We travel to Grand Cayman every spring, so we’ve done a lot of things that the island has to offer. On our last trip, we were looking for something special to do that we hadn’t done before. So what did we land on? A Grand Cayman sunset cruise with Red Sail Sports!
I was a little nervous about taking our three-year-old son on a sunset cruise. He can’t swim yet, and if you’re a mom with any sort of intrusive thoughts like me, you know my mind was racing thinking of what could go wrong.
I’m so glad we went though! Here’s what I’d share with any other parents who are considering a Grand Cayman sunset cruise with Red Sail Sports.
The logistics
We bought our tickets online in advance through Red Sail Sports’ website. You can either pick up the boat in front of the Kimpton Seafire hotel or the Westin. We chose the Westin because we wanted to have dinner there after the cruise, but either would be great options. The timing of the tour is approximately 5:15-7:30 p.m. (it differs slightly based on which location you choose for pickup/drop off).
In case of inclement weather, they’ll give you options, including rescheduling or refunding your money. This happened to us, and I’m so glad we were able to reschedule! I’d recommend booking your Grand Cayman sunset cruise early on in your trip in case it gets cancelled so you can do the same.
Want more planning tips for visiting Grand Cayman with kids? Check out my full travel guide for hotel, restaurant and activity recommendations!
The experience
Once you get on the boat, there’s plenty of seating. Most people opted for the front of the catamaran with the netting. Since our son is pretty small, we instead chose a seat in the back with a table and true seating. I thought this was perfect, and it was easy enough to walk around and explore other areas of the boat. We chose the side of the boat where we knew we’d have the best view of the sunset, but in any area of the boat you’d easily be able to see both the sunset and island.
They offer complementary snacks (on our sail it was chicken wings), and a bar where you pay for drinks. This was a great way to stave off a little hunger before dinner and how can you not enjoy a rum punch (or other tropical beverage) onboard a sailboat in the Caribbean?
What to consider if you have little kids
Like I said before, I was a little nervous about my son being out at sea (and even asked my husband if we should bring his life jacket with us!). I ended up feeling extremely safe while we were on board. The ride was calm and there were plenty of spaces for us to sit where I wasn’t worried about my son falling overboard.
I’d also recommend bringing snacks and a water bottle for kids on board. Our son eats early, so this happened during the time when he would typically be eating dinner, and he’s not a huge meat eater so wasn’t interested in the wings. The bar was mostly for cocktails, so a water bottle or toddler cup with their favorite drink would be great to bring as well.
Overall, this Grand Cayman sunset cruise was such a great experience and we can’t wait to make it a more regular activity that we do each year when we visit!
