Stingray city - is the extra snorkle spot worth it?

[Bee Bop]

I am looking at all of the various tours to stingray city. I have been before, but only to stingray city (I was one that booked thru the ship and was packed on like Sardines!!)

 

Anyway, most of the private tours offer additional snorkle stops. Trying to figure which is better - 2.5hr with rays and snorkle spot OR 3 hours with rays and 2 snorkel spots.

 

Is the extra snorkle spot worth it? It really isn't much more money, but I didn't want to just get into the water to start snorkling just to get back on the boat to go to another spot (if that makes sense)

 

thanks for any advice :)

[mrsfuzzmo]

We did Capt. Bryans (Buccaneer) with two snorkel stops in addition to Stingrays. The first stop was the reef very near "Rays" and the snorkeling was average. The second stop was after the rays and was at the Coral Gardens and was fantastic. I felt sorry for those that were tired and didn't get back into the water for the second round of snorkeling (which was most people on the boat) because it was by far the better snorkeling. My husband almost didn't go back in with me (he wanted to drink more punch) but I talked him into it and he was thrilled. We just felt bad for everyone else that didn't go with us because the snorkeling was that great. So, to answer your question, I would take the two stop trip just in case the first area isn't that great.

 

Mrsfuzzmo

[nansi]

Absolutely do them all! We went a couple of years ago with Captain Marvin and it was one of the best snorkel trips we have ever done anywhere! They took us to Coral Gardens, Barrier Reef, and StingRay City. I think we had 14 people on the boat. I can't remember our Captain's name (wasn't Marvin), but this guy was great. He got in the water with us at each spot; got a Moray Eel to come out from under a rock to say hello ;) to us all; then found Matilda, a nurse shark, who he petted (some of our braver snorklers also touched her). It was just incredible. Then finally to Sting Ray City, where he timed it so we would be there alone and had all the rays to ourselves. We got to hold them, feed them...it was amazing! Just as we were about to leave, the ship's excursion (otherwise known as the cattle barge) pulled up, and about 100 or more people jumped in and thrashed about. We were so happy we hadn't gone that route! Besides the fact that they didn't get to see the other spots with Captain Kirk (I just remembered his name haha).

So go for it...it was SO WORTH IT!! Even better, they had a diver videotaping our entire experience. We still play it at parties; people can't believe that we were snorkling with Moray Eels and Sharks and Sting Rays, it's just so impressive!:D

[nansi]

just trying to see why my post didn't show up.