Grand Cayman Tips | The Boneyard

Grand Cayman Tips

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My oldest daughter will be attending UCONN in the fall, so we decided to forego our usual Martha's Vineyard vacation and splurge on a trip to Grand Cayman in late June before she goes "away". We are staying at the Wyndham Reef Resort on the east side of the island, away from Georgetown and 7-mile beach, so we are going to rent a car for the five days we are there. Other than that, we're kind of lost. Wife and I haven't travelled internationally since our honeymoon 20 years ago. I've been looking at my cell phone (AT&T) options for the time we're there too. I heard you can rack up hundreds of dollars in roaming charges if you don't know what you're doing.

Also, we're flying out of JFK and heard that long term parking isn't easy. I've been told that some places drive your car out as far as the Rockaways and park on the street. Uber from Farmington would be about $300 each way, so that's out of the question.
 

Waquoit

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I've never done this at JFK, but when we've flown out of Newark and Boston we've stayed the night before in a nearby hotel where they let you keep your car there for weeks included in the price. I know they offer similar near JFK though I don't know what it will run you.
 
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Turn off your cell phone off. The water around GC is warm, and very, very clear ( I was at 100 feet scuba diving and looked up and saw the bottom of the boat. It was tiny but I could see it clearly), and more like a lake than the ocean.
 

SubbaBub

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I agree turn it off. Definitely turn off intentional roaming and data roaming. Use the hotel wifi.

If you insist on cellular coverage. AT&T offers an international day pass for $10. That is good for 24hrs in participating countries. GC should be there but you can check the website.

Issues:

That is $10 per phone per day. The clock starts when you turn on your data.

Many apps you have transmit data without your knowledge, best to keep data off until you want to use it.

Text. Talk, and email are also data. Someone texts you. $10.

Stick with wifi or better yet leave it in your room. Just turn off roaming or else you will be charged when you power up.

On JFK parking. I used "Long Term Parking" it was fine about $20/day if I remember. I try to avoid JFK.
 
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Been there twice - stayed on 7 mile beach both times. Had a blast.

Yup, it’s a classic tourist move but a catamaran cruise to Sting Ray City is cool. It can get crowded depending a cruise ship visits but you won’t forget it.

Turtle Farm is so-so and Hell is meh...
 
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Fishy

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Check the cruise schedule - that will affect crowds at certain destinations.

Sting Ray City is cool. Don't bother going to Hell.

I like Rum Point and am going there for a day or so in August. Took my daughter snorkeling there a few years ago and almost accidentally fed her to a grouper.
 
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I agree turn it off. Definitely turn off intentional roaming and data roaming. Use the hotel wifi.

If you insist on cellular coverage. AT&T offers an international day pass for $10. That is good for 24hrs in participating countries. GC should be there but you can check the website.

Issues:

That is $10 per phone per day. The clock starts when you turn on your data.

Many apps you have transmit data without your knowledge, best to keep data off until you want to use it.

Text. Talk, and email are also data. Someone texts you. $10.

Stick with wifi or better yet leave it in your room. Just turn off roaming or else you will be charged when you power up.

On JFK parking. I used "Long Term Parking" it was fine about $20/day if I remember. I try to avoid JFK.

That's what I had found from AT&T as well. I had originally planned on using that LT parking, but I've read that it fills up quickly. I like the idea of staying at a hotel with parking options since we have to be at the airport by 5:00 AM. I'm definitely going to look into that.
 

WestHartHusk

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That's what I had found from AT&T as well. I had originally planned on using that LT parking, but I've read that it fills up quickly. I like the idea of staying at a hotel with parking options since we have to be at the airport by 5:00 AM. I'm definitely going to look into that.
One-way car rental down, one way rental back. It's cheaper and you don't have to deal with parking.
 
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Went for a wedding a few years back. Also stayed on 7 mile beach.

My wife and I enjoyed the Turtle Farm, but then again, we think turtles are cute for some reason.

We took a boat across to Rum point. I think Stingray city was closed due to wind conditions. Hung out on the beach and had a good time.

Really nice sunsets on the West side / 7 mile beach.
 
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We had a really nice trip. Thanks for all the help!

We kept the phones in Airplane Mode and used wifi when available. I signed my wife up for the $10 day plan in case of emergency, but we never needed it.

We stayed at a Holiday Inn just outside of JFK on Sunday night and left our car there which worked out great. Shuttle to and from the airport every 30 minutes made transfers a piece of cake.

On GC, we stayed in a resort on the east side and it was completely surrounded by seaweed. Most of the north side was as well. A bucket loader worked all day to remove it from the beach, but it never stopped coming in. We rented a car and drove to 7 mile beach and the public beaches and the water were beautiful.

Also did Sting Ray City and a snorkeling tour from Rum Point and we all loved it. Watched the England/Belgium WC game in a Pub (Fidel Murphy's) and had a blast watching all the ex-pats go crazy. Georgetown was a horror show when the cruise ships let loose.

Food was delicious but crazy expensive. Since we had a kitchen in our suite, we only ate out only once a day and we averaged about $50 per person for lunch, and $70 per person for dinner not including booze.

I did bring back a few good smokes as well as a bottle of Havana Club 7. Loved the rums down there. Worked my way into a lot of rum lists!
 

Fishy

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We were in Grand Cayman last week and were undone by the weather and the seaweed.

Rum Point was completely closed due to seaweed, so we made some hasty arrangements to go to the Royal Palm for a beach day.

Nice place - we got our chairs, umbrellas and a cabana and were all set. And then a thunderstorm just settled over the place for about two hours.

Basically, we sat at the bar and drank White Tips for a few hours and then went back to the port where it wasn’t raining at all.

Walked around town for a bit, went to Margaritaville’s for more White Tips and then went back to the ship.
 
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We were in Grand Cayman last week and were undone by the weather and the seaweed.

Rum Point was completely closed due to seaweed, so we made some hasty arrangements to go to the Royal Palm for a beach day.

Nice place - we got our chairs, umbrellas and a cabana and were all set. And then a thunderstorm just settled over the place for about two hours.

Basically, we sat at the bar and drank White Tips for a few hours and then went back to the port where it wasn’t raining at all.

Walked around town for a bit, went to Margaritaville’s for more White Tips and then went back to the ship.

That really sucks. Seaweed sounds even worse than when I was there in June.

I didn't try the White Tips, but drank the hell out of the Shell Shock IPA. Great local brew.
 
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I'm floored by the concerns about long-term parking at JFK. I always go on line, find an off site parking, reserve in advance and use it. I've never had any problem whatsoever. If they park it in the streets in the rockaways, it's always been returned the way i gave it to them.
 

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