Who does Carnival use for their Stingray sandbar snorkel?

[Middleager]

There are many companies offering Stingray sandbar snorkel trips. Who does Carnival use? This way I won't need to contact them in trying to book independently.

 

(I found out Don Fosters is Carnival's contractor for diving.)

 

Thanks.

[twinkletoes4445]

I could be wrong, but I think it's Kirk's. They have those big double-decker boats.

[zydecocruiser]

They use Kirk's (like most cruise lines) and some others, too.

[darin]

I would not use Kirk's Sea Tours under any circumstance. Read my thread and the post of others under the "Costa Cruise Line" Forum. My thread is entitled "I was on the Caymen capsized boat" on page 1.

[twinkletoes4445]

I would not use Kirk's Sea Tours under any circumstance. Read my thread and the post of others under the "Costa Cruise Line" Forum. My thread is entitled "I was on the Caymen capsized boat" on page 1.

 

I read that post. That was probably the scariest post I've ever read (on these boards). Everyone on that tour was lucky to be alive after what happened. We've seen those big double-decker boats loaded to the gill and capsizing was something I thought about.

[zydecocruiser]

On the other hand, probably millions have been on Kirk Sea Tours without incident, including myself. While they do have the big cattle boats, they also have a number of others (or probably more correctly contract a number of others).

 

I have little doubt that the cruise line insurance companies have probably already completed their investigation and any required improvements already put in place. The odds of a similar incident occuring in the future are slim and none.

[Binney]

I don't know who Kirk's is...but we were on a small boat with an older captain (early 60's) and one man crew. No double decker...we had maybe 20 people total on this boat. We were surrounded by the big double deckers though.

 

Here is a link to a photo of our boat. Ours was the one on the left and the guy holding the ray was the deckhand.

 

http://s78.photobucket.com/albums/j81/Robinflannery/?action=view&current=e0a076e2.jpg

[Middleager]

Thanks for the info.

 

The odds of a similar incident occuring in the future are slim and none.

 

Well, maybe slim, but not none.

 

I don't know who Kirk's is...but we were on a small boat with an older captain (early 60's) and one man crew. No double decker...we had maybe 20 people total on this boat. We were surrounded by the big double deckers though.

Hmm, must be different contractor depending on the day. Some days there can be many ships at port. But one man crew? I thought there would be more.

[zydecocruiser]

Thanks for the info.

 

 

 

Well, maybe slim, but not none.

 

 

Hmm, must be different contractor depending on the day. Some days there can be many ships at port. But one man crew? I thought there would be more.

 

Perhaps not none, but probably closer to none than the other operators.

 

When the weather is a little dicey, the ship tours are first to be cancelled leaving the stingray tours in the hands of the independents.

 

As tours sell out, they add more boats or if a tour is not popular, they downsize the boat.

[Middleager]

Perhaps not none, but probably closer to none than the other operators.

Hmm, this almost sounds like you are promiting the cruise line's contractor. I thought you said the cruise lines use "scare tactics" to sell their "overpriced" excursions?:D

 

As tours sell out, they add more boats or if a tour is not popular, they downsize the boat.

Yap, that's how one runs a business, to be profitable. It's no problem to use a smaller boat for fewer people. It's the "one man crew" that can be cause for concern.

[zydecocruiser]

Hmm, this almost sounds like you are promiting the cruise line's contractor. I thought you said the cruise lines use "scare tactics" to sell their "overpriced" excursions?

 

 

Yap, that's how one runs a business, to be profitable. It's no problem to use a smaller boat for fewer people. It's the "one man crew" that can be cause for concern.

Not at all, and they do. They also give priority tendering to those that purchase one of their tours.

 

I have never seen a one man crew at sting ray sandbar and I've been there a number of times.

 

I like that the ship tours cancel first. Soto's took us out anyway and it wasn't crowded at all at the sandbar - it was just like old days. If you are on a ship tour and it cancels, run don't walk to the tenders and you can probably still pick up a tour on shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Middleager]

Good pictures, zydecocruiser. Those give a good impression of the Stingray sandbar tour. Are the waves usually like that, because it looks kind of wavy. Most of the tour op's pictures show calmer waters, butof couse they show the best of conditions in their promotional pics.

 

The last picture of the "double decker" stingrays, is such a good shot.

 

Have heard a lot of good things about Soto's. We are booking with them too, especially since they can adjust the afternoon tour time to 12noon - 2pm, so that we can get back before the 2:30pm last tender on Aug. 29.

[zydecocruiser]

Not typical - usually much calmer. Under conditions like previous, a northwall dive would be switched to a different wall, if not cancelled.

 

Previous pic of a Stingray sandwich is actually a triple-decker..

 

On a calmer day..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zydecocruiser]

The last picture of the "double decker" stingrays, is such a good shot.

 

Thank you. I sometimes wonder what that shot could have been, if the waves were not kicking up so much sand... Just gives me more reason to try, try again.

[Middleager]

Thank you. I sometimes wonder what that shot could have been, if the waves were not kicking up so much sand... Just gives me more reason to try, try again.

 

I was refering to "double decker" of the two lined up one right on top of each other, but you could call it triple by counting the 3rd one a little bit behind.

 

The sand and visibility is hard to control, often beyond your control (well if there are not as many legs kicking sand around that can help), but getting a shot at the right moment.

 

 

Not typical - usually much calmer. Under conditions like previous, a northwall dive would be switched to a different wall, if not cancelled.

quote] Ah, so if the north wall diving trip may get cancelled due to waves, the SR sandbar snorkeling may still go. I'll need to keep that in mind in case my dive trip gets cancelled, at least I'll try for the snorkeling.

[beachgal58]

just back from inspiration...we booked the stingray/reef safari thru the ship cuz of the short time...any problems they r responsible for getting u back to the ship... they used kellys...i think there were 3 boats in our group.. great excursion, espically if u like to snorkel..it is called coral gardens...chunks of coral...it is not a big deep reef like key west or on a dive...but it was fine, lots of fish..getting to do both was great...

[PattiPB]

zydecocruise: Great pictures! The photo with the man sitting on the dropdeck with the two little ones---is that Soto's boat? We booked a private tour with them in August because I think the dropdeck will be easier for my parents (76) to handle than the company we used last year.

 

Middleager---Soto's agreed to change the early morning tour time for us, too. Last year we were way too close to missing the Inspiration (1:30 last tender) for comfort, so they are changing their time for us. It is a private charter, so they were very flexible.