RCCL's Cayman Underwater Observatory tour

[Bonnie Voyager]

Does anyone know which vessel provides this one-hour tour? RCCL use to offer underwater observatory tours with both Seaworld Explorer AND Nautilus. Now I only see the Seaworld Explorer tour listed in the RCCL excursions and then there is this generic tour called "Cayman Underwater Observatory". It sounds just like the description of the Nautilus tour from year's past but it is cheaper than Nautilus tour was so I am confused. I know I can book directly with The Nautilus but for our group it is much cheaper to book the RCCL tour that sounds like it is the same as the Nautilus tour, but I'd rather spend more money and get the better tour if the new "Cayman Underwater Observatory" is not as good as the Nautilus. Does anyone know? Is it a good tour and/or is it actually run by the same folks that run The Nautilus?

[dangerouslymoody]

Bumping this thread because I am curious as well if this tour is any good?

[Bonnie Voyager]

:confused:

[DavidMutchler]

Does anyone know which vessel provides this one-hour tour? RCCL use to offer underwater observatory tours with both Seaworld Explorer AND Nautilus. Now I only see the Seaworld Explorer tour listed in the RCCL excursions and then there is this generic tour called "Cayman Underwater Observatory". It sounds just like the description of the Nautilus tour from year's past but it is cheaper than Nautilus tour was so I am confused. I know I can book directly with The Nautilus but for our group it is much cheaper to book the RCCL tour that sounds like it is the same as the Nautilus tour, but I'd rather spend more money and get the better tour if the new "Cayman Underwater Observatory" is not as good as the Nautilus. Does anyone know? Is it a good tour and/or is it actually run by the same folks that run The Nautilus?

 

Still looking for info -- I find lots about the Nautilus, but nothing on RCCL's "Cayman Underwater Observatory". In particular, it plus snorkeling is 2 hours 30 minutes, while Nautilus plus snorkeling is only 1 hour 45 minutes -- is that a real difference or just more of a bus ride?

[Bonnie Voyager]

Yes, I agree there is plenty of information about the Nautilus. But there is NO information on RCCL's Underwater Observatory Tour. It's a lot cheaper to do the RCCL tour (we have a group we are paying for) so I think we will just throw caution to the wind and try out this mystery tour. How bad can it be? :eek:

[montgomeryfamily]

Did you do the underwater observatory? If so, how was it and how did it compare to the Nautilis?

[Bonnie Voyager]

Did you do the underwater observatory? If so, how was it and how did it compare to the Nautilis?

 

Well, I still don't know who runs the Cayman Underwater Observatory Tour, but I do know it is not the folks from The Nautilus. We had the Cayman Underwater Observatory Tour booked through RCCL and went and waited at the appropriate spot for the tour to begin. We asked several representative of the excursion group if we were waiting in the correct spot since there was no one else waiting. We were reassured that we were in the right spot and that the tour operators would be along shortly. It was very hot and sunny in the waiting area (near the tender pier) and the tour operators did not show up till well after the time we were given on our tour ticket. Anyway, once they did show up they told us our tour was cancelled. So there we stood on the pier after planning our whole morning around being at the right spot at the right time for this tour. Anyway, since I had previously done my research about The Nautilus Tour, I knew the office of The Nautilus was right down the street, so we just walked down to their office and signed up for their next tour, which happened to be leaving in about 20 minutes. So, in the end, we paid more money, but we got to take a great tour on The Nautilus. I highly recommend The Nautilus Tour (book it on your own) and I can NOT recommend the Cayman Underwater Observatory tour which is the company RCCL uses. When we got back to the ship that day I checked with the excursion desk about my refund of my cancelled excursion and they knew nothing about it being cancelled. They did look into it and I eventually did get my money back. I don't think this was RCCL's doing but was most likely the choice of the private tour operator when he realized his tour was undersold and wasn't worth wasting a tank of gas to take our small group out. Whatever the problem was, it would have left us in the lurch had I not had a back-up plan in my pocket! But, for us it turned out to be a great day and I was actually happy with how it worked out. But, I still have no idea what the quality of the Cayman Underwater Observatory Tour would have been since I never saw the vessel at all. Nautilus was top-notch though and their employees were exceptional as well.

[emd1]

I see from the Nautilis website that if you are on a cruise, the site won't let you sign up, it directs you to sign up w/your crusie ship. Actually, right now the site is not letting anyone sign up on it.

 

Bonnie, was it cheaper to just sign up at the Nautilis office w/Nautilis than it was on this ship ($54)?

[emd1]

Also, I am assuming if it is not cheaper to sign up at the Nautilis office that there is then no advantage to that over signing up thru the ship, as I assume they fill up the Nautilis when they take it out, whether it is from the ship or tourists who walk up to the office, right?

[Bonnie Voyager]

I see from the Nautilis website that if you are on a cruise, the site won't let you sign up, it directs you to sign up w/your crusie ship. Actually, right now the site is not letting anyone sign up on it.

 

Bonnie, was it cheaper to just sign up at the Nautilis office w/Nautilis than it was on this ship ($54)?

 

 

On my cruise (RCCL Freedom) Nautilus was NOT one of the excursions available or I would have gladly booked it through RCCL. All they had was this "Cayman Underwater Observatory" tour that I could never find out anything about. The "Cayman Underwater Observatory" tour was cheaper than Nautilus ($26/person) which is why I went ahead and booked it, but the tour never happened so I ended up on Nautilus anyway. Nautilus was $40/person at the Nautilus office. It was money well spent.

[emd1]

Thanks Bonnie, I am glad you checked back here. I am on Freedon 6/24 and Nautilis (plus snorkeling) is one of the excursions offered. Did you only do the Nautilis and no snorkel? That is what I'd like to do, but that is not offered on RCi excursions (just w/snorkel) and it appears I can't book it on the Nautilis website (they say you must book thru the cruiseline). I am wondering about walking up in late June on a day when 4 ships (total, ind. Freddm) are in Goergetown.

 

I think I will email Nautilis, then call them is they don't reply, see if we can get just the Nautilis without snorkeling.

 

This is all coming up late because I had the bubble sub booked as a big surprise but got an email today saying they have ceased operation.

[Bonnie Voyager]

Thanks Bonnie, I am glad you checked back here. I am on Freedon 6/24 and Nautilis (plus snorkeling) is one of the excursions offered. Did you only do the Nautilis and no snorkel? That is what I'd like to do, but that is not offered on RCi excursions (just w/snorkel) and it appears I can't book it on the Nautilis website (they say you must book thru the cruiseline). I am wondering about walking up in late June on a day when 4 ships (total, ind. Freddm) are in Goergetown.

 

I think I will email Nautilis, then call them is they don't reply, see if we can get just the Nautilis without snorkeling.

 

This is all coming up late because I had the bubble sub booked as a big surprise but got an email today saying they have ceased operation.

 

Yes, I just did the tour without the snorkel trip. We were there on Easter week and still were able to just walk up to the Nautilus office and book the tour. They had openings at several times too. I would call their office if I was you and tell them what you want. You should be fine.

[emd1]

Bonnie, if you are still checking here, where exactly is the Nautilis office? Where did you walk to get to it? We cancelled our existing tour and now I am rethinking Nautilis, and it is too close to the cruise to book through RCI. I'm thinking of just walking to the Nautilis office to see if there are openings.

 

Thanks in advance

[Bonnie Voyager]

Bonnie, if you are still checking here, where exactly is the Nautilis office? Where did you walk to get to it? We cancelled our existing tour and now I am rethinking Nautilis, and it is too close to the cruise to book through RCI. I'm thinking of just walking to the Nautilis office to see if there are openings.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Here's a link to the Nautilus website. You can book ahead directly with them I think....http://www.nautilus.ky/?page=cruise

 

If not, it is easy to just book it when you arrive. You can e-mail them too and get better directions, but here is how I got there...

 

When you get off the tender you walk out of the "secure" port area onto the street and turn left. Walk along the street about 1/4 mile (I'm guessing the distance, but it wasn't too far a few blocks I think). You will pass an empty field on the right and the Nautilus office is just past the field. It is on the right in a small building that has some other businesses there too. Hopefully the field is still empty! there was construction in the area when I was there so who knows what is there now! But anyway, it is a few blocks down from the tender pier area going left and the office is on the right side of the street but sits back from the street. You should be able to find it! Good luck!

[emd1]

Thanks again, Bonnie!