*kzoo*

lawyerlindsay

I saw your post on the Travel page about Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman.  Just thought I'd share...

You should definitely do the sting ray thing in Grand Cayman (and it is EASY to just find someone on land, so don't book through the cruise):

  

 

hahahahaha 

In Ocho Rios, we did a horseback riding excursion (did that first, and then the driver dropped us off at the Falls, and picked us back up and brought us to port for just a little more. Used the cruise line for this excursion): 

This was probably the highlight of the trip for me.

DEFINITELY do the Dunn (sp?) River Falls in Ocho Rios: (bring water shoes with you, because you can buy them cheaper here, and you will definitely want them) 

 

Disclaimer:  I did this trip in 2005. 

HAVE FUN!

kzoomaggie

Thank you so much for this!!!!  I have been doing research, trying to figure out what to do and Sting Ray City and Dunn River Falls seem to be everyone's favorites. 

Horseback riding actually sounds like a lot of fun though!  We haven't considered that, but it looks like a blast!

So you just found someone to take you out to Sting Ray City when you got off the boat?  Or did you book the tour before you left on the cruise?  Was this something that you could have done in Jamaica too?  I know the excursions are pretty expensive if you book them through the boat. 

 We are crusing in 16 days, so I'm really trying to get stuff figured out!!!!   I'm so excited though!  And your pictures are amazing!!!  It looks like such a good time!  I have a water proof case for my camera, so I plan on taking tons of pictures!!!

Did you do a cruise for your trip???

lawyerlindsay

kzoomaggie:

Thank you so much for this!!!!  I have been doing research, trying to figure out what to do and Sting Ray City and Dunn River Falls seem to be everyone's favorites. 

Horseback riding actually sounds like a lot of fun though!  We haven't considered that, but it looks like a blast!  Horseback riding wasn't even on our radar before the trip.  I had done some research beforehand (of course), but didn't see anything about this until we were on the boat.

So you just found someone to take you out to Sting Ray City when you got off the boat?  Or did you book the tour before you left on the cruise? I had booked a sting ray thing before we left, but when we got there we couldn't find the pickup van.  After wasting a bunch of time we just went back to the port area and went with someone holding a sign.  There are tons of people, so you shouldn't have a problem. 

Was this something that you could have done in Jamaica too? I have no idea.  I'm sure that there may be people there for Dunn River Falls, but I don't know how much I recommend it.  The locals hanging around the tourist spots are HORRIBLE.  As in, you can't get them off of you! (It is like this even on your way out of Dunn River Falls.)  I would probably prefer the security of booking through the cruise for Jamaica, but I'm kind of a wimp like that.

I know the excursions are pretty expensive if you book them through the boat. Yeah, they can be.  But it is what it is.  I don't think that you would save that much money by going with someone on shore.

 We are crusing in 16 days, so I'm really trying to get stuff figured out!!!! Don't worry too much about planning a lot.  You really don't get that much time on shore. In Grand Cayman, we had time to walk around, have lunch, and do the sting ray thing...and then we were literally running to the port.  In Ocho Rios, we had time to do the horse thing, the Falls, and walk through a liquor store.  It's not worth the stress to rush by trying to cram a bunch of stuff in.

I'm so excited though!  And your pictures are amazing!!!  It looks like such a good time!  I have a water proof case for my camera, so I plan on taking tons of pictures!!!   I bought a cheap water proof camera from Meijer before I went, in addition to the digital.  For things like the sting rays and the Falls, I didn't want to take the chance of wrecking the digital, or even worrying about it.  When I got back, I just dropped it off for processing and got the pictures put on a disc.

Did you do a cruise for your trip??? Carnival.  Not great, but given the price point, it worked.