Jump to content

To visit or not to visit Grand Cayman?


Recommended Posts

Next year's RSVP cruise is stopping at Grand Cayman so I am also interested to know more. It was in 1998 that an Atlantis cruise was turned away from Grand Cayman but in 2006 later another cruise was met with some locals welcoming them while others protested.

 

I found this news snippet from 2013 re. Kimpton Hotels opening a hotel on Seven Mile beach: http://www.cayman27.com.ky/2013/07/30/gay-friendly-hotel-coming-to-cayman

Edited by Boytjie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

If you're on a cruise which stops at Key West, Cozumel AND Grand Cayman, would you get off the ship in Grand Cayman or remain onboard? Or, would you skip that itinerary all together?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

If you want to avoid arrest, don't strip or f)&$# on your balcony. In the case of those who were arrested, staying on the ship didn't help in Grand Cayman.

 

If you prefer not to financially support places that are homophobic, then you should avoid the Bahamas and Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

 

D&J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want to avoid arrest, don't strip or f)&$# on your balcony. In the case of those who were arrested, staying on the ship didn't help in Grand Cayman.

 

If you prefer not to financially support places that are homophobic, then you should avoid the Bahamas and Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

 

D&J

 

One other point. Port charges are revenues to the above Governments that encourage homophobia. If that is something you care about you may want to adjust your itinerary to "friendlier" places.

 

D&J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want to avoid arrest, don't strip or f)&$# on your balcony. In the case of those who were arrested, staying on the ship didn't help in Grand Cayman.

 

That incident on Atlantis was not in Grand Cayman.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The arrest for "buggery" was on an Atlantis Celebrity Summit cruise in Dominica in 2012.

 

In 2010, Grand Cayman didn't allow an Atlantis cruise to dock in Grand Cayman due to protests from religious groups. I wouldn't let that stop me from booking but I would ask what happens if they do that again.

 

It's a shame that much of the Caribbean is very homophobic. I don't think any gay charters stop in Barbados or Jamaica due to their laws against being gay and potential violence.

 

Too bad. Most homophobes love money more than they hate gays. I personally don't want to give my money to homophobes if they hate me though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In 2010, Grand Cayman didn't allow an Atlantis cruise to dock in Grand Cayman due to protests from religious groups.

 

 

I have been unable to find anything about Atlantis turned away in 2010 - I saw mention of religious demanding it before the cruise but nothing else. You aren't thinking about the 1998 incident?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My partner and I have been to Grand Cayman many times and never had a problem. We don't show any PDA. With the new hotel opening up there I think it will be a great beach for us to go to. Seven mile beach has many beaches and my vote will go the new hotel. I will support them as their gay friendly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

If you're on a cruise which stops at Key West, Cozumel AND Grand Cayman, would you get off the ship in Grand Cayman or remain onboard? Or, would you skip that itinerary all together?

 

Thanks in advance.

We were the in 2006. We had no issues. It's really just a shopping stop. Nice beaches, but not a lot else. I wouldn't bother. You can find plenty of shopping on other islands. Make it a spa day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wasn't on the 2010 Grand Cayman Atlantis cruise and don't know if they were allowed into port despite the religious protests against it.

 

I found the following link from that time simultaneously amusing and maddening.

 

http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2010/01/21/Gay-tourists-spend-more--report/

 

Anyway, they will gladly take your money. Further progress takes brave people ignoring their bigotry and having fun despite it (or because of it).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My partner and I have been to Grand Cayman many times and never had a problem. We don't show any PDA. With the new hotel opening up there I think it will be a great beach for us to go to. Seven mile beach has many beaches and my vote will go the new hotel. I will support them as their gay friendly.

 

Unfortunately, many amazing places in the world have populations and/or governments that are virulently anti-gay. But that hasn't stopped my bf and me from going to places such as Dubai, Jamaica, Istanbul, etc. I am scheduled to make my 1st stop in GC this November on the Celebrity Silhouette, so I don't have any 1st hand knowledge, but if it's anything like Jamaica, my advice would be to just keep your guard up and be smart. The world is full of nasty people, wherever you go. The key is to enjoy the locale while keeping your wits about you. :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want to avoid arrest, don't strip or f)&$# on your balcony. In the case of those who were arrested, staying on the ship didn't help in Grand Cayman.

 

If you prefer not to financially support places that are homophobic, then you should avoid the Bahamas and Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

 

D&J

If that incident happened in GC, then the people who saw it need a very powerful telescope as the ship is anchored over mile off shore..... Cant see from the naked eye anyhow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, many amazing places in the world have populations and/or governments that are virulently anti-gay. But that hasn't stopped my bf and me from going to places such as Dubai, Jamaica, Istanbul, etc. I am scheduled to make my 1st stop in GC this November on the Celebrity Silhouette, so I don't have any 1st hand knowledge, but if it's anything like Jamaica, my advice would be to just keep your guard up and be smart. The world is full of nasty people, wherever you go. The key is to enjoy the locale while keeping your wits about you. :cool:

 

Yes, I'll never forget when we walked over the border from Zambia into Botswana and the customs agent made a sarcastic remark about two men traveling together. I had no idea that Botswana had laws against gays and we could have been arrested for homosexuality. Now I know that virtually every country in Africa and the Caribbean is very homophobic. Even in Puerto Vallarta which is a gay vacation destination some people are openly homophobic.

 

Anyway, mostly they like your money more than they hate you and as long as you are not overtly blatant or have sex with the curtains open in your cabin people should be fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The arrest for "buggery" was on an Atlantis Celebrity Summit cruise in Dominica in 2012.

 

In 2010, Grand Cayman didn't allow an Atlantis cruise to dock in Grand Cayman due to protests from religious groups. I wouldn't let that stop me from booking but I would ask what happens if they do that again.

 

........

 

I was on the Liberty Cruise in 2010 and we had no issue with our Cayman stop with the exception of a death on board. Many stores had rainbow signs in the windows, It amuses me when visiting these islands on Charters, many stores put up rainbow flags that are so new they still have the creases in them, it is true the greed for money sometimes outweighs the homophobia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would stay on board simply because Grand Cayman is a boring port. Unless you plan on going to the beach for the day, there is not much to see:)

 

That is something I can agree on. There is nothing of much interest anywhere on the island. And if there is more than one ship visiting that day, not enough room on the streets to walk comfortably.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would stay on board simply because Grand Cayman is a boring port. Unless you plan on going to the beach for the day, there is not much to see:)

 

We were there in 2008 (and I confess to not knowing at the time about the homphobia). We enjoyed "swimming with the stingrays" at Stingray City, and then had a very relaxing lunch with magaritas at (where else) Margaritaville looking out at the water.

 

024_22a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were there in 2008 (and I confess to not knowing at the time about the homphobia). We enjoyed "swimming with the stingrays" at Stingray City, and then had a very relaxing lunch with magaritas at (where else) Margaritaville looking out at the water.

 

When we went there in Sept. 2013, we booked a private excursion that took a catamaran to the stingray sandbar followed by snorkeling and had a blast. I'd do that again if I went back to Grand Cayman.

 

The first time we went, we just walked the beach... a cheaper option, but still fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want to see Grand Cayman, but not give them any money, there's a pretty decent snorkeling spot within walking distance where you can rent snorkel gear for $5 or you can bring your own and do it for free. Grand Cayman is pretty boring in my opinion, but you can snorkel with some five foot long sturgeon there with the ship in the background ... still remains the best (basically) free tour I've done in the Caribbean.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were there in June of 2012 on a honeymoon cruise. Didn't know about the anti-gay sentiment there and never experienced any negative looks or comments. Stingray City was awesome. Stingrays were like giant puppies. Went there on a group excursion via a catamaran, which also included snorkeling.

 

Of all the places we've visited as a couple, Las Vegas (Sin City) was the only place we've received unwelcome comments. Go figure...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were there in June of 2012 on a honeymoon cruise. Didn't know about the anti-gay sentiment there and never experienced any negative looks or comments. Stingray City was awesome. Stingrays were like giant puppies. Went there on a group excursion via a catamaran, which also included snorkeling.

 

Of all the places we've visited as a couple, Las Vegas (Sin City) was the only place we've received unwelcome comments. Go figure...

 

We to found Las Vegas was a threat. A few years ago when we were there, the police were sitting outside of a gay bar watching people leave and when they got into there cars would pull them over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We to found Las Vegas was a threat. A few years ago when we were there, the police were sitting outside of a gay bar watching people leave and when they got into there cars would pull them over.

We were there last year & never had any problem. Did you get pulled over or just "heard" about it from someone? If it happened to me, I'd be filing a harrassment complaint against the cops immediately. Considering the drugs & other crime that takes place there(on the side streets)I'd tend to think the cops have better things to do. So please back up your statement with facts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were there last year & never had any problem. Did you get pulled over or just "heard" about it from someone? If it happened to me, I'd be filing a harrassment complaint against the cops immediately. Considering the drugs & other crime that takes place there(on the side streets)I'd tend to think the cops have better things to do. So please back up your statement with facts.

 

No we did not get pulled over. We were told by the bartender what the police was doing and we did observe them in action.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Grand Cayman is one of our stops in September, along with Montego Bay. We plan to make Grand Cayman a beach day. As others have said, we do not show PDA. Often times we pass as brothers. We have been to the Bahamas, Barbados, St. Lucia, etc. and have never experienced any problems. We had so much fun in Barbados that we have booked that Southern itinerary again! Save your PDA for your cabin and you shouldn't have any trouble in Grand Cayman. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...