Epic Shore Excursion Recommendations

[Grammymongi]

Hi Everyone! Going on the Epic in Feb. 2024 and looking to book a shore excursion in Cozumel, Jamaica or Grand Cayman. Any recommendations on an excursion worth the money? Thank you!!🙂

P.S. We do not want to go to Dunn River Falls all the pictures look way to crowded.

[ColeThornton]

If you haven't done so already wander over to the Caribbean ports of call forum.  There are sub-forums for all those places with great excursion/transportation info.   Here's the link for you:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/456-caribbean/

[Grammymongi]

Thank you!!

[complawyer]

been to cozumel a few times, always went to see the ruins at tulum. for my money, it's a must see, but only if you're into archeology!

 

grand cayman twice. first time we just walked around the city georgetown, very nice) the second time we went swimming with the stingrays. the water only comes up to about your waist. and the rays come right up to you. you can also get snorkeling equipment on the boat takes you out.  dunn river falls is crowded, but there is beach, and you can (along with others) walk up the falls. great spot for a picture. from the beach level, looking up at the entire falls. please don't let the crowds dissuade you from missing tis opportunity.

 

my best advice, would be, as soon as you get on board, go to the excursion desk, they usually have descriptions and costs of all the available tours, and prices.

 

pick up the ones for the ports you have interest in, get a cold Heineken, and go back to your cabin (if its available) study the descriptions, and then decide what you'd like to do.

 

my friend went zip-lining in cozumel (not my cup of tea)

 

by the way, you will see that most of the shore excursions are crowded (especially the most popular ones),

especially if there is more than one ship docked (not unusual for cozumel or jamaica). 

 

imagine 3 ships and all the tourists descending in ocho rios, or georgetown.

 

large crowds have become, (if not have always been) a necessary evil of cruising.

 

some ports are even trying to block large ships from docking at their ports

regardless, go, sail, enjoy and most of all "BON VOYAGE"

 

 

[Grammymongi]

Thank you. Very helpful information. 😊

[Sabbytravels]

In Jamaica we ended up with a private guide & did Dunn river falls & also the blue hole which u climb & then jump ur way down the water falls. He was willing to take us more places but we had him take us to lunch & then back to port because the traffic was terrible with too many ships in port at once. In grand cayman we booked thru the boat knowing it would be a tender port with 5 mega ships in at the same time & we wanted a set time to get off ship. We booked island tour with turtle farm. The guide took us to a dolphin encounter & left us there. I had to show him the video of what we had booked. Even then the tour was nothing like what was shown on NCL site. I do not recommend it at all. Oh & the rum place was over packed & we only got 1 sample. Nothing on that tour was as described. I complained but nothing came of it. In cozumel we did a catamaran sail, snorkel & beach fun(in water slides etc at private beach) thru NCL. It should have been canceled due to conditions, all others after ours were & most other water based excursions were canceled. I think it could have been fun if the conditions had been right. 

[Grammymongi]

43 minutes ago, Sabbytravels said:

In Jamaica we ended up with a private guide & did Dunn river falls & also the blue hole which u climb & then jump ur way down the water falls. He was willing to take us more places but we had him take us to lunch & then back to port because the traffic was terrible with too many ships in port at once. In grand cayman we booked thru the boat knowing it would be a tender port with 5 mega ships in at the same time & we wanted a set time to get off ship. We booked island tour with turtle farm. The guide took us to a dolphin encounter & left us there. I had to show him the video of what we had booked. Even then the tour was nothing like what was shown on NCL site. I do not recommend it at all. Oh & the rum place was over packed & we only got 1 sample. Nothing on that tour was as described. I complained but nothing came of it. In cozumel we did a catamaran sail, snorkel & beach fun(in water slides etc at private beach) thru NCL. It should have been canceled due to conditions, all others after ours were & most other water based excursions were canceled. I think it could have been fun if the conditions had been right. 

Thank you. We appreciate the honest feedback.