Is 45 minutes cutting it too close (Native Way tours)

Based on my readings here, I choose to go with the Rays, Reef, and Rum. It seems great!

My concern is that the tour ends at 3:15. I am guessing that means we will be back to the ship by 3:15, rather than just getting started heading back to the boat.

The buffer seems too small. Am I correct?

I would never want the boat to leave without me. We are on the Carnival Breeze.

Alternatively, maybe someone can suggest a similar tour in the area. marvin's doesn't fit our schedule either (it arrives back at 6). Our boat leaves at 4 EST.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Actually I just canceled my reservation and now we are going with Marvin's.

We don't leave until 10 am, which gives us plenty of time to get off the boat.

Are there any beaches near the port to go to before our after (we have a few hours before the tour and a few hours after the tour?

Thank you.

Good choice in switching. I would never book an excursion that goes until 3:15 if the ship leave at 4 pm. That means last tender leaves at 3:30. That only gives you a 15 minute cushion......no way!

Keep in mind that Cayman time is the same as Miami time in the winter, and one hour behind Miami time in the summer (unless the move to use DST goes forward). Island time and ship time can thus be different, so keep that in mind when booking private excursions based on time alone.

Marvin's gets back at 2:30 (1:30 Cayman time). Boat leaves at 4.

Is this enough time?

How likely is it to be on time?

Even 1.5 hour buffer time is scaring me. He assured me that they've never been late and I will not miss by boat.

Is Marvin's on time back to the dock? I just don't want to have to deal with missing the boat. We would have to catch up to it in Cozumel.

The other option is to go for the 8:30 Cayman time 2-stop. We'd have 1.5 hours to make it off of the ship which comes in at 7 am Cayman time. With all the tendering going on, I'm not really sure we'd make it off of the ship in 1.5 hours. In the past, it's gone pretty slow and with all the boats at Cayman that day, I'm scared we will miss the 8:30 excursion. On the other hand, I feel that 1.5 hours, or maybe less, might also be chancing it.

Thoughts????

CaddyB123,

I did the Rays, Reef, and Rum Point tour with Native Way and our port hours were 7am-4pm Central time. (same as Grand Cayman time when we went)

See my post in this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2194794

Native Way is not in the business of running tours that cause people to miss their ship. I know it is a leap of faith but do not worry about it. The RRR tour is awesome and I am doing the exact same tour again on our upcoming Liberty of the Seas cruise. If there would be a problem getting you back to the ship on time then Sharon from Native Way won't let you book it. You will be back in time to catch the tender to the ship. :)

I have done Native Way twice while on CCL. They are going to get you back with plenty of time to make the ship, you have read too much. Private operators are not in the business of having people miss ships. If they did they would be out of business.

IMO you made a mistake canceling Native Way, because you really had an hour longer than you thought.

We did the Nativeway RRR tour and got back 15 minutes before last tender. It didn't matter. There was several hundred people in line when we arrived, plus there was 3 or 4 ships in port all tendering at the same time. It took over an hour to tender.

As the others stated, the tour companies DO NOT want leave people stranded. Looks awful on a resume.

Hi, all.

Thanks for the info., and I'll check out the review. According to them, they said we would be back at 2:15 Grand Cayman time, but this is 3:15 ship time and the ship leaves at 4. That just scares me. I did the RRR tour years ago with my husband (I joined this group in 2006 when we cruised on the RC and I used to come to these boards all of the time) and just found my old password today. We are a party of five, so flying to Cozumel (God forbid) would be close to 6,000 dollars. I know it usually doesn't happen, but we will do our beach time in Cozumel. Right now I'm signed up at Marvin's and the have my CC info.

It seems like Marvin's is a good outfit as well? I could probably still cancel, but I feel a lot more comfortable with the extra buffer time.

I am going with Carnival when we go to Ochos Rios since it's two hours away from the boat. That, I'm not chancing.

Any recs of what to do in Cozumel? We did the Dolphin Swim last time and this time, we are throwing down a lot of money on the first two stops. I'm thinking of a beach day, but with some spice. We don't drink, so we don't need anything all inclusive. Preferably somewhere with some banana boats and jet skis and chairs for my daughter to lay out on.

Thank you everyone for welcoming me back.

Also, are there sharks in the water there? I'm very wimpy, I know, but I've heard that there are more sharks this year around the US. Wondering if anyone has seen any there. Ugh.

Also, are there sharks in the water there? I'm very wimpy, I know, but I've heard that there are more sharks this year around the US. Wondering if anyone has seen any there. Ugh.

We snorkel every stop if weather permits so it is safe to say that we have spent at least 35 to 40 days snorkeling in 9 ports. We have never seen a shark. I wanted to go to Stewart Cove in the Bahamas just to swim with them.

Barracudas, though, are a different story. See them most stops. On our first visit to Chankanaab Park I was snorkeling out to the raft which is a good distance from shore. There was a 5' cuda under the raft as people jumped off of the raft and splashed around. They would have had a cow if they had known that toothy critter was there.

We snorkel every stop if weather permits so it is safe to say that we have spent at least 35 to 40 days snorkeling in 9 ports. We have never seen a shark. I wanted to go to Stewart Cove in the Bahamas just to swim with them.

 

Barracudas, though, are a different story. See them most stops. On our first visit to Chankanaab Park I was snorkeling out to the raft which is a good distance from shore. There was a 5' cuda under the raft as people jumped off of the raft and splashed around. They would have had a cow if they had known that toothy critter was there.

LOL, I agree. I've snorkeled my whole life (practically) all over the Caribbean and while you see lemon and nurse sharks, anything that you would consider "dangerous" I have never seen, although I'd love to do a swim with the sharks sometime as well.

Barracudas, while normally harmless if you stay out of their way, are EVERYWHERE and while snorkeling, I usually watch them for a bit, then swim the other way. (I also tend to forget to take off my shiny watch and rings and earrings before I snorkel and quickly panic a little and cover them up as to not attract the buggers.

You are right, if people knew what was under them, they would flee!!!!

Hi, all.

 

Thanks for the info., and I'll check out the review. According to them, they said we would be back at 2:15 Grand Cayman time, but this is 3:15 ship time and the ship leaves at 4. That just scares me. I did the RRR tour years ago with my husband (I joined this group in 2006 when we cruised on the RC and I used to come to these boards all of the time) and just found my old password today. We are a party of five, so flying to Cozumel (God forbid) would be close to 6,000 dollars. I know it usually doesn't happen, but we will do our beach time in Cozumel. Right now I'm signed up at Marvin's and the have my CC info.

 

It seems like Marvin's is a good outfit as well? I could probably still cancel, but I feel a lot more comfortable with the extra buffer time.

 

I am going with Carnival when we go to Ochos Rios since it's two hours away from the boat. That, I'm not chancing.

 

Any recs of what to do in Cozumel? We did the Dolphin Swim last time and this time, we are throwing down a lot of money on the first two stops. I'm thinking of a beach day, but with some spice. We don't drink, so we don't need anything all inclusive. Preferably somewhere with some banana boats and jet skis and chairs for my daughter to lay out on.

 

Thank you everyone for welcoming me back.

Hi, I don't know about Carnival since we have not cruised on them, but we have been on 25 cruises and everyone of them changed the ships clocks to coincide with the time zone you will be in. So the ships clocks will be the same as the island you are visiting. I would check with Carnival or maybe you already know that Carnival does not change their clocks. If they don't that's just plain laziness on their part.

These are reputable guides...they will NOT let you miss the ship. I promise! Just tell them when your ship leaves...and if they say it's ok...it will be.

We used Native Way last trip to GC and we got back in time...I was a little nervous as we got behind schedule and we were flying to make it back...but we did. Sharon was on top of it....but just a little too close for my comfort..so next trip we are finding an alternative. We did enjoy the tour though...

Was just coming here to post the exact question! I have my heart set now on the rays, reef, rum point tour, it sounds fabulous! But I am a bit nervous since it's 5 hrs and we're in port 8-4, and then need to tender on either end. Sounds like it'll be an early morning that day :)

It is good to read the reassurance here. I was assuming tour companies wouldn't book tours that cause people to miss their ships, but it's nice to read your personal experiences!