Panama Canal - Grand Cayman - which excursion??

[Kathy with a K]

My DH and I are on the Island Princess Panama Canal tour next February 7th and are planning our excursions. I was thinking of the tour which includes swimming with the Stingrays and then with the Dolphins. Has anyone taken this and if so, what are your thoughts.

 

If you took a different tour in Grand Cayman, what was it and how did you like it.

 

Any input is much appreciated.

Kathy

[MichCook]

I took the swim with the stingrays shore excursion on Grand Cayman. I enjoyed it very much. On the boat ride out to the sandbar, they gave us some information on the stingray. Some of them got very familiar with you. They would flutter right up the front of your body. It was a wonderful experience to be so close to these sea creatures.

[Whimsy]

We did the stingray swim. It was really great. Didn't know there was a Dolphin swim but that would be great too.

[toeloop]

I have gone snorkeling with the stingrays which was a lot of fun. The last time I was there we did the learn to scuba dive. It was a blast and a lot easier that I thought it would be.

[sabookkeeper]

My DH and I are on the Island Princess Panama Canal tour next February 7th and are planning our excursions. I was thinking of the tour which includes swimming with the Stingrays and then with the Dolphins. Has anyone taken this and if so, what are your thoughts.

 

If you took a different tour in Grand Cayman, what was it and how did you like it.

 

Any input is much appreciated.

Kathy

We are going to be on the same cruise! I strongly suggest you do the swimming with the sting rays. Hopefully it is still with the Allura. We did this a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[luvtravel88]

Swimming with the stingrays is great. We took our daughters on this excursion about 7 years ago and they still talk about it.

[Stevesan]

My DH and I are on the Island Princess Panama Canal tour next February 7th and are planning our excursions. I was thinking of the tour which includes swimming with the Stingrays and then with the Dolphins. Has anyone taken this and if so, what are your thoughts.

 

If you took a different tour in Grand Cayman, what was it and how did you like it.

 

Any input is much appreciated.

Kathy

 

Don't limit your self to the ship's tour. There are a number of excellent independent snorkel tour operators at Georgetown. You will have a much better and less crowded experience, and at a better price. Capt Marvin is the most popular. His office, where you board the bus, is only a block or two from the docks. They don't usually incude a dolphin encounter. Save that for your next Caribbean cruise. Most of the islands have that on offer.

 

http://www.captainmarvins.com/

 

Before deciding, visit CC's Ports of call board for GC. You'll find lots of ideas.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=147

 

BTW - It's might near impossible to find a snorkel tour at GC that doesn't include stingrays. :D

[eandj]

Agree with the above. You can save time and money by doing things on your own or with a private company. Don't limit yourself to ship excursions. Do your research on the ports of call boards. Pays off by saving money and/or at least having a much more fulfilling day.

 

Get yourself familiar with highlights of each port and decide what you want to do and find the means or guide to get there.

[geoherb]

I agree about going with a non-ship excursion. We had a much better experience than the hoards of people on the larger excursion boats and paid less for it.

[jnc411]

We did the stingrays , and had a great time, but I would like to add, Book the earliest excursion in the morning that you can , ships or private, it gets very busy out there a lot of boats , expecially if there are a lot of ships in port that day. Was a fun time , I would do it again.

Cori

[iriemon]

Agree with taking the Capt. Marvin's stingray tour, we have done it multiple times and it is so much better than the ship tour. We also did the tour of Grand Cayman with them, was like a personal tour, went anywhere we wanted to go.

[csaeroach]

We have used Nativeway Water Sports for our Grand Cayman excursions, and they are wonderful. We have used them twice now, once in Feb 2006, and we did an Island Tour, Turtle Farm, Hell, and Swimming with the stingrays March 2011, and it was only $50 a person. Could not match that service and price with a ships tour. I beleive admission to the turtle farm alone is about $30 a person and with Nativeway it is included in the price they quote you.

[Pam in CA]

If you plan to swim with the stingrays, be aware that depending on the seas and weather, it can be not what you expect. :( When we did it, the seas were so rough that only someone well over 6' could stand on the sand bar. The rest of us were bouncing up and down, trying very hard not to come down on a ray. (Steve Erwin had recently been killed by a ray when we went so that was very much on our minds.) The current was so strong that you had to keep hold of a rope so you weren't swept past the boat. I can say I've done it but just be aware that in less than ideal conditions, it's not "fun."

[PekingeseLady]

You MUST see the StingRays. FANTASTIC. We did an excursion on WaveRunners, 6 max and the guide. I believe it was through Island Marketing. Never had a better time. Best excursion we have ever been on. Have FUN.:D

[earljr]

If you plan to swim with the stingrays, be aware that depending on the seas and weather, it can be not what you expect. :( When we did it, the seas were so rough that only someone well over 6' could stand on the sand bar. The rest of us were bouncing up and down, trying very hard not to come down on a ray. (Steve Erwin had recently been killed by a ray when we went so that was very much on our minds.) The current was so strong that you had to keep hold of a rope so you weren't swept past the boat. I can say I've done it but just be aware that in less than ideal conditions, it's not "fun."

 

High tide is also a not fun time

and I suspect this was part of your problem.

We too had one bad experience and decided to

return another time and it was most wonderful.

no waves, no wind, and tons of stingrays.

A weather and tide check may be helpful.

[Kathy with a K]

Thank you all. Sounds like we need to do the Stingrays. I was hoping to do the Dolphins as well but I need to do more investigation. Thanks again.

Kathy

[cruisersnorkler]

Someone mentioned discovering scuba diving. We are considering this. Don't know if we should do helmet dive or scuba. How long is the dive. Do you see coral and fish?

Also--Panama was also mentioned as to excursion. I would stay on ship--especially if it is the first time. It was a totally different look going back through the locks the other way. I didn't know if I would ever have the opportunity to see locks again--that is why we stayed on ship. It was absolutely wonderful.

[ScubaSteve13]

I just found this site www.partner.viator.com They have the dolphin swim w/ free admission to turtle farm for $128.99 online price. They appear to be a division,or affiliate of Tour Corp based out on San Francisco.

I booked the dolphin swim w/ NCL for $139.00 & am now debating on canceling & going w/ the above tour group. My question is has anybody used them? Either in the U.S.,or elsewhere?

[ScubaSteve13]

I just found this site www.partner.viator.com They have the dolphin swim w/ free admission to turtle farm for $128.99 online price. They appear to be a division,or affiliate of Tour Corp based out on San Francisco.

 

I booked the dolphin swim w/ NCL for $139.00 & am now debating on canceling & going w/ the above tour group. My question is has anybody used them? Either in the U.S.,or elsewhere?

 

**Nix that, it appears they are a 3rd party booking agent.** I found www.dolphindiscovery.com for the same deal.;)

[Iowaflatlander]

Several years ago we did a Sting Ray City tour with Capt. Crosby. Was a great time.

[Grandpaul]

We did the stingrays , and had a great time, but I would like to add, Book the earliest excursion in the morning that you can , ships or private, it gets very busy out there a lot of boats , expecially if there are a lot of ships in port that day. Was a fun time , I would do it again.

Cori

I've done Stingray City several times and another reason to book an early excursion is the Rays are a little hungier and a little more frisky. They are a great animal that I equate to little puppy dogs but maybe friendlier.