Soto's & the Stingray Sandbar

[NJCONVCRS]

I just returned from a week on the Victory. We stopped in Grand Cayman on Thursday, November 10th along with 6 other ships. Needless to say, it was very crowded. I chose Soto's because I used them 2 years ago and it was the highlight of my trip. They were great. I resevred Soto's tour online prior to my departure knowing how crowded it was going to be. It turned ot that there were only 13 of us on the trip.

 

Billy, the guide, was the same person who worked for Soto's 2 years ago & was just as great this time. We had so much personal attention it was amazing. We all got to hold and pet and get massaged by the stingrays numerous times. A couple who went with one of the ship tours, not sure which ship, wndered over to our group and asked where to get the food to feed the rays. Billy told them they had get it from their guide. they said their guide did all of the holding and feeding. He let them hold the rays & take pictures. I'm sure that was the only time they got touch them, as they arrived on huge double decker boat & it took them literally about 10-15 minutes to get everyone off of the boat.

 

Billy told me that Soto's always did a much bigger hotel business than cruise business, and since many hotels are way down since Ivan, that was why their trip had so few people on a day when their were 7 ships in port. If you are going anytime soon, aqnd want some real personal attention - use Soto's.

[luckyking]

Thanks so much for the great review. We are booked with Soto's on Dec. 14 and have heard great things about them here on the boards. It's nice to have a recent review though to know that the service is still top notch.

We were thinking of booking with the cruiseline and I'm so glad that we aren't now!!

[crazy4themouse]

I've booked with Captain Marvin's before, and was happy, but have nothing to compare to. Soto's sounds very personal and nice! Do you have a website?

 

Thanks for your review!

 

-gina-

[NJCONVCRS]

crazy - Soto's website is http://www.sotoscruises.com/

 

All of the most discussed on this board are very good, ie Marvins, Nativeway and Soto's. We have used Soto's twice and have been extremely pleased.

[danyelle]

What time did your tour start and end?

I see theres a 9:30 - 11:30 offering, was it true to that time? Also whats the diff. with ship time vs island time?

 

Were there two snorkel stops and the stingray stop or one snorkel/stingray?

 

Thanks!

[NJCONVCRS]

We did the 9:30 to 11:30 tour. They pick you up at 8:30 a few minutes walk from the pier and take you to their boat. From their it is a 20-30 minute ride out to the Coral Gardens where you snorkel for about 30 minutes. The water is about 8-10 feet deep. I brought bread from ship in a plastic bag to feed the fish with You have to push it away from you, so the fish don't bite your fingers. It is like a feeding frenzy when this takes place. Amazing how many fish are right in front of you.

 

After the Coral Gardens, it is 3-5 minute ride to the sandbar. We spent about 40 minutes here. Billy was great. Everybody held and fed some stingrays. Everybody got massaged.

 

Two years ago we went to the Barrier Reef also, where the snorkling is better. Billy said that the newest resident eel is very aggressive and has bitten quite a few people so they are not going there for now. This was somewhat confirmed by someone we met later than night on board who went with the people selling the trip at the pier for $40. he said someone in their group was almost bitten - the eel got their fins.

 

As for ships time vs. Island time, it depends on the time of year. They don't observe daylight savings. Right now the time is the same.

 

Hope this helps.

[sea_breaze]

Thanks for the review. Booked with Soto thorugh internet without any recommendation. You really have me feeling alot better now. Also great idea with the bread. I will definately give it a try.

 

Kevin.

[NJCONVCRS]

Kevin - I'm sure you'll have a great time with them. The best way to do the bread is to have a supermarket type plastic bag to keep it dry until you are ready - ie underwater camera, family - then pull some out rip it up & push it away. It will take about 3 seconds and then there will be hundreds of fish right in front of you.

 

Steve

[pacerzfan]

We pre-booked and excursion with Soto Tours to swim and snorkel with the stingrays and snorkel at Coral Gardens for $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.