cruising3times Posted February 16, 2006 #26 Share Posted February 16, 2006 We had such fun at Stingray City that we did it again on another cruise. But as other people said, you can just stay on the boat and watch the stingrays, and your daughter won't be alone, there were probably 5 or so people that stayed on the boat, and even people who go in the water go back on the boat and watch. It is the best excursion we have ever gone one from a cruise ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Dad1 Posted February 16, 2006 #27 Share Posted February 16, 2006 We did Stingray City in '00 on our first cruise. Being "cruise virgins" and not knowing any of the insights since learned here on CC, we booked through Carnival. To be honest, it was not a bad experience. I understand where Timmys_Mom is coming from in regards to a smaller group, but our Tour Guide made up for it in entertainment value. (He had kind of this Crocodile Dundee thing going on.) What I found impressive, was when the boat first pulled up, how the stingrays just began swarming to it. It was kind like the lunch bell had just rang or something. I'm not sure about C Mom (she got a little freaked out), but I would do it again in a heart beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero247 Posted February 16, 2006 #28 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Last year my 8 yr old son was very apprehensive about going in the water with the stingrays. He jumped in and promptly grabbed me in a strangle hold, unfortunately I was in water over my head and started to go under ( I could keep him above the water line even with him flailing just not myself) luckily one of the guys working the tour grabbed me and helped me until I could touch the bottom. My son said "no way!" and back on the boat he went. He had a great time after that watching from the safety of the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjules Posted February 16, 2006 #29 Share Posted February 16, 2006 My 78 year old mother got in the water with the sting rays and LOVED it!! She kissed one, got her back massaged by one and thought it was the coolest thing ever! I love the stingrays! They swim around your feet and, yes, in my dd's case (ehpride) swam right up against her butt! It was hilarious! IMO...DON'T miss the stingrays! Captain Marvins was great and Chester IS a cutie!:rolleyes: Don't worry...she might be apprehensive at first, but I'll bet once she sees everybody playing with them in the water, she'll want to join in the fun, too:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custer Posted February 16, 2006 #30 Share Posted February 16, 2006 There is another way to let her know that Sting Rays are cool to touch. If you have time before your cruise go to Sea World Orlando or even Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa. Both have sting ray petting areas. That is if you are sailing from Florida. Been to both of these. She will see how gential an animal that rays are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandyrella Posted February 17, 2006 #31 Share Posted February 17, 2006 We are sailing on the Triumph March 4th and my DS 8 also refuses to go in the water. To be honest, I'll be right there beside him on the boat enjoying the whole experience and watching DH, DD and other DS. I am kind of hoping that watching everyone else will give us both the courage to go in and be a passive participant. I was wondering, however, if we could go in the water away from the stingrays. Are they absolutely everywhere or could we find a spot to get wet without being "followed"? Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ehpride Posted February 17, 2006 #32 Share Posted February 17, 2006 There is another way to let her know that Sting Rays are cool to touch. If you have time before your cruise go to Sea World Orlando or even Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa. Both have sting ray petting areas. That is if you are sailing from Florida. Been to both of these. She will see how gential an animal that rays are. Or the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RizzoLee Posted February 17, 2006 #33 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I will admit it also-I'm 23, and I was terrified of the stingrays. I am a Stingray City Scaredy Cat too. ;) My 45 year old mother loved them though, so hey-it's hit or miss! I got in the water and was okay for the first little while-but then I had to hide behind Mom & Dad & SO when they really started coming out. I'd turn around, about to take a step and one would be right behind me. They should have bells on or something-I could deal with it then. :D When it came time to touch them with the guide's help, I snatched my hand back within an inch of touching it. I just couldn't. Stay by your DD and just watch around her-she'll be fine. If not, she can always go back on the boat. I stuck the time out in the water. I'm proud of myself for at least that, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forchunut1 Posted February 17, 2006 #34 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I think the chances of getting "stung" by a stingray are pretty slim. However, even though they don't have teeth, I had one clamp down with it's jaws on my arm. I guess it thought it was food! It didn't break the skin or anything, but I did have a pretty good bruise for a week afterwards. So, like anything, things can happen. However, it was still a great experience and so much fun to be in the water with them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kujobie Posted February 17, 2006 #35 Share Posted February 17, 2006 We have done this excursion twice and booked thru Carnival both times. Don't believe the "cattle barge" stories. Both times there was less than 20 on our tour and both times, WE were the first tour to the sand bar. It is more $$ to go thru Carnival, I'll give you that. BUt we thought it was worth every penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caprcorn28 Posted February 17, 2006 #36 Share Posted February 17, 2006 There is another way to let her know that Sting Rays are cool to touch. If you have time before your cruise go to Sea World Orlando or even Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa. Both have sting ray petting areas. That is if you are sailing from Florida. Been to both of these. She will see how gential an animal that rays are. We were just at Lowry Park Zoo last March and fed the stingrays - The kids loved that!!! The pool is at the perfect height for kids to put their hands in there. Of course, these stingrays are much smaller than in SC! I had to take a pic of my youngest daughter that got absolutely SOAKED by all the splashing that the stingrays did when we tried to feed them!!!! I think that the comparison of them being like puppies is perfect!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnask8pro Posted February 17, 2006 #37 Share Posted February 17, 2006 We did Nativeway and my 5 yr old son loved it. He held them and picked one up so it could spit at me.. He thought that was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan40 Posted February 17, 2006 #38 Share Posted February 17, 2006 A strange thing about Stingrays is that they don't have stingers. StingRay City is great fun for all ages and is very safe. What these animals have is a barbed bony growth near the base of their tail. Not out at the tip of the tail but real close to their body. If you ran your hand or foot down their body from head to tail, you would pass over the "stinger" with no problem. If you went from tail to body, you could recieve a painful puncture from the barb. But it is not something they attack with, they just raise it up when something is trying to eat them. Like the "stingers" on catfish, which are only sharp strong bones on the leading edge of their side fins. When you catch a cat, you run your hand down its body from head to tail, folding its "stingers" back against its body. Run your hand the other way and you'll go right into the point and you will bleed [they are very sharp]. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binney Posted February 17, 2006 Author #39 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I'll see if I can link you to our stingray pics. they might help. Sharks and rays and eels...oh my! Now please tell me that shark was just a mud puppy! And that moray...he just comes around on his own??? Yikes, maybe I'll stay on the boat, too!;) WHAT FABULOUS PICTURES! Any hints for me on how to take pictures that good?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburbia Posted February 17, 2006 #40 Share Posted February 17, 2006 We will be on the Fantasy in April for a quick cruise getaway and would like to book our excursion to the Nassau stingrays with a private operator. Does anyone have a recommendation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizaMM Posted February 17, 2006 #41 Share Posted February 17, 2006 [quote name='Sandyrella']We are sailing on the Triumph March 4th and my DS 8 also refuses to go in the water. To be honest, I'll be right there beside him on the boat enjoying the whole experience and watching DH, DD and other DS. I am kind of hoping that watching everyone else will give us both the courage to go in and be a passive participant. I was wondering, however, if we could go in the water away from the stingrays. Are they absolutely everywhere or could we find a spot to get wet without being "followed"? Sandy[/QUOTE] If your tour only goes to StingRay City then expect nothing but StingRays! i don't know about the Carnival tour but the one we did with NativeWay took us to a reef area to snorkel after the Rays and some that did not goe in the water with the Rays got in and swam during this portion. We did the Rays, Reef and Rum Pointe tour so the thirs stop was to a beautiful beach and included lunch. We LOVED it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridayeyes Posted February 17, 2006 #42 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Ahh, to clarify - the nurse shark and the eel are half an hour by boat AWAY from the sting rays. Sorry for the shocker. We did a private snorkel/sting ray combo tour with Soto's cruises. Great trip. The nurse shark and eel are at a reef area and the water is 12 feet deep or so. The stingrays are at a sand bar area some miles away and the water is 3-4 feet deep and very clear. Cheers, Friday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridayeyes Posted February 17, 2006 #43 Share Posted February 17, 2006 And the pics were taken on a high-powered digital camera with about a 10x zoom and an SLR type lens. The camera was in a soft, clear plastic waterproof rig. I cannot take credit for the pics as we bought them from the photog supplied by the tour company. We got to choose which ones we wanted and they mailed us a CD about a week after we got home. I have to say that getting mail from Grand Cayman was really cool all by itself. My son loved the stamps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinsforme Posted February 17, 2006 #44 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Who are the private tour operators in Grand Caymen, Cozumel or Costa Maya for the Stingrays? We'd like to give it a try and would prefer to do it with a private operator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuizer2 Posted February 17, 2006 #45 Share Posted February 17, 2006 [quote name='Binney']My 12 year old DD is upset that we have booked Stingray City as an excursion. She is afraid that she sill get stung. Anyone have any ideas on how to reassure her?[/quote] She does not have to get in the water. She will see everyone else having fun and then if she wants, she can come in the water and have fun too. I was there with a six year old who at first was unwilling to go in the water. When he saw everyone else having fun, he then went in the water. Here are a couple of pictures you can show her (they might help). Click on the link below for the first photo and on next for the second photo ... [URL="http://www.cruise-addicts.com/photogallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=90234"]http://www.cruise-addicts.com/photogallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=90234[/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binney Posted February 17, 2006 Author #46 Share Posted February 17, 2006 [quote name='fridayeyes']Ahh, to clarify - the nurse shark and the eel are half an hour by boat AWAY from the sting rays. Sorry for the shocker. We did a private snorkel/sting ray combo tour with Soto's cruises. Great trip. The nurse shark and eel are at a reef area and the water is 12 feet deep or so. The stingrays are at a sand bar area some miles away and the water is 3-4 feet deep and very clear. Cheers, Friday[/quote] Actually for me it would have been cool...I was a Marine Bio major in college (several lifetimes ago it seems)...this daughter did not get those genes. Also, thanks to your great pix I will be buying many...even though you were on a private tour, do you remember the approximate cost of your pix?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klfrodo Posted February 17, 2006 #47 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I'm one of the 48yo males that screamed like a little girl:D I still wouldn't miss the experience. I've been twice. Love the rays, love the snorkeling, love the exerience. Love knowing that while all my friends are back home as wage slaves, I'm in GRAND CAYMAN. The rays and I have an understanding: You don't touch me and I won't touch you.;) I do have to deal with the occasional brat ray that likes to mess with my head though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridayeyes Posted February 17, 2006 #48 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I believe the pix were about $60, including shipping the CD to us. We were shown each picture on the camera's little screen on the way back to shore, and we were allowed to pick which ones we wanted. I believe the shots of just our family in the water were $25 or so, and the $60 covered all of the family shots, plus all of the wildlife shots. Since we have the CD, we can make as many prints as we want. There were about 10 more pictures not in my Yahoo album as Yahoo won't accept pictures bigger than 5 MB each. 5 MB means the resolution is extremely good, and these can be blown up to 11x17 or so without losing clarity. Since this was not a Carnival tour, I don't know if yours will offer such a thing, though many offer a video of the excursion, including pics of everyone on the boat with the rays. I have to say, watching a shark roll over and beg for a belly rub was one of the more amazing experiences of my life. The sting rays definitely topped it, though. Cheers, Friday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scsagh Posted February 17, 2006 #49 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Fridayeyes, I missed if you said earlier which tour company you used to go see the Stingrays. Just curious. I'm assuming you would recommend them, or any input? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridayeyes Posted February 17, 2006 #50 Share Posted February 17, 2006 we went with Soto's (cruises, adventures... not sure.) I don't have their contact info handy, and we're sorta not supposed to talk about it here, but a swing by google naming the island, the wildlife location and one or two of the names people have dropped should be instructive. *wink* I would patronize them again in a heartbeat. Cheers, Friday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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