TCAMPER,

HI MY NAME IS MARY AND MY HUSBAND JAIME AND I HAVE DONE THE SHORE EXCURSIONS THROUGH CARNIVAL AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. THIS IS OUR 1OTH CRUISE WITH CARNIVAL AND WE WILL BE ON THE DESTINY ON SEPT 21, GOING TO KEY WEST, GRAND CAYMAN AND JAMICA. WE ARE GOING TO DO THE STRING RAY . WE DID THE STRING RAY EXCURSION WHEN WE WERE IN NASSAU LAST MAY AND IT WAS THROUGH CARNIVAL AND IT WAS GREAT.

MARY

Janann:

Hi TCamper,

In the 6 cruises I've done, I've only done 1 shore excursion through Carnival. Personally, I've always found that the local vendors are a whole lot cheaper and less crowded and they bend over backwards to make your tour a good one. With that being said, I agree with seauonboard that you MUST do your research ahead of time. Don't just expect to get off the ship and pick a tour. Also, plan wisely. Make sure you know the price, make sure you speak to the driver about when you have to be back (especially if he is dropping you off and then picking you back up), make sure you are on the same time as the ship and so is the vendor. Most times, I tell them I won't pay them until they get me back to the ship and this is not usually a problem. Most vendors know when the ships come in and go out and are great about getting you back to the ship in plenty of time. I'm going on my 7th cruise in September and I've already booked my excursions and none of them are through Carnival. It's personal choice, being your first time, you might feel more comfortable booking through Carnival. Either way, you are going to have a great time on you cruise!

Hi Janann.  How do you book an excursion in advance without going through the cruiseline?  Are there websites?  Do you have any recommendations of websites?  I will be on the Destiny on 9/27/08.  Our ports of call will be Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman.  Thanks!

We are sailing Oct 11 2008 did you go online to book excursions for Grand Cayman,did you have to pay in advance,with Captain Marvin.And you do recommend them.

Also do they give you life jackets for this or is the water shallow enough that you don't need one.

Thanks

While I've booked excursions through Carnival, I, too used a taxi for Dunn's River Falls.  My mother and I were very nervous getting in the cab since he wasn't backed by Carnival, be we knew some friends who hired an all day driver & had a ball.  The driver that we had took us to a shopping area where we shopped & ate & then drove us to Dunn's River.  We had a blast & he made sure that we didn't miss the ship!

We find a lot of excursions buy going to www.(whatever island your looking for)cruiseexcursions.com. for example cozumelcruiseexcursions.com and have gotten some pretty good deals. 

Yes, we used a wonderful taxi service, too. Although it wasn't booked through Carnival, they had the signage that Carnival recommended we look for. They were very professional. He took us to Dunn River, asked us what time we wanted to return to the ship and gave us his cell phone number (in case we wanted to leave earlier). He showed us the pickup point. He was on time to pick us up and took us to a shopping area.

minni, the water at Dunns River Falls is shallow. The deepest part might be two feet or just a little more.

Hey Im traveling with 4 other people on the cruise for Oct 11. Is that the one you are going on? We are going snorkeling and to dunns fall but we arent going through the ship we are using shoreexcursions.com So if your interested in going let me know. They are usually closed on Monday but if we can get at least 8 people to go they will open up just for us.

We are on the Destiny Oct 11,We were planning on Snorkeling in Cayman,the in Ocho Rios going to Dunn River  and maybe try Jimmy Buffetts place .Someone also said there is one J/B in Cayman.

There are definitely Jimmy Buffets' Margaritaville in Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.  All overpriced.  The first cheeseburger we had In Montego Bay could be compared to a hockey puck, but the next cruise, it was a lot better.  Very pricey.

I'm sorry, but I haven't read the whole thread.  I'm only responding to the intial post.  I've been on 10 Carnival cruises and 3 others.  I've always picked an excursion from the cruise lines.  Some excursions are better than others, but I've never felt unsafe.  Some have been better then I expected and some not as good as I had expected, but none were to the point that wish I hadn't picked it.  If you have the attitude that you are going to have fun, then you will have fun.  Again, I've never felt unsafe on an excursion.

 There is also a plus side to using the excursions offered by the cruise lines even though they can be more expensive than what you can find outside the cruise line.  The cruise lines keep track of all of their excursions, but they don't keep track of any that you might buy when you get there or online somewhere.  So if for some reason something happens (like a flat tire or similar) and the excursion is late getting back, the cruise line will wait for theirs, but not others.  That means if you go out on your own, there is a chance you can get left at the port.