Information on moving to Cayman, gateways to Cayman

Gateways to Cayman
The main gateway to Cayman is Miami with at least four flights per day between the two gateways. You can also catch a flight from Atlanta, Bahamas, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Havana, Houston, Jamaica, La Ceiba, London, Newark, New York, Orlando, Tampa and Toronto. The national carrier is Cayman Airways and the country is very proud of the service it provides.

Other airlines that service Cayman are Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Delta, US Airways and WestJet. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are serviced by Cayman Airways Express. Please note that some airlines and destinations only operate in high season which is generally from December to April.

Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts International airport is a relatively busy airport for a Caribbean island; they receive over 5,000 commercial international flights per year, over 1,500 international private jets land per year and there are over 2,500 flights between the Sister Islands per year.

Cost of Flights
The average cost of a return ticket from Miami is US$430, from New York US$560 and from London US$1,560. Also, please note that these are average prices and will vary according to high or low season.

Flying Time to Cayman
Flying time from Miami to Cayman is 1 hour 5 minutes. Flying time from London (including 45 minutes in Nassau) is 10 hours. Flying time from Toronto is 4 hours.

Special Services
There are some enjoyable options if you want to ensure your arrival or departure from Cayman is as stress-free as possible. Several private companies offer upscale town cars and limousine services where they will pick you up at the airport and take you to your destination. Island Air (Tel: (345) 949 5252) also features an exclusive VIP Meet and Greet service where they will assist you right through customs and immigration, handle all your baggage and chauffeur your party to or from the airport. Here are a few reliable companies that offer services:

Grand Limousine Services
Tel: (345) 943 5466
Offers airport transportation in luxury and style. They are also available for all special events.

Island Air
Tel: (345) 949 5252
www.islandair.ky
Offers complete aviation services for private and chartered aircraft travelling to and from the Cayman Islands, including an exclusive VIP Meet and Greet service to all visitors arriving and departing Cayman by commercial or private aircraft. The service includes full assistance with customs and immigration, luggage handling and chauffeured transportation to or from your accommodations.

Tropicana-Tours
Tel: (345) 949 0944
Offers full airport arrival and departure services for individuals and groups, plus bus tours.

A Note on Time Zones
While the US employs daylight savings, the Cayman Islands, being nearer to the equator, has relatively equal periods of day and night year round. There’s really only about an hour’s difference in daylight between 20th June and 20th December, so Cayman keeps the same time all year (-5 hours Coordinated Universal Time).

This means the Islands share Eastern Standard Time (EST=-5 UTC) with Miami and New York from November through March. However, when the US switches to daylight savings time in March, Cayman then shares Central Daylight Time (CDT=-5 UTC) with Chicago and Houston.

This doesn’t cause too much confusion; it’s automatically factored into airline tickets. But it’s important to keep in mind if you’re calling anyone on the East Coast of the US for the half of the year that we’re an hour behind them (March through November).

Before Signing Your Contract
When planning a move to the Cayman Islands you will need to know what to expect in terms of both the cost and the standard of living, as they may be very different from what you are accustomed to. Since the process of moving can be very costly, find out what your employer will do to absorb or subsidise these costs. Bear in mind that the cost of living is very high in Cayman (see the Cost of Living tables on pages 79 and 83). Unless you are moving from an expensive city such as London or New York, you may discover that everything from rent, to electricity bills, to running a car and schooling your children will be more than you’re accustomed to. Below are some of the questions that you may want to ask your company before you accept an assignment:

Cost of Shipping – Will the company contribute towards getting your personal items to Cayman?
Accommodation and Renting a Car – Will the company provide you with a place to live and car rental for your first month on the Island? A list of temporary accommodation options can be found in the Finding a Home chapter and many places will offer a local rate to relocating employees.
The Currency of Your Salary – What currency will your salary be paid in? If in US dollars, is it at the going rate? For example you might think US$60,000 is a fair salary for a qualified accountant, but it’s actually only CI$49,200 in Cayman dollars and the cost of living is greater than in the US. Be aware that you will pay for almost everything in CI dollars, so if you are paid in US dollars you are better off taking the money you need out of the bank in CI dollars (when the conversion will be at .82) than paying for something at a store with US dollars and the conversion will be at .80. On a salary of US$60,000 per year you will be saving CI$1,200 per year.
Health Insurance – This is compulsory. Ask if your company will be covering more than 50 percent of the basic plan required by law. Premium health insurance coverage for a family can be at least CI$1,000 per month. Also, check to see if your health insurance will be basic or premium coverage and if it covers dental, optical and maternity care. Though the law states you only need the basic plan, the premium plan is what you should seriously consider for better coverage.
Vacation Time – How many weeks of annual holiday does your contract provide for? There is a disparity in Cayman between companies which offer only the US system of 10 working days per year and others which offer 3–4 weeks. Be sure to ask!
Can Your Children Join You? – Unless you are guaranteed to earn a minimum of CI$3,500 per month, you will not be allowed to have your children join you in Cayman. See the Immigration chapter for more information.

Cayman Currency
The Cayman Islands Dollar (CI$) is tied to the US Dollar and does not fluctuate. The exchange rate is CI$1 = US$1.20. The cash exchange rate is CI$1 = US$1.25 which means that US$20 cash is worth CI$16 or US$5 is worth CI$4. US Dollars are accepted everywhere as are travellers cheques. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and there are ATMs throughout Grand Cayman. Currency denominations are CI$1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 dollar bills.

Weights, Measures & Temperature
Cayman uses the US system of miles for distances and mph for speed, inches for length, and pounds for measuring weight. Petrol is sold by the Imperial gallon. In terms of body temperature, the medical community uses Fahrenheit (°F), rather than Centigrade (°C).