Western Carribean Shore Excursions

[Cindy]

Traveling end of next month with 14 and 18 year old daughters on Carnival and interested in tips from others who have traveled with older teens and best way to handle shore excursions. Is it safe to let older teens go off with other teens (particularly Cozumel). Husband & I want to do Mayan Ruins. Older teen wants to do horseback riding tour and younger teen thinking about staying on the ship, but still undecided. What about going separate ways at other ports? Yes, we do plan to spend time together and may stay together in port, but want to allow flexibility if safe to do so. Second family cruise so familiar with shipboard activities while in port as well. Thanks!

I'm the family cruise editor at CruiseMates.com. What ports are on your itinerary: Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica? It'd be helpful to know.
Definitely stay with your teens in Jamaica, even on a shore excursion. Jamaica is beautiful but your kids will get hassled (as all tourists do) there. Grand Cayman seems to be a very safe environment even if your teens want to go shopping independently in town. (Note that you will have to take tenders from your ship to port.Make sure they know when the last tender leaves from the port to your ship.) If you do opt for the Mayan ruins with your husband, be aware that your youngsters will be without you for a very long day.(The shore excursion I went on to the ruins was about 7 hours -- hot and dusty but definitely worth it!) If there are any other ports on the itinerary I missed, let me know.
Have fun!
Luisa

[Cindy]

Luisa, you must be psychic, you hit all three ports correctly. Sorry I forgot to include that in my note. We will definitely stay together in Jamaica. I also didn't realize Mayan tour was so long. May just "drag" kids along for Mayan tour anyway with bribe that they can do their own thing in Grand Cayman. Thanks for advice.

[Tammy]

Hi Cindy! We went on the Triumph last year with the same itinerary as yours, we were cruising with my two neices ages 14 and 16, they loved the Stingray city tour in Grand Cayman, and the Cool runnings boat to dunes river falls, in Jamaca, both excursions are awesome! as well as reasonably priced. Happy cruising!!

[Cindy]

Thanks for the info Tammy! Ten days and counting