Day Port of Call Arrival Departure Region Map
Day 1 Port Canaveral, Florida -- 4:30 pm
Day 2 At Sea -- --
Day 3 Labadee, Haiti 8:00 am 4:00 pm
Day 4 Ocho Rios, Jamaica 9:00 am 5:00 pm
George Town, Grand
Day 5 8:00 am 4:00 pm
Cayman, Cayman Islands
10:00
Day 6 Cozumel, Mexico 7:00 pm
am
Day 7 At Sea -- -- For larger map, select image.
Day 8 Port Canaveral, Florida 7:00 am --
Labadee, Haiti - All alone on the northern coast of Hispaniola, Royal Caribbean Cruise
Lines owns this stretch of sandy heaven and prohibits anyone except its own ships from
coming here. All the activities connected with a beach resort can be found here, such as
wave runners, banana boats, and snorkeling. Beachcombers might be a little disappointed
as all shells have been removed to prevent any chance of injury. Besides lying on a
lounge chair and slopping on sunblock all day (sounds rough, huh?), numerous hiking
trails lead to old fort ruins and vistas that look back over the bay and the ship.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Where You're Docked
You'll dock right in downtown Ocho Rios.
Where to Eat and Drink
Casual, in-town joints: The Ocho Rios Jerk Center (open daily) is the epitome of fun
dining. The Ruins is a destination kind of place, featuring two restaurants and a cafe, all
centered around a 40-foot limestone waterfall surrounded by tropical gardens.
Gourmet Lunching: Evita's (open daily, 876-974-2333), in an 1860s Victorian house on a
hill overlooking Ocho Rios and the ocean, is a Northern Italian restaurant (owner Eva
Myers hails from Venice) that's considered a prime celebrity magnet. Toscanini's
(Tuesday - Sunday 12:30 - 2:30pm, 876-97205-478205) authentic Italian restaurant is
another that has a great reputation and has a convenient location, in the Harmony Hall Art
Gallery.
What to See and Do
Shopping: Downtown, head for the Tajmahal Shopping Center and the Ocean Village.
Both offer shops featuring unique jewelry, clothing and gifts. In the duty-free arena, you
can good buys on jewelry, cameras, china, and crystal. Good souvenir choices include the
island's well-known coffees (Blue Mountain and High Mountain), Tia Maria, the made-
in-Jamaica coffee liqueur, and Jamaican rum.
Haggle in classic Jamaican style at the craft market; there you can get good prices on
straw items, woodcarvings and souvenirs.
Dunn's River Falls is one of those "must see" destinations where millions of gallons of
water cascade from heights of 600 feet via a series of waterfalls. It's also a good "must
do" attraction for hiking aficionados.
Prospect Plantation has something for everyone--gorgeous views over the White River,
open-air jitney tour, lush grounds, miniature golf, a bar and horseback riding.
Non-guests are welcome to play golf at Breezes' golf club in Runaway Bay and Sandals
Golf & Country Club. Both are PGA-quality championship courses are some of the most
interesting in the Caribbean, with fairways and greens laid out amidst the rolling hills and
picturesque backdrop.
Getting Around
On Foot: You can walk into downtown.
Taxis: Readily available at the dock, make sure you hire a licensed JUTA taxi.
Renting a Car: Drive on the left. Avis, Budget and Hertz are among those who have posts
here; advance reservations are highly recommended. Car rentals range from $6205 -
$12050 per day.
Grand Cayman –
Staying in Touch
Cable and Wireless has two in-town locations: right at the North Terminal dock and on
Cardinal Avenue behind Columbian Emeralds. It costs 2205 cents per minute. You'll find
other options at Galleria Plaza, West Bay Road.
Where to Eat and Drink
Casual island eateries: In George Town, Maxin's (Monday - Saturday, 11:30am -
205:00pm) and The Brasserie (11:30am - 2:30pm; Cricket Square) offer Continental fare.
Along Seven Mile Beach, choices include Cimboco (open from 11am), which has great
jerk chicken Caesar; Ragazzi for pizza (from 11:30am; West Bay Road); and Thai
Orchard (11:30am - 2:30pm, Monday to Saturday) for Thai food.
The Cracked Conch (from 11:00am, West Bay, near the Turtle Farm) has jerk chicken
and conch fritters. Kaibo Yacht Club's Beach Bar & Grill (from 11:00am, Rum Point) is
known for its crab cakes. Also on Rum Point is the Wreck Bar for burgers (from 11am).
Gourmet Lunching: The Grand Old House, located in an old plantation house, is full of
atmosphere. The building was shipped from Boston and reassembled in George Town
nearly 100 years ago. (Monday - Friday, 11:4205am - 2pm, reservations highly
recommended; 648 S. Church St.; phone: 1-34205-949-9333).
What to See and Do
The eclectic shopping in George Town includes artifacts for making handcrafted jewelry,
antiques, salvaged coins and old maps. Cardinal Avenue is the main shopping street. On
it, you'll find Caymania Duty Free, one of the island's best-known duty-free shops for
perfumes, cosmetics and gemstones. Kirk Freeport is another terrific duty-free choice,
with Swiss watches, fine china, and crystal. The Jewelry Center offers designer baubles.
At the Galleria Plaza (West Bay Road), a number of shops sell duty-free stuff.
Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park consists of 6205 acres of everything from nature walks
to natural wetlands to colorful floral gardens. It's located in the North Side district. (Daily
from 9am; $7.2050.)
The Pedro St. James "Castle" is considered the birthplace of democracy in the Cayman
Islands. In 1831, residents met here to elect the Cayman's first legislative assembly. The
great house itself, circa 1780, is the island's oldest stone structure. It has lovely grounds
that are ideal for strolling. Check out the panoramic view from the Great Pedro Bluff.
(Daily from 9:00am; $8.)
Scuba diving is one of the Cayman Islands' main attractions, and the Cayman Wall is a
world-renowned dive site. The island abounds with dive and snorkeling operators, such
as Ocean Frontiers (1-888-232-020541) and Bob Soto's (1-800-262-7686).
Getting Around
On Foot: You'll be dropped a few steps from town, where you'll find numerous shops and
restaurants.
Taxis: Cabs without meters are available at the dock. Rates are fixed and posted, but be
sure to confirm the fare before the driver takes off. New cabs have meters. You can also
hail minibuses which shuttle passengers along the main routes. To hail one, respond with
a wave when the driver toots his horn. The bus depot is next to the library (across from
the Hero's Square Fountain).
Renting a Car: Thrifty is downtown. Out at Seven Mile Beach, Just Jeep Rentals has both
cars and jeeps, but you have to take a taxi to get there. Andy's Rent A Car, also at Seven
Mile Beach, has good Internet discounts, starting at $27. Americans are required to
purchase driving permits (the tourist office quotes a fee of $7.2050 while some car rental
agencies charge $8), but you can buy it at the rental office. Drive on the left side of the
road.
Where You're Docked
All ships are required to anchor in the harbor and tender passengers on to the island.
Ships tender passengers to one of two George Town docks (North or South), both of
which are right in downtown George Town. A new cruise pier is under construction.
Cozumel - Where You're Docked
There are now three large piers serving Cozumel. Punta Langosta is the newest and
closest pier to San Miguel, located just a short walk into town.
The two other major docking sites, the International Pier and Puerto Maya Pier, are
located about two and three miles from San Miguel, respectively. Depending on your
pace, downtown San Miguel is about a 30- to 4205-minute walk from these piers. Since it
can get very hot en route, most passengers opt to take a taxi into town.
Getting Around
On Foot: Beyond the aforementioned dock-to-town travel, downtown San Miguel is very
walkable, with most shops, bars, and restaurants clustered around the waterfront.
Taxis: Taxis line up at the entrances to the piers and cost about $205 per ride. Rates to the
beaches can cost $10 to $1205; to avoid being ripped off be sure to settle on a fare before
departing.
Renting a Car: Some passengers who don't take one of the shore excursions and want to
travel on their own may want to rent a Jeep or four-wheel-drive vehicle. Rates begin at
about $4205 per day and can go as high as $80, plus additional charges for insurance and
gas.
What to See and Do
San Miguel revolves around its two landmarks: the "zocalo" (town square), known as
Plaza del Sol, and the downtown pier.
Along with Grand Cayman and Belize, Cozumel offers the best diving and snorkeling
sites in the Caribbean. Prime sites for "divehards" include Palancar Reef, Chankanaab
Caves, and La Ceiba Reef.
Glass-bottom boat tours provide a glimpse of the reefs for aqua-phobics and others who
prefer to stay dry; some of these tours also stop occasionally for snorkeling breaks.
While the best preserved Mayan ruins are located on the mainland, there are several
smaller Mayan sites scattered around Cozumel. The best of the local sites is at San
Gervasio, located approximately seven miles from San Miguel.
Generally speaking, the best beaches for swimming, snorkeling, or lounging under the
sun are on the western side of the island, where the winds are light and waters usually
calm. The surf on the eastern side of the island tends to be much rougher.
Where to Eat and Drink
Pancho's Backyard is a great place for margaritas and wonderful Mexican specialties.
Guido's is considered the island's best Italian restaurant. Choice tables are located on the
patio out back.
For atmosphere and tradition don't miss Casa Denis which has been here since 194205
and has some amazing historic photos on the walls including a young Fidel Castro.
Some of Cozumel's best home-cooked cuisine is served up daily at La Choza, a family-
run restaurant.
Carlos and Charlie's is the island's cornball, always-crowded tourism hot spot which
specializes in ridiculously huge tropical drinks and bar food.
Staying in Touch
The Calling Station (Plaza Orbi - Local 1, Av. Rafael E. Melgar 27) is open Monday
through Saturday and offers Internet connections and email, faxing services, cell phone
rentals, money exchange, and more.
Shopping
San Miguel is a duty-free zone filled with stores and boutiques selling a wide variety of
souvenirs along with an assortment of jewelry. Stores in the hotels offer a selection of
fashions, casual attire, perfumes, Mexican crafts, and souvenirs. Easily the most
distinctive and fabulous store on Cozumel is Los Cinco Soles, which sells gorgeous
Mexican crafts, silver jewelry, and fashions. Several specialty shops sell indigenous black
coral in the form of jewelry and sculptures. Adjacent to the Plaza del Sol is the modern
Villa Mar Complex, an air-conditioned mall with several good silver shops.
