biddies probably remained on the ship. (I apologize for the digression, folks. Couldn't resis that one... ).
I had arranged to meet Linda, Ed, Sarah and Debbie (Hannosmom) and Scott and Don (Marcotta) at the Walt Disney Theatre in order to secure tender boarding tickets. (Wow, that line is certainly loaded with potential). "Buckaroo" and I took the elevator down from deck 8. I know, I know. Use the stairs. Unfortunately, "Buckaroo's" mantra is "Use the Elevators." When the elevator doors opened on deck 4, a CM blocked everyone from exiting. They told us passes were no longer necessary to board the tenders and that the Walt Disney Theatre was emptying. Ok. "Buckaroo" and I continued on the elevator to deck 1. Our cards were scanned and we boarded the tender, walking across the "mezzanine" section and climbing the stairway to the "balcony." (Well, it makes sense to ME - lol). We sat down on bench-like abutments along the front, allowing for a panoramic view of Grand Cayman - the international banking mecca of the Caribbean and beyond.
Ouch! Yes, it was hot. Very hot. The kind of hot that heightens a man's desire and loosens a woman's morals. I've since been thinking of buying a space heater for my office to try and accomplish there an identical female reaction... Anyway. It was so hot even my sweat was sweating. DCL provides a cold water station located on the dock right by the tenders. If you're cruising during the excessively warm summer season, you'll be grateful Disney established this amenity for their guests.
It's an easy stroll from the dock to Captain Marvin's offices. They are located in a small strip mall a few blocks from the docks, on the side of the street opposite from (facing) the ocean. The office, which has a lot of tourist items for sale, is air conditioned. The refreshingly cold air certainly makes the tourist items more interesting to peruse than they actually are. I bought "Buckaroo" and I each a bottle of coke. I was done with mine before the dear lad could emit his first burp.
Soon the rest of the group arrived and we were transported over to the tour boats. Two mid-sized tour buses were necessary to accommodate the entire group. Many Disers were there. "Buckaroo" sat on the forward section of the boat, sharing his insights on life and stingrays with Debbie. I sat on the upper area of the boat, and became engaged in a conversation with Lisa (mad4themouse). It turns out her children, DS Tommy and DD Angela, take their karate lessons at the same studio as my nephews Geoff and Dan. Lisa has spent many an evening passing the time in conversation with my sister-in-law! If the world were any smaller, my ex would probably end up a postal worker on Castaway Cay...
Accompanying our tour group was a lovely Grand Cayman lass who videotaped our at-sea shore excursion. As we were approaching the first snorkeling stop, the girl began putting on a wetsuit. I started to wonder if she knew something we didn't. She smiled and told us the wetsuit was merely personal preference. Ok. I just didn't want any surprises aside from those routine surprises anticipated by Captain Marvin's crew...
If you wish to read about how enjoyable our first stop was for snorkeling, then you're destined for disappointment. I figure why take up space describing the crystal-clear water and exotic marine life available for viewing. Those are givens (no relation to Iron Mike's Robin)...
Next stop: Stingray City. What an amazing testament to support humanity's faith in a Divine Designer. God surely put in overtime creating this marvel. The shallowness of the sandbar (akin to the lack of depth found in those who refuse to comprehend my sense of humor - oops, sorry Michelle) bodes well for children to be able to delight in these mysteries of the sea. The stingrays swim among their visitors, as curious about us as we are about them. Our tour guide showed everyone how to hold food in order that we could feed the stingrays. Their mouths are situated on the underside of their bodies and they literally suck the morsels of seafood from your grip. The stingrays are able to suck with such grace and finesse, if they were human I'm sure any Nevada brothel would hire them on the spot.
All the while relaxing in the boat was my dear friend Sarah (Hannosmom's DD). She didn't enter the water, suffering from a charley-horse in her determination. After a little coercing, Sarah agreed to sit atop the open end of the boat and put her feet in the water. Then she kicked water in my face! Yes folks, a splash war (actually, it was more like a splash skirmish) ensued. I won! Sarah lost. She might say otherwise, but as this is my trip report, Sarah will just have to write her own to change any of the facts I've presented... lol. Love ya, Sarah!
On the return trip, our tour guide offered an open question-and-answer session for all interested guests. I asked whatever happened to the original Captain Marvin. Turns out the dear captain is alive and well and still participating actively in the business - albeit on an exceptionally modified basis. You see, Captain Marvin is now 87 years old. As luck wouldn't have it, he was assisting on one of the other tours sailing that day and we had only missed him by announcement at Stingray City. Darn. Especially since "Buckaroo" had hoped to get the captain's autograph...
So.
What does a body do after experiencing Stingray City? Shop, of course. Along one of the side streets further along toward the dock, "Buckaroo" and I happened upon a quaint novelty/gift shop. "Quaint" in NYC usually means "overpriced." This place wasn't too quaint. The floor was wood, but covered with everyone's mother. Mother earth. The sales personnel were friendly, and I appreciated the fact that they didn't hover over each and every customer like a bad reputation. We found some absolutely gorgeous ships-in-a-bottle and immediately purchased a few as gifts for special friends. Plus "Buckaroo" wanted one for himself. I asked one of the women at the counter what items they stocked from local artisans. She said they didn't carry paintings. I decided not to pursue this line of questioning. Smiling, I simply bid the woman a lovely afternoon.
Once outside, I felt as though I was sucker-punched by the heat. "Buckaroo" and I downed a soda while continuing along the sidewalk extending parallel to the roadway for as far as the eye couldn't see, but knew was there. It's too easy to forget which way to check for oncoming traffic, since Grand Caymanians drive on the "wrong" side of the road. Our tour guide had advised us that gas is very expensive on Grand Cayman. Presently $3.30/gallon. He said such prices were immaterial to most natives, however, since they had nowhere of any significant distance to drive to. Running out of gas is still, in my opinion, a possibility. An observation founded in the fact that the birthrate isn't being negatively effected by higher gas prices...
Grand Cayman is, in my opinion, an island not to be missed. And on this not-to-be-missed island is the equally not-to-be-missed attraction, Stingray City. Missing this marine adventure would be equivalent to visiting Rapid City, South Dakota but skipping Mount Rushmore. One of the many advantages a Disney cruise offers are these unofficial trip reports. They provide all visitors with the information necessary to pre-plan fantastic shore excursions and help stretch every family's vacation dollar by avoiding the waste of disappointing island offerings. I felt Captain Marvin's prices were reasonable. If you find a tour for less, that's probably just what you'll get... Grand Cayman is a safe, passenger-ship-friendly island. When you go, you'll surely enjoy it. Remember to smile. And always be polite - the impression you leave determines the greeting those after you will receive. Think about it...
PS - I had intended to post an all-inclusive trip report. Yet if I wait until every "highlight" is highlighted, you won't be reading this part until then. And "then" is a mighty long time from now. So I hope and pray this chapter of my trip report alone was worthy of your wait...
Grand Cayman. Having taken a less than satisfactory island land-'n-sea tour last year, I made reservations for my son and I on the late morning Captain Marvin's Stingray City And Snorkeling Tour. At this time in Grand Cayman history all cruise ships must tender passengers ashore. Since there is no way to ascertain an exact departure/arrival time concerning the tenders, I recommend allowing yourself at least 47 minutes between boarding the tender and transferring to/from the Magic.
The tenders we have taken all sport 3 levels. The open-air top (aka the penthouse) seems to suit most leather-skinned passengers dark enough from their tanning rituals to become honorary members of the NAACP. A series of stairs toward the front and rear section of this outdoor penthouse lead down onto another open-air seating area (aka the balcony). From both sections the forward view is remarkably breathtaking. Not as dramatic in appearance as, say, the New York City skyline, but still in all a most Caribbeanesque array of pastel colors framed by alluringly blue ocean waters and a bleached blue sky. A second set of stairs near those to/from the "penthouse" lead into the tender's lower, shaded seating. Proving that older is (usually) wiser, these "mezzanine" seats are more often than not filled with passengers representing the former and current national speed limits: 55+.
Much like the tram at Orlando International Airport, these tenders are not intended to provide public amusement-park rides for DCL passengers. However, should inclement weather arrive while you are on shore, the tenders can easily be transformed into low technology thrill machines. I didn't notice any seasick bags, so the old biddies probably remained on the ship. (I apologize for the digression, folks. Couldn't resis that one... ).
I had arranged to meet Linda, Ed, Sarah and Debbie (Hannosmom) and Scott and Don (Marcotta) at the Walt Disney Theatre in order to secure tender boarding tickets. (Wow, that line is certainly loaded with potential). "Buckaroo" and I took the elevator down from deck 8. I know, I know. Use the stairs. Unfortunately, "Buckaroo's" mantra is "Use the Elevators." When the elevator doors opened on deck 4, a CM blocked everyone from exiting. They told us passes were no longer necessary to board the tenders and that the Walt Disney Theatre was emptying. Ok. "Buckaroo" and I continued on the elevator to deck 1. Our cards were scanned and we boarded the tender, walking across the "mezzanine" section and climbing the stairway to the "balcony." (Well, it makes sense to ME - lol). We sat down on bench-like abutments along the front, allowing for a panoramic view of Grand Cayman - the international banking mecca of the Caribbean and beyond.
Ouch! Yes, it was hot. Very hot. The kind of hot that heightens a man's desire and loosens a woman's morals. I've since been thinking of buying a space heater for my office to try and accomplish there an identical female reaction... Anyway. It was so hot even my sweat was sweating. DCL provides a cold water station located on the dock right by the tenders. If you're cruising during the excessively warm summer season, you'll be grateful Disney established this amenity for their guests.
It's an easy stroll from the dock to Captain Marvin's offices. They are located in a small strip mall a few blocks from the docks, on the side of the street opposite from (facing) the ocean. The office, which has a lot of tourist items for sale, is air conditioned. The refreshingly cold air certainly makes the tourist items more interesting to peruse than they actually are. I bought "Buckaroo" and I each a bottle of coke. I was done with mine before the dear lad could emit his first burp.
Soon the rest of the group arrived and we were transported over to the tour boats. Two mid-sized tour buses were necessary to accommodate the entire group. Many Disers were there. "Buckaroo" sat on the forward section of the boat, sharing his insights on life and stingrays with Debbie. I sat on the upper area of the boat, and became engaged in a conversation with Lisa (mad4themouse). It turns out her children, DS Tommy and DD Angela, take their karate lessons at the same studio as my nephews Geoff and Dan. Lisa has spent many an evening passing the time in conversation with my sister-in-law! If the world were any smaller, my ex would probably end up a postal worker on Castaway Cay...
Accompanying our tour group was a lovely Grand Cayman lass who videotaped our at-sea shore excursion. As we were approaching the first snorkeling stop, the girl began putting on a wetsuit. I started to wonder if she knew something we didn't. She smiled and told us the wetsuit was merely personal preference. Ok. I just didn't want any surprises aside from those routine surprises anticipated by Captain Marvin's crew...
If you wish to read about how enjoyable our first stop was for snorkeling, then you're destined for disappointment. I figure why take up space describing the crystal-clear water and exotic marine life available for viewing. Those are givens (no relation to Iron Mike's Robin)...
Next stop: Stingray City. What an amazing testament to support humanity's faith in a Divine Designer. God surely put in overtime creating this marvel. The shallowness of the sandbar (akin to the lack of depth found in those who refuse to comprehend my sense of humor - oops, sorry Michelle) bodes well for children to be able to delight in these mysteries of the sea. The stingrays swim among their visitors, as curious about us as we are about them. Our tour guide showed everyone how to hold food in order that we could feed the stingrays. Their mouths are situated on the underside of their bodies and they literally suck the morsels of seafood from your grip. The stingrays are able to suck with such grace and finesse, if they were human I'm sure any Nevada brothel would hire them on the spot.
All the while relaxing in the boat was my dear friend Sarah (Hannosmom's DD). She didn't enter the water, suffering from a charley-horse in her determination. After a little coercing, Sarah agreed to sit atop the open end of the boat and put her feet in the water. Then she kicked water in my face! Yes folks, a splash war (actually, it was more like a splash skirmish) ensued. I won! Sarah lost. She might say otherwise, but as this is my trip report, Sarah will just have to write her own to change any of the facts I've presented... lol. Love ya, Sarah!
On the return trip, our tour guide offered an open question-and-answer session for all interested guests. I asked whatever happened to the original Captain Marvin. Turns out the dear captain is alive and well and still participating actively in the business - albeit on an exceptionally modified basis. You see, Captain Marvin is now 87 years old. As luck wouldn't have it, he was assisting on one of the other tours sailing that day and we had only missed him by announcement at Stingray City. Darn. Especially since "Buckaroo" had hoped to get the captain's autograph...
So.
What does a body do after experiencing Stingray City? Shop, of course. Along one of the side streets further along toward the dock, "Buckaroo" and I happened upon a quaint novelty/gift shop. "Quaint" in NYC usually means "overpriced." This place wasn't too quaint. The floor was wood, but covered with everyone's mother. Mother earth. The sales personnel were friendly, and I appreciated the fact that they didn't hover over each and every customer like a bad reputation. We found some absolutely gorgeous ships-in-a-bottle and immediately purchased a few as gifts for special friends. Plus "Buckaroo" wanted one for himself. I asked one of the women at the counter what items they stocked from local artisans. She said they didn't carry paintings. I decided not to pursue this line of questioning. Smiling, I simply bid the woman a lovely afternoon.
Once outside, I felt as though I was sucker-punched by the heat. "Buckaroo" and I downed a soda while continuing along the sidewalk extending parallel to the roadway for as far as the eye couldn't see, but knew was there. It's too easy to forget which way to check for oncoming traffic, since Grand Caymanians drive on the "wrong" side of the road. Our tour guide had advised us that gas is very expensive on Grand Cayman. Presently $3.30/gallon. He said such prices were immaterial to most natives, however, since they had nowhere of any significant distance to drive to. Running out of gas is still, in my opinion, a possibility. An observation founded in the fact that the birthrate isn't being negatively effected by higher gas prices...
Grand Cayman is, in my opinion, an island not to be missed. And on this not-to-be-missed island is the equally not-to-be-missed attraction, Stingray City. Missing this marine adventure would be equivalent to visiting Rapid City, South Dakota but skipping Mount Rushmore. One of the many advantages a Disney cruise offers are these unofficial trip reports. They provide all visitors with the information necessary to pre-plan fantastic shore excursions and help stretch every family's vacation dollar by avoiding the waste of disappointing island offerings. I felt Captain Marvin's prices were reasonable. If you find a tour for less, that's probably just what you'll get... Grand Cayman is a safe, passenger-ship-friendly island. When you go, you'll surely enjoy it. Remember to smile. And always be polite - the impression you leave determines the greeting those after you will receive. Think about it...
PS - I had intended to post an all-inclusive trip report. Yet if I wait until every "highlight" is highlighted, you won't be reading this part until then. And "then" is a mighty long time from now. So I hope and pray this chapter of my trip report alone was worthy of your wait...
