Grand Cayman

03-04-24

We are all off ashore today doing different things. Amanda is off first, heading for a Scuba dive, followed by Philip and myself on a Flavours of the Cayman tour and then Mark and the girls off to see some Dolphins.

Our tour started an off pretty poorly with us boarding a bus, driving 500 metres and then disembarking at the local craft markets, all locally made crafts. (Some not so local and some very tacky). (P:- pretty much made in China with some stickers of origin removed). Next stop was the Rum Cake factory where they were not baking today so no cake viewing instead we watched a two minute video on a small tv screen. Then to taste some cake and rum (P:- correction a Micro taste of cake and the rum pretty much tasted like industrial alcohol!) which was ok. The shop was full of Chinese made souvenirs. I think we are getting fussy. From here the tour did improve with our next stop being a small family owned rum distillery where we tasted several different rums, it still only 9.30 am. Then a short tour through the factory. Back on the bus and we head away from the city area to a very local area for an early lunch at the Country and Western pub/diner. Pretty basic place but very popular with the locals. A choice of salad or fish tea soup for appetisers, curry chicken or braised steak for main and sweet fried plantain for dessert. Amazingly it all tasted pretty good even if the plating up was a bit slapdash. Guessing our service in the main dining room on the ship is spoiling us. After lunch we do some more touring around the island and back to the port where we wander around the shopping area before returning on the tender to the Oosterdam. (P:- these Caribbean islands survive on tourism so become a tourist trap with dodgy souvenirs, diamond and jewellery shops and high prices. Not my favorite places to visit.)

Kaley.

We started the day off tendering ashore. Then we got on a bus to go to a turtle sanctuary where we got to pat turtles. It was so fun and exciting touching the turtles, big and little after about an hour we went to a dolphin discovery centre and swam with two dolphins called captain and Sally. Fun fact about dolphins is they shed their skin every two hours. I have always wanted to go swimming with dolphins and now I have had a chance to. I came away definitely wanting to do it again.

Emily :-

Cayman island turtle and dolphin encounter:

On one of our last days of our cruise, we stopped at the Cayman Islands. Dad, Kaley and I went in a tour that took us to a turtle sanctuary where we  got to see lots of big turtles, we even got to pat some of the baby ones! It was super cute and I really enjoyed it. Our next stop was just over the road, so when we were done at the turtle sanctuary, we headed on over. Dad Kaley and I had our bathers on so we were ready to go. After a short briefing, we got into the water on a submerged platform. We all stood in a line and one by one, we stepped forward and the dolphin came past and gave us a kiss, held its fins out and danced with us and then came up out of the water and put its nose on our hand! In our group we had two dolphins: Captain and Sally. I had an awesome day. At the end we bought all of the professional photos and a special t-shirt each. We then headed back into the town, did a bit of shopping and then got back on the tender that would take us back to the ship.

Amanda took the rare opportunity to disappear and do two dives just off the shore of Georgetown. We had a small group of 4 from our ship along with 4 from the other two cruise ships docked that day. Our dive leader Mitch from Jamaica told us that everything would be Arrrrrright man as we headed to La Mesa our first site. With some very rusty dive skills and the usual inability to sink, we got underway. Lots of fish life and hard corals with beautiful bright yellow sponges. With a short surface and a fresh tank we descended for a wreck n reef dive called Oro Verde. It was amazing to swim along with so many fish and a small turtle. Also appreciated was not needing the usual long wetsuit booties and beanie. A quick trip back to shore left time for a spot of Caymans shopping (what a shame) and connecting up with Mark & girls.

Some facts about our cruise

Groceries consumed

Eggs 53000

Pasta 800 pounds. (363 Kilo)

Chickens 16000 pounds. (7257 kilo)

Beef 17200 pounds. (7711 kilo)

Fish 10000 pounds (4535 kilo)

Milk 3832 gallons

Prune Juice 50 gallons (14505 litres)

Toilet rolls 5332

When loading the ship

90 pallets of fruit and vegetables

1 ton flour

Carrots 75 pound per day (35 kilo)

Onions 100 pound per day (45 kilo)

Coffee 40 pound per day (19 kilo)

Our last night dining in the main dining room we got to say our farewells to Mark and Widodo who have served us for the entire trip. They have become friends over that time and we will all miss them as we disembark for the final time on the morning of the 5th.

We also say goodbye to Aris and Mudi our room stewards and Lukman and Dwi, Mark and Amanda’s stewards, who have kept our room tidy and entertained the girls with towel animals on their bed each night.

There have been a few tears shed by both the girls and maybe some adults as we finish this leg of our journey. It’s been such a wonderful time, with so many new experiences but new adventures await.