The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/all/20060601021618/http://www.mybargaincruises.com/bargaincruises-insight-Grand+Cayman+After+The+Hurricane+Season-section-1-id-11.html

bargain cruise guide

bargain cruise guide

Our Network Websites
real estate links
insurance guide
software links
health links
travel links
Grand Cayman After The Hurricane Season
Publish Date : 1/11/2006 4:25:09 PM   Source : Clint Leung

One of the ports visited on our recent Royal Caribbean cruise was Grand Cayman. This was an eagerly awaited port since I've been there before but wanted to take my girlfriend scuba diving there. We were worried that we might miss this port since the Caymans were hit pretty hard by the hurricanes and indeed, they had closed the islands off to tourist travel for part of the summer/fall. Fortunately for us, Grand Cayman had reopened just about two weeks prior to our cruise at the end of November.

Getting to Grand Cayman is by tender since it had a shallow harbour. This can be a potential problem in itself because we were told that if the wind and waves are too rough, the captain would cancel the port and spend the rest of the day at sea. Apparently in the past, one of the tender boat workers had fallen and got crushed to death between the boat and the dock during one of the rougher wave days. This resulted in the cruiseships being much more careful in deciding whether to allow tendering or not given the conditions. Again, fortunately for us, the weather was picture perfect during the day we were in Grand Cayman last week.

The downtown area pretty well recovered from the effects of the hurricanes and the shopping was business as usual. There were four ships at port during the day we were at port. Grand Cayman is above average in terms of cleaniness and the attitude of the locals for a Caribbean island. It is also one of the pricier island though. Bargains can still be found though, especially in the liquor where there are examples of certain liquors being even less expensive in Grand Cayman than even Cozumel. For example, Malibu rum was $10 US in Grand Cayman, $13 in Cozumel and about $19 back in the Miami home port. Everything else like restaurants and activities were generally more expensive than other islands.

According to other passengers who ventured to other parts of the island, the damage from the hurricanes was more visible with fallen trees and some buildings still not repaired yet. A few of the organized tours by the cruiseship were also not available. We decided in advance to do some scuba diving off the shore and Eden Rocks Scuba Center was a 5 minute walk from the port. There are two decent shore dives right in front of their dive shop and we spend the morning diving the site called Devil's Grotto. Instead of paying $85 US for a typical Cayman boat dive trip, I ended up paying just $8 US for a rental for a tank.

I didn't go to other parts of the island during this trip but have been to the turtle farm, Hell village and Stingray City before. They are all worthwhile sites to visit. I wanted to take my girlfriend scuba diving at Stingray City in the afternoon but for some reason, only the snorkelling sections of Stingray City were available that day. So after returning to the cruiseship for lunch, we went back ashore to do some shopping. We would like to come back to Grand Cayman again for a longer stay in the future.

In summary, most of Grand Cayman appears to be back in business again after the hurricanes. It is one of the nicer but pricier ports to visit in the Caribbean.

About the Author

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca), an online gallery specializing in Inuit and Northwest Native art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native art as well as free eCards.

Premium Link Partners




Become a Premium Link Partner
Premium Link Partners




Become a Premium Link Partner

Bargain Cruises Guide


Where To Look For Fall Travel Deals        
If you are one of the lucky few who can be flexible in vacation travel, taking fall vacations can be a great bargain for you. There are a number of special things going on to capatalize on plus summer venues still looking for the last of the tourist...

ALASKA EASY CRUISING GUIDE        
WHAT TO SEE: Legendary beautiful scenery of Alaska- magnificent coastal fjords, rugged glaciers, vast evergreen forests, sky-high mountains, 7 of which are the tallest peaks in North America (to see Mt. McKinley, North America's tallest peak,...

Air Travel around the world and let your cares fall by the wayside as you take wonderful vacations.        
Air Travel and vacations, to get on a plane and go somewhere, can be one of life's most rewarding experiences. It's so exciting to contemplate an exotic or relaxing destination, for no other reason than to just get away. Half the fun of air...

Bargain Vacations: Your Dream Getaway on EBay        
Do you want to get away from the stress of daily life for a few days but do not think you have the money to do it? Think again. eBay, the largest and most popular worldwide trading website, now offers people the opportunity to purchase...

CYPRUS - the Divided Country, Travel Guide        
Nestled into the eastern part of Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. Cyprus history for the past 10,000 years has seen civilizations come and go and famous historical figures such as Alexander the Great to...

Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection - Part 1 of 2        
One statistic shows that over 80% of all buying decisions are emotional. That means your copywriting should be, too. This is something I firmly believe in and have preached for most of my copywriting career. However, all too often, I find people...

Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection - Part 2 of 2        
In part one of this article series we began looking at the Cruise Vacation Center site: a travel site whose copy was sorely lacking in emotional appeal and visual imagry. (You can see the previous version of the copy here:...

Cruise Packages have Something for Everyone!        
The traditional view of cruises has been that they’re for couples who are getting away for romance and adventure. More recently people have also begun thinking about cruises as a way for singles to meet each other and have a great time as well. But...

Cruising: Fun & Affordable        
Many people pass up going on a cruise for their vacation because of the myth that it is expensive. However, cruising has become a fun and economical way to vacation for young and old alike. It could be considered a downright bargain compared to...

Cruising The Western Caribbean        
HOW TO SAVE, HOW TO ENJOY SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU SAVE Finding Cruise Values Those inexpensive Western Caribbean cruise promotions may sound like a terrific bargain, but you really need to know more. Ships have become fancier and offer more...

Total Results : 23  
More News (Opens in New Window) :    [1]   2   3      Next Page
Our Network Websites >>> real estate links | insurance guide | software links | health links | travel links mens clothing | bargain cruises | hotel reviews | used cars | wedding favors | extended stay hotels | condos buying tips | laptop guide | bargain holidays | best mortgage deals | dental insurance | auto insurance quotes | cheap life insurance | car insurance quotes | life insurance quotes | ireland golf vacation packages | golf vacations | ireland vacations | hawaii vacation packages | vacation packages | digital camera review | digital video camera | security camera | home security cameras | disposable cameras | digital printing | digital photo software | digital projectors | digital photo processing | surveillance cameras | electronic stores | home electronics | diet supplements | zone diet | eating disorders guide | fsbo | learn spanish | learn italian | business brokers | commercial real estate |

:: SiteWide Links :: Hotel Reviews :: discount hotel :: vacation packages : wedding favors :: mens clothing ::