Grand Cayman recommendations

[KathyV]

Unless you want to dive brac and lc I see no benefit of the aggressor. If you want to see and dive gcm, stay on the island. If you want to spend an entire week on a boat, well then stay on a boat.

The OP said that he wants to do a lot of diving. You can do 25 or more dives in a week on a LOB and that can be difficult to match on a land-based trip - but I've just noticed that he will only be there for 6 days, and you need a full week for an Aggressor LOB, so that might be a better choice for a future trip.

 

[drrich2]

If the Cayman Aggressor IV is attractive, I high-lighted in and the diving in my 2016 trip report. Perhaps that can help show what they offer. I'd consider the late winter or early spring Aggressor Fleet >30% off sale that seems to be a 'thing' (I did on my 3 Aggressor trips; 2015, 2016 and 2018), because the savings are big. The OP said 6 days; the live-aboard would be 7. He also plans a Sept. trip; unless he catches a sale, I'd consider either putting off the trip till he catches one, or at least pricing vs. a land-based package.

So, traveling alone (live-aboard costs can be favorable for the solo traveler; land-based can be an advantage for 2+ due to lower per person housing costs in one room), want to dive a lot, but...intend to have a car to be 'mobile.' Mobile to do or see what? Some Cayman dive op.s offer 2 2-tank boat trips/day (I've heard this about Ocean Frontiers & I believe Divetech), but Cayman boat diving leans toward the expensive; if you did 20 dives in 5 days, for example, better see what that's going to cost...and consider nitrox with that much diving, and what nitrox for 20 dives will add. Contact the op. directly & ask if you can get a package price.

If I were traveling alone to dive Grand Cayman, I'd look at it as a 'Franken-Island' - one with 2+ distinct functional 'sections.' Based on researching the issue on Scuba Board and elsewhere, here's where I'd start looking:

-----1.) If I wanted beautiful sandy beach and/or a lot of shore-diving and/or and attractions of a significant population center, I'd stay to the west...near 7 Mile Beach and Georgetown. And because I'm cheap, I'd consider Comfort Suites or Sunshine Suites Resort.

-----2.) If I wanted to do 4 boat dives/day and 'chill' otherwise in a more rustic setting, I'd look out east at Ocean Frontiers/Compass Point.

-----3.) If I were highly budget conscious, wanted a car, didn't mind considerable driving but didn't want to be as 'way out' as the east end (IIRC, maybe 45 minute drive to Georgetown? Someone confirm or deny?), and were content being based well away from 7 Mile Beach and Georgetown...I'd look up some of KathyV's posts about Turtle Nest Inn's package deals in Bodden Town.

-----4.) Cobalt Coast is an option to the north-west, but iron shore beach, I read about the shore diving being blown out by weather at times, and when I priced it...it wasn't cheap. Would be fairly close to the Turtle Farm (which some people dislike; you can read about that elsewhere).

-----5.) Decide how important staying at or right beside a 'house reef' for shore diving is. Sunset House is one of the options.

I'm not pushing any one option, just saying how I'd look at Grand Cayman and start breaking my options down. I'm leaving out a lot (e.g.: AirBnB, VRBO, upscale places, the Holiday Inn offering, etc...).

Richard.

 

[KathyV]

...If I were highly budget conscious, wanted a car, didn't mind considerable driving but didn't want to be as 'way out' as the east end (IIRC, maybe 45 minute drive to Georgetown? Someone confirm or deny?), and were content being based well away from 7 Mile Beach and Georgetown...I'd look up some of KathyV's posts about Turtle Nest Inn's package deals in Bodden Town....

Thanks Richard!

Since the OP wants to do a lot of diving, TNI in Bodden Town probably wouldn't be the best choice. You can drive East from there to dive with Ocean Frontiers or Red Sail Tortuga and there won't be a lot of traffic, but it's still a fairly long drive - so he would be better off staying out in the East End nearer to the dive ops.

Or as you suggested, staying on the West side (Seven Mile Beach area) where he will be close to lots of dive ops and not far from the best shore dive locations.

If he could give us an idea about budget it would be easier to advise him. There's a lot of options for a diver visiting Cayman, but they can get pricey.

 

[drrich2]

On the budget & doing a lot of diving points, a couple of issues come to mind.

1.) If he stays near 7 Mile Beach/west coast, he can do 2 boat dives/morning, for instance, and (weather permitting) a dive or two in the afternoon, apparently (from discussions already covered) if he can pair up with a buddy (or somehow rent a tank or two as an individual). Depends on how much the outgoing 'people person' one is, I suppose. Such a requirement would drive me to anguish, but some people don't seem to have a problem with it. Stands to reason housing options are apt to be more expensive around 7 Mile Beach.

2.) If he stays at Compass Point and dives with Ocean Frontiers, he could do 4 boat dives/day.

Now, being away that a 'resort fee' can increase hotel cost (look'n at you, Sunshine Suites!!!), a little Trip Advisor check for an early Sept. Sat. to Sat. 7-day 1 person Grand Cayman trip:

1.) Comfort Suites: $142/night.
2.) Sunshine Suites Resort: $158/night.
3.) Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman: $132.
4.) Compass Point Dive Resort: $215.

Ouch! I thought out at the more rustic east end Compass Point would be cheaper, then I saw the room is a Deluxe, 1 Bedroom, Poolside, 1 King Bed and 2 Twin Beds, and sleeps 4 people. So I went to Compass Point's website to see what room options they had. Summer rates (includes Sept.) from their site for the cheapest options:

ROOM RATES SUMMER - 7th April 2018 through 21st Dec. 2018
Pool Side - Per Condo Per Night
One Bedroom Deluxe Condo.: $215.00 (U.S.).

Ocean Front - Per Condo Per Night
One Bedroom Condo.: $215.00.
Above Rates are per condominium, per night. 13% tax will be applied to above rates, minimum stay 3 nights. Discount Packages available on 7 night stays."

I was hoping staying out east might help defray some of the cost of more boat diving by saving on housing. For a solo guy, maybe not. But go to the Ocean Frontiers website under summer 'dive and stay' package deals, and for 1-person, 7 night stay, 6 days 2-tank/day diving, breakfast and car rental (from Avis), the 13% hotel tax is included in this package price, 1 bed Oceanfront is $2,145 (for 2 it'd be $1,545 apiece; solo on a land-based trip can get expensive!).

Let's price against Comfort Suites. Room with queen bed, hot breakfast promotion, $1,570 for the week (price says includes taxes & fees). But that doesn't include your diving or a car rental! I'm told car rentals are one thing that's surprisingly affordable in Grand Cayman, but that's going to run some money. Their onsite dive op. is Ambassador Divers, which gave me a 7 day 1 person room rate with est. taxes & fees of $1,301.39 when I went to book a package (but I'm not willing to enter my personal info. for follow through with the process). 4 2-Tank divers are $445; that's 8 dives. If we average out to match Ocean Frontier's 12, half again, say ~$667. We're up to $1,968.39 without car rental.

Okay, Ambassador Divers might come up with a better package deal, but if I ran those #'s rightly, we're looking at under a $200 difference, and with the O.F./C.P. deal, he'd have a rental car!

Anyone see anything wrong with my quick & dirty estimates of 2 options, just to get a couple of ideas with prices out there?

Richard.

 

[drrich2]

Quick comparison from May 2016 for Cayman Aggressor IV:

Cayman Aggressor IV 7-day Trip in Twin Share (cheapest) Room: $2,695.
$45 Port Fee.
$100 Nitrox.
$20 Taxi to/from boat.

And I got a 32% (IIRC) off that $2,695 sale. Yes, I was in a narrow 2-bunk little room sharing a bathroom with the next (I am cheap), but I spent little time in that room, didn't have to rent a car, enjoyed the crew & fellow divers, had 25 dives spread over all 3 islands...and that included the cost of food, which I didn't have to cook myself and I'm told eating out is expensive in Grand Cayman. Might cost a little more now.

Not right for everybody, but it put a smile on my face...

Richard.

 

[deaf diver]

I think Compass Point/Oceanfrontiers would be ideal. OF is a terrific op. They run two tanks am and pm enabling you to get 4 dives a day. They have nice units on the property and a grill/restaurant where breakfast is included and you can grab before heading out in the AM. It is a convenient place to grab lunch between am and pm dives and I think you can even place an order for lunch from the boat.

They are also a great op to dive with if solo. You can pick a buddy if you want or just let the DM know you are solo and will follow/buddy with them. Once they see you know what you are doing you will be given a great deal of freedom during your dives if that is what you choose. Once comfortable with you the dive op is comfortable with you being on your own as long as you are in view of the group and generally at the group's depth. Once back to the boat at the end of the dive, the DM will typically make sure you see the boat and then leave you with the rest to finish out your dive.

I

Thank you that sounds exactly what I'm looking for!!! I checked

If you want to do a lot of diving you might also look at the Cayman Aggressor liveaboard. You can do 4-5 dives per day including several night dives, and your food, lodging, and diving is all included.

If the weather is calm (around 75% - 80% of the time) they will make the crossing over to the sister islands and you will have the chance to dive the best sites around all 3 Cayman islands, including Little Cayman's Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson's Bight; some of the best diving in the Caribbean IMO.

See below for @drrich2's report about his Cayman Aggressor trip as a single diver. Even if you are not interested in a LOB, there there's a lot of great info in that thread about Cayman as a dive vacation destination.
Cayman Aggressor IV Trip May 2016

My dates won't allow me to do a Liveaboard but thanks!!

 

[deaf diver]

Thanks Richard!

Since the OP wants to do a lot of diving, TNI in Bodden Town probably wouldn't be the best choice. You can drive East from there to dive with Ocean Frontiers or Red Sail Tortuga and there won't be a lot of traffic, but it's still a fairly long drive - so he would be better off staying out in the East End nearer to the dive ops.

Or as you suggested, staying on the West side (Seven Mile Beach area) where he will be close to lots of dive ops and not far from the best shore dive locations.

If he could give us an idea about budget it would be easier to advise him. There's a lot of options for a diver visiting Cayman, but they can get pricey.

The OP said that he wants to do a lot of diving. You can do 25 or more dives in a week on a LOB and that can be difficult to match on a land-based trip - but I've just noticed that he will only be there for 6 days, and you need a full week for an Aggressor LOB, so that might be a better choice for a future trip.

My budget is $2500-$3000USD. Thanks for all the ideas!

 

[KathyV]

Thank you that (Compass Point) sounds exactly what I'm looking for!!! I checked. My dates won't allow me to do a Liveaboard but thanks!!

If you can afford Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers, then it really does sound like what you want - and East End diving is some of the best on GC. You will need to rent a car if you stay at Compass Point, taking a taxi from the airport would be very expensive and not worth it.

Edited to add: Compass Point may not work with your $2500-$3000 USD budget, 4 boat dives per day and meals and car rental will add expense; but you should contact them and see what you can work out. September is the slow season and all the resorts and dive ops may be willing to work with you.

If you are looking for something cheaper, I did some quick calculations for Sunset House and Cobalt Coast, two resorts that have onsite shore dives in addition to boat dives (if you can find a buddy). These rates include 2 boat dives, taxes, fees, service charges, and airport transfers. Nitrox and dive shop tips are extra.

The Sunset House Single Diver Fall Package is $1991 for a courtyard room for 7 days, that includes 2 boat dives, unlimited shore dives on house reef, and breakfast ($284 per night).

You won't need to rent a car because you are less than a mile from George Town, but you will need to buy lunch and dinner every day. There is a restaurant and a beach bar onsite and lots of places to eat in GT. Probably not the best diving, but if the fall weather acts up, it may be the safest choice.

Cobalt Coast may be the cheapest option, depending on the cost of the single supplement. In October, @scubadada paid a 20% supplement to dive single at the CBBR, a sister property to Cobalt Coast on Cayman Brac. Using the 20% figure, it would be $2014 for a one week, all-inclusive package at CCGCR ($287 per night). That includes 3 meals per day, 3 drinks per night, 2 boat dives and unlimited shore dives.

If you stay on the property you won't need a car because everything is included, if you want to explore the area you will need one for a day or two. The resort is near the North Wall which is excellent diving, but that area can get winded out in the fall/winter and then you would have to dive the west side - but September is still early so that may work out fine.

 

[KathyV]

others here on SB can help you figure out the costs for Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers, I think that @scubadada dives there frequently and I believe that he usually travels as a single diver.

 

[deaf diver]

If you can afford Compass Point and Ocean Frontiers, then it really does sound like what you want - and East End diving is some of the best on GC. You will need to rent a car if you stay at Compass Point, taking a taxi from the airport would be very expensive and not worth it.

Edited to add: Compass Point may not work with your $2500-$3000 USD budget, 4 boat dives per day and meals and car rental will add expense; but you should contact them and see what you can work out. September is the slow season and all the resorts and dive ops may be willing to work with you.

If you are looking for something cheaper, I did some quick calculations for Sunset House and Cobalt Coast, two resorts that have onsite shore dives in addition to boat dives (if you can find a buddy). These rates include 2 boat dives, taxes, fees, service charges, and airport transfers. Nitrox and dive shop tips are extra.

The Sunset House Single Diver Fall Package is $1991 for a courtyard room for 7 days, that includes 2 boat dives, unlimited shore dives on house reef, and breakfast ($284 per night).

You won't need to rent a car because you are less than a mile from George Town, but you will need to buy lunch and dinner every day. There is a restaurant and a beach bar onsite and lots of places to eat in GT. Probably not the best diving, but if the fall weather acts up, it may be the safest choice.

Cobalt Coast may be the cheapest option, depending on the cost of the single supplement. In October, @scubadada paid a 20% supplement to dive single at the CBBR, a sister property to Cobalt Coast on Cayman Brac. Using the 20% figure, it would be $2014 for a one week, all-inclusive package at CCGCR ($287 per night). That includes 3 meals per day, 3 drinks per night, 2 boat dives and unlimited shore dives.

If you stay on the property you won't need a car because everything is included, if you want to explore the area you will need one for a day or two. The resort is near the North Wall which is excellent diving, but that area can get winded out in the fall/winter and then you would have to dive the west side - but September is still early so that may work out fine.

Kathy thanks for all your helpful imput. I am leaning towards Ocean Frontiers. I prefer peace and quiet. OF only offers a trip to the kittyhawk on Tuesdays and that is the day that I get in and I leave on Monday. Can you recommend a DO that I can do that trip with??