Stingrays~snorkel~& Beach

[TravelWorks]

I wanted to post this review to everyone looking to have an amazing experience! AND I WANT TO SAY THANKS!!!!

We had a huge group of friends on a cruise and wanted to have our own "pre-booked" private excursions...<not through the ship>...and we had so much fun everywhere we went thanks to Cruise Critic and others whose suggestions and experiences helped us avoid so many pitfalls! Not only did we save money at each stop...but each day got better and better! I feel like we did the best of everything and that we really had it all!

 

In Grand Cayman...I really wanted it all...I wanted to shop~stingrays~snorkel the northwall~ and go to the beach...

Ask and you shall receive!

 

BEFORE WE LEFT:

I started to contact all the different charter companies and with over 20 people in our group...I didn't want to have to provide 20 different credit cards to reserve our spots...plus if the weather turned I wanted a plan B without our $ being tied up! So after emailing several different companies...the only one that would give me what I wanted w/o a deposit was MOBY DICK's Charters! I personally had over 15 emails in the course of 3 months from the owner Mark Button....and he even sent me some photos of Captain Zac(from Canada), William (from Italy) our Stingray guide, and the Moby Dick(our boat)...if someone had a question he personnally handled it! His email is info@mobydicktours.com and there website is also www.mobydicktours.com

 

AT THE PIER off the tender:

We arrived off of our tender at around 8 am in Grand Cayman(we got up early to get the first tender off after the cruise tours were gone)...the weather was a bit overcast, but warm around 82 degrees. WE walked two blocks to the right of the pier...past all the crazy chaotic huge crowds of "cruise sponsered" tours that they were trying to lead with sandwich boards signs...We found the umbrella and the gals who were taking payments for Moby Dicks...it was $30 a person if you paid cash...$31.50 if you used a credit card....most of us had our own snorkels and she informed us that the bus would be leaving at 9am sharp and to meet at the fountain across the street. We had one hour to jewelry shop before we left~ Perfect to not lose my husbands attention~ But not enough time to over spend! We met two wonderful couples from Alaska on the tender and they ended up tagging along with our group!

 

AT THE FOUNTAIN:

We met our driver at the fountain 5 minutes to nine and walked past the shops to a small converted yellow school bus! Note: Sit towards the front....the driver is from Philly-USA and he tells a pretty animated history of the island during the 15 minute crowded school bus ride. There was people standing between the seats because it was so full. IT was an adventure in and of itself! I asked the driver, as Mark had informed me to do, to please drop off our group (now 24 of us) at 7 mile beach at the end of the tour. He said no problem.

 

AT THE BOAT:

 

We walked passed a condominium under contruction and along a dock in a small inner water way to our boat the Moby Dick...she was a nice boat that looked to hold around 65 people(there were about 40)...she has a small toilet room with a door that shut in the hull of the ship if you needed the restroom. They have fresh water to drink...and if you don't want your stuff to get wet store it under the seats towards the back of the boat! Captain Zac introduced himself and William the co-captain. On our slow wakeless way through the waterway out to the ocean he had his co-captain William stand on the bow of the boat to demonstrate everything you needed to know about Stingrays on a puppet...It was rather entertaining and it really did prepare you for the whole experience....when his show was over everyone that didn't want to get wet moved to the back of the boat....and I of coarse along with my husband and all the boys...stayed put in the front at we got slammed with the most wonderful warm water on our 30 minute boat ride out to Stingray City to the sand bar!

 

STINGRAY CITY/Sand Bar:

 

It was great timing~ our arrival was just as most of the huge tour groups from the ships were about to leave! The ships sponsered tours were on these two story double decker boats that looked top heavy and very crowded... We got into the water and were immedietly surrounded by a dozen stingrays...that were very tame and waiting to be fed. The water was around 3 feet deep on the sand bar and at my waist level almost the entire time I was out there...I only had my mask on to observe them under water...I didn't need my fins or my snorkel.

 

One of the things that struck me as funny was how some people were terrified even though there is 100's of people here everyday feeding, holding and swimming with these amazing creatures. One man in another tour group was holding a 6 or 7 month old infant in his arms and letting her touch them as they swam by...it was beautiful and after William caught a little male stingray he taught me how to hold it and keep it from swimming away! I cannot tell you how amazing this felt. They felt kind of like wet porte bella mushrooms...and the big larger females would even put up their noses for a kiss! Some women where screaming/half laughing and this seemed to make the stingrays more interested in them! That really was funny! If I just stood with my legs apart they would swim through them. It was amazing!

 

My friends cameras were going the whole time and...they thought I was a genious for arranging this tour for so cheap! They loved Zac and William and could not ask questions fast enough! My one friend held my hand the first five minutes...she was so terrified! By the end she was feeding them squid from her hand~and she is not that kind of girl! We were playing with the stingrays for at least an hour and a half and then sadly it was time to go. The wind started picking up and the boat really began to rock in the waves...on the sand bar...you had to be careful not to have your feet under the ladder as it came down hard into the sand~ Captain Zac wanted everyone on board quickly...he didn't want to accidently hurt a stingray that might swim under the boat...you could tell he was glad to move further away once everyone was on board.

 

SNORKELING THE NORTHWALL:

 

A lot of people didn't want to snorkel the North wall with the waves getting choppy in the wind. Almost Everyone that did go used a snorkel vest...even the more experienced divers on board. I don't like snorkeling in rough waters but went anyway. I had a good time but a lot of my friends aren't strong swimmers and got tired very fast! The Northwall was beautiful however for those who were strong enought swimmers to get past the breakers along the reef through the channel...I really enjoyed all the life open and reaching for nourishment along the wall...it was as good as a current dive...and some in our group saw a turtle. It was a very hard swim back to the boat and afterwards I felt spent. I know first time snorkelers would probably have much more fun here on a calmer day. But many in our group didn't seem to mind and were happy about the whole thing.

Our boat ride back was great and we all just talked about how great it was. THe sun came out in full force and it was beautiful the rest of the day. William told us about his home in Italy and we took his card when we left. I would (as well as my 20+ friends) recommend this company to anyone! We had every age in our group 20-70 and I saw young children as well as an elderly woman in her 80's in the water. We also had every walk of life in our group from college kids to lawyers and a biologist to homemakers...everyone of us thought it was awesome! We all tipped our captain on our way off the boat!

 

AT 7 MILE BEACH:

 

I had been here before and wasn't all too happy that he dropped us off at some beach club...there is a better more quiet public beach access location further down the beach about a 1/2 mile, but since I hadn't been specific I didn't complain. Some in our group wanted to do more shopping so they continued back to Georgetown on the bus. (Mostly this was the wives-and the husbands went along quietly---sometimes I feel sorry for men-NOT!) We walked a bit down the beach and passed out under a self made palapa of shade which was actually someones' private deck above and then we swam for a while and watched a storm out at sea in the distance. The water on this side of the island was actually colder at the beach than it had been in the middle of the Sea at the sandbar! Wierd. Anyway the most entertaining thing here at 7 mile was a 60+ year old man in a neon orange speedo that had obviously taken an entire bottle of ***** and was on the prowl up and down the beach showing his stuff...I will forever be making fun of this poor love starved man!

 

At an hour and a half before our ships last tender...we caught a cab back to Georgetown for $4 a person and shopped at the Pirates Grotto for 15 minutes before getting in the longest tender line...it was at least 3 blocks! I was so content however knowing we had all had the most amazing day that I spent my entire time in line trying to imagine living in Grand Cayman! This was our first stop for our week and It only got better everyday!

[phabric]

I loved your review.

 

We will be in Grand Cayman Christmas /06 from 7-4:30. There will be a group of 10 adults. 2 have snorkled before and have done the Stingrays' tour. 2 are NOT swimmers but would like to the Stingrays. Can the non swimmers do this comfortably. The people who didn't want to snorkle at the Northwall did they stay on the boat.

[TravelWorks]

I loved your review.

 

We will be in Grand Cayman Christmas /06 from 7-4:30. There will be a group of 10 adults. 2 have snorkled before and have done the Stingrays' tour. 2 are NOT swimmers but would like to the Stingrays. Can the non swimmers do this comfortably. The people who didn't want to snorkle at the Northwall did they stay on the boat.

 

I never swam at the stingray sand bar it was pretty shallow~ I did put my face in though to get a better look at the rays... we had one non swimmer in our group. Her husband was the biologist...She ventured out at the sandbar but wore a snorkel vest...for emotional support. She had a blast and felt very safe in the 3 foot deep water. She however did not want to try the snorkeling at the reef...so she just stayed in the boat and took pictures of our group in the water. There was a little boy (6 years old) as well that suddenly became frightened of getting in the deeper water and he also stayed in the boat while his parents snorkeled at the reef. My friend sat with him and also took pictures with their camera of his parents snorkeling....We weren't at the reef very long...maybe an hour. She didn't mind waiting but was very glad to go to 7 mile beach afterwards where she could wade in at her own comfort level...I hope you and your friends have fun...If you use Moby Dicks tell him Amy Loveless sent you...and tell them Hi!

[TravelWorks]

Sorry double post!

[willsma]

Thanks for the great post. I have scheduled this moby dick tour for 3/25 on the grandeur. I have received email confirmation. Sounds like a blast. I plan to stay on the boat but ds can't wait to try the water. He is a very strong swimmer at 12 so I hope he enjoys it.

[TravelWorks]

Thanks for the great post. I have scheduled this moby dick tour for 3/25 on the grandeur. I have received email confirmation. Sounds like a blast. I plan to stay on the boat but ds can't wait to try the water. He is a very strong swimmer at 12 so I hope he enjoys it.

 

HAVE FUN!!! I wish I could go with you...It was an amazing expierence...I read on a travel brochure that swimming with the Rays there in Grand Cayman was on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICS top 10 experiences to do in your life! Take lots of pictures and let me know how it went!

My email:

cruisephotos@gmail.com

[bebe624]

Hi there,

 

I booked my stingray excursion thru Moby Dick. Will be in GC in 8 days ... cannot wait! Was wondering if Moby offers a CD of pics or video for pics? I want to take tons of pics of us with the stingrays. I know digital camera pics turn out way better than the disposable underwater camera.

 

I really appreciate your review, it was very thorough. I was getting nervous after reading a not so positive review on them. But your review made me feel much better.

 

Thanks!

[rainbow92]

Hi,

I booked my Stingray tour with Soto tours. I didn;t go with Moby Dick only because I have a small group and Moby Dick boat held 70 people and soto only 25 so I knew we wouldn't be crowded. Any info n Soto here?

Thanks

[scampi]

Travelworks, That was a great review of Moby Dick Tours! It brought back memories of our wonderful day with Captain Zac & co-captain William

just last month on a Carnival Conquest cruise. We were a group of 21 ranging in age from 2 yrs. old to 60 somethings. They had snorkeling gear for everyone! Besides being so entertaining & fun to be with, we learned so much about the stingrays from this Moby Dick crew. Everyone still says that that was the highlight of our cruise. Mark Button the owner & us exchanged E-mails and he even called us at home to answer some questions we had. My DH & I had such a great time that we rebooked with Mark for April 20th when we return on the Sea Princess.

 

Bebe624, They do not make a CD or take pictures. That was one of the questions that I had for Mark Button. But they had a few water cameras available to purchase at a decent price.

 

Rainbow92, I have had no experience with Sotos. You could E-mail Moby Dick to see what is the maximum number he allows on the boat. He had told me that he limited the number on the boat so you could find out what that number is. We saw dozens of people in the water with only one person helping them. Both William & Zac were in the water with our group bringing us stingrays to hold, to touch, to feed. Their smiles were infectious & everyone in our group was enjoying this amazing experience.

[TravelWorks]

PHOTOS OF the MOBY DICK BOAT:

Photos at the Stingray City SandBAR:

Photos of Captain Zac:

Captain Zac with the big mama stingrays:

 

William with a smaller male stingray:

[TravelWorks]

Hi there,

 

I booked my stingray excursion thru Moby Dick. Will be in GC in 8 days ... cannot wait! Was wondering if Moby offers a CD of pics or video for pics? I want to take tons of pics of us with the stingrays. I know digital camera pics turn out way better than the disposable underwater camera.

 

I really appreciate your review, it was very thorough. I was getting nervous after reading a not so positive review on them. But your review made me feel much better.

 

Thanks!

 

" Bebe624, They do not make a CD or take pictures. That was one of the questions that I had for Mark Button. But they had a few water cameras available to purchase at a decent price." Quote from Scampi

 

WE took some of our photos with an underwater camera and also our friend had one of the newer digital cameras, that can go into water for an hour up to five feet deep...he took some great pics...both here and in Belize!

Moby Dick also sold underwater cameras for about $15 that you could reload with future film and keep reusing!

 

Have Fun!