Confusing...

[hugolizard]

Hello everyone, first time poster here :). First time cruiser as well.

 

At the end of Aug my gf and I are going on a 4 nights Bahamas cruise with RCI (with our hard earned summer jobs $ :p ) and one of the ports is Nassau. There are 2 things that we would like to do: reef snorkel (although we can snorkel at cococay) & stingray. I've done some major searching on this forum and I'm still very confused on if there are 2 seperate stingray excursions at Nassau? I'm looking over at CCL's website and they have 'Pearl Island stingray encounter' and 'Stingray City snorkeling at Blue Lagoon'.

 

Now I believe Pearl Island and Blue Lagoon are two different places right?

 

It seems like everyone on this site is bashing the Stingray City at Blue Lagoon. But does anyone know if the stingray encounter at Pearl Island is any good? And I believe RCI only offers the stingray at Blue Lagoon, but can I somehow book with Pearl Island (is there a company that does this?) to do their stingray excursion instead?

 

The reason I would like to go through this trouble is 'cause I know Blue Lagoon's stingray area is fenced and the rays there are sort of altered (garbage floating around as well?). It would just be a lot more fun for us if we could touch and feed stingrays in an open beach environment.

 

Thanks for giving a newbie tips in advance ;).

 

Paul

[dispatch64]

Hi Paul We went to Pearl Island last year, in Sept. When we were there at that time all our ship offered as a tour was a treasure hunt excursion at Pearl Island which was a snorkeling trip in which you were taken to the Island and while you were there you actually looked for oysters with pearls and conch shells which you were able to keep, after you could use the island beach, get great rum punch or other drinks at the bar, had a lunch all included. While swimming at the beach there were 2 stingrays that kept circling the area and occasionally the workers would throw out some food to keep them in the area i was able to touch them and get some great pictures with an underwater camera, they told us then that the rays are not always there. So unless things have changed this is what your in for we had a great time, and touching the rays was a highlight for me. Hope this helps.

 

John

[SWACK]

We're going on RCCL at the end of August too, on the Soveriegn 8/30.. is that when you're sailing?

 

As to stingrays, if that is truly your desire, you should do a Western Carr, and go to Grand Cayman and Stingray City.. you go out on a boat to the ocean, and a 4' deep sandbar and there are literally hundreds of stingrays coming up and touching you.. wildest thing I've ever done.. Pix here...

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/113216809OBLXUo