Western Caribbean Excursions

[senglish]

Help! I'm trying to decide on excursions for my family's Christmas cruise on the Navigator, sailing Dec 23, western Caribbean. Now the kids (21,19 and 15 yrs) say they definitely want to snorkle with the stingrays and swim with the dolphins. So I figure we will do dolphins in Cozemel and Stingrays in Grand Cayman. Now, I'm terrified of missing the boat! I've read everywhere that the excursions are better booked privately than through the ship. But the ship won't wait if your late unless you booked through them. I'm a wimp. If something can go wrong, it will happpen to me So..advice please, should I play it safe and book through RCI,(will we still come home raving of the experience or wish we'd book elsewhere?)or go with a private company. If private which ones? and what TIME would you recommend so we are all safely back on board before sailing. Is there anything else you recommend at either of these ports or in Ocho Rios or Labadee? As you have probably guessed by now, we are all firt time cruisers! Thank you so much on advance for your help.

Steph

[Cruise Fanatic]

I would look at your intinerary for the cruise and compare the times you are in port, to the start time and length of the shore excursion you are looking at. If the shore excursion is from 9:00-3:00pm and the ship leaves at 5:00pm, then you have to be back onboard by 4:30pm. Use your own judgment, if you are going to stress out the whole time worrying with a private excursion then maybe it's not worth what you would save.