What a great forum!! We're 45 days (11 hours, 41 minutes, 23 seconds) from our first cruise. Out of Miami for ten days on RCCL Splendour of the Seas to Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel, Grand Caymen, Aruba, Curacao, Jamica or Labadee. As we are not used to "one day in a place" or "cattle car" tours ashore, and we'd appreciate input as to whether we can do as well on our own on day trips and what one should do in these respective ports as "must sees" and/or to experience the place. Anyone recommend an "on shore" company etc. who gave them a great day?? We'd really appreciate your experience in this regard, <BR> <BR>Thakns, <BR> <BR>Tony

Tony, get yourself a book that tells about caribbean ports of call. There are several available. Go to a real bookstore and look some over, or go to your library. Also check online. Usually just www + "name of island" + .com will return a site about that island. <BR>Enjoy, Bruce

If you just want to go to a beach you can usually do better on your own by sharing a taxi or on Aruba getting the bus. On Aruba we did the Jeep Safari tour. We booked it on the ship. DePalm tours runs it and it ends with GREAT snorkeling on DePalm Island. <BR>It depends on what you want to do. On Jamaica I'd stick with the ships tours--much safer that way. We took a tour of Grand Cayman. Not much to see. You can shop downtown or go to beautiful Seven Mile Beach. Good snorkeling tours in Grand Cayman. Curacao had the cutest buildkings. You can walk across the pontoon bridge right into town on your own. <BR>Have a great time!

Tony & Gloria: <BR> <BR>We went on our first cruise last January. RCCL Majesty of the Seas out of San Juan. Ports of call were, Aruba, Curacao, St. Marteen, St. Thomas. <BR> <BR>So....speaking for Aruba and Curacao. <BR> <BR>We took the Jeep tour on Aruba (you put 4 people in a suzuki samari and off you go in a caravan..saw approx. 3/4 of the island and would highly recommend it. Had a local tour guide who was great. Be prepared to be offered lots of Rum punch...EVEN WHILE DRIVING. <BR> <BR>Also took a catamaran cruise that night down the coast was lots of fun....both were scheduled through the cruise line. <BR> <BR>Curacao: If you are not a certified scuba diver, you can take a trip to the aquarium where you will be given a quick how too on diving...then you will be accompanied by certified diving instructors into a small ocean inlet (closed off from the main ocean) where you will dive with all sorts of fish, feed stingrays and ultimately hand feed two different types of sharks through plexiglass windows. <BR> <BR>You can't go any deeper than 15 feet and instructors are constantly with you. <BR>My wife is chlostophobic (spelling?) and didn't do well at first, but once she got underwater with the instructors help she calmed down and totally enjoyed it. They videotape the dive and you can buy a copy for a great souvenir..it is delivered to the ship for you. Overall a great time. <BR> <BR>My opinion...you see more of the islands with a guide. And not necessarily just the touristy parts. On your own, you may not know exatly where to go, and waste time trying to find things. Secondly not that crime or anything would be bad...obviously alot of these islands revolve around tourist traffic, and they don't want problems...but still safety in numbers.

Tony and Gloria, <BR>We really enjoyed our cruise in July. <BR>we did a private tour in Grand Caymen <BR>that we really enjoyed. It was nativway <BR>.com and they took us on a snorkeling <BR>tour and to stingray city. It was only <BR>$25. and we signed up right where we <BR>docked. They had great knowledge of <BR>the area and we had a blast!!! <BR>Laurie