Aaaaaahhh! To think that we were just in heaven (Rum Point) this time last week!!!

[Bug'sMom]

We booked through Nativeways online and did their “Rays, Reef and Rum Point” tour which was the highlight of our entire cruise. (The Blue Hole in Jamaica was a close second). We have been to the Rays and Reef before but wanted our son to see them. The rays are always awesome but we had been there, done that, ya know? The snorkeling was just average but Rum Point was breathtaking. Very picturesqe. Like a Corona commercial. I could have spent all day there. In fact, when we go back, that is what I plan to do. They had a yummy lunch waiting for us (they give you a menu after you leave the snorkeling site and it's ready when you get there. The food was really good and big portions). We we rented jetskis for 1/2 an hour for $95. Single rider was $75 but my husband and I took turns taking our son out with us. The place was so tranquil and uncrowded and completely off the beaten path so to speak. Rum Point is my new “happy place” that I go to in my mind when I check out….ha ha! Worth every penny and more!

Kathy:)

[heavenlysea]

Any issue with seagrass at Rum Point? I seem to recall I saw a mention of seagrass somewhere for this location.

[TurtleTagger]

No seagrass at Rum Point. Best snorkeling in that area is 200 yds off the point or along the shore 1/2 mile east past the condos there.

[cruisingforsix]

We booked through Nativeways online and did their “Rays' date=' Reef and Rum Point” tour which was the highlight of our entire cruise. (The Blue Hole in Jamaica was a close second). We have been to the Rays and Reef before but wanted our son to see them. The rays are always awesome but we had been there, done that, ya know? The snorkeling was just average but Rum Point was breathtaking. Very picturesqe. Like a Corona commercial. I could have spent all day there. In fact, when we go back, that is what I plan to do. They had a yummy lunch waiting for us (they give you a menu after you leave the snorkeling site and it's ready when you get there. The food was really good and big portions). We we rented jetskis for 1/2 an hour for $95. Single rider was $75 but my husband and I took turns taking our son out with us. The place was so tranquil and uncrowded and completely off the beaten path so to speak. Rum Point is my new “happy place” that I go to in my mind when I check out….ha ha! Worth every penny and more![/size']

 

Kathy:)

You say the snorkeling was just average? can you tell me what size group you had? Is there a better place to snorkel in gc. we have been to caribbean several times but first time to gc. any tips are welcome.

[TurtleTagger]

The snorkeling around the immediate beach area and pier at Rum Point is average. Out where the wave runner tours stops is excellent, as is the barrier reef there (far snorkel). Visiting for one day on a cruise, you can't do much better than this:

 

[Bug'sMom]

You say the snorkeling was just average? can you tell me what size group you had? Is there a better place to snorkel in gc. we have been to caribbean several times but first time to gc. any tips are welcome.

 

I copied myself from another post..sorry...getting lazy here....;)

 

The great thing about Nativeways is that they limit the tour to 25 people. We only had 8 other people with us and it was really fun getting to know them. Some were on the same ship as us and others on Carnival. I do have to say that when we pulled up to Rum Point, a HUGE cattle boat of cruise passengers were dropped off as well. I bet there were a 50 -75 people on their boat.:eek: They were on the ships excursion and they were only there briefly and then one of them said that they were on their way to snorkel and see the stingrays. SO glad we didn't do the ships excursion!!! We had about an hour and a half there - not long enough!

 

P.S. we snorkeled at the barrier reef. We have done so twice and neither time was I impressed...perhaps if I had brought some "fish food" I would have had better luck (oatmeal).

[agagal313]

We will be on the Carnival Inspiration sailing out of Tampa on 29 November and we will be in Grand Cayman on 1 December. The Inspiration is not in port long enough to do the Native Way Watersports Ray, Reef and Rum Point Tour. I e-mailed Native Way Watersports regarding this issue. This the reply that I received the next day:

 

Presently, we do not have a Stingray & Rum Point tour. However, we are giving a lot of consideration to changing the Rays, Reef, and Rum Point tour to just Rays and Rum Point, so that people traveling on Inspiration can take the tour. Right now, you cannot take the RRR tour because your ship leaves too early. If we get at least 10 people interested in a Rays & Rum Point tour, we will do that tour.

 

I will be happy to keep your name on a waiting list. If we get at least 10 takers, we will do the tour.

 

Let me know what you would like to do.

 

Sharon Ebanks

 

If you would be interested in going on a NativeWay Stingray & Rum Point tour that is custom made to fit the Carnival Inspiration's time in port, please e-mail Native Way and let them know @ nativway@candw.ky.

 

This company gets good reviews on the Cruise Critic Boards for small groups and great experiences. Not the "cattle-car" experience that the cruise line sponsors.

[agagal313]

The snorkeling around the immediate beach area and pier at Rum Point is average. Out where the wave runner tours stops is excellent, as is the barrier reef there (far snorkel). Visiting for one day on a cruise, you can't do much better than this:

 

What kind of camera did you use?

[pcrum]

We booked through Nativeways online and did their “Rays' date=' Reef and Rum Point” tour which was the highlight of our entire cruise. (The Blue Hole in Jamaica was a close second). We have been to the Rays and Reef before but wanted our son to see them. The rays are always awesome but we had been there, done that, ya know? The snorkeling was just average but Rum Point was breathtaking. Very picturesqe. Like a Corona commercial. I could have spent all day there. In fact, when we go back, that is what I plan to do. They had a yummy lunch waiting for us (they give you a menu after you leave the snorkeling site and it's ready when you get there. The food was really good and big portions). We we rented jetskis for 1/2 an hour for $95. Single rider was $75 but my husband and I took turns taking our son out with us. The place was so tranquil and uncrowded and completely off the beaten path so to speak. Rum Point is my new “happy place” that I go to in my mind when I check out….ha ha! Worth every penny and more![/size']

Kathy:)

 

Did you do the Blue Hole in Jamaica with a tour? How physically active do you have to be to enjoy the Blue Hole?

 

Thanks.

[Bug'sMom]

Wow I am so sorry about not replying sooner....once I got back to work (and the cruise was over :(), I stopped perusing the message boards. We didn't really take a tour per se. We just contacted Peat Taylor and told him what we wanted to do. It was interesting because he had a van full of people and at some point we all split up into different groups after Dunns River Falls. Some people just went river tubing and some (that would be our group) decided to go see the Blue Hole and then go tubing. Peat just really let each person plan their day and had different transportation to each place. It was AWESOME! They were VERY accomodating!.