Cayman AI's

[kelemvor]

Greetings Cayman Islanders!

Since the 2019 Scubaboard invasion is out of my price range, I am in search of a vacation destination for June 2019. My wife would like to go to the Cayman Islands, and we both prefer AI type resorts -preferably with diving included. So far, we've seen package deals for a few places that come in between $1500-$2000 per person for a week. Those prices come from flyers for "reef divers" we've seen at local shops for trips they're running (and a website or two). Unfortunately, their travel dates aren't something we can do. My wife's a schoolteacher so we only get to travel in the summer.

We're pretty comfortable with the price range we've seen. Does anyone have any specific suggestions? One of the things I didn't like about the "reef divers" package was that drinks were limited to a specific number of drinks. I'm not a total lush, but that's not exactly all inclusive... I'd really like true AI. For example a resort with their own onsite dive op and diving included would be ideal.

We'll be bringing a total of 6 or 8 people (Me, wife, two adult children, two friends). Possibly two others who have expressed a mild interest. I'm not looking for any kind of group rate, but don't want to end up at a small cottage that can't accommodate the group.

I know this has been answered repeatedly, and I've read a lot of the posts - especially those by the ever helpful kathyv. I don't believe I often see recommendations for a specific island. It seems to me like people usually come asking about a specific place. So, which island is best island?

As far as diving goes, my wife and I are reasonably competent. We're not dive gods or anything. Regular open water dives 130 feet or shallower are dives we'd consider. We prefer the shallower. If there's anything that's a "must do" dive in the caymans (such as the famous devil's throat in Cozumel) I'd be interested to hear about it. We prefer boats that are larger, but can live with a 6 pack if necessary.

I don't intend to rent a vehicle while we're there. I prefer cabs or other "for hire" rides. So, shore dive day trips like people do on bonaire are not something we'll want to do.

 

[KathyV]

Are everyone in your party divers? And what type of non-diving activities do you like? How important is it to be on a beach? Is there also interest in snorkeling or shore diving?

There's not much to do on Brac and Little besides dive and enjoy nature. If you want other activities you should focus on Grand Cayman - and be aware that the majority of the visitors prefer to stay in the pricey Seven Mile Beach area, and that the cruise ship passengers congregate in George Town the main city. And that there is traffic in these areas.

We prefer to stay away from the popular areas areas; it's a lot cheaper, but you need to rent a car and drive on the left.

There's not many AI-type places on GC; there are loads of restaurants and eateries and most folks prefer to rent a condo, prepare a few simple meals, and then go out for one special meal each day.

Tell me the answers to my questions and maybe I can give you some suggestions.

 

[Doctorfish]

The only AIs I know of in the cayman Islands are Cobalt Coast on GC, Brac Beach Reef Resort CB, and Little Cayman Reef resort, Pirates Point and Southern Cross on LC.

KathyV, is correct. What your interests are will determine which island.
On GC, we rent a condo, car, and go out for dinner. On Brac or LC, we stay at one of the AIs mentioned.

Cabs on GC are quite expensive and unreliable; rental cars are a relative bargain.

 

[diversteve]

It's really awkward but you could take the bus to/from Cobalt Coast which is on the north shore about 15min. from anything.
The bus picks up about a block away and goes all the way down Seven Mile Beach to Georgetown. Reef Divers on site for diving and they shuttle you to their boats in a nearby marina. We thought we'd use cabs since we were doing a lot of boat diving - by the 3rd day we rented a car - just too difficult/expensive w/o one.

I think the Reef Resort on the East End can be bought as AI - they have an affiliated dive op. You would definitely want a car - it's a 45min+ drive. Not much out there - a small food store and 1/2 dozen restaurants.

Sunset House is almost AI - they bundle room, breakfast,diving in a pkg. and there's an add-on meal plan. A lot of Georgetown restaurants are a few minutes walk away though and better than theirs.

Signature Dives on GC according to CITA.ky are the Kittiwake and Stingray City = it's fun once. Lots of good dives off Cobalt Coast by boat - just a few we liked - some off NW Point nearby - Trinity Caves, Orange Canyon,, Big Tunnels - Ghost Mountain is supposed to be among the best in the area.. Farther east - which you can do on an extended day trip with some operators - Babylon. It's on some of the 50 best dives in the Caribbean lists. Cobalt Coast has a decent shore dive as does Turtle Reef a little farther west, The mini-wall there bottoms out at about 60' so it's a nice shallow dive.

 

[KathyV]

I don't think that you will find a true AI (unlimited alcohol and diving included) in the Caymans except the Aggressor liveaboard that includes beer and wine, but there are some nice places that include food, lodgings, and diving, and offer some drink package options

We bring a bottle of our favorite liquor with us and mix many of our own drinks and may supplement with a few drinks from the bar. Alcohol is expensive in Cayman. Before we leave the US we stop at the duty-free store at the airport and each adult buys a 1 liter bottle duty free to carry on the plane. If GC is your final destination that isn't a problem, but if you are traveling on to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac then you will have to go through customs and immigration on GC, and then recheck your bags and go through security before boarding a flight for the sister islands - and security will not let you carry any liquids greater than 3 oz. and they will take your bottle away from you.

So you have to put your bottles in your checked luggage before rechecking - it's only a short flight and you can find good, reusable liquor transport bags on Amazon to keep them safe. At least that is how things work right now, but the GCM airport renovations are supposed to be finished by the end of this year, so things may be easier by next June.

At the Clearly Cayman resorts (Little Cayman Beach Resort, Cayman Brac Beach Resort, and Cobalt Coast Grand Cayman Resort) they offer alcohol packages for 3 drinks per night, but I have never used them and they seem a bit cumbersome, but others can tell you more. You carry a little card to check off your drinks, and I think that your selection is limited, but I am not sure. Ordering drinks al a carte is pricey.

We've stayed at the LCBR and the CBBR and we have visited/dived with the CCGCR, and we have a good opinion of all of these properties. They are (almost) all-inclusive because the price includes accommodations, airport transfers, meals and diving, and the hotel taxes, and service charges are also included, but not the dive shop tips. Nitrox is usually extra everywhere in Cayman.

Regarding LCBR and CBBR, the resorts and accommodations are lovely, the diving is beautiful, and the food is very good, and you can have fun around the beach bar every night with the games and entertainments offered. There are outdoor ice machines near the bar that guests can use for their own beverages and small refrigerators in the rooms. You can buy mixers like soda at the dive shop or at local stores (but not on Sunday on Brac). Don't buy mixers from the bar because they will add on a service charge. There are bicycles available for the use of guests.

I think that the diving is best at LCBR and the food is very good; while the food is best at CBBR and the diving is very good.

We enjoy both islands and resorts. There is more natural beauty to enjoy on Brac but they are both lovely, quiet, friendly, little islands. Both resorts have nice beaches for sunning and relaxing but they are not good for swimming or snorkeling because there's turtle grass, rocks, and dive boat traffic. Both resorts have pools and hot tubs and the infinity pool at the CBBR is huge and gorgeous. Both resorts have small spas onsite that are very nice and offer a variety of services. You won't need to rent a car on LC or CB, but we usually get a car for one day just to explore. Traffic has never been an issue for us on LC or CB.

There is also the upscale Southern Cross Club on Little Cayman and it is a lovely property with a meal plan. They have an onsite dive op and fewer guests, but it is more expensive than LCBR. We have never been to Pirates Point on LC, I understand that they have excellent food but a limited, daily pre-fixe menu, and you have to be transported by van to the dive boats. I think that they only offer 2 dives per day at PP.

The CBBR is the only dive resort on CB, but there are some condos and rental properties, and there is a second, well-regarded dive op, the Brac Scuba Shack. There is also shore diving available on CB but we haven't tried it. There are some restaurants and grocery stores on Brac, but not a lot of choices, and food is expensive.

Our knowledge of CCGCR on Grand Cayman is more limited because we have never stayed there, just visited and dived with them. The property looks very nice and they are currently completing a lot of renovations that should be done this year. My understanding is that they do not have an indoor dining room, so you eat outside or at the roofed bar, and I am not crazy about that setup; but it's probably fine.

Some of the advantages of CCGCR are that they have a house reef with unlimited shore diving and snorkeling onsite, and you are close to the North Wall and that is very good diving. The shore diving can get winded out, but June is not typically a windy month in Cayman.

Another advantage of CCGCR is that you are on Grand Cayman and there are many attractions and venues to enjoy - but you will need to rent a car because CCGCR is hell and gone from everything else on the island - and I mean that literally because it is located close to the town named Hell (aka cheezy, tourist trap). The CCGCR is situated on ironshore, but they have a pool and a small man-made beach. I don't think that they have a spa but there are lots of spas on GC.

The Reef Divers dive ops are excellent at all 3 Clearly Cayman resorts and they offer nice boats, good staff and facilities, and valet services in that they haul your gear and help you into and out of it and they take care of your BCD, regulator, and weights. You just have to rinse and hang your wetsuit, and mask, fins, and snorkel - and of course take care of your camera and non-integrated computers. I am not quite sure how the gear handling works at CCGCR because of the shore diving option.

Other (semi) all-inclusives available in Cayman include Compass Point on GC - because I think they offer a meal plan and they have an onsite dive op - and maybe also The Wyndham Reef. They are both on the East End which has great diving but they are very far from everything else so you will need a car - just getting there from the airport would be a very expensive ride for your party.

Of the two, Compass Point is the more dedicated dive resort - but no beach, but there is a beach at The Reef. We've eaten at The Reef and the food was okay but nothing special, and there are so many good places to eat on GC, and it is safe to explore the island, so I probably wouldn't take a meal plan. There are far fewer eateries or grocery stores on LC and CB so a meal plan makes more sense in the sister islands IMO.

The Holiday Inn on GC has Divetech as the onsite dive op and I think they offer a meal plan and they also offer shuttles to various attractions - at least during the day. You also get unlimited shore diving at Divetech's Lighthouse Point Facility if you stay at HI, but you will need a car. I don't think there is a beach at the HI, but I am not sure.

Sunset House on GC has already been mentioned and breakfast is included. They have an onsite dive op for boat dives and unlimited diving on the house reef. There are 2 restaurants onsite and it is close to George Town. If there are photographers in your group, they will enjoy the Cathy Church photoshop, studio, and training center onsite. You could avoid renting a car at SH because transfers are included and you are less than a mile from George Town and the buses run out front. There is a pool but no beach at SH.

Sunshine Suites is in the 7MB area, but across the street from the beach, but it includes full access to the amenities of the Westin Hotel and beach. The Sunshine Grill is the onsite restaurant and you get full kitchen facilities in the suites. There is a dive op at the Westin, but you can dive with many ops if you stay in the 7MB area. They will pick you up by van or by boat on the beach. Everyone has their favorite, but in general the dive ops on GC are high-quality, there is too much competition for a bad operation to last very long. There is also good shore diving available on GC.

With your large group, if you want to stay on GC, you should also look at Coconut Bay Condos. They are on the West side of the island, not far from Seven Mile Beach, but north of 7MB. They offer 2 and 3 bedroom condos and have an onsite dive op and shore diving on the house reef, but no beach. You will probably need to rent a car but Cayman does have a good bus service, at least around 7MB and GT, primarily during the day. You can prepare some meals and you will be near to many places to eat; especially if you rent a car.

If your party is primarily interested in diving, then you may want to go to LCBR or CBBR; if they want more topside activities and attractions then consider your options on GC.

If you do decide to go to one of the sister islands, try to add on a couple of days on GC and stay someplace on 7MB, like the Comfort Suites, to check out the island and see if you'd like to return.

Reef Fanta-Seas are the booking agents for the Clearly Cayman resorts, and they are located in St. Petersburg, FL - which I think is near your location, see below. You might try dropping by and talking to them in person; I am sure they would be interested in booking a large party like your group during the slower month of June - and they may give you an attractive offer. The big Long Beach, CA Scuba Show is coming up very soon, and they will probably be offering a "show special" so ask them about it and they may offer it to you, too. Good luck!

Reef Fanta-Seas
Reservations Office
4127 5th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33713

 

[caydiver]

The Wyndham Resort offers an AI Package All Inclusive Grand Cayman Vacation Packages:Wyndham Reef Resort and they also offer a dive package with Ocean Frontiers who are wonderful. However on the dive front you could also see if Tortuga Divers offers a package and if the rates are better. They are both excellent ops, the only two on the EE and basically run the same dives, same sites, etc. The resorts they run from are right next to each other so it might be an option for you!

 

[Damselfish]

The Wyndham Reef is a nice place, but their AI package seems pretty pricey, especially in high season. Unless you are going to drink yourself into a non-diving compatible stupor every night.

I found it interesting to hear recently that the Reef is offering dive packages with Ocean Frontiers given there is that White Sands place there too, but WS has always sounded more like a general watersports op than a serious dive op. But unless something has changed, I think OF will pick divers up at the Reef and drive them to Compass Point for the boat, not bring a boat there. Tortuga Divers does leave directly from the dock at Morritt's next door.

 

[caydiver]

White Sands is more of a general watersports. I didn't think they did dive (but I could be wrong). I know I have never seen a dive boat dock where there others are. I know that Red Sail Sports was offering some pretty good pricing at least for their anniversary year and also discounts on other watersports (ie jet skiis) and they are the Tortuga parent company. They have this Activities | Cayman Islands | Red Sail Sports Cayman Interestingly OF's 1x 2T boat dive is more expensive than Tortuga's 1x 2T but if you look carefully, you will often the prices even out. Some ops that charge a bit more for a dive charge less for gear and vice versa. It is a very competitive industry and the margins are tight so there really is not much difference in what is offered.

 

[caydiver]

I didn't realize that White Sands had a scuba option. So there are 3 ops on the EE! I would look at them all!

 

[kelemvor]

Are everyone in your party divers?

No, my son (he will be 18 by then) does not dive. My daughter (21) is certified but has decided she does't really like it and so she probably won't dive

And what type of non-diving activities do you like? How important is it to be on a beach? Is there also interest in snorkeling or shore diving?

1. Checking out local sights might be cool. famous places or "if you visit here you must see this thing/place"
2. Not that important. We come from the west coast of Florida where great beaches are an everyday thing. They're nice, but not a requirement for a vacation.
3. It might be fun to try and coax my son out to snorkel if it were convenient but not a priority.

There's not much to do on Brac and Little besides dive and enjoy nature. If you want other activities you should focus on Grand Cayman - and be aware that the majority of the visitors prefer to stay in the pricey Seven Mile Beach area, and that the cruise ship passengers congregate in George Town the main city. And that there is traffic in these areas.

We prefer to stay away from the popular areas areas; it's a lot cheaper, but you need to rent a car and drive on the left.

There's not many AI-type places on GC; there are loads of restaurants and eateries and most folks prefer to rent a condo, prepare a few simple meals, and then go out for one special meal each day.

Tell me the answers to my questions and maybe I can give you some suggestions.

Thanks for the quick answers! We might have to rethink our vacation next year and do something other than just dive like crazy for a week. I hadn't even really considered doing that until reading the posts on this thread.