Sea Elements
Sea Elements
4.8
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About
Sea Elements offers an exceptional opportunity for a unique adventure in Cayman's beautiful mangrove forests, Reefs, Stingray City and the very unique BioBay. During the Kayak and Mangrove trips you will learn about this saltwater forest while looking for unique birds, baby fish in the mangrove nursery and iguanas climbing among the tangled roots on our intimate boat tour. Suitable for all ages and families! Follow your guide among the tangled roots and over the seagrass meadows for a mangrove snorkel. Go slow and look for sea squirts, anemones and seahorses! The Stingray City and Reef snorkel tours are limited to small groups on our comfortable and spacious 35ft boat. We go at your pace. Private Charters available at an affordable price. The BioBay tour is a must see! One of only a handful of such bays around the world. We offer a once in a lifetime chance to snorkel in this bay and experience the bioluminescence up close. All tours offer FREE pick up and drop of in the 7MIle Beach area!
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.8
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6
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5
Dorothy W
Edmonton, Canada34 contributions
Mar 2020
There was just one other couple and our guide - can't remember his name but starts with a C. Sunday morning March 8 - very windy and rough on the water. He asked if we wanted to go out or get a refund. We all choose to go out and very glad we did. Once we got over to the Mangroves it was much calmer. Our guide was born and raised on the Island, very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. He took us through this very narrow pathway which was the highlight. Totally recommend this excursion.
Written March 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurie L
Plymouth, MN604 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
Unfortunately, I have to start by saying to make sure Sea Elements knows where you are staying. They said they couldn’t pick us up, but then 2 other groups staying in our condo building (Discovery Point- a 5 min drive) were able to get rides. We had a car so it wasn’t a big deal, but a little annoying that others were given the convenience if we had to arrange alternate transportation.
I was a little concerned to go on the 7:00 pm tour since it is still pretty light out then, but it was a 40 min ride to the bay. Once we got there, we heard a brief overview to understand the significance of a bio bay and also how this specific one was created. It was a strange location compared to what I’d envisioned – we were in a bay in the middle of an expensive housing development not somewhere secluded. It was very calm that evening so there were a lot of mosquitoes out too. Before we got into the water, we were told that you couldn’t touch the bottom or it might stir up the water and make you itch & gave us floaty “noodles” to use. We were instructed to put on “skins” – essentially black lycra body suits to better see the bio luminescence and protect from itchy encounters prior to entering the water too. It felt a little weird getting into very warm, shallow, dark water but once we got to see the bio luminescence as we moved our arms and legs around so all else was forgotten.
Several people on the tour got the "itch" in places & one person said he was stung by a jellyfish. The tour guides had some spray to put on affected areas and it seemed to help. My friend and I were both fine.
Overall the tour was about 2 ½ hours – it was a great experience albeit a little strange at times. I’d do it again just to have the experience again though.
I was a little concerned to go on the 7:00 pm tour since it is still pretty light out then, but it was a 40 min ride to the bay. Once we got there, we heard a brief overview to understand the significance of a bio bay and also how this specific one was created. It was a strange location compared to what I’d envisioned – we were in a bay in the middle of an expensive housing development not somewhere secluded. It was very calm that evening so there were a lot of mosquitoes out too. Before we got into the water, we were told that you couldn’t touch the bottom or it might stir up the water and make you itch & gave us floaty “noodles” to use. We were instructed to put on “skins” – essentially black lycra body suits to better see the bio luminescence and protect from itchy encounters prior to entering the water too. It felt a little weird getting into very warm, shallow, dark water but once we got to see the bio luminescence as we moved our arms and legs around so all else was forgotten.
Several people on the tour got the "itch" in places & one person said he was stung by a jellyfish. The tour guides had some spray to put on affected areas and it seemed to help. My friend and I were both fine.
Overall the tour was about 2 ½ hours – it was a great experience albeit a little strange at times. I’d do it again just to have the experience again though.
Written May 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurie,
Firstly I would like to thank you for the review, it is very informative for other people! I would like to address the fact that you were not given the option of pick up, we do offer complimentary pick up to anyone staying on seven mile beach. Discovery Point is not actually on seven mile beach but classed as being in West bay, so I am not sure why the other people were offered lifts to the yacht club!
I am glad to know that you enjoyed your experience and hope to see you out with us again soon!
Written May 29, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kaalvictoria
Victoria BC37 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
We have just returned from a kayak tour of the mangroves with Monique. She is very knowledgeable, growing up in Cayman she has so much information to share about the eco-systems. I would highly recommend taking this tour with her.
Written February 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great to hear you enjoyed our Mangrove Kayak tour! Monique and our team love to educate guests on this unique and important eco-system. Tell your friends about us and join us again on your next visit to the Cayman Islands! Happy travels!
Written March 13, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DTand I
Grand Cayman15 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
We did the bioluminescence snorkel and while it is very cool to see, I got stung by a jelly fish on my neck and back. They warned us that we might get itchy but the sting is far worse than itchy. I have a major red burn on my neck and back and it's going to last a couple of weeks. Not to mention it was very painful. It get like someone jammed hot needles in my neck. I will say that there were 17 of us in the water and I was the only one to get stung. I would recommend doing the tour by kayak or paddle board not as a swim.
Written April 25, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there,
I am sorry to hear of your experience with stings whilst on our Bio Bay tour. The bay is very shallow and home to Cassiopeia, upside-down jellyfish. These Jellyfish do not actually have stinging cells as they do not require them to catch prey but are instead covered in a mucous with can be irritable at times. I am not sure that these jellyfish could be the culprit unless you had a particularly bad reaction. We do provide vinegar on the boat for such instances and there is always a first aid kit on board. Did you make the staff aware of the incident at the time to receive treatment?
Hope you are feeling better now and I hope it did not detract from your experience of the bioluminescence
Written May 29, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TLCoolCal
Riverside, CA22 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
After reading the reviews, we were excited to take the Bio Bay tour. I wanted to swim and my wife would view from the boat.
If the weather had been good this review would be very different. When we started out, Mike (he seems to run the show) welcomed us on board and explained that there was a weather system, or squall, that they were watching on radar. We would head out and if it looked like the weather wouldn't break we would turn around and not go, and, I assumed not be charged.
Then he got off the boat.
Don took the boat out about 10 minutes, and then stopped. He pointed out that the lights at Rum Point were not visible because of the weather. After talking to Mike he pulled into a canal where it was calm and waited another 15 minutes. Don spoke to Mike several times during the trip, and we got the impression that completing the trip (and getting the money) was more important than ensuring an enjoyable experience. So you know what's coming.
After pulling out of the canal Don triumphantly proclaimed we could see the lights at Rum Point! He talked to Mike again, then made the crucial statement, "We want to make sure if we go, and it turns out to be a crappy trip, we won't charge you." Then he asked what the passengers wanted to do. Mostly silence, as no one wanted to decide, but it had started raining. One particularly vocal passenger (working on her bucket list) wanted to continue and Don took that as a yes.
We felt with the guarantee we could go along. It went downhill from there. The weather was cold and it started raining. We had brought blankets, and my wife loaned one to someone who was freezing. We got wet. Everyone got wet. The wind was blowing and the water was rough, but since committing to going Don never asked again if we wanted to turn around.
By the time we got to the bay, only half the passengers were in any mood to go in the water. We did not. Monique was gracious and informative, but the experience was ruined by the poor weather conditions. We tried to make the best of it by joking about being on a reality show, or Gilligan's Island, it was that bad. The only consolation was that we were not going to be charged; or so we thought.
The ride back was at least dry since the rain stopped.
Don mentioned the tip jar when we got back to the dock, and we noticed who did and did not contribute.
Since there was no mention of a refund or not charging for the excursion, I contacted Mike.
In part he said, "...I think last night we were comfortable that the tour was safe....Second is enjoyment and comfort. I know that conditions were not ideal last night...the squall line spread...and we got caught in it for longer than expected. (Don) and Monique were led to believe that everyone was still happy and hence decided to carry on...As a small gesture I will only be charging you 50% of the tour cost."
I replied again and reminded him of the guarantee statement, and received no reply. There was also no offer to repeat the trip the next evening at no additional cost. I did get charged the 50%, thus this review.
I'm sure it would have been enjoyable if the weather had cooperated. I would have refrained from any negative review if the guarantee had been honored, but it seems that money was more important than customer satisfaction with Cayman Sea Elements.
To conclude, if you go with Cayman Sea Elements, make sure the weather is good before you commit.
If the weather had been good this review would be very different. When we started out, Mike (he seems to run the show) welcomed us on board and explained that there was a weather system, or squall, that they were watching on radar. We would head out and if it looked like the weather wouldn't break we would turn around and not go, and, I assumed not be charged.
Then he got off the boat.
Don took the boat out about 10 minutes, and then stopped. He pointed out that the lights at Rum Point were not visible because of the weather. After talking to Mike he pulled into a canal where it was calm and waited another 15 minutes. Don spoke to Mike several times during the trip, and we got the impression that completing the trip (and getting the money) was more important than ensuring an enjoyable experience. So you know what's coming.
After pulling out of the canal Don triumphantly proclaimed we could see the lights at Rum Point! He talked to Mike again, then made the crucial statement, "We want to make sure if we go, and it turns out to be a crappy trip, we won't charge you." Then he asked what the passengers wanted to do. Mostly silence, as no one wanted to decide, but it had started raining. One particularly vocal passenger (working on her bucket list) wanted to continue and Don took that as a yes.
We felt with the guarantee we could go along. It went downhill from there. The weather was cold and it started raining. We had brought blankets, and my wife loaned one to someone who was freezing. We got wet. Everyone got wet. The wind was blowing and the water was rough, but since committing to going Don never asked again if we wanted to turn around.
By the time we got to the bay, only half the passengers were in any mood to go in the water. We did not. Monique was gracious and informative, but the experience was ruined by the poor weather conditions. We tried to make the best of it by joking about being on a reality show, or Gilligan's Island, it was that bad. The only consolation was that we were not going to be charged; or so we thought.
The ride back was at least dry since the rain stopped.
Don mentioned the tip jar when we got back to the dock, and we noticed who did and did not contribute.
Since there was no mention of a refund or not charging for the excursion, I contacted Mike.
In part he said, "...I think last night we were comfortable that the tour was safe....Second is enjoyment and comfort. I know that conditions were not ideal last night...the squall line spread...and we got caught in it for longer than expected. (Don) and Monique were led to believe that everyone was still happy and hence decided to carry on...As a small gesture I will only be charging you 50% of the tour cost."
I replied again and reminded him of the guarantee statement, and received no reply. There was also no offer to repeat the trip the next evening at no additional cost. I did get charged the 50%, thus this review.
I'm sure it would have been enjoyable if the weather had cooperated. I would have refrained from any negative review if the guarantee had been honored, but it seems that money was more important than customer satisfaction with Cayman Sea Elements.
To conclude, if you go with Cayman Sea Elements, make sure the weather is good before you commit.
Written December 31, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
While I do appreciate the reviewer's comments I do not believe this to be a fair or factual representation of the trip that night.I would like to add some of my thoughts but think it would be better to first add the comments from another guest on the same trip who posted the following on FaceBook ......
"Weather not great, crew gave us the option to call off trip~ all wanted to proceed! Amazing to experience the bioluminescence. A must see. Really talented crew!"
To provide further insight... We regularly cancel trips if the weather is unsafe! I have no hesitation in doing that and there is never a charge for the trip should we cancel due to unsafe weather. Money will never be the overriding influence! Unfortunately We do not have control over the weather but do have a lot of experience (collectively over 50 years between Capt. Don and Myself) and lots of high tech tools like Dopplar radar to monitor the weather in real time.
As this was the last possible night to run the BioBay trip due to the moon cycle there was not an option to offer the trip on a different night. Something that again I would not hesitate to due if it were possible. The weather was not dangerous and the passengers were asked individually and discreetly if they would like to turn back. My crew assures me that nobody chose that option. I know that the experience was not as good as it could have been due to the weather but I am confident that my crew and I did everything in our power to ensure that it was a safe trip and as enjoyable as possible under the circumstances.
Written January 2, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jamie H
New Port Richey, FL18 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
I emailed Sea Elements a week before our trip to get reservations for the Bio-luminescent Bay tour. Took several days to get a response, and she told me she was a "new employee who had just been given email duties." Because it took so long for them to get back to me, our first choice night was sold out, our second choice night wasn't running because they "couldn't" run without a certain number of people. (Read: they wouldn't run without more people.) When I did finally get on the phone, she said was leaving for a tour and would call back, but never did. Everything had to be done through email. On the boat, they had a cooler of water with a handful of plastic cups for the 26 people on board to share. Eww. Glad we brought our own water.
The Bio Bay itself was an amazing experience, and I loved every moment I was in the water. I had no idea it would be as bright and visible as it was. Seeing large fish swimming as glowing streaks in the water was really neat. It was just dealing with the company that frustrated me. Hopefully they will train employees better to make it easier to communicate.
The Bio Bay itself was an amazing experience, and I loved every moment I was in the water. I had no idea it would be as bright and visible as it was. Seeing large fish swimming as glowing streaks in the water was really neat. It was just dealing with the company that frustrated me. Hopefully they will train employees better to make it easier to communicate.
Written August 17, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I apologize for your experience with our trainee staff member. I am happy to say we have ironed out the wrinkles. We aren't always perfect but always striving to improve, and honest feedback like yours will help us do just that. Thanks again for your feedback and patience. I'm happy to hear the Biobay was enjoyable for you.
Written October 3, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ron26067
Dearborn Heights, MI329 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
We booked with Sea Elements bioluminescence tour because they meet you at the Yacht Club at about 7:00 pm, by Seven Mile Beach and you can ride their pontoon over to bio bay about a 30 minute enjoyable ride. If you decide you want to kayak you can drive over to Rum Point but then you have to drive back after and we felt it was just better to leave the driving to Sea Elements and enjoy a cool ride back across the water after our adventure. The cost is $40.00 CI or $50.00 US and includes a rash guard (to protect against jellyfish stings - more on this later), a mask (remember to put drops in your mask before going in the water to prevent fogging, if you didn't bring any, they have it on the boat), snorkel, noodle float and of course the ride over. You can bring your own equipment if you want to (if you have water shoes you might want to bring them), which many of us did but you are not allowed to wear fins. They provide drinking water but if you want other drinks you can bring your own alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks and/or snacks. We came with a group of 10 and there were 10 others on this trip for a total of 20 but it never felt crowded.
When we got to Bio Bay, Mike explained what bioluminescence was and how it worked and how to enter and leave the water from the boat. They also allow you to swim between the pontoons under the boat to provide an even darker area to see the bioluminescence. It is hard to explain the effect you see, but with any movement at all an aura of light is produced around the moving object, whether your hand, an arm, your finger or even a fish swimming by. Any disturbance at all will create this effect. It is even more stunning if you move just a finger as you will see little sparks with each tiny movement. They request that you not use flashlights or cameras with flash, including phones as this disrupts the night vision of your fellow guests and it takes several minutes to restore it.
Now more on the jellyfish stings. There are jellyfish in the bay and if they touch you, you can get a sting. It is not an unbearable pain but it does cause a little irritation. The rash guard which covers most of your body protects your body, arms and legs. Your feet are exposed as well as your hands and any area not covered by your mask. The water shoes will cover your feet so only your hands and a small portion of your face may be exposed. Only one person in our group got stung and it was on his face as he was getting back on to the boat. He said it was kind of a numbing feeling but not extremely painful. By later that evening he said it was fine with no long term effects.
On the way back we were able to star gaze and get to know some of the other people on our tour. Some of the kids were allowed to steer the boat as we headed back to the Yacht Club. A couple of the people in our group had Go Pro's (sport cameras) but the bioluminescence did not show up on the video. We think that it was because the frames per second were not fast enough to catch the short burst of luminescence and the intensity of the flash was so low. You might want to try your luck but don't be disappointed if it doesn't show up.
Mike and Monica were great guides and captains and were very informative and helpful. If you have time to take advantage of this adventure, you definitely should. There are only a handful of places in the world where all the conditions are right for this phenomena to occur and this area of Grand Cayman is one of them. This is a not to be missed adventure. I would recommend this trip and Sea Elements to be the one to bring it to you.
When we got to Bio Bay, Mike explained what bioluminescence was and how it worked and how to enter and leave the water from the boat. They also allow you to swim between the pontoons under the boat to provide an even darker area to see the bioluminescence. It is hard to explain the effect you see, but with any movement at all an aura of light is produced around the moving object, whether your hand, an arm, your finger or even a fish swimming by. Any disturbance at all will create this effect. It is even more stunning if you move just a finger as you will see little sparks with each tiny movement. They request that you not use flashlights or cameras with flash, including phones as this disrupts the night vision of your fellow guests and it takes several minutes to restore it.
Now more on the jellyfish stings. There are jellyfish in the bay and if they touch you, you can get a sting. It is not an unbearable pain but it does cause a little irritation. The rash guard which covers most of your body protects your body, arms and legs. Your feet are exposed as well as your hands and any area not covered by your mask. The water shoes will cover your feet so only your hands and a small portion of your face may be exposed. Only one person in our group got stung and it was on his face as he was getting back on to the boat. He said it was kind of a numbing feeling but not extremely painful. By later that evening he said it was fine with no long term effects.
On the way back we were able to star gaze and get to know some of the other people on our tour. Some of the kids were allowed to steer the boat as we headed back to the Yacht Club. A couple of the people in our group had Go Pro's (sport cameras) but the bioluminescence did not show up on the video. We think that it was because the frames per second were not fast enough to catch the short burst of luminescence and the intensity of the flash was so low. You might want to try your luck but don't be disappointed if it doesn't show up.
Mike and Monica were great guides and captains and were very informative and helpful. If you have time to take advantage of this adventure, you definitely should. There are only a handful of places in the world where all the conditions are right for this phenomena to occur and this area of Grand Cayman is one of them. This is a not to be missed adventure. I would recommend this trip and Sea Elements to be the one to bring it to you.
Written July 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! Thanks for the great review. I'm glad your group enjoyed the tour as much as Monique and I enjoyed sharing it with you. The Biobay certainly is a unique and must-see experience. Happy travels!
Written October 3, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GateE10
Atlanta, GA30 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
A month ago, I made a reservation online for the Mangrove Kayak tour. The email confirmation. I also followed up with a phone call to Mike (the owner?) and emails to confirm and provide credit card information. Mike assured me he had it correct the second time around. Mike sent me showed that he booked us for the wrong date, so we traded emails again to confirm the date, time, and hotel where we were to be picked up. Saturday, we were in the lobby bright and early as Mike requested, but he did not show up and did not call to cancel. And no one answered the phone when we called them repeatedly. The Ritz concierge had never heard of Sea Elements, but was somehow able to track down a different number for Mike, and got him on the phone. Mike claimed he had no reservation for us and no record of our previous contact. I forwarded him the emails he had sent me confirming the reservation, but he did not reply. I do not know if this was just a mistake or not, but have noticed other reviewers have had "e-mail hiccups" with this company. I would avoid them - but definitely do a kayak tour, the environment is beautiful. Fortunately for us, the concierge recommended Jay Henderson of Surfside Aquasports, who gave us an excellent private tour of the mangrove shoreline, including a snorkel dive to a fish-filled coral head several hundred yards offshore. Try him instead, he was knowledgeable and fun.
Written April 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer F
Lakeville, MN42 contributions
Sept 2019 • Couples
We took the mangrove kayak trip and it was a great way to spend about two hours. The guide gave us lots of interesting information about the plant life and some of the local creatures. One of the best parts is when you can no longer paddle and must pull the kayak along through the mangroves. All of the kayaks for our group were doubles and felt fairly stable.
Make sure to wear a lot of sunscreen and a hat. It was very hot and your legs are exposed in the kayak.
Make sure to wear a lot of sunscreen and a hat. It was very hot and your legs are exposed in the kayak.
Written September 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DocDeb911
Hannibal, MO118 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
Words can't describe. A must do! Must swim to experience! Magic. Beautiful boat ride 25 minutes each way. Out, watch the sunset. In, see a million stars!! Bring your own drinks and towels. No bells and whistles until you see the stars of the show once in the bay. Kind, knowledgeable crew. Recommend Sea Elements, Don and Grace.
Written August 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for this! We are so pleased you had a great time and glad we could take you out!
Thanks
Written August 8, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
scalaniz
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Headed to the Caymans next week. Are the Bioluminescence active this time of the year? We’d love to go!
Written July 20, 2018
Hi there..... Yes our Biobay for this cycle start on 30th July... We run to the 13th August...
Some nights are already booked up so email us to book yours..
Thanks
Written July 29, 2018
Is the moon right for bioluminescence snorkel/dive/ or kayak on Dec 4-10? If so, how do I book? Website is giving me trouble! Thank you
Written November 17, 2016
Hi Janel.
Thanks for the enquiry.
Unfortunately you are going to miss the BioBay by a few days.
We will run tours until the second of December and then not again until the 17th...... Sorry!
Written November 17, 2016
Is the moon right for bioluminescence snorkel/dive/ or kayak on Dec 4-10? If so, how do I book? Website is giving me trouble! Thank you
Written November 17, 2016
Sorry, there is not a full moon during the time you are there. It has to be a full moon in order to see the bioluminescence. When we were there in July, there was a full moon and we went on the tour the following day. It was amazing. I called Sea Elements and booked the tour over the phone while we were in Grand Cayman.
Written November 17, 2016
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.