What do we do with our stuff in Hell?

[nrh322]

We've booked the shore excursion on Grand Cayman that goes to Stingray City, the Turtle Sanctuary, and Hell. I'm not sure what order they make the stops in. I'm hoping SRC will be last so we won't be sitting around in wet bathing suits the rest of the afternoon. Either way, though, I'm wondering what we'll do with all our snorkeling gear when we're not using it. I just finished packing up the gear bag for the four of us and it's BIG. Four complete sets of snorkeling equipment take up a lot of room. Does anyone here know if there's going to be somewhere to store it on the bus/van? It represents quite a bit of $$... do they generally keep an eye on things or lock them up?

 

For the sake of reference... This is similar to what I'm talking about...

 

http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?product_id=Armor82

 

This is my dive bag. For this trip, I'm using it to hold everyone's snorkeling stuff. Everything fits and is nice and padded and safe for the flight. I have a couple mesh bags that I could pack and split stuff up into when we get to the ship, but it's just more stuff to bring. I'd rather not pack them if I don't need to.

[Emi's Mom]

We've booked the shore excursion on Grand Cayman that goes to Stingray City, the Turtle Sanctuary, and Hell. I'm not sure what order they make the stops in. I'm hoping SRC will be last so we won't be sitting around in wet bathing suits the rest of the afternoon. Either way, though, I'm wondering what we'll do with all our snorkeling gear when we're not using it. I just finished packing up the gear bag for the four of us and it's BIG. Four complete sets of snorkeling equipment take up a lot of room. Does anyone here know if there's going to be somewhere to store it on the bus/van? It represents quite a bit of $$... do they generally keep an eye on things or lock them up?

 

For the sake of reference... This is similar to what I'm talking about...

 

http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?product_id=Armor82

 

This is my dive bag. For this trip, I'm using it to hold everyone's snorkeling stuff. Everything fits and is nice and padded and safe for the flight. I have a couple mesh bags that I could pack and split stuff up into when we get to the ship, but it's just more stuff to bring. I'd rather not pack them if I don't need to.

 

Hell isn't what you probably think it is. I would describe it as a sort of "Pit Stop", or maybe even a "Tourist Trap". There is a General Store where you can purchase all sorts of things with Hell on it and you can even mail out postcards from their "mailbox". There is an area out back where there is this unique outcropping of black rocks that are jagged - Hence the name Hell. It's a cute little place, but our tour wasn't there more than 30 minutes and we left all our belongs on the tour bus. Hope this isn't as disappointing to you as it was to me. :(

[gnparend]

When you Go to Hell it's just a post office / gift shop so leave your stuff in the overhead or on your seats. In the Turtle farm again leave your stuff on the bus. No one will mess with your stuff the bus driver will ock up the bus. So if it's before or after it shouldn't matter. You may not need you snorkle gear for the sting rays. The water is anywhere from knee high to hip high. In fact it's probably going to be recommended you stay upright so you don't kick one of the rays and startle it. These are rays from the wild they just hang around here cause they get feed daily buy tourist or fishing boats when ther clean there catch. You will be on a giant sand bar.

 

P.S. If you feed the rays with the squid don't wipe your hands on your swiming trunks. Just a word to the wise.

[nrh322]

I'm a retired PADI scuba instructor, so I've been "to Hell and back" :) and the Turtle Sanctuary, and especially SRC... more times than I can count. DH and the kids have never been though and want to see everything for themselves.

 

The waist high spot is called "the Sandbar"... I might have boogered things up and booked that trip (in which case, I'll have to see about switching things around when we get on the ship). The REAL "Stingray City" is in water about 12 - 15 feet deep and is suitable for snorkeling and diving. It's one of my favorite dives. I love camping out on the bottom and letting the rays swim all over my head. You just can't be afraid of getting water in your mask.. they have a tendency to pull those off! :)

 

Thanks for your answers about the tours bus. I wasn't sure if I was going to have to split up our gear. It sounds like we'll be fine and we can make it fit.

[nellydean]

blink and you'll miss it! We did the same tour last week and were very disappointed that our trip to Hell was so short-lived, so to speak. We had a great tour guide, but the schedule was so tight to catch the boat to Stingray City, which is the last part, that we literally had only 5 mins to see Hell and all it had to offer - which, admittedly, is not a lot, but we would have liked time to explore the place and especially the souvenir shop. We just about managed to write a couple of postcards and run to look at the jagged peaks at the rear (just a small area as well) before having to get back on the bus

 

Stuff: we left ours on the coach, which was locked, at all places, but had to take it with us on the boat. As we expected not to have any time to shop on our return to the ship, we did all our souvenir shopping before getting on the bus, which was a lot and very inconvenient. The tour also started half an hour later than we thought and finished later, so it was a dash back to the ship (Liberty).

 

We stayed too long at the turtle farm and not enough time at the rum cake factory or Hell.

 

Overall the excursion was interesting (the stingrays are awesome) but if we went back again we would go under our own steam

 

ps I concur with the poster who says you won't need snorkelling equipment for stingray city, not only because it;s on the sandbar in shallow water, but also because it's scary enough being in the water with them than putting your face in there with them! Also, many of them are huge and although docile, make no bones about brushing up against you - our son had his ankle nicked by one of their tails and went into panic mode, we had t get him out the water fast in case he trod on one of them, although the captain told us that the only way you could get stung was if you stroked their tails the wrong way (bottom to top) or stood directly on the stinger, which is positioned where the tail meets the body

[Crazy Flying Fish]

After reading these posts and having my own opinion as well! I would just avoid going to Hell!! :eek:

[nrh322]

It's been about 7 years since I was in Grand Cayman last, but I've always had fun going to Hell. Granted... it's a tourist trap, but they have the BEST t-shirts. I usually bring dozens home as gifts.

 

Nellydean... I'm so sorry that your son had such a scare. I've always loved playing with the rays. I've never found it at all scary. We all have our phobias though... you wouldn't catch me on a zip line in a zillion years! :)

[Monkey10]

Hubby and I leave in 2 days (OMG I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

 

In Grand Cayman we are taking a taxi to Hell and to the Yummy Rum Place. Woudn't recommend to do this in Jamaica, but Grand Cayman seems safer.

 

You could probably find a private tour to do the snorkling.

 

And Hell on your own timeline....not much to see, but try writing out 30 postcards in five minutes!!!

 

AND OUR TOUR BUS (previous cruise excursion - RCI) HAD BAD AIR CONDITIONING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kteacher]

I did this excursion in April , and it is exactly as has been described, more like a pit stop in Hell. I'd like to add that contrary to what my parents always told me, they're actually very nice in Hell ;). I did get some cute gifts, and had time to go around back to take pictures of the rock formation .

[alcheme]

Hell isn't what you probably think it is. I would describe it as a sort of "Pit Stop"

 

Well . . . That's bound to be a relief to a lot of people, to find that it's more of a Pit Stop than a final destination.

[Barbee524]

And Hell on your own timeline....not much to see, but try writing out 30 postcards in five minutes!!!

 

Use preprinted labels. Though I have been to Hell and I am glad I didn't pay anything to go there. My SIL's father lives on Grand Cayman and he took us.

[Rural11]

If you were disappointed with your visit to Hell in the Grand Cayman's, you are always welcome to come visit the fine folks in Hell, Michigan if you are ever up that way. You can even come up and see it when Hell freezes over! :D

 

 

[banderboo]

I know this isn't about what you asked but just thought I would pass along a lesson learned. We lugged our snorkle gear with us on our last Western Carib cruise and I would never do it again. It takes up way to much room and was more of a hassle than anything else. So unless you are going to be doing major snorkling elsewhere pack your mask and snorkle and leave the rest at home. You can rent everything else you need for a few dollars and it takes up a lot less room and a lot less hassle carrying stuff.

[nellydean]

It's been about 7 years since I was in Grand Cayman last, but I've always had fun going to Hell. Granted... it's a tourist trap, but they have the BEST t-shirts. I usually bring dozens home as gifts.

 

Nellydean... I'm so sorry that your son had such a scare. I've always loved playing with the rays. I've never found it at all scary. We all have our phobias though... you wouldn't catch me on a zip line in a zillion years! :)

 

 

the dvd arrived today and shows him happily holding onto a ray, I wonder why they didn't include his screams of fear a few seconds later...:D

[TMarie]

We've booked the shore excursion on Grand Cayman that goes to Stingray City, the Turtle Sanctuary, and Hell. I'm not sure what order they make the stops in. I'm hoping SRC will be last so we won't be sitting around in wet bathing suits the rest of the afternoon. Either way, though, I'm wondering what we'll do with all our snorkeling gear when we're not using it. I just finished packing up the gear bag for the four of us and it's BIG. Four complete sets of snorkeling equipment take up a lot of room. Does anyone here know if there's going to be somewhere to store it on the bus/van? It represents quite a bit of $$... do they generally keep an eye on things or lock them up?

 

For the sake of reference... This is similar to what I'm talking about...

 

http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?product_id=Armor82

 

This is my dive bag. For this trip, I'm using it to hold everyone's snorkeling stuff. Everything fits and is nice and padded and safe for the flight. I have a couple mesh bags that I could pack and split stuff up into when we get to the ship, but it's just more stuff to bring. I'd rather not pack them if I don't need to.

 

 

I read that you are a retired instructor and understand that you paid for the gear and want to use it, but a cruise isnt really the place for it- especially not an excursion booked thru the cruiseline. If I were you, I would skip bringing your own equipment. More than likely, the excursion will be shorter than you expect, and worrying about your stuff will tie you down. I NEVER leave my stuff unattended on a tour. If by chance, God forbid, something did happen to it, you really couldnt blame anyone and it wouldnt be a very good memory of your trip.

 

Do yourself a favor, use the provided gear or only bring what you feel comfortable carrying with you at each stop.

 

Make it a wonderful cruise vacation :D

[tetons]

Does this tour not go the snorkeling part around Stingray City anymore? I loved snorkeling there and saw so many beautiful eels. I couldn't disagree more about what others are saying about not taking your own snorkeling gear. We have always taken our masks and snorkels due to the added vision part in ours. It makes a world of difference to be able to wear those vision adjusted goggles if you normally wear glasses by day. We do use the fins and vests that are provided to save space in the suitcases. Only place I really ever wished I had my own fins was in Hawaii.

[nrh322]

I'm pretty partial to my own stuff... particularly snorkeling gear. IMHO...renting would be akin to borrowing someone's used panties. We all have more than one set. If it gets stolen, it's not the end of the world. We'd just have to buy new gear at a LDS to finish up the trip. I've already got everything packed. Hopefully, we'll be able to squeeze it on the bus. If it were up to me, we'd ditch the ship's excursion and catch a boat to the wall. Unfortunately, I'm only one of four votes. :(

[nellydean]

tetons - this particular tour only goes to the sandbar, but there are other excurisons on offer that go to the deeper part of Stingray City

 

only a couple of people snorkelled in the shallow waters of the sandbar, but not too far away most people were snorkelling - 12-15ft would have not been suitable for us or our son, as we like to keep our feet on the seabed