Turtle Farm Cayman

[scootch]

Now that Disney is doing away with the turtle farm excursion, looking to do this on my own. Anyone who has some experience, I would love to get your advice. Thanks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Now that Disney is doing away with the turtle farm excursion, looking to do this on my own. Anyone who has some experience, I would love to get your advice. Thanks.

Where did you see that DCL is stopping the turtle farm excursion?

 

[scootch]

We are going on the Dec 10th Fantasy. I checked in last night and they were all gone. Called DCL and they said the last one is 10/29. They also cancelled Adult Only Island tour, effective the same date.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are going on the Dec 10th Fantasy. I checked in last night and they were all gone. Called DCL and they said the last one is 10/29. They also cancelled Adult Only Island tour, effective the same date.

That's too bad. I'm guessing they had an issue with the tour provider. We did that tour (from Holland America) when we were there. I thought it was really interesting. I doubt that you'll have a problem booking a tour directly, however. And taking a taxi there is supposed to be really easy.

 

[TestingH2O]

Well that's a bummer. It was on our list for March.

 

[wanderlust7]

We did the Hell/Turtle Farm tour with Captain Marvin's. Our group of 6 were the only ones on the tour, so it ended up being private. The tour was good, the tour guide/driver pointed out some sights along the way. Cost is $30/person, kids under 4 are free.

 

[tlprice]

Now that Disney is doing away with the turtle farm excursion, looking to do this on my own. Anyone who has some experience, I would love to get your advice. Thanks.

I am doing the Turtle Farm on our Fantasy cruise on 10/29. I guess according to your info. the last one. I saw that if you did the Disney one though, you only got 1/2 an hour at the Turtle Farm. I have researched a lot and have decided to do it on my own since I want more time there. I read that if you walk to the bus station (next to the library) which is a very short walk from the pier, you can take a bus there for $2.50. To catch the bus back you walk across the street from the Turtle Farm to the bus stop for another $2.50. It doesn't include the other things the Disney tour offered, but I didn't really care about going to those places anyway.

 

[tlprice]

Now that Disney is doing away with the turtle farm excursion, looking to do this on my own. Anyone who has some experience, I would love to get your advice. Thanks.

Below is from the Turtle Farm website's FAQ's page:

Buses: Visitors may also opt to take the official public bus transportation system first launched in October 1998. The new bus terminal is located adjacent to the Public Library on Edward St. in downtown George Town and serves as the dispatch point for buses to all districts.

There are 38 mini-buses operated by 24 licensed operators, serving eight routes. Daily service starts at 6:00 am from the depot to West Bay every 15 minutes and the schedule is as follows:

Route Route 1 (Directly to Cayman Turtle Farm)
Colour Code Yellow
Time 6:00am-11:00pm Sunday-Thursday
Fare CI $2.00


Route Route 2
Colour Code Lime Green
Time 6:00am-Midnight Friday & Saturday
Fare CI $2.00 Plus Extra CI $1.00 to stop at the Turtle Farm

 

[scootch]

My older daughter and I were planning on doing an outside excursion while sending my 14 year old and 69 year old on the DCL dolphin encounter/turtle combo. While it is easy for most people to go in their own, I don't feel comfortable having them go on their own. So looks like we are all going to have to stay together. Bummed as we made these plans months ago and it should say something on he DCL site saying it is ending. Not having to wait until checkin and already paid in full.

 

[scootch]

That's too bad. I'm guessing they had an issue with the tour provider. We did that tour (from Holland America) when we were there. I thought it was really interesting. I doubt that you'll have a problem booking a tour directly, however. And taking a taxi there is supposed to be really easy.

We were splitting up that day and I just don't feel comfortable having my sisterinlaw and younger daughter navigate a taxi or bus. Here is the email I got back from DCL

 

[Tiguron]

We did the Turtle Farm on our own in early 2015. We didn't do the water park, only the turtle farm side. It was very easy, and made for a great day. After getting off the boat we walked around the shops a bit before grabbing a cab. The driver was very friendly. She knew where the farm was and even told us to use her name to get a discount. This felt weird, but it worked. We spent about 2 hours walking around and taking everything in. While we were there the Disney group (they all had the usual stickers) and their tour guide blasted past us. It was actually nice to go at our own pace. After we were done we walked about a block to the bus stop. Almost everyone on the bus (think open air taxi) was a tourist headed to the pier. I would have no issues with doing the turtle farm again, on our own.

 

[Miggee]

We did the Turtle Farm on our own in early 2015. We didn't do the water park, only the turtle farm side. It was very easy, and made for a great day. After getting off the boat we walked around the shops a bit before grabbing a cab. The driver was very friendly. She knew where the farm was and even told us to use her name to get a discount. This felt weird, but it worked. We spent about 2 hours walking around and taking everything in. While we were there the Disney group (they all had the usual stickers) and their tour guide blasted past us. It was actually nice to go at our own pace. After we were done we walked about a block to the bus stop. Almost everyone on the bus (think open air taxi) was a tourist headed to the pier. I would have no issues with doing the turtle farm again, on our own.

Disney no longer offers the turtle farm excursion, so i have been looking at info to do this on our own, so glad to run into your response! can you tell me how long was your taxi ride to the farm? and how long was the bus ride back? we have some onboard activites booked so need to get back on the boat at a certain time.. thanks so much!

 

[mammacaryn]

Its been several years but we booked directly from their website with no issues, except one. We included their transportation with our tickets but missed the bus somehow, we weren't late. That being said, one of their drivers took just the four of us there and gave us a guided tour and stopped by Hell as well. Getting the bus back, we just waited out front and the busses had times they would return. They have since added the water slide to the pool/beach area since we were there which my kids would have loved. So the one issue we had was remedied very quickly.

 

[Miggee]

Its been several years but we booked directly from their website with no issues, except one. We included their transportation with our tickets but missed the bus somehow, we weren't late. That being said, one of their drivers took just the four of us there and gave us a guided tour and stopped by Hell as well. Getting the bus back, we just waited out front and the busses had times they would return. They have since added the water slide to the pool/beach area since we were there which my kids would have loved. So the one issue we had was remedied very quickly.

thank you so much for the quick response! i looked into booking directly as well, but the time offered had us back at the ship too late, so wanted to see options for going there ourselves.. thanks again!

 

[lucas]

We have done the Turtle Farm ship excursion once before. I believe it also went to Hell. The whole thing was very rushed.

A couple of years ago, dh and I did it again on our own. We took the bus as mentioned above. We took it first thing off the ship, and once at the Turtle Farm we got to spend as much time as we wanted there. After, we waited outside for the bus going the opposite way and got back to the ship with a lot of time to do shopping on our own. It was one of our best cruise days that we still talk about.

 

[Miggee]

We have done the Turtle Farm ship excursion once before. I believe it also went to Hell. The whole thing was very rushed.

A couple of years ago, dh and I did it again on our own. We took the bus as mentioned above. We took it first thing off the ship, and once at the Turtle Farm we got to spend as much time as we wanted there. After, we waited outside for the bus going the opposite way and got back to the ship with a lot of time to do shopping on our own. It was one of our best cruise days that we still talk about.

so happy to hear that doing this on your own is super fun!!!

 

[Ravenne]

We did the Turtle Farm through DCL last May/June. It was ok. We only went to the Turtle Farm, no where else, and spent the day there. It was cool and kinda neat, but definitely very touristy. We had a guide that took us around the various turtle tanks, talked about their breeding programs, etc, we got to get into one of the tanks, hold some turtles for pics, which they charged, I believe $25 for like 6 pics on a SD drive. Then the guide bid us farewell, and sent us off to explore the Farm on our own for a few hours. Lunch was provided, and while it eluded it to being buffet style, it really wasn't. There weren't any signs instructing us how to proceed, but it was a buffet set up with no one around, so we thought we could help ourselves. Nope. As soon as we made the movement to reach for the scoops, an employee materialized out of no where, sternly, surly scolded us that that's not how it's done. Uh, ok? We didn't know? We looked around for directions? We were served meticulous portions of a chicken drumstick, some beans, and rice. Most of it pretty dry and not very palatable. We got to snorkel a bit in their saltwater lagoon, (they also had a fresh water one, which is like a mini, mini water park with slide, but we didn't go to that part) which I thought lead out into the ocean similar to Castaway Cay's swim beaches, but nope. It was man made, surrounded by rocks, and stocked with turtles and fish. There are lifeguards, but the bottom at the points where it is shallow enough for you to touch is very slippery from vegetation and moss, so plan accordingly and bring some water shoes or something with traction. Even with water shoes, I slipped on some mossy rocks and bit it. Thankfully, I wasn't hurt, more embarrassed than anything else. If you plan on doing it on your own, make sure you plan on PLENTY of time to get back onto the ship. DCL's tours are VERY good about keeping people on schedule, and we even left the Turtle Farm early, but it'd been raining most of that day, and the streets were flooded and we were almost late getting back to the pier. Grand Cayman's drainage system is not built to handle heavy rain...or rain at all. They flood VERY easily, and traffic ends up in a complete standstill. If it ends up raining on the day you go, make sure to leave extra, extra early to make it back to the ship in time.

 

[Miggee]

We did the Turtle Farm through DCL last May/June. It was ok. We only went to the Turtle Farm, no where else, and spent the day there. It was cool and kinda neat, but definitely very touristy. We had a guide that took us around the various turtle tanks, talked about their breeding programs, etc, we got to get into one of the tanks, hold some turtles for pics, which they charged, I believe $25 for like 6 pics on a SD drive. Then the guide bid us farewell, and sent us off to explore the Farm on our own for a few hours. Lunch was provided, and while it eluded it to being buffet style, it really wasn't. There weren't any signs instructing us how to proceed, but it was a buffet set up with no one around, so we thought we could help ourselves. Nope. As soon as we made the movement to reach for the scoops, an employee materialized out of no where, sternly, surly scolded us that that's not how it's done. Uh, ok? We didn't know? We looked around for directions? We were served meticulous portions of a chicken drumstick, some beans, and rice. Most of it pretty dry and not very palatable. We got to snorkel a bit in their saltwater lagoon, (they also had a fresh water one, which is like a mini, mini water park with slide, but we didn't go to that part) which I thought lead out into the ocean similar to Castaway Cay's swim beaches, but nope. It was man made, surrounded by rocks, and stocked with turtles and fish. There are lifeguards, but the bottom at the points where it is shallow enough for you to touch is very slippery from vegetation and moss, so plan accordingly and bring some water shoes or something with traction. Even with water shoes, I slipped on some mossy rocks and bit it. Thankfully, I wasn't hurt, more embarrassed than anything else. If you plan on doing it on your own, make sure you plan on PLENTY of time to get back onto the ship. DCL's tours are VERY good about keeping people on schedule, and we even left the Turtle Farm early, but it'd been raining most of that day, and the streets were flooded and we were almost late getting back to the pier. Grand Cayman's drainage system is not built to handle heavy rain...or rain at all. They flood VERY easily, and traffic ends up in a complete standstill. If it ends up raining on the day you go, make sure to leave extra, extra early to make it back to the ship in time.

oh man, i'm so sorry to hear about your experience, thank you for the info and I will defin keep an eye out on time used to travel to and from !

 

[lucas]

To add to my post above.....

If you do it on your own, I would advise going 1st thing when you get off the ship. That way you will have plenty of time to get back. When we did it, there was a lot of traffic going back. But, because we went early (got to the Turtle Farm as they opened), we had a nice ride back with no worries and also got back to town early.

There is not a whole, whole lot to do there. But, just being able to spend leisurely time, wandering as you please was nice. We were able to hold a lot of turtles! Tour groups coming thru while we were there, basically flew thru and we got to enjoy our time. And, of course we checked out the gift shop. It was a nice way to spend some time and kinda exciting getting there. And, just like another poster above, we didn't do the water park, only the Turtle Farm side. It is more expensive to do the water park side and I'm afraid would take way too much time to do all that. We were happy with just doing the Turtle Farm side.

https://www.turtle.ky/

On another note, if you are a Guy Harvey fan, be sure to check out his store downtown:
http://www.explorecayman.com/guy-harvey-gallery-shoppe
He lives part-time in Grand Cayman. Once we went to the store and he was working upstairs in his gallery. You can go up, and we got to meet him and take a picture. He'll sign anything you buy. I had him sign a postcard I bought in the store, we got a pic and he was so nice to talk to. Another time, he was not there, but the shop and viewing his work in the gallery is always nice.

 

[Miggee]

To add to my post above.....

If you do it on your own, I would advise going 1st thing when you get off the ship. That way you will have plenty of time to get back. When we did it, there was a lot of traffic going back. But, because we went early (got to the Turtle Farm as they opened), we had a nice ride back with no worries and also got back to town early.

There is not a whole, whole lot to do there. But, just being able to spend leisurely time, wandering as you please was nice. We were able to hold a lot of turtles! Tour groups coming thru while we were there, basically flew thru and we got to enjoy our time. And, of course we checked out the gift shop. It was a nice way to spend some time and kinda exciting getting there. And, just like another poster above, we didn't do the water park, only the Turtle Farm side. It is more expensive to do the water park side and I'm afraid would take way too much time to do all that. We were happy with just doing the Turtle Farm side.

https://www.turtle.ky/

On another note, if you are a Guy Harvey fan, be sure to check out his store downtown:
http://www.explorecayman.com/guy-harvey-gallery-shoppe
He lives part-time in Grand Cayman. Once we went to the store and he was working upstairs in his gallery. You can go up, and we got to meet him and take a picture. He'll sign anything you buy. I had him sign a postcard I bought in the store, we got a pic and he was so nice to talk to. Another time, he was not there, but the shop and viewing his work in the gallery is always nice.

great info and tips!!! much much appreciated, my kids are young, so we like doing things on our own and not be tied to a certain time, being able to leave when we want (or need) to is awesome !