Has Anyone Done The The Seaworld Explorer Glass Bottom Boat Tour?

[CRUISING ROMANTICS!]

Has anyone done the Seaworld Explorer Glass Bottom Boat tour in the Grand Caymans? It is a semi-submarine with a 5 ft deep glass viewing area. (5 ft. deep glass viewing area boat). Cost is $32.00 and lasts one hour. Please help! Is this a good way to see the pretty fish without getting wet and cost efficient?:confused: We are not into scuba diving and swimming with the rays but don't want to totally miss out. Your help is appreciated!

[montgomeryfamily]

We have done both the Nautilus and the Explorer and strongly recommend that you go on the Nautilus.

 

Unless the Explorer has changed boats, which I doubt based on the picture on the web site, this semi-submersible uses the Nautlius 35 design, which has a row of square port-hole type windows and a pull down seat in front of each window. There is a narrow staircase going downstairs into the submarine and the passengers go single file down one of two aisles until the first passenger in the line goes to the end. Then you turn around, pull down your seat, and sit in front of the window. There is a fairly good view and you do see a fair amount of fish. But you really can only see out of your window and, if you lean over a bit, some of the windows on each side. However, you are sitting elbow to elbow with the other passengers, it is very tight, and when we went, it was warm inside (there was some air conditioning, but not enough with all of the passengers in the tight space). Our excursion was full and it felt like being packed in like sardines. I am not a big person and I found it to be uncomfortably close. The other people in our party are bigger and found it to be very uncomfortable.

 

We also did the Nautilus semi-submersible which uses the Nautilus 100 design . While you do go downstairs via a circular staircase, this design is very spacious, air conditioned quite well, and has large picture windows. The seating is comprised of a row of bench seats on which side which are parallel to the windows and which have a lot of space in between. (In the evening they do dinnner cruises and put in a table between the two benches.) There is a lot of open space between the two rows of seats. It has a bathroom onboard and in the afternoon, they offer a longer excursion that includes snorkeling for anyone who wants.

 

On the Nautilus we saw a couple of shipwrecks, a swimming sea turtle, a couple of stingrays, and lots of fish. We anchored at Cheeseburger Reef and that is where the diver went outside and feed the fish, going in front of all of the windows.

 

We really enjoyed our trip on the Nautilus. I recommend that if you want to do the semi-submersible, this is the one you do. You can check out their website for more information-- http://www.nautilus.ky. Pricing is comparable.

 

Kathy

[CRUISING ROMANTICS!]

Thanks Kathy for all the good advice. I really appreciate it. I needed someones advice who had been on it. Thanks again.