Our family has been on the dream several times, but we're taking out first Fantasy cruise this summer. We've always stayed on the ship in Nassau, but want to do some excursions in Cozumel, Falmouth, and/or Grand Cayman. What are your favorites? It will be me and DH and our DS (16) and DD (11).
Western Caribbean excursion recs
- Thread starter appledown
- Start date
cheermom2four
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2015
- Messages
- 740
We did the catamaran snorkeling excursion thru DCL with our DS16 and we all loved it at Cozumel. Grand Cayman we did the turtle farm (thru DCL) and I was kind of bored out of my mind but we werent comfortable DIY just yet especially with our dd5. Falmouth we just walked around the port stores as its a really nice port but all the excursions were too far for my liking. You'll definitely have fun!! IMO we have turned into DIY people and are doing excursions ourselves from now on unless DCL can provide it cheaper which is highly unlikely. Yes, I know the risks if we miss the ship but give yourself 2 hrs before the ship leaves and you "should" be fine.
Mitura
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2016
- Messages
- 240
This will be our third Western on the Fantasy this year.
We have done:
Cozumel - Chanakab we recommend
Playa Mia beach we recommend
We will do Playa Mia again this trip
Grand Cayman Captain Marvin Island tour with turtle farm we recommend.
This year we will try Crystal Caves and Nature Park Tour thru Cayman safari guides.
Jamacia - we just go thru the port shops and head back to a deserted ship/ empty Aqua Duck.
Hope this helps.
Joe
We have done:
Cozumel - Chanakab we recommend
Playa Mia beach we recommend
We will do Playa Mia again this trip
Grand Cayman Captain Marvin Island tour with turtle farm we recommend.
This year we will try Crystal Caves and Nature Park Tour thru Cayman safari guides.
Jamacia - we just go thru the port shops and head back to a deserted ship/ empty Aqua Duck.
Hope this helps.
Joe
RedSox68
Retired 2021 -- All the Time to Travel Now!
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2009
- Messages
- 8,258
In Cozumel we did the Tulum Ruins (highly recommended) and in Grand Cayman we did the swim with the stingrays excursion -- which included a tour of the island and a visit to the turtle farm. Also highly recommended. We had a fabulous time.
EilonwyWanderer
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2017
- Messages
- 808
I actually would not recommend the Tulum ruins tour unless you have read up on the history of the site yourself. It was the excursion I was most looking forward to (I'm an archaeologist!) and it was just a disaster almost from start to finish: the tour guide spent the entire ride up there trying to get us to buy calendars his friend made, when we got there it was HOTTER THAN HOT (bring an umbrella there is no shade!) and the beach was beautiful but super tiny and PACKED, there is almost no signage in the park itself and our tour guide was INCREDIBLY misinformed (he kept talking about past lives and uuughhhh) so while it is really cool to look at, you might not know WHAT you are looking at. Most of us wilted in the heat and headed down to the bus early--but the bus driver was nowhere to be found and the bus was locked! An hour later they let us on the 114 degree F bus to get the brown bag lunches they had left on our seats for us.
All the sandwiches had mayo on them. And had been sitting in the hot bus for two hours. We couldn't eat it and they didn't offer us anything else.
Super, super disappointing.
In Grand Cayman we did the snorkeling over one of the shipwrecks. I was not sold on doing it, but it was AMAZING! I'd highly recommend doing something like that. The tour guides were fantastic and the fish were so pretty!
All the sandwiches had mayo on them. And had been sitting in the hot bus for two hours. We couldn't eat it and they didn't offer us anything else.
Super, super disappointing.
In Grand Cayman we did the snorkeling over one of the shipwrecks. I was not sold on doing it, but it was AMAZING! I'd highly recommend doing something like that. The tour guides were fantastic and the fish were so pretty!
RedSox68
Retired 2021 -- All the Time to Travel Now!
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2009
- Messages
- 8,258
So sorry you had such a bad experience in Tulum. Yes, it was hotter than Hades when my DD and DH were there, but I have never read a review of anyone's visit where it wasn't. They were aware of that from research and brought plenty of sunscreen, water and hats. They did have an incredible guide and loved the history and tour they were given, plus the free time on the beach. They loved that excursion and the chance to see those ruins and still talk about it.
The lunches they were given had been kept in a cooler, so they were not spoiled and the drinks were cold too. I didn't get to go in the end because I wasn't feeling well and was worried about the boat ride based on other's reviews (which turned out to be fine) but truly regret missing it.
EilonwyWanderer
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2017
- Messages
- 808
Wow, maybe it just depends on the tour guide you end up with! Ours was just so mismanaged and misinformed we were shocked Disney would even offer it. Maybe enough people complained that changes were made!
RedSox68
Retired 2021 -- All the Time to Travel Now!
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2009
- Messages
- 8,258
We have had a couple of excursions through Disney like that -- to the point that the tour guide caused us to miss some of the sights because they were so disorganized. We complained at the shore excursion desk (along with the line of people from that excursion doing the same) and Disney always gave us a partial or full refund, depending on the situation and the number of complaints they received. The worst one was in Antiqua where the tour guide decided to stop by her friend's pineapple farm (and to promote the sale of his products), causing us to have to cut our visit to Nelson's Dockyard by more than half an hour -- giving us a total of 15 minutes there! My DH was beyond mad because that was the one thing he wanted to see, and Disney was inundated with complaints from everyone on that bus and had to refund everyone's money.
Main Street Matilda
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 1, 2010
- Messages
- 292
I would highly recommend Dunns River Falls in Jamaica. Although it is a bit of a ride, the traffic is not bad and seeing the countryside was worth it. Of the things my children remember, it was climbing the falls. We added the zip-line at Mystic Mountain to the excursion and although you can really zip-line anywhere nowadays, our guides were funny and made the whole experience memorable.
Anchors Away 2016
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2016
- Messages
- 1,509
We did this Itinerary last August. Our sons were 14 and 15, and our nieces were 13 and 16.
On Cozumel we did the Tulum ruins, while our nieces and their family did the dune buggy and snorkel. I think they had an issue with the door of their dune buggy staying closed and some of the snorkel equipment, so definitely check it all carefully before you begin. Other than that, they had fun.
As for the ruins, our experience was much more like RedSox than EilonwyWanderer. I can't speak to the accuracy of the information provided because I am not an expert like Wanderer is, but it sounded plausible to me. I was worried the ruins wouldn't be "big enough." We considered taking the even longer ride to Chitzeniza, but we were plenty satisfied with the extent of the ruins. They ranged all over. Our Mexican guide told us a lot about the Mayan culture. He said he was a Mayan descendant and actually lived in a town about 4 hours away, which he goes back to on the weekends. He did try to sell us some carvings and other little things, but only briefly and they were at least as good as the other souvenirs offered by the other vendors there. At the ruins, the guided tour lasted about an hour, giving us plenty of time to explore the ruins (and the local iguana) on our own, and do some shopping on site. The tour guide gave out headsets, which were great so you could hear him without having to keep right on top of him. There was a small beach at the bottom of some stairs. Our provided lunches were in a cooler and nice and fresh. Plenty of other food to be purchased at the souvenir stores also, as well as local beer and tequila.
In Grand Cayman, we did the Dolphins and the Turtles. We only had like 45 minutes with the turtles, but it was still great! There were dozens of huge turtles swimming in these open-air pens. Then there was a section with smaller tanks holding turtles 1-1.5 feet in diameter that we could pick up and hold and pose for pictures. Then there was a breeding building that had five turtles about 3 inched across, which were born yesterday. (literally!) So we got to see all of that before it was time to walk across the street to our Dolphin experience.
We chose the "Extreme swim" package, instead of “encounter” or “swim.” It allowed us to do all three parts. The first part was the “encounter.” We stood (a group of about 16 people) waste deep in water in a large cement tank and the dolphin came up to us 1 by one, it kissed us, we kissed it, we held hands with it, it talked to us. Then we went into a larger area with a beach (still an enclosed body of water though). We did the “swim” portion, which involved us swimming out the far end of the pond (two at a time; this was good as it gave you a chance to watch your family members do it), and the dolphin came up behind us, he put his fins out to us, and we grabbed on and he swam us back to the starting line. Then we did the “Extreme Swim” part. So we swam (again two at a time) out to the far side of the pond again, this time we were holding a boogie board. He came up behind us and put his nose on our feet and pushed us back to the start. He was able to move MUCH faster this time with us holding the boogie board under ourselves. It was amazing.
On GC, our nieces did the Atlantis Submarine, which they loved. A real submarine (as opposed to a glass bottomed boat) that went down to a reef about 100 feet down. Based on the pictures they saw some great fish. I will say, that at that depth, the fish don't appear as colorful, because the water starts filtering out the colors (starting with red). Also, I can warn you if you take this tour, be sure to brush your teeth well that morning. As you go deeper, all white things glow, and if you aren't careful, your teeth won't! This was a shorter trip, so they had more time for shopping or to go back to the ship.
In Jamaca, we all did the Chukka Horseback Ride and Swim with Dunn's River Falls and Lunch (FA16). This was my favorite of the three days. The horseback riding was great and included about 15 minutes riding in the ocean. That was a great experience. We were not very experienced riding horses, but they match each horse to the rider, and we all managed fine. The 45 minute walk on land was great "learning experience" before the time in the ocean. The guides were able to group everyone in our family together, so we felt like we got to see each other on the trip.
Likewise Dunn's River falls was a great experience. You climb up the waterfall from inside it, but they have engineered it to make it passable, and they keep the slippery algae cleaned off. My 70-year old mother made it up the falls, with the help and attention of one of the guides, and my younger niece who is sometimes skittish about things did great too. Only my older son was a little bummed because he wanted to "billy-goat" up the falls like the guides were doing, but they didn't let him. There is also a nice set of stairs right next to the falls for people who want to go into the pools or see/take pictures of their families without climbing the falls. There is also a paved pathway from the top to the bottom for people who can't do stairs so they can still see the beginning and the ending views of their families climbing the falls. So to me, this is a good trip for groups who have people with various levels of mobility.
On Cozumel we did the Tulum ruins, while our nieces and their family did the dune buggy and snorkel. I think they had an issue with the door of their dune buggy staying closed and some of the snorkel equipment, so definitely check it all carefully before you begin. Other than that, they had fun.
As for the ruins, our experience was much more like RedSox than EilonwyWanderer. I can't speak to the accuracy of the information provided because I am not an expert like Wanderer is, but it sounded plausible to me. I was worried the ruins wouldn't be "big enough." We considered taking the even longer ride to Chitzeniza, but we were plenty satisfied with the extent of the ruins. They ranged all over. Our Mexican guide told us a lot about the Mayan culture. He said he was a Mayan descendant and actually lived in a town about 4 hours away, which he goes back to on the weekends. He did try to sell us some carvings and other little things, but only briefly and they were at least as good as the other souvenirs offered by the other vendors there. At the ruins, the guided tour lasted about an hour, giving us plenty of time to explore the ruins (and the local iguana) on our own, and do some shopping on site. The tour guide gave out headsets, which were great so you could hear him without having to keep right on top of him. There was a small beach at the bottom of some stairs. Our provided lunches were in a cooler and nice and fresh. Plenty of other food to be purchased at the souvenir stores also, as well as local beer and tequila.
In Grand Cayman, we did the Dolphins and the Turtles. We only had like 45 minutes with the turtles, but it was still great! There were dozens of huge turtles swimming in these open-air pens. Then there was a section with smaller tanks holding turtles 1-1.5 feet in diameter that we could pick up and hold and pose for pictures. Then there was a breeding building that had five turtles about 3 inched across, which were born yesterday. (literally!) So we got to see all of that before it was time to walk across the street to our Dolphin experience.
We chose the "Extreme swim" package, instead of “encounter” or “swim.” It allowed us to do all three parts. The first part was the “encounter.” We stood (a group of about 16 people) waste deep in water in a large cement tank and the dolphin came up to us 1 by one, it kissed us, we kissed it, we held hands with it, it talked to us. Then we went into a larger area with a beach (still an enclosed body of water though). We did the “swim” portion, which involved us swimming out the far end of the pond (two at a time; this was good as it gave you a chance to watch your family members do it), and the dolphin came up behind us, he put his fins out to us, and we grabbed on and he swam us back to the starting line. Then we did the “Extreme Swim” part. So we swam (again two at a time) out to the far side of the pond again, this time we were holding a boogie board. He came up behind us and put his nose on our feet and pushed us back to the start. He was able to move MUCH faster this time with us holding the boogie board under ourselves. It was amazing.
On GC, our nieces did the Atlantis Submarine, which they loved. A real submarine (as opposed to a glass bottomed boat) that went down to a reef about 100 feet down. Based on the pictures they saw some great fish. I will say, that at that depth, the fish don't appear as colorful, because the water starts filtering out the colors (starting with red). Also, I can warn you if you take this tour, be sure to brush your teeth well that morning. As you go deeper, all white things glow, and if you aren't careful, your teeth won't! This was a shorter trip, so they had more time for shopping or to go back to the ship.
In Jamaca, we all did the Chukka Horseback Ride and Swim with Dunn's River Falls and Lunch (FA16). This was my favorite of the three days. The horseback riding was great and included about 15 minutes riding in the ocean. That was a great experience. We were not very experienced riding horses, but they match each horse to the rider, and we all managed fine. The 45 minute walk on land was great "learning experience" before the time in the ocean. The guides were able to group everyone in our family together, so we felt like we got to see each other on the trip.
Likewise Dunn's River falls was a great experience. You climb up the waterfall from inside it, but they have engineered it to make it passable, and they keep the slippery algae cleaned off. My 70-year old mother made it up the falls, with the help and attention of one of the guides, and my younger niece who is sometimes skittish about things did great too. Only my older son was a little bummed because he wanted to "billy-goat" up the falls like the guides were doing, but they didn't let him. There is also a nice set of stairs right next to the falls for people who want to go into the pools or see/take pictures of their families without climbing the falls. There is also a paved pathway from the top to the bottom for people who can't do stairs so they can still see the beginning and the ending views of their families climbing the falls. So to me, this is a good trip for groups who have people with various levels of mobility.
1926Moon
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
- Messages
- 143
We did the below linked excursion on Grand Cayman. We were first drawn to it because the price included lunch and all transportation, and it just seemed really reasonable to us. It ended up being the non-Disney highlight of our trip - it was magical 
(I say non-Disney because nothing beats the ship and Castaway Cay!)
I really liked that it showed us the topography of the island, we enjoyed the ride there and back (it was quite mellow), it was neat that the ocean was so clear we could see the bottom the whole way there! Lunch was delicious. The excursion itself was quite a small group, which was nice. The beach was sandy with lots of space (which I don't have a picture of?), and we walked a little ways down the beach and there was no-one there
3.5 hours at the beach was the perfect amount of time.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/port-adventures/grand-cayman-rum-point-beach-adventure/
The ride there:
The beach down the way we walked to....
(I say non-Disney because nothing beats the ship and Castaway Cay!)I really liked that it showed us the topography of the island, we enjoyed the ride there and back (it was quite mellow), it was neat that the ocean was so clear we could see the bottom the whole way there! Lunch was delicious. The excursion itself was quite a small group, which was nice. The beach was sandy with lots of space (which I don't have a picture of?), and we walked a little ways down the beach and there was no-one there
3.5 hours at the beach was the perfect amount of time.https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/port-adventures/grand-cayman-rum-point-beach-adventure/
The ride there:
The beach down the way we walked to....
Bellechin06
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2017
- Messages
- 45
Here's what we did:
Cozumel:
KaoKao Chocolate Factory - I am a chocolate freak so getting to see how Chocolate was originally made and learning the history was AWESOME! You get to make your own chocolate too and get free tastings!
That's me taking the pic and my cousin grinding her chocolate
Me with my own hand-made Cozumel Chocolate!!
It's really cheap and the lady who took us around was great. We took a cab (10 minutes) to get there but people at the terminal were really helpful in getting us a cab.
Then BF and I went parasailing:
I didn't book through DCL but here are the links to these 2 places:
Kaokao Chocolate Factory: http://www.kaokaochocolatefactorytour.com/
Parasailing: https://cozumelcruiseexcursions.com/cozumel/cozumel-parasailing-adventure/
GRAND CAYMAN
In Grand Cayman, we did the Catamaran and went snorkeling as well as spent some time on the sand bar with the Sting Rays
Yes that is me kissing the stingray!!
My brother and BF feeding the stingrays
Also booked on my own here: https://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/hannibal-stingray-city-charters/
JAMAICA:
Finally, we did the most AMAZING ziplining adventure ever in Jamaica (it's a very long ride there though as it's outside Falmouth) My friend suggested against the waterfalls as it's typically overcrowded and very slippery and dangerous. My BF and brother were thrill-seekers so we had to do ziplining at this AMAZING place in the mountains called HEVANS SCENT.
You get a free fruit drink
Then comes the ziplines!!!
There's this EXTREME ride called the "Swing". No spoilers. But it was insane.
In order to get to the next zipline point, you had to climb this 10 foot telephone pole.
After all that craziness, we chilled out with River Tubing down the White River:
Excursion link here: http://excursionsinjamaica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218&Itemid=361
And that's our Trip PM me if you have any questions or for more pictures!
Cozumel:
KaoKao Chocolate Factory - I am a chocolate freak so getting to see how Chocolate was originally made and learning the history was AWESOME! You get to make your own chocolate too and get free tastings!
That's me taking the pic and my cousin grinding her chocolate
Me with my own hand-made Cozumel Chocolate!!
It's really cheap and the lady who took us around was great. We took a cab (10 minutes) to get there but people at the terminal were really helpful in getting us a cab.
Then BF and I went parasailing:
I didn't book through DCL but here are the links to these 2 places:
Kaokao Chocolate Factory: http://www.kaokaochocolatefactorytour.com/
Parasailing: https://cozumelcruiseexcursions.com/cozumel/cozumel-parasailing-adventure/
GRAND CAYMAN
In Grand Cayman, we did the Catamaran and went snorkeling as well as spent some time on the sand bar with the Sting Rays
Yes that is me kissing the stingray!!
My brother and BF feeding the stingrays
Also booked on my own here: https://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/hannibal-stingray-city-charters/
JAMAICA:
Finally, we did the most AMAZING ziplining adventure ever in Jamaica (it's a very long ride there though as it's outside Falmouth) My friend suggested against the waterfalls as it's typically overcrowded and very slippery and dangerous. My BF and brother were thrill-seekers so we had to do ziplining at this AMAZING place in the mountains called HEVANS SCENT.
You get a free fruit drink
Then comes the ziplines!!!
There's this EXTREME ride called the "Swing". No spoilers. But it was insane.
In order to get to the next zipline point, you had to climb this 10 foot telephone pole.
After all that craziness, we chilled out with River Tubing down the White River:
Excursion link here: http://excursionsinjamaica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218&Itemid=361
And that's our Trip
PM me if you have any questions or for more pictures!
runswithscissors
#Wanderlust
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2007
- Messages
- 247
Can I ask why you didn't enjoy it? I'm curious because we are considering the Dune Buggy and Beach Snorkel and I'd love any input you can give. (Sorry to hijack the thread.)
Thanks!
IceSkatingPrincess
Forever mourning the loss of SpectroMagic
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2013
- Messages
- 3,111
We did the shipwreck snuba in Grand Cayman and it was the highlight of our trip! Also enjoyed Green Grotto Caves in Jamaica. We went on our own to Chankanaab in Cozumel. Had fun, but we will stick to Disney excursions from now on.
dcassetta
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2006
- Messages
- 6,284
We really enjoyed the Fury Catamaran in Cozumel. Good snorkeling followed by beach time, and the boat ride was a lot of fun.
Did Stingray City in Grand Cayman and it was a blast.
We booked both of the above through Disney.
Did Blue Hole in Jamaica through Peat Taylor. Would recommend them.
Did Stingray City in Grand Cayman and it was a blast.
We booked both of the above through Disney.
Did Blue Hole in Jamaica through Peat Taylor. Would recommend them.
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2000
- Messages
- 24,378
In Cozumel we enjoy Paradise Beach. We go on our own.
We have only been to Jamaica once and did the Tranopy Adventure which includes bobsledding and zip lining. It was a long day and not cheap, but it was fun and informative too. Our tour guide talked for just about the whole ride to Mystic Mountain and we learned a lot from her. I probably wouldn't do it again now that we've done it, but I am glad we did it once.
We have only been to Jamaica once and did the Tranopy Adventure which includes bobsledding and zip lining. It was a long day and not cheap, but it was fun and informative too. Our tour guide talked for just about the whole ride to Mystic Mountain and we learned a lot from her. I probably wouldn't do it again now that we've done it, but I am glad we did it once.
soniam
Wooden leg named Smith...
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2012
- Messages
- 14,209
Here's my previous post explaining the reasons.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...y-cay-activities.3586484/page-4#post-57454402
-
Renting DVC Points Made Easy: Your Guide to the DVC Rental Store Experience
-
New Pulled Pork Hand Pies at The Edison in Disney Springs
-
Coming Soon: New Orange Bird Pastel Loungefly Backpack
-
Taste Summer: Disney Cruise Line's Island Navigator Drink
-
Authentic vs. Dupes: Do You Support Fake Disney Merch?
-
Why I'm Tired of the 'Fifth Gate' Speculation at Walt Disney World
-
Limited-Time New Dessert for Disneyland 70th at Paseo
- Walt Disney World News
- Walt Disney World Articles
- Disney Cruise Line News
- Disneyland News
- General Disney News
- Universal Orlando News
GET UP TO A $1000 SHIPBOARD CREDIT AND AN EXCLUSIVE GIFT!
If you make your Disney Cruise Line reservation with Dreams Unlimited Travel you’ll receive these incredible shipboard credits to spend on your cruise!
