Western Carribean wildlife?

[DoggyDaddy]

We are taking the NA on a western Carribean cruise next week. Will it be worth lugging our binoculars along to see any possible wildlife, such as whales, porpoises, otters, etc?

 

 

DD

[OCruisers]

Nothing worth taking your binoculars for wildlife. ;)

[dakrewser]

The only "wild" life will be in the bars of Cozumel/Cancun ;)

[serendipity1499]

The only "wild" life will be in the bars of Cozumel/Cancun ;)

 

Love it! With that I'm headed to bed..

 

"Goodnight all, sleep tight & don't let the bedbugs bite!"

[realnurse2]

Some might also be sporting rasta style braids and smokin' the "wild " stuff.:eek:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Once in a while we have seen flying fish.

Around Grand Cayman, we have seen turtles.

[ksqueak]

We always saw flying fish and saw dolphins around Cozumel/Cancun.

[zackiedawg]

If you're actually LOOKING for wildlife, then there's actually a good amount to be found - though usually moreso on the islands themselves than from the ship at sea. That said, typical wildlife I saw last year from the Eurodam on a western cruise: frigatebirds, brown boobies, peregrine falcon, palm warbler, osprey, blue heron, flying fish, green sea turtles, sting rays. While at various ports, depending on the time of year, local residential birds and migratory birds will often pop over to the ship or hang around the ports - so lots of warbler, vireo, gnatcatcher, flycatcher, parakeet, and other local birdlife can often be seen from the ship.

 

Dolphins are possible in the gulf of Mexico, depending on time of year and luck...and off of Cozumel if you're sailing during summer, there's a chance of seeing manta rays and whale sharks, mostly again in the gulf of Mexico area north of Cozumel all around Isla Mujares (the island north of Cozumel off of Cancun's coast).

[POA1]

We always take our binoculars. They're image stabilized and not too large. Neptune Suites come with binoculars, but we still take our own. They're good for ship spotting as well as watching wildlife. There are a lot of very colorful birds in the Caribbean. You may want to Google the names of each of your ports + wildlife to get an idea of what to look for.

[Mrs. Walkinman]

Also, if you are cruising along the Mexican coast, there are some very interesting hotels built on the beach that you might want to see more closely. The last time we sailed down that way, I couldn't quite grasp what I was seeing with the naked eye, but the binoculars brought everything into focus.

 

There is some amazing architecture on the Riviera Maya!

[serendipity1499]

Leaving Sunday for the Eastern & Western Carib... I put out only one pair of binoculars, & if we have room will throw them in.. Have to pack my shoes first!;) LOL If there's no room, will not take them..:D

[dakrewser]

Actually, my favorite wildlife are the blue iguanas found in Queen Elizabeth II park in Georgetown, Grand Caymen. No need for binoculars there, either.

[Caribbean Chris]

Actually, my favorite wildlife are the blue iguanas found in Queen Elizabeth II park in Georgetown, Grand Caymen. No need for binoculars there, either.

 

And their blue coloring is quite amazing.

[kjw869]

Spotted a lion in the Mexican Caribbean port of Costa Maya a few years back. Actually, it was at a stand at the cruise terminal and offered to take your picture with a baby lion for $25. We have no idea where the picture is they gave my DW, but I also snapped a few. Picture of my wife holding the animal below. It had sharp teeth.:eek:

 

[cb at sea]

You are unlikely to see animals in the ocean....however, binoculars are great for viewing passing ships, or land masses as you approach...we don't travel without them. Flying fish will be visible without magnification...

Edited November 13, 2015 by cb at sea

[Despegue]

Spotted a lion in the Mexican Caribbean port of Costa Maya a few years back. Actually, it was at a stand at the cruise terminal and offered to take your picture with a baby lion for $25. We have no idea where the picture is they gave my DW, but I also snapped a few. Picture of my wife holding the animal below. It had sharp teeth.:eek:

 

 

 

I presume you do not realize that that lion cub you are holding is drugged by their handlers and when grown too large is killed to be replaced by younger ones?!:mad::mad::mad::mad:

 

Although Illegal in Quintana Roo, still, lots of tourists are unaware or do not care about the atrocious ways these "exotic" animals are subjected to.:mad:

 

Please remove your picture and stop promoting this criminal acts.

[kjw869]

Spotted a lion in the Mexican Caribbean port of Costa Maya a few years back. Actually, it was at a stand at the cruise terminal and offered to take your picture with a baby lion for $25. We have no idea where the picture is they gave my DW, but I also snapped a few. Picture of my wife holding the animal below. It had sharp teeth.

 

 

 

I presume you do not realize that that lion cub you are holding is drugged by their handlers and when grown too large is killed to be replaced by younger ones?!:mad::mad::mad::mad:

 

Although Illegal in Quintana Roo, still, lots of tourists are unaware or do not care about the atrocious ways these "exotic" animals are subjected to.:mad:

 

Please remove your picture and stop promoting this criminal acts.

 

Despegue, I think you are very misguided in your assumption. We did not promote criminal acts as you stated. If this is true, I suggest your direct your anger to the cruise terminal where the "criminal acts" of taking a picture is promoted.

 

If you don't like the post or picture, simply pass on to the next post. By there way, there is also the same petting, picture taking of cubs in the Ensenada port. You may also want to contact that cruise terminal! ;)

[IRL_Joanie]

We are taking the NA on a western Carribean cruise next week. Will it be worth lugging our binoculars along to see any possible wildlife, such as whales, porpoises, otters, etc?

 

 

DD

 

 

The only Wild Life I have seen anywhere in the Caribbean was flying fish in the wake of the ship. Dolphins in 2 or 3 beach side pools at the Port of Costa Maya (as soon as you get in to the vendor area make a left), there are several pools for humans, including a huge one in between an Indoor Bar (this pool has also has a bar in the middle of it) and the outdoor Restaurant. And in Curacao at the Dolphin Academy. And finally, at the Port in U.S.V.I. there are tons, and I do mean tons, of Iguana's that kept me captivated while I scootered around.

 

Other than those, nothing else, and believe me, I look every cruise since we are in Aft Wrap Suites and I spend 90% of my cruise on my verandah relaxing and looking:)

 

Joanie

Edited November 14, 2015 by IRL_Joanie

[catl331]

I agree with Joanie!! We even went on Rain Forest excursions in Puerto Rico and Dominica and only heard a few mysterious birds. Most excitement was a bird riding up the tram in Dominica while we were riding down. Smart bird! Haven't had much luck with the glass bottom boats either! See more fish in the fish market!

 

There are iguanas on the rocks at Crown Bay in St. Thomas. Most people don't see them as they look like the rocks. Will check out the blue ones next wk in Gr Cay.!

[zackiedawg]

There is a lot more wildlife at sea and throughout the Caribbean than most people realize - they just aren't dedicated birders or wildlife photographers who have learned how to really look for and spot it. I can say that I've not yet gone on a cruise, ever, where I haven't seen at a minimum 20-30 species of bird or animal, and sometimes as many as 100. And that's without going on any wildlife excursions or planned trips - just self-guided walking tours. The cruise I just got off last week was traveling to some spots that are probably the least wildlife-intense areas, and I still managed to photograph the following: flamingo, laughing gull, white-cheeked pintails, wild horses and donkeys, whimbrels, bananaquits (all on Turks & Caicos), pearly-eyed thrashers, monk parakeets, osprey, frigatebirds, brown boobies (Old San Juan), cyclura rock iguanas and green iguanas (St. Thomas), northern parulas, palm warblers, prairie warblers, white-eyed vireos, bahama mockingbirds, blue-grey gnatcatchers, blue-tailed lizards, curly-tailed lizards, and a variety of wild chickens (Half Moon Cay). That's probably the LEAST amount of diversity I've seen on any cruise.

 

As a wildlife photographer, I'm well versed at spotting and finding wildlife and birds - I guarantee whereever you go in the Caribbean, they will be there. As for what you'll see from the ship at sea, the ones I mentioned (boobies, frigates, falcons, osprey, and some sea life) are the most common - while most people are eating at lido, seeing movies, playing trivia, or other shipboard entertaining, the birds are almost always riding to the left and right of the ship's bows, swooping down on the breaking wake for flying fish that are scared off from the ship...I have spent many an hour down on promenade at the bow photographing the boobies going after fish!