excursion questions

[2new4cruzn]

first time cruisers leaving from galveston on march 5, conquest. i was looking at the various excursions offered through carnival and reading posts here. some people have remarked that the ship sponsored excursions are crowded. i would like to take my husband to the stingray excursion, he has a heart condition and cannot participate in strenuous activities. can you book excursions after docking or is it better to book them now? i hesitate to book now because he may be having a bad day and be unable to go. if i wait till we dock, will there be vendors looking for people to go with them or will i just be out of luck? i know there are several questions here, thanks to all of you for your help.

 

anette

[2new4cruzn]

bumping this, looking for a little advice

[lula24]

I have cruised on ncl and we booked our excursions while on the ship, that worked out great. But it was a small ship and nothing was booked up. We went to stingray city(we booked through the cruise line) and it wasn't crowded at all. I am not sure about carnival. Stingray city is something that you do not want to miss. Hopefully someone else can help more.:)

[cheshyrkat]

There should be companies looking for a little business on the pier when you go to Grand Cayman. You might pay a bit more (like $5) for not booking ahead of time but it's probably worth it to ensure you don't get penalized if he doesn't have a good day and you can't make the excursion.

 

I haven't done it yet, but I do plan to book my excursion independently ahead of time.

[oldmedic]

we have been to Captain Marvins at least three times and each time have seen people walk up and be able to get on the boat. the good thing about Capt marvins, is that it is normally not crowded and they offer great service. you can check their website out at http://www.captainmarvins.com it is an easy two block walk from the tender pier, or you can probably catch a taxi. (turn left at the pier walk two blocks, cross the street and look for the Capt. Marvins sign.)

[zqvol]

first time cruisers leaving from galveston on march 5, conquest. i was looking at the various excursions offered through carnival and reading posts here. some people have remarked that the ship sponsored excursions are crowded. i would like to take my husband to the stingray excursion, he has a heart condition and cannot participate in strenuous activities. can you book excursions after docking or is it better to book them now? i hesitate to book now because he may be having a bad day and be unable to go. if i wait till we dock, will there be vendors looking for people to go with them or will i just be out of luck? i know there are several questions here, thanks to all of you for your help.

 

anette

I would tell you normally to book your own ahead of time, but your comment about your husband's health issues gives me a reason to stop and think about this one. I would check with some of the stingray excursions to find out how much activity is involved and if it is OK for him. ( I haven't been on this one so I am just giving you some thoughts to consider. I do snorkel a lot and a lot of energy is involved especially getting back onto the boat.) You might also want to check with his physician.

 

I am sure that the boat ride would be no big deal but if he can't get off the boat and snorkel it might not be worth it for him.

[2new4cruzn]

thanks to all of you for your comments. we talked about this last night and decided to fly by the seat of our pants. he said even if he does not get off the boat, he would like to see the stingrays, so we will look for captain marvins when we dock in grand cayman.:cool:

[billsgirl]

Prepare yourself for the fact that once off the tender boat, it is very crowded and congested in the area that you get off. A person with a heart condition might find it stressful. Once you find your excursion/transportation out, its quite beautiful. Enjoy.

[geauxgirl]

I've been to stingray city 3 times and all were booked off of the cruiseline's excursions list. I think that even if you book thru Capt Marvin's

your husband should be able to go and participate. To get to the stingrays is a slow and gentle ride thru a big canal and then you get to a big bay area. Ive never experienced any waves in the bay. It's always calm. The stingrays are located on a sandbar, usually the water is no deeper then at your waist, but in most areas the water hits you right above the knees. You might have to swim approx 15 feet from the boats ladder to the sandbar and if you go with Capt. Mavin's they will bring you in a skiff and can probably drive it right up to the sandbar and let you out without having to swim at all. I'm sure they have lifejackets for you if you want one. I hope that you get to expierence these stingrays, they are awesome creatures! Have a wonderful trip.