native way water sports

[renza]

Has anyone booked or gone on any of the sting ray tours through nativewaywatersports.com I have heard about this name on the computer and looks like a good company, but if any of you can help me and let me know if they r good. Thank you

[emporess]

We used native way after reading many good things. However, at the end of our tour we were left stranded and had to ride back on a bus that was not part of the company. Sharon Ebanks did refund our money, but the scary part was that we could have missed the ship. I realize that this is a risk we all take when we book excursions outside of the cruiseline.

[DukeFamily]

Has anyone booked or gone on any of the sting ray tours through nativewaywatersports.com I have heard about this name on the computer and looks like a good company, but if any of you can help me and let me know if they r good. Thank you

 

NativeWay is much discussed in this forum. We used them and had the best excursion ever! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to you. I can't imagine what odd thing happened to leave the other poster stranded after their tour! Sharon is great and her company works hard to ensure that their guests have a wonderful time and a memorable day. When we went, the bus carrying the NativeWay group was somehow full, so she put us on another bus with another group, but everyone in charge knew who we were and got us exactly where we needed to be. Then after the tour, since their bus was full again of course, Sharon took my kids and I back to the pier in her car. I had a great time talking with her on the ride back and, since we didn't have to wait for a whole busload of people to get situated, we got back much quicker and had more time for shopping. She even took me where I wanted to shop, rather than back to where the bus would have gone. She was great.

 

The tour itself was awesome. Lots of time and interaction with rays - lots of fun. The snorkeling was great - we got to see the eel - eeeew, but yea! And Rum Point is just gorgeous and our lunch was even very good. I'd do it all again if we got to go back.

[yst347]

We used Nativeway in Feb 2003 and had a wonderful excursion also. I would highly recomend them.

[PSCruiser]

100% recommendation for Nativeway.

 

Emporess - I'm curious of the details of why you got stranded?

[waterbound]

We have used them before and they are great.. They picked us up at the port and took us to the boat where we went swimming with the stingrays.. afterwards they stopped off and we got out and snorkeled for about 20-30 minutes.. then they took us back to the port.. We are using them again on our upcoming cruise..

[Jandcbrown]

Yes, use them!! They were incredible...if you like having plenty of time to snorkel, play with the stingrays and enjoy a beautiful beach???

 

We were on the Rhapsody on 9-17 thru the 24th. A very nice man, named Eldon, met us at the end of the pier. We joined about 12 people...not sure of the number in the bus. We were in an air-conditioned bus and the driver (also our tour-guide) gave us information on Grand Cayman. We got right on the boat...no waiting. The crew was very friendly and helpful. They were not pushy or "just doing their job" kind of thing. They had great attitudes. The Filmographer, Abbie, joined us. First up, we snorkeled right by Stingray City. We snorkeled for an extremely long amount of time. We saw the Moray Eel for as long as you would want, very colorful and a great variety of fish and coral. We swam a ways to go try to see if the guide could find the familar nurse shark, but it was gone. I don't know, but guess we snorkeled for about an hour. He found a beautiful young Conch and a very large star fish to show us. We handled them all! It was great! I loved being able to be in the water that long!

 

Now for the Stingrays...there are no words to describe it! It is just incredible. Even if you think you might be too scared to do it, bite the bullet, do it!!!!!!!!!! The stingrays are so friendly. I have Parrots, and if you ever do anything to offend one, they will not have anything to do with you...regardless if you have their favorite food. So thinking of these Stingrays...if they didn't like all the people, the petting, the feeding...they wouldn't be hanging around...guaranteed! They let us play with the stingrays for a very long time. We pet, we kissed, we fed...we just enjoyed them! $60.00 for this once in a life time event!

 

We then went to Rum Point. Very beautiful, very secluded...this was off season...so very few people were there. I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Sandwich, excellent by the way! Our food and drinks were included and ready upon arrival to the beach. We stayed there for a while and enjoyed this beautiful place....clear water for extra snorkeling!

 

We met very nice people on this excursion, we bought the video DVD for $65.00 and tipped our guides/photographer well!!! You can't go wrong with this excursion. (remember your tip money!!)

 

An important note...the ship excursions were very packed. We had all the room and time we wanted. We also did not have to wear life vests, which really was a huge plus for me...I tend to float well without those cumbersom things!!!!! LOL!

[Jdleong]

Did you take the am or pm tour?

 

Jan

[waterbound]

Yes, use them!! They were incredible...if you like having plenty of time to snorkel, play with the stingrays and enjoy a beautiful beach???

 

We were on the Rhapsody on 9-17 thru the 24th. A very nice man, named Eldon, met us at the end of the pier. We joined about 12 people...not sure of the number in the bus. We were in an air-conditioned bus and the driver (also our tour-guide) gave us information on Grand Cayman. We got right on the boat...no waiting. The crew was very friendly and helpful. They were not pushy or "just doing their job" kind of thing. They had great attitudes. The Filmographer, Abbie, joined us. First up, we snorkeled right by Stingray City. We snorkeled for an extremely long amount of time. We saw the Moray Eel for as long as you would want, very colorful and a great variety of fish and coral. We swam a ways to go try to see if the guide could find the familar nurse shark, but it was gone. I don't know, but guess we snorkeled for about an hour. He found a beautiful young Conch and a very large star fish to show us. We handled them all! It was great! I loved being able to be in the water that long!

 

Now for the Stingrays...there are no words to describe it! It is just incredible. Even if you think you might be too scared to do it, bite the bullet, do it!!!!!!!!!! The stingrays are so friendly. I have Parrots, and if you ever do anything to offend one, they will not have anything to do with you...regardless if you have their favorite food. So thinking of these Stingrays...if they didn't like all the people, the petting, the feeding...they wouldn't be hanging around...guaranteed! They let us play with the stingrays for a very long time. We pet, we kissed, we fed...we just enjoyed them! $60.00 for this once in a life time event!

 

We then went to Rum Point. Very beautiful, very secluded...this was off season...so very few people were there. I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Sandwich, excellent by the way! Our food and drinks were included and ready upon arrival to the beach. We stayed there for a while and enjoyed this beautiful place....clear water for extra snorkeling!

 

We met very nice people on this excursion, we bought the video DVD for $65.00 and tipped our guides/photographer well!!! You can't go wrong with this excursion. (remember your tip money!!)

 

An important note...the ship excursions were very packed. We had all the room and time we wanted. We also did not have to wear life vests, which really was a huge plus for me...I tend to float well without those cumbersom things!!!!! LOL!

 

I agree with the part about the ships excursions are jam packed with people but by doing it separate thru Nativeway we had more one on one interaction with the stingrays.. Our guide held one for us and let us pet them and hold one and feed them.. We had maybe 12-15 people on our boat (cant remember exactly) but the other boats were packed like sardines.. some of them were even double decker boats with people .... They werent doing the video when we used them so thats nice to hear they are now.. I think we may get one..

[SURPRISE1]

FYI,

 

For those of us on the Jewel, Western Caribbean sailing 11/12/06 the Native Way RRR tour was not a possibility as the ship docks a 10:00 am and the tour begins at 9:00am. After checking with Native Way Watersports, they will custom make a package for us but we need 15 people to sign up. If you are interested the tour is $60/pp, see www.nativewaywatersports.com. There is alot of feedback on the Grand Cayman board about this tour and it sounds like heaven if you are interested.:)

[suzy1212]

Yes, use them!! They were incredible...if you like having plenty of time to snorkel, play with the stingrays and enjoy a beautiful beach???

 

We were on the Rhapsody on 9-17 thru the 24th. A very nice man, named Eldon, met us at the end of the pier. We joined about 12 people...not sure of the number in the bus. We were in an air-conditioned bus and the driver (also our tour-guide) gave us information on Grand Cayman. We got right on the boat...no waiting. The crew was very friendly and helpful. They were not pushy or "just doing their job" kind of thing. They had great attitudes. The Filmographer, Abbie, joined us. First up, we snorkeled right by Stingray City. We snorkeled for an extremely long amount of time. We saw the Moray Eel for as long as you would want, very colorful and a great variety of fish and coral. We swam a ways to go try to see if the guide could find the familar nurse shark, but it was gone. I don't know, but guess we snorkeled for about an hour. He found a beautiful young Conch and a very large star fish to show us. We handled them all! It was great! I loved being able to be in the water that long!

 

Now for the Stingrays...there are no words to describe it! It is just incredible. Even if you think you might be too scared to do it, bite the bullet, do it!!!!!!!!!! The stingrays are so friendly. I have Parrots, and if you ever do anything to offend one, they will not have anything to do with you...regardless if you have their favorite food. So thinking of these Stingrays...if they didn't like all the people, the petting, the feeding...they wouldn't be hanging around...guaranteed! They let us play with the stingrays for a very long time. We pet, we kissed, we fed...we just enjoyed them! $60.00 for this once in a life time event!

 

We then went to Rum Point. Very beautiful, very secluded...this was off season...so very few people were there. I ordered the Blackened Mahi Mahi Sandwich, excellent by the way! Our food and drinks were included and ready upon arrival to the beach. We stayed there for a while and enjoyed this beautiful place....clear water for extra snorkeling!

 

We met very nice people on this excursion, we bought the video DVD for $65.00 and tipped our guides/photographer well!!! You can't go wrong with this excursion. (remember your tip money!!)

 

An important note...the ship excursions were very packed. We had all the room and time we wanted. We also did not have to wear life vests, which really was a huge plus for me...I tend to float well without those cumbersom things!!!!! LOL!

We were there with you I think! I thought there names were Sheldon, Everton, and Bobby. Was it Eldon, not Sheldon?

[Jandcbrown]

Yes, we were on the same cruise. Eldon was the man holding the sign for Nativeway...at the end of the pier...for Royal Caribbean. Very nice man!

 

That was our guides names! I've got to go...but will add later!

[vacruizer]

We did the Nativeway Rays, Reef and Rumpoint tour on Sept. 19th. Meeting up at the dock on time was no problem - getting back to the ship almost was. We had no problems tendering in and were at the dock waiting by 8:30am for our 9am tour. We loved the tour and our guides - Rum Point is truly a great spot and we got attention in our small group that the cruise ship tours never could have provided. We sailed on the Carnival Miracle and were with several other CC folks from our ship. Our tour was maybe 20-25 people and the majority were from the Valor with a later time in port.

 

Eldon met us at the dock that morning and seemed rather surprised that the Miracle's last tender time was 3pm for a 4pm sailing but assured us we would be back by 1:20pm ship time or so and even have some time to shop. We had a great time with the Stingrays and at the reef. Loved rum point. But we didn't even leave Rum Point until almost 2pm (by boat for those of you who haven't done this) and didn't get back to the bus to ride back to Georgetown until 2:35pm. It seems there was some confusion with everyone's respective times - the Valor folks told us they had switched to Central Time the night before while we on the Miracle were given instructions to stay on Eastern time all week so their last tender was not until 2 hours after ours. We made it back to the ship, but barely. I had read here about possible traffic jams getting back to Georgetown and was starting to really stress by 2:50pm. We reached the dock at 2:55 and had to make the bus driver pull over so the people from the Miracle could run across the street catch the tender instead of continuing on to where he was going to drop everyone off. Nativeway advertised that we would have time to stop at 7 mile beach or return with time to shop - of course this wasn't possible for us.

 

After the wonderful tour I would love to be able to recommend Nativeway but that was a little too much of a close call for me!!! Any traffic problems and we wouldn't have made it - we were on one of the last few tenders. No mechanical problems or anything - I just think they might do better not mixing a tour from two different ships with different port times and might have known a little better what the ships schedules were.

[Jandcbrown]

Wow...love your shot of the eel. Our's didn't turn out so well, so we are anxiously awaiting our DVD!!!

 

Glad you all enjoyed the excursion as much as we did! It was a wonderful day and one of the many highlights of my life!!!

 

Fellow Cruisers....please don't miss the opportunity to do Stingray City!!! We look forward to bring our teenage kids to do this!!!

[suzy1212]

Wow...love your shot of the eel. Our's didn't turn out so well, so we are anxiously awaiting our DVD!!!

 

Glad you all enjoyed the excursion as much as we did! It was a wonderful day and one of the many highlights of my life!!!

 

Fellow Cruisers....please don't miss the opportunity to do Stingray City!!! We look forward to bring our teenage kids to do this!!!

I got the DVD Monday. It has some really good footage of the eel.

 

Unless we do a land based vacation to Grand Cayman at some point, I'll never see much of the island. We just have to spend all our time there in the water. :)

[Jandcbrown]

Haven't got our DVD yet! We have ultra-slow snail mail! Hope that's the reason :( Maybe we got it today!

 

I know what you mean. We were discussing flying there and staying several days to enjoy the place....and especially that wonderful, vast ocean! Our guides said they would do special tours as well upon questioning them. So far, Grand Cayman was the most enjoyable place we have been in the Caribbean.

[Jandcbrown]

Yes...got our DVD! Absolutely loved it. I am so glad we bought the DVD! Great shots of fish, coral, stingrays...people with stingrays and Rum Point!! It's got it all!

[suzy1212]

Yes...got our DVD! Absolutely loved it. I am so glad we bought the DVD! Great shots of fish, coral, stingrays...people with stingrays and Rum Point!! It's got it all!

Abbie did a great job didn't she? Really good shots of the eel and lots of fish.

[D4]

Not all Stingray tours throught the ship are packed like sardines. We were on Carnival in June and took one of their earliest tours. There were about 24 people on it and there was an independent photographer and videographer. We got there way before all the other boats which means the stingrays swarmed our group. Near the end of our stay, a lot of boats came so the stingrays were spread out.

 

The guides were great and they held the rays for one on one pictures and kisses like everyone describes. They also helped me stop screaming and feel comfortable in the ocean with the rays swarming all over me. (And I didn't even go near the food bucket!) The DVD was great and we picked it up at the purser's desk right as we left Grand Cayman.

 

We originally planned to go with an independent but cancelled a few weeks prior because DH had been hospitalized. He had some residual problems, so we switched to a ship tour to reduce the standing in line for a tender to GC. We're booked for another cruise and will go with an early ship tour again because we liked getting out to the stingrays before the other boats.

[Jandcbrown]

D4, Do you remember what you paid for the excursion, what all it included? Drinks, food, other excursions, life vests mandatory???

 

Sounds like you had a really good deal on your's. The two ship excursions I saw had very large boats, but loaded with people...and it looked like most of them were wearing life preserver vests.....???

 

Thanks...for the info!

[emporess]

I wrote briefly about this in an earlier post, but will elaborate. Eldon met us at the pier and we waited about 30 minutes. We boarded a small bus/shuttle with two other people. It was great as there were only six of us total. I think we did the tour backwards and I'm not sure why. We went by 7 mile beach for a photo and then to the turtle farm. Afterwards we went to Hell and here is when the problems began. Eldon tried by cell phone to get us on a boat to Stingray City. He spent about 15 minutes on the phone and actually drove in circles with the shuttle. The six of us boarded the boat and I should have known better when Eldon told us to take all of our belongings. The boat was great because it was just the six of us. After we got off the boat we waited and waited to be picked up. Fortunately, on the other side of the parking lot we saw Sharon. She was frantically trying to get some RCCL people back to the ship on time. She even loaded several people in her car. We flagged her down and she told this bus driver that he needed (by yelling at him) to take us to the pier and left. The bus driver put us on the bus and then tried to make us get off saying that we were not part of his tour. After totally begging him, he did take us back. I left the day feeling awful as what started as a great tour became bad. So, I have very mixed feelings about Native Way.

[teajak]

The same thing happened to us. The tour was wonderful and the crew very good and fun,BUT--We almost missed the last tender. We were there on Sept. 28 on RCI Mariner, some of us and mostly people from Carnival Conquest who were to leave an hour after us. When we got to Rum Point he said we will leave here at 1:45 Cayman time( that was 2:45 ships time). I told him we will never make it back across the water and in the traffic. Our last tender was 3:30. He kep reassuring me not to worry, asking me, why are you nervous? Finally he moved the departing time to 1:20. It was 3:00 when we boarded the bus and 3:25 when we reached the dock. I was scared. Great trip but they need to fix this problem.

[vacruizer]

Wow, I thought maybe our tour was an isolated problem but apparently not. It seems like the problems arise when you're on the "early" ship in port that day.

 

I loved the tour itself but they really scared me getting back. I guess I was also bothered by the "I don't care" attitude of the driver (different driver from the morning ride where Eldon drove us) bringing us back as well. Seems like a tour company would make it their business to know everyone's tender times, but we had 3pm last tender time and at 2:30 we were stopping the boat still to sightsee some iguanas. They were really cool, but our guides seemed totally unaware that at least three of the parties on the boat had only 30 minutes to get back to the marina, on the bus and across the island! This was in spite on Eldon's assurances in the morning and our guides repeatedly asking what time our last tender was.

 

I'm sorry to hear this is an ongoing problem - Nativeway provides a great tour but needs to work on their timing before someone really doesn't make it back to the ship in time.

[txadmin2]

I just wrote Sharon to see if anyone has ever actually missed sail away. Hope to hear from her soon.

[phabric]

We will be doing NativeWay stringray and turtle farm and hell in Dec. Any comments would be welcome.