Grand Cayman shore excursion-Sting ray

[gatour]

New to Celebrity but veteran Royal Caribbean cruiser among other lines.

 

One of my favorite excursions is a catamaran ride to and back from Stingray City in Grand Cayman?  Does Celebrity offer this?

 

I looked on the Celebrity website but I don't think they have lozded the brochures for the time frame we are contemplating for next year.

[81Zoomie]

We booked an independent excursion on a Catamaran to the stingray sandbar location.  The price was much better than the ship’s excursions and it was a smaller boat with a small group.  Very enjoyable experience without the crowd 😎🌴😎.

[Marie51]

I have a cruise booked on Beyond for September and they do have excursions to stingray city.

[keesar]

We took a Celebrity excursion and besides being pricey, the boat was overcrowded and not a good experience.  Once and done.  Since then, we have booked independent tours and have been pleased time after time.

[raudacruise]

My first visit to Stingray City was a Celebrity excursion in a huge, overcrowded catamaran.  Crazy mob scene.  Never again.

 

I have since used Captain Marvin (small group in a powerboat) and Stingray Sailing, another small group.  Both are outstanding.  I’m booking one of these next spring.

 

http://stingraysailing.com

 

http://captainmarvins.com

 

 

[Gladys Kravitz]

Can anyone tell me if these independent or even the celebrity excursion boats are easy to get off and on from the water for people with bad knees, the over weight or elderly? A small little ladder that’s way above the water won’t work for me. 

[raudacruise]

4 minutes ago, Gladys Kravitz said:

Can anyone tell me if these independent or even the celebrity excursion boats are easy to get off and on from the water for people with bad knees, the over weight or elderly? A small little ladder that’s way above the water won’t work for me. 

I don’t recall either boat (Stingray Sailing or Captain Marvin) being particularly mobility-challenged friendly, but this was pre-Covid.  The boats could be different by now.  Stingray City is shallow, you won’t be swimming.  I’m sure the crew will be helpful but I suggest contacting the vendor directly for information.

[keesar]

54 minutes ago, Gladys Kravitz said:

Can anyone tell me if these independent or even the celebrity excursion boats are easy to get off and on from the water for people with bad knees, the over weight or elderly? A small little ladder that’s way above the water won’t work for me. 

As for Captain Marvin, staff is there to assist getting on and off the boat.  Been on numerous trips with this company.  

[gatour]

Thanks for the information.  If all goes well, I will be celebrating my one year post liver transplant.  I understand about the differences between ship provided excursions vs book on your own, and have it both ways on other cruises and other ports.  Just making sure that a catamaran tour would still be available, since I like it better than the motorized pontoon barge boats.  And yes I know they may not put up the sails because of no wind but definitely better experience than the barges

 

I haven't been able to make any trips for the last year and half, and still can't go internationally until my one year point, i.e. 2025.  We love to cruise and haven't been to Grand Cayman for several years.  I found a cruise on the Beyond that stops at Grand Cayman and Coco Caye, that was reasonably prices.  We have done the Eastern/Caribbean runs so often that we generally don't do excursions, but Sting ray city never gets old and we like Coco Caye.  Looking at trying a different line that had reasonable prices.  This one intrigues me.

[81Zoomie]

I have pics from 2019 (just before the world shutdown) with our independent tour.  The boat ladders are pictured, so you a judge if they will work.  We really enjoyed the small group.  This crew was great, respected the animals, and anchored away from the large grouping of bigger boats. We had a lot more rays than the big boats, and a calm and relaxed experience.  Hope the pics help your planning.

 

 

 

 

The hoards were all clustered together 😝. The rays tended to be less plentiful around the crowded boats.

 

Edited April 26 by 81Zoomie

[Rick&Jeannie]

Just a few of our close friends at Stingray City....

 

[George C]

2 hours ago, keesar said:

As for Captain Marvin, staff is there to assist getting on and off the boat.  Been on numerous trips with this company.  

I detest overcrowded ships excursions , I haven’t done Captains Marvin but read some wonderful reviews of that .

[gatour]

On 4/25/2024 at 4:07 PM, raudacruise said:

My first visit to Stingray City was a Celebrity excursion in a huge, overcrowded catamaran.  Crazy mob scene.  Never again.

 

I have since used Captain Marvin (small group in a powerboat) and Stingray Sailing, another small group.  Both are outstanding.  I’m booking one of these next spring.

 

http://stingraysailing.com

 

http://captainmarvins.com

 

 

Stingray Sailing is what I have in mind as it is closest to what we have done in the past.  Do you far beforehand do they open for booking?

[Gladys Kravitz]

I contacted them and they said they are no longer in business. 

[realnice46]

We too had booked private excursion. It left early and we goy there before the larger boats. Less expensive than the cruise ship smaller group. I would only do ships tour if you were in port a short period of time.

[raudacruise]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:47 PM, Gladys Kravitz said:

I contacted them and they said they are no longer in business. 

Not sure who you are referring to.  Stingray Sailing and Captain Marvin are alive and well with active websites.  Stingray Sailing only takes reservations 6 months out.  The tour for cruisers from Captain Marvin is not available on Saturdays, the day my ship will be in port.