Western Shore Excursions Are Here!!! *** UPDATED ***

[tbutler]

I have been looking into the submarine thing since it sounds amazing and it seems to be right on price. Below are a few links to some websites I found. Only 2 passengers and 1 pilot is on the sub. The company operates 2 subs. It takes about an hour or so to complete. I would do this in a heartbeat!!



www.caymanvacations.com/?/bonus/atlantisdeep.htm

http://www.funincayman.com/activities/cruiseship/submarine/info/details_deepexplorer.htm

 

[dreamflight99]

I've been "waiting" with baited breath for these excursions to be posted! As always, YOU BEAT DCL! They look FABULOUS, and we have selected the ones we wish to partake in for our 7-night WCC in August. The Dolphin Discovery is a Great offer @ a Bargain price...and it includes the Sea Lion Discovery as well. I love the Grand Cayman excursions...which include the Turtle Hospital. It's a neat little place, (we have friends who live nearby), but not much more than a 30-45 minute stop. There is a Turtle hospital in FLORIDA...if anyone is interested. It's worth the Drive and you can stay all day if you wish.

I too wonder if the DCL excursions are a "better" deal (all the way around: ie-safety, time, money) than the self-booked private excursions? I would not want to miss the ship leaving port due to some problem, etc. The prices seem to be comparable with the prices I've checked on the web for similar activities. Lastly, could you "recommend" any places on these stops "NOT" to miss? Since Castaway Cay is a "BEACH" day, and we'll be @ Vero Prior to our cruise (not to mention living in So. Cal near the BEACH), we want to take the downtown historic trolley ride through Key West. Anyone ever done this? How about the 7-mile beach in Cayman? Should we snorkle in Cozumel (or Dolphins?)?

Decisions...Decisions!! The last time we took a cruise, all the excursions were "inclusive"! I'd appreciate any helpful tips/hints from you Disney Cruise Experts/Veterans...(this includes you Michelle! LOL). Thanks...DF99

 

[3cheers4DIS]

Dreamflight99...you said you have friends that live near the turtle hospital, we were under the impression it was a turtle farm....as in they breed turtles to eat? ( a no no for our vegetarian son! ) we had plans to avoid this at all costs, but if is is only a hospital then we have more excursion possibilities!

 

[dreamflight99]

I'll double-check...but I recall this is a turtle farm (as in hatchery, etc.) and a recovery center for diseased and sick turtles. They release the turtles into the sea during certain times. I'll do some more research and find out for sure. I've never heard they "eat" these turtles, if so...you can certainly count us OUT!!
TTFN... (we have turtles & tortoise too)

 

[dreamflight99]

http://www.greenturtlefarm.com/indexright.html

These are "endangered species", and are (thankfully) not farmed for food! They are beautiful, and the site is informative. Enjoy!

 

[MickeyB426]

Actually, according to the Turtle Farm website, 60% of the turtles are raised to be farmed out locally for food.

 

[3cheers4DIS]

thanks for the replies and link to the turtle farm website. Yes, 60% of their turtles are processed for food at 3 to 4 years old and they release the other 40%. We will avoid going on an excursion that includes a trip to the farm, it would be nice to see the turtles and the breeding scheme would be interesting, but not under those circumstances!

 

[Joe & Joanne]

Hi
Lets see if I get this straight. You will not visit a "Farm" that raises Turtles for food? OK, how about Cattle farms (oops! forgot cattle may be contaminated and may cause some people to get sick?), catfish ponds, shrimp farms, chicken farms, cornish hens, ostrich farms, (don't forget the eggs!), sheep farms (don't they also get sick and have to be destroyed?), horse farms (you have dogs or cats?), farms for raising salmon, geese, pigs, lambs, pheasant, quail, buffalo,? I am sure I missed something here but the point is that although you may not want to eat turtle, some cultures have subsisted on this for eons. If you visit you may even find out that the turtles they are raising are not endangered species! While you may learn other things, remember all things have a place albiet not in your stomach, perhaps others

 

[dreamflight99]

The Farm's captive breeding colony now produces an average of 45,000 eggs per year. Approximately eight thousand hatchlings are needed each year to satisfy current production goals. Excess hatchlings are designated for tagging and release.

I stand corrected--Apparently, some are used for consumption. If this is the only way to "conserve" the turtles in the sea (no different than farm-raised catfish/salmon and trout), and decrease the fishing/catching of them in their natural habitat--I'm 100% for it. The turtle farm needs funds for research, preservation, etc.--one of the easiest ways is through selling turtle meat for profit. If this is explained to young children, they will understand. If it were not for the "Turtle Farm" (and other like these), folks would simply "fish" all the turtles from the open sea, (thus lowering their numbers, eventually causing extinction of species).

Joe & Joanne is right...lots of cultures have existed on turtle meat as a main source of their protein for centuries. The Turtle Farm provides the turtle meat, yet preserves the lives of those released into the sea. In life, reward is seldom without sacrifice. I hope you rethink your decision to bypass this excursion, and visit the Turtle Farm. It is a rare opportunity, one you may regret having missed in the future. Enjoy the weekend.

 

[3cheers4DIS]

Joe and Joanne, Dreamflight99....
I understand your views and to a certain extent agree with them, but we have made the desision not to visit the farm. We would probably not visit other farms for the same reason ( horse farms???)
although both myself and DH are meat eaters, DS is not and has not eaten meat since watching a program on the live export of cattle for slaughter when he was 8. I have accepted his desision ( although I make sure he still eats fish ) and also accept that he is sensitive towards animals being killed in general. On any other day of the year we may have done the tour and kept our fingers crossed that the guides didnt elaborate on this aspect of their farm too much, our Grand Cayman day will be DS's 13th birthday and we won't take the chance of making it miserable for him, there are plenty of other excellent excursions to think about and Georgetown itself seems worth a look!

I didn't mean to upset anyone with this post, only to obtain enough information for us to judge what will be the best desision for ourselves

 

[Joe & Joanne]

Hi
I certainly did not feel upset, nor was it my intention to criticise. Many folks close themselves off to many tremendous learning experiences for what they feel is "unacceptable". Exposure to anything can be turned into a learning experience, and one must consider all the aspects of both sides. It helps to make an informed decison and establish our life feelings and goals. That is what is so great about kids today. My 7 year old DN last year only wanted to eat veggies (imagine?) after visiting a horse farm for old horses here in NJ. It was explained that after the good life of the horse was over, they were brought to the farm and cared for until they were no longer capable of being helped. After the horses died it was explained that the horse became "Life substance" for other little creatures. It was sad but perfectly understandable. That is how life goes on. She has since related this to cats eating birds, fish eating smaller fish, frogs eating flies etc. and now enjoys most of what is available for her little stomach.

As for the turtles, and "other creatures", as previously posted, fisherman and hunters would surely hasten the depletion of the species if left to their own resources. That is a sad fact of life. Regardless of your decision, you are right and have to decide what is best. I truly wish your day and DSs birthday are very enjoyable
No harm taken.

 

[Mogoofy]

Your information is great! Now we can plan the remainder of our trip. We are avid divers and will do at least one of the two dives. Does anyone know if these are all day excursions or just half day. Will the Cozumel dive be at night or evening? I've been told the corral is so pretty at night. Our only draw back is there is so much to do and so little time to do it in. Our excitememt is building to a new level now that we know what's available.

 

[Michelle]

I'm going to go ahead and lock this thread and leave it as for information only; feel free to ask questions or discuss the Western excursions on new threads below.