New booking policy for Clearly Cayman Beach Resorts

[KathyV]

The special that came out recently does not seem to have written into it anywhere about a requirement that you have to travel through Miami to the Brac on Cayman Airways. Maybe you find that out when you try to book it.

I would assume that a lot of visitors book their air first and then the room at LCBR? Or do I most visitors book the room first and then the air?

I think that you could make the turnaround from the Brac to Little and return to the Brac to depart again in about 40 minutes. Of course with the example earlier of 60 people, that would still mean four trips and would still take 2 hours and 45 minutes to get everyone to Little. I would also assume that if all of the passengers were going to LCBR, that some luggage would not make it on those four flights due to weight issues.

I am very interested to see how this all shakes out.

I try to determine why people/businesses do what they do. This change seems to be a two part change. First, Saturday arrivals and departures are heavily encouraged. Second, flights on Cayman Airways from Miami to The Brac, then ferry over to Little.

I am not sure of the correlation between the two, but the Miami to Brac flight only operates on Saturday may be part of it.

I am thinking that part of the issue sis that most of the guests like to travel Saturday to Saturday and their current booking policy does not allow them to accept all of the people that want to travel Saturday to Saturday because some rooms are being occupied by guests not on a Saturday to Saturday schedule. Maybe the current policy excludes them from getting more of the group travel?

It will be very interesting to watch this work itself out.

They probably couldn't include the flights from Miami to Brac in the new advertisement because the Cobalt Coast resort on Grand Cayman is part of the special. It would seem counterproductive to fly someone from Miami to Brac and then to GC when they could have flown directly to GC.

I'm still thinking that they cannot entirely cease flights from GC to the Sister Islands on Saturdays but they will probably reduce them and only offer 2 or 3 trips to Brac from GC with the option for a hop over to Little.

Although it is likely that most of the people traveling to Brac or Little Cayman on Saturdays will be staying at the Clearly Cayman resorts that doesn't mean that everybody will be staying at LCBR or CBBR. Local residents travel between the islands frequently, and there are condos and villas and rental properties on both islands, and there are 2 other resorts on LC, although LCBR is the largest - and it is the only resort open during the summer shutdown on LC.

I'm guessing that they will really be pushing hard to fill the Saturday MIA to CYB flights on Cayman Airways to make them a success, and that they may begin offering some special air and resort packages to sweeten the deal. I am confident that they will have the strong support of the Cayman government in this new endeavor because they will be happy to reduce unnecessary traffic into GCM on weekends, and they'd like to increase visits and prosperity for the Sister Islands, and probably also justify the expense of building and maintaining the underutilized CYB airport.

I am sure that you are correct in stating that "...their current booking policy does not allow them to accept all of the people that want to travel Saturday to Saturday because some rooms are being occupied by guests not on a Saturday to Saturday schedule..." because we are currently booked for Saturday to Friday at LCBR and hoping for a cancellation so that we can stay through Saturday - preferably in the same room but not guaranteed - but we will take what we can get.

We always let the Clearly Cayman booking agents book both our flights and our rooms at the same time because they really know the nuances of the air schedules and all of the hotel options, and they try hard to find solutions that will work for you. We have experienced issues where there were flights available but no rooms (like our current booking) and where there were rooms available but no flights. One time we stayed an extra night at LCBR (not a hardship) and flew home on Sunday because we couldn't get a flight out on Saturday.

It is generally easier to find flights to/from Brac because the larger turboprops and jets can fly into CYB, but LCM can only take small planes during daylight hours. That's why the delayed and lost baggage issue is also a bigger problem on LC because it is hard to get all the people and goods to the island in a timely manner. Flying folks on jets directly from Miami could help with the baggage problems.

We will have to see how it all works out but I'm guessing that they will keep one Otter stationed at CYB all day on Saturdays to ferry folks to and from LCM, and the other Otter will either assist with the ferrying during part of the day, and also make some trips to/from GCM. At least I hope that is how it will work, because we generally spend a week on GC (Sat to Sat) before traveling to Brac or Little (Sat to Sat) and I sure wouldn't want to fly to Miami just to get from GC to CB or LC!

(Edited to add: Or perhaps thanks leave both Otters stationed in the Sister Islands on Saturdays and use the Saab to make a few flights to/from Brac?)

I think that this is an interesting idea that could work for a lot of people and also be profitable for the Clearly Cayman resorts, because it could make it easier for visitors traveling a distance to get to the Sister Islands and it could increase the ability of the resorts to book at capacity.

However, there are just too many valid exceptions to make it the 100% rule IMO. My guess (and my hope!) is that they will book the majority of their guests under the new policy but keep a percentage of rooms and flights flexible to meet the needs of other customers.

I agree that it will be interesting to watch it play out.

 

[AggieDiver]

If you find someplace comparable please let me know. We love Cayman and the Sister Islands and we keep coming back because it is easy, affordable, and more enjoyable (in our opinion) than most of the other places that we have visited in the past or recently researched, and of course we appreciate the diving; but I would love to hear about any other great options that you find.

I will let you know if I find anything. All the places I have looked in the past have a few similarities, but none quite reach the point of checking every box. And as you mention, it is doubtful anywhere in the Caribbean will serve up the same level of diving while checking the rest of the boxes.

 

[AggieDiver]

They probably couldn't include the flights from Miami to Brac in the new advertisement because the Cobalt Coast resort on Grand Cayman is part of the special. It would seem counterproductive to fly someone from Miami to Brac and then the GC when they could have flown directly to GC.

I'm still thinking that they cannot entirely cease flights from GC to the Sister Islands on Saturdays but they will probably reduce them and only offer 2 or 3 trips to Brac from GC with the option for a hop over to Little.

Although it is likely that most of the people traveling to Brac or Little Cayman on Saturdays will be staying at the Clearly Cayman resorts that doesn't mean that everybody will be staying at LCBR or CBBR. Local residents travel between the islands frequently, and there are condos and villas and rental properties on both islands, and 2 other resorts on LC, although LCBR is the largest - and it is the only resort open during the summer shutdown on LC.

I'm guessing that they will really be pushing hard to fill the Saturday MIA to CYB flights on Cayman Airways to make them a success, and that they may begin offering some special air and resort packages to sweeten the deal. I am confident that they will have the strong support of the Cayman government in this new endeavor because they will be happy to reduce unnecessary traffic into GCM on weekends, and they'd like to increase visits and prosperity for the Sister Islands, and probably also justify the expense of building and maintaining the CYB airport.

I am sure that you are correct in stating that "...their current booking policy does not allow them to accept all of the people that want to travel Saturday to Saturday because some rooms are being occupied by guests not on a Saturday to Saturday schedule..." because we are currently booked for Saturday to Friday at LCBR and hoping for a cancellation so that we can stay through Saturday - preferably in the same room but not guaranteed - but we will take what we can get.

We always let the Clearly Cayman booking agents book both our flights and our rooms at the same time because they really know the nuances of the air schedules and all of the hotel options, and they try hard to find solutions that will work for you. We have experienced issues where there were flights available but no rooms (like our current booking) and where there were rooms available but no flights. One time we stayed an extra night at LCBR (not a hardship) and flew home on Sunday because we couldn't get a flight out on Saturday.

It is generally easier to find flights to/from Brac because the larger turboprops and jets can fly into CYB, but LCM can only take small planes during daylight hours. That's why the delayed and lost baggage issue is also a bigger problem on LC because it is hard to get all the people and goods to the island in a timely manner. Flying folks on jets directly from Miami could help with the baggage problems.

We will have to see how it all works out but I'm guessing that they will keep one Otter stationed at CYB on Saturdays to ferry folks to and from LCM and the other Otter will either assist with the ferrying during part of the day, and also make some trips to/from GCM. At least I hope that is how it will work, because we generally spend a week on GC (Sat to Sat) before traveling to Brac or Little (Sat to Sat) and I sure wouldn't want to fly to Miami just to get from GC to CB or LC!

I think that this is an interesting idea that could work for a lot of people and also be profitable for the Clearly Cayman resorts, because it could make it easier for visitors traveling a distance to get to the Sister Islands and it could increase the ability of the resorts to book at capacity.

However, there are just too many valid exceptions to make it a 100% rule; my guess (and my hope!) is that they will book the majority of their guests under the new policy but keep a percentage of rooms flexible to meet the needs of other customers.

I agree that it will be interesting to watch it play out.

I would actually be surprised to see them keep flying the otters between GC and Brac if they do what you say. That was the whole point of investing in the Saab...to increase airlift capacity to Brac and stop using the otters as much. I think if they keep doing anything to GC with the otters, it will be the direct sat am flights to and from LC. Who knows though...they may need to cycle them through GC periodically for maintenance they can’t do on Brac.

 

[AggieDiver]

Something I just thought of was way if they are wanting to fly the Saab to and from Miami specifically to serve the Clearly Cayman resorts on Brac and Little? Would free up the 737 doing to trip to go elsewhere. But I don’t know if the Saab has the range to get there with a full load of divers and gear.

 

[KathyV]

I would actually be surprised to see them keep flying the otters between GC and Brac if they do what you say. That was the whole point of investing in the Saab...to increase airlift capacity to Brac and stop using the otters as much. I think if they keep doing anything to GC with the otters, it will be the direct sat am flights to and from LC. Who knows though...they may need to cycle them through GC periodically for maintenance they can’t do on Brac.

Something I just thought of was way if they are wanting to fly the Saab to and from Miami specifically to serve the Clearly Cayman resorts on Brac and Little? Would free up the 737 doing to trip to go elsewhere. But I don’t know if the Saab has the range to get there with a full load of divers and gear.

Good points, what will they do with the Saab on Saturdays? I remembered that they had been renting turboprops to make the trip to Brac, but they purchased the Saab didn't they? Maybe they will keep both Otters stationed in the Sister Islands and use the Saab for a couple of flights between GC and Brac?

Or perhaps they could use it to offer more flights to nearby countries. People fly into GCM to connect to Cuba, Jamaica, and Roatan, etc. I don't know the range/speed of the Saab but it might expand their ability to fly to their near neighbors. At night in Cayman you can often see the lights of Cuba in the distance.

 

[Doctorfish]

In answer to earlier questions re last week at LCBR, the photoshop is not open yet but three staff from Backscatter were on island and diving to familiarize themselves with the sites and local conditions. They were very friendly and freely provided me with advice re gear as well wanting to look at and critique a few of my shots. They said about one month for opening. IMO, this should be a big plus for the resort given the number of underwater photographers who dive there.

There was lots of sargassum on the shoreline south side and out in the ocean, but no negative affect on the diving. I did not shore dive this trip, but the entry sites up by Jacksons Reef looked to be clear of sargassum. We saw a number of snorkelers in that area on the beach and in the water.

 

[AggieDiver]

Good points, what will they do with the Saab on Saturdays? I remembered that they had been renting turboprops to make the trip to Brac, but they purchased the Saab didn't they? Maybe they will keep both Otters stationed in the Sister Islands and use the Saab for a couple of flights between GC and Brac?

Or perhaps they could use it to offer more flights to nearby countries. People fly into GCM to connect to Cuba, Jamaica, and Roatan, etc. I don't know the range/speed of the Saab but it might expand their ability to fly to their near neighbors. At night in Cayman you can often see the lights of Cuba in the distance.

I was kind of imagining a deal like the Club Med San Salvador in the Bahamas has or like Wakatobi...where the resort has charter flights that they control the booking of on specific days to match their reservation schedule. When you go there, they quote you a resort price with the airfare included from a specific airport the charter flies from. That would solve some of the problems LCBR has at times, where they have availability at the resort, but somebody else has booked up the flights on Saturday such that nobody can get a connection through GC to LC.

IF the Saab can fly to Miami, I wonder if they would do a "charter" of the Saab every Saturday and run 2-3 RTs between Miami and Brac to bring in the Clearly Cayman guests? Having them come over on several trips using the Saab instead of all at once on the 737 would space out the load for the otter flights to LC, and would give more options for connections from other places into Miami. That would allow Clearly Cayman to offer an air-inclusive package rate from Miami, and you would just have to buy airfare to get to Miami instead of GC. I guess this is all just speculation until they tell us what they have in mind, but it is at least entertaining trying to puzzle it out.

 

[KathyV]

In answer to earlier questions re last week at LCBR, the photoshop is not open yet but three staff from Backscatter were on island and diving to familiarize themselves with the sites and local conditions. They were very friendly and freely provided me with advice re gear as well wanting to look at and critique a few of my shots. They said about one month for opening. IMO, this should be a big plus for the resort given the number of underwater photographers who dive there....

It really does sound like a nice addition to the resort. There used to be a small photoshop and resident expert at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort. He worked from a counter in the dive shop and had a small workroom in the back of the shop. He would make and sell weekly videos of divers for each of the boats, and he'd also sell his photos, and provide assistance and supplies for guests with camera equipment. He would also show videos of Brac reef life in the bar on some evenings.

I think he retired because I haven't seen him in several years, but if this new partnership with Backscatter at LCBR is successful, they may expand to also set up shop at the other Clearly Cayman resorts.

BTW, have they moved the free donate/take book library to the new lobby or another location? It used to be in the exercise room which is being converted into the new photoshop. We've picked up some good books there in the past - and left some behind also! What have they done with the free computer and printer that used to be in the old lobby?

Thanks for the info!

 

[jdcpa]

Cayman Airways Express has two Saab 340’s to go along with the two Twin Otters.

 

[Doctorfish]

The library seems to have disappeared. We asked at the front desk and got a blank stare. Too bad. Do not know about the computer from the old lobby.

The photo shop is a much more upscale concept than what was at the Brac previously. They are going to rent and sell quality camera gear, provide group and or private instruction. I was on the dive boat with the Backscatter group one day and they were very knowledgable, professional, and approachable. I think a Backscatter Photo Shop will be a great addition for the resort. The "resident photo Pro" at the Brac was more of a pest than anything else. I hated being followed around on a dive and then being conned into potentially buying a copy of the video because my buddy and I were in it for a few minutes. After a few repeat trips to the resort, I realized he used exactly the same format for every video and put in scenes selected from his top hits. The same barracuda, moray and shark clips were there year after year.

While down there, I also heard that Reef Divers was planning to open a tech diving support service at the Brac Beach rather than LCBR because the chamber is on that island. I think that will be a good addition as well.