Who provides the most time with the Stingrays??

[Olwyn]

We are booked as a family on a Stingray City tour with Sotos, on October 13th...and noticed that the tour is only 2 hours total.

 

Apparently, there are two stops, 30 minutes to snorkel at Coral Gardens and 30 minutes at Stingray City.

 

The tour offered by Princess is a 3 1/2 hour tour, with 'just' Stingray City...but it also costs a whopping $79 per person...:eek:

 

Does anyone know firsthand, how long the stops are with the different tours?

We want lots of time with the rays!

Thanks

Olwyn:)

[Ellya]

First, make sure you are going to the Stingray sandbar, not Stingray City. The sandbar is shallow water and easier to experience the rays. I would say that 30 minutes with the rays would be sufficient. The snorkeling is very close to the rays, so it sounds like your tour would be about an hour in the water and the other hour getting back and forth to the ship. Ship's tours take longer due to the logistics of moving large numbers of people about. I doubt you'd get a superior experience on the ship's tour.

[Mysticks1]

I just booked on the Buccaneer for a cruise to Stingray Sandbar. I was told that the water there is approx. 4 ft deep. It is a 3 hour cruise with the stingrays and 2 additional stops for snorkeling. It is $39 for adults, $25 for 10 and under and I believe 3 and under are free. It includes your transportation to the boat and their office is just a couple of blocks from the cruise terminal. There is also a cash bar on this one. It leaves at 10:30 to try and get to the sandbar between the other tours. They have a live chat on the site so you can talk online to one of their agents. Very helpful. Here is the site:

 

http://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/Stingray_City_Buccaneer_Catamaran.htm

[Sheffie]

We did the excursion with the Buccaneer and had a fantastic time. We were at the sandbar long enough for everyone to get to hold and kiss a stingray for 7 years good luck, and then we all got a stingray massage! We then went to the reef where we got to see a couple of eels, and then to the Coral Gardens. It was a fantastic excursion! I highly recommend them.

[picktowncruzr]

We did the Rays, Reef & Rum Point excursion through Nativeways. We were with the Rays for about 40 minutes. There were only 18 of us and we all had plenty of time. Our guides 'retrieved' multiple rays for us to hold and spend time with. They were great about making sure we all had pictures taken, got our kisses, etc. People from other boats were coming over to our group because we had so much activity. Highly recommended - - and an hour or so at Rum Point is a nice way to end the excursion! Only $55pp and includes lunch.

[pacerzfan]

We pre-booked and excursion with Soto Tours to swim and snorkel with the stingrays and snorkel at Stingray Sandbarfor $30 per person. This was an excellent choice. The same excursion booked on the ship was $69 per person and our boat was a lot less crowded. Therefore we got very individualized attention and had plenty of time to enjoy this wonderful tour. I highly recommend it.

http://sotoscruises.com/index.shtml

[familyplanner]

I just booked on the Buccaneer for a cruise to Stingray Sandbar. I was told that the water there is approx. 4 ft deep. It is a 3 hour cruise with the stingrays and 2 additional stops for snorkeling. It is $39 for adults, $25 for 10 and under and I believe 3 and under are free. It includes your transportation to the boat and their office is just a couple of blocks from the cruise terminal. There is also a cash bar on this one. It leaves at 10:30 to try and get to the sandbar between the other tours. They have a live chat on the site so you can talk online to one of their agents. Very helpful. Here is the site:

 

http://grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com/Stingray_City_Buccaneer_Catamaran.htm

 

When you get back would you please post a review of this tour company? I have not heard of them before and if you have a good experience I would like to book our group.

[Sheffie]

If you look at my previous post, we went on this excursion on our last cruise. It was a wonderful excursion and I would recommend it for anyone. We did 3 stops, the first being at Stingray City, then the reef and then the Coral Gardens. We had one young man who got into the water with us and held the stingrays for us to then hold, showed us the eel at the reef. Another young man took a video which we purchased. It was well done and I think he had video of everyone holding and kissing the stingray as well as getting a stingray massage. Great video of the eel being baited out by the other diver, too.

 

Book them! You won't be sorry!

[Shellintampa]

picktowncruzr,

 

Did you arrive back in plenty of time for the tender or was it alittle close for comfort? We have a large group of us from a M&M going in November.

We all met on our Roll Call thread and I kinda arranged this tour due to our ship coming in later than most. Someone stated that they almost did not make it back like having 10 minutes to spare. I don't want this to happen to us especailly when I brought it up.

 

Thanks,

Shelli

[Tarheelbelle]

We pre-booked and excursion with Soto Tours to swim and snorkel with the stingrays and snorkel at Stingray Sandbarfor $30 per person. This was an excellent choice. The same excursion booked on the ship was $69 per person and our boat was a lot less crowded. Therefore we got very individualized attention and had plenty of time to enjoy this wonderful tour. I highly recommend it.

http://sotoscruises.com/index.shtml

How many people were on your tour?

[traci28]

Mysticks - I booked this tour just last week and was definately not disappointed. Our group of 13 were running a few minutes late as there was confusion where all of us were supposed to meet - but they waited and did not harass us at all. We spent 20 - 30 minutes at each stop, which IMO is not enough - but I could snorkel all day if you let me ~! The guides were very informative and friendly.

 

 

They also bring along a professional photographer who will snap pictures of everyone on the tour and offer the digital pictures for a small fee. I believe it was $10 for 3 copies, $25 for a few more or $60 for the entire shoot of your group. Becuase there were so many of us, we opted for the $60 package.

 

I would definately book with them again - in a heartbeat ~!

[trs]

I highly recommend Sotos. We were on the Sept. 18 Rhapsody 10 day. We were delayed one day getting to Cayman since they added the Montego Bay stop to delay our return to Galveston. We e-mailed them from the ship to make sure our reservation was still good. They replyed back that they had already switched our days.

 

We had plenty of time snorkling the reefs and with the stingrays. We had a group of 12.

 

We got some great pictures from the photographer on the boat.

[Lady Anna & Sir Troy]

I am on my way in a week to do the Soto's tour, so I have no personal experience yet. If you go the the Cayman Activity Guide website, you will see a lot on information on Soto's.

 

I think all Stingray stops are about 20 - 40 minutes, 30 minutes being the average amount of time. I know Soto's has two guides that go with you and keep their groups under 25.

 

If you're interested in snorkeling there is a lot of good FREE snorkeling around the island and right by the pier.

 

LAST

[picktowncruzr]

Energizedbunny, we were back in plenty of time. They do watch these boards and know that it would only take one time causing folks to miss the boat and they'd be done!

[Sheffie]

We were back from the Buccaneer in plenty of time. We even had time to get a bite to eat in town. Splendour departed at 5:00.

 

We met at their meeting spot at 10:00 and went to the Buccaneer for our 10:30 sail time and we had a 3 hour tour. (Yup, just like Gilligan!) :D

 

We had enough time at each spot to really enjoy it.

 

Would book them again in a heartbeat!

 

Whomever you choose, have a great time!

[kathalinamarie]

hmmmm

 

Wonder if we could make it to the 10:30am trip?

[mumsy64]

We'll be in GC on 10/27 and have booked this tour. I'm so glad to hear ya'll had time to spare after the snorkeling. I was getting a little worried about taking non ship sponsored trips. Now I'm at ease. Can ya tell this is our first cruise?? How does the tendering work in the morning to get off the ship in time for excursions? We're on the Rhapsody and I think it gets to GC at 7 a.m.

 

Colleen

[traci28]

Depending on the time of you tour dictates when you leave the ship. If you prefer to be one of the first ones off to enjoy the island before it gets crowded then I recommend leaving right away. We caught the tender at about 9:30, was in Grand Cayman by 10 and walked the three or so blocks to the office. When you get off the tender, walk to your left - that's the correct direction to the office. :)