Need stingray advice - 4/5 year old

[crusinmama06]

My 4 year old just brought me a copy of Caribbean Magazine and said "I want to do THIS please"

 

It's the Grand Caymen ad for the stingray swim. :rolleyes:

 

OK, so now I go look for stingray swims for the next 2 cruises and there are none for her age offered through the cruiseline :(

 

Anyone have any insight to Stingray encounters at the following ports...(unfortunatly none of them are Grand Caymen)

 

--Nassau

--Castaway Cay (Disney says ages 6 and up to swim with stingrays - is there any others she CAN do there)

--Belize

--Costa Maya

--Cozumel

[twofastdogs]

We are taking the Nativeway Stingray/coral reef/starfish excursion in Grand Cayman. They take all ages. Even my 1.5 yo could have gone, but he is staying on the ship with Grandma. We are taking my 3.5 yo, and she is free. She won't snorkel, but she can ge tin the water if she so desires! We are going on this on Aug. 13 so i can let you know what it is like if you want!

[twofastdogs]

OK, I'm bad and a little tired. I just reread your post and you are NOT GOING to GC. Sorry!

[crusinmama06]

LOL that's ok. ;) Ironically enough, when we were IN Grand Caymen last April I couldn't get my oldest to do this. Now my youngest wants to go and Disney has the age limit at 5. :(

[lucyddr]

Just a warning...

 

When we did the stingray swim in GC on our Disney Magic cruise, there were several children in the 3-12 age group. When the boats arive at the sandbar, the rays "rush" to the new boat in hopes of being fed. This can be quite frightening (even for adults) and the responses from most of the children from 3-8 years old included crying, screaming, and shear panic! Most of the parents couldn't even get them into the water. So, just be sure yours will do it as there were a lot of unhappy parents in our group who were never even able to enter the water!

[crusinmama06]

Yeah I figured that's how my oldest would be. My youngest has no fear. :o

 

So Disney starts at 3 for Stingray City in GC? So why does it start at 5 for Castaway Cay. At Castaway Cay they are literally in very shallow water just off the beach. :confused:

[purplephenom]

I remember reading that there's a stingray swim in Nassau. I can't remember where it's at (I just remember the name sounds sort of pirate like, but I know that's not helpful) so I'm trying to find some information.

[purplephenom]

ok found something...

 

http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/island/vendordetail.aspx?sectionid=113579&rightsectionid=113579&level=2&supplierid=15138

 

it doesn't have an age listed, but there is contact information.

[crusinmama06]

ok found something...

 

http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/island/vendordetail.aspx?sectionid=113579&rightsectionid=113579&level=2&supplierid=15138

 

it doesn't have an age listed, but there is contact information.

 

You are my new hero!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't know that Blackbeards had stingrays! Look at this site!

http://www.stingrayadventure.com/about.html

 

I emailed them to find out about age requirements. THANK YOU!!!!

[crusinmama06]

EDITED TO ADD - Disney DOES have this excursion!!!! How did I miss it??? And it's for 3 and up!

 

WOOOOHOOOO

 

Thank you purple! If it wasn't for you I would never have found this! I am booking it now.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/shoreEx/landing?name=NassauExcursionDetailPage&excursionID=N17%20BLACKBEARDExcursion&referer=NassauExcursionsLandingPage&ActivityType=AllActivityType&ActivityLevel=AllActivityLevel&Ages=AllActivityAges

[rphx2nc]

Just a warning...

 

When we did the stingray swim in GC on our Disney Magic cruise, there were several children in the 3-12 age group. When the boats arive at the sandbar, the rays "rush" to the new boat in hopes of being fed. This can be quite frightening (even for adults) and the responses from most of the children from 3-8 years old included crying, screaming, and shear panic! Most of the parents couldn't even get them into the water. So, just be sure yours will do it as there were a lot of unhappy parents in our group who were never even able to enter the water!

 

 

We had the same experience. We were 14 adults in GC and I was the only wife who did not panic. All others were on husband's backs screaming and freaking out. After what I saw, I won't attempt this with the children.

 

Blackbeards is a much smaller contained area. GC is in the open water. DH and older DD can swim while you and younger DD do stingrays. People were not freaking out there. Not has many stingrays. They are everywhere at stingray city GC. Also in GC there were so many people it was more walking and not swimming/snorkeling. Plus if she changes her mind at blackbeards the beach is right there. The stingrays are soft and silky underneath and rough and hard like sand paper on top. I really liked it.

[crusinmama06]

We had the same experience. We were 14 adults in GC and I was the only wife who did not panic. All others were on husband's backs screaming and freaking out. After what I saw, I won't attempt this with the children.

 

Blackbeards is a much smaller contained area. GC is in the open water. DH and older DD can swim while you and younger DD do stingrays. People were not freaking out there. Not has many stingrays. They are everywhere at stingray city GC. Also in GC there were so many people it was more walking and not swimming/snorkeling. Plus if she changes her mind at blackbeards the beach is right there. The stingrays are soft and silky underneath and rough and hard like sand paper on top. I really liked it.

 

Thanks! Yes I like that there is a beach at Blackbeards and not just open water/boat to retreat to.

 

We are booked...I have the confirmations and I am so excited!

 

I am so thankful to have this board. You guys really made my day. :D

[purplephenom]

Cool, nice to have everything work out.

 

BTW, I think there was a post on one of these boards saying the rays in Nassau are debarbed (not sure if that's the correct word). But if that's true, maybe it might help your older daughter want to at least try to get in the water with the rays?

[SelectSys]

When we did the stingray swim in GC on our Disney Magic cruise, there were several children in the 3-12 age group. ... Most of the parents couldn't even get them into the water. So, just be sure yours will do it as there were a lot of unhappy parents in our group who were never even able to enter the water!

 

We did the same tour and my son who was 8 at the time was totally freaked and wouldn't really go in the water. I think it is his least favorite cruise memory...

[thunderbird1]

I realize you already have your solution (and now I want to go back to Nassau just to go to Blackbeard's!), but here's an excursion we did in Belize a couple of years ago:

 

http://www.coralbreezetours.com/Belize/Caye/Caulker/cruise/snorkeling/current_category.15/Product.2/tours_add.html?t_product=2

 

The stingray portion of the tour wasn't the shallow (3 feet) water swarm that you see on the tourism videos, but rather a slightly deeper (6-10 feet) and much less dense group of stingrays, if that makes sense. The tour operators were the only ones doing the feeding and, while the stingrays swam all around us, you had to really work to get one to brush up against you. It was very un-intimidating, for those who are more reluctant to swim with the stingrays.

 

Best of all, and the reason we took the tour (since our ds was only 2 at the time, and too young to snorkel), is they have 2 different prices--one for snorkelers and one for observers. We booked 2 snorkelers and 2 observers, so my ds was able to stay on the boat the entire time. There were two snorkeling stops--the stingrays and a coral reef. My dd did both, and the guides were nice enough to let my dh and I trade off "snorkeling" and "observing" without paying anything extra (we did bring our own masks and snorkels, but used their fins).

 

I can't recommend Coral Breeze highly enough--they were terrific!

[Paumavista]

OK....we all know kids are different but we talked my brothers family into coming with us the last time we were in GC on the stingray trip (we'd done it a couple years ago with a 3 year old)........

 

Well this trip we had a 3,4,7,8,9,11, 18,21 (and parents) - everyone loved it except for one 8 year boy.....he waited on board the boat (no problem). Everyone else had a ball and I know it was the highlight of the cruise for many - my little ones absolutely love to look at the pictures we took and my 9 year old says he wants to be a tour guide when he grows up!

 

I've done it before a couple of times and I still find it sooooo amazing that I would book the same tour again the next time we go back.....

Judy

[crusinmama06]

Jennifer - Thanks! I bookmarked that tour site so I can use it when we go to Belize. :D

 

Judy - I think my 8 year old may be standing on the beach. But the 4 year old will be diving right in. ;) I guess we'll see in 4 weeks. Thanks!

[boa0007]

Hi,

Just be forwarned, in Grand Cayman my 4 year old was very excited about Stingray city and talked about quite often. When we got there she was terrified at the sight of them and screamed almost the whole time.

 

I think it was the size of them that scared her though, but if there is a beach at Nassau and the kids can enter the water by themselves that would probably be much better than having to hop off a boat into the water.

 

Have a great time and let us know how the excursion went.

[JCSM-Mom]

You will have a great time. It is very dependent on the kid! My DS and DD love it. They were 4 and 3 at the time (last September). We were in GC though. I'm glad you were able to get something booked! I'll be interested to hear you review of it when you get back. Maybe next time we are in Nassau we'll give it a try.

 

Here's a picture showing you how much they loved it, I hope it's the same for you....unfortunately DD was cut off a bit in this picture....but you can still see she was having a ball....

[crusinmama06]

Awwww great pic Renee!!!!!

 

And believe me Boa - you will ALL hear about it when I get back. :p :D

[itutorfortravel]

Hi, we flew to Grand Cayman last summer and stayed for a week. While there, we took the Red Sail Sports Stingray City tour out of Rum Point. Capt. Jimmy is a native Caymanian and a great host! At the time Brad was the other crew member and he was also great. If you have time to get to Rum Point to do this tour, we really recommend it.

[sunandseagirl617]

We did the blackbeard swim in Naussau.....I stood by the shore screaming while dh and kids were swimming with them.....One brush against the thigh and I was outta there!

 

Kids loved it but I just had to be on stand by...! Have fun, my kids are fearless, too!:mad:

[crusinmama06]

Tutor - Thanks for that tip!

 

floridagirl68 - HAHAHAHAHAHA! Well at least it was you screaming and not the kids. :D

[timmy1958]

Too bad you're not sailing out of Tampa. At the Tampa (Ok, maybe it's Florida) Aquarium, right at the port, there is an area where anyone can stand and pet the Stingrays. There are quite a few of them in the tank, ranging in size from very small to about a four foot wing span. My wife and I took our not quite one year old there in April, and she even let me put her little hand on the Stingray, with a little squeal of delight at the soft/slimy feel. I was surprised she wasn't scared.

 

Then, as we were walking out the front gate to head back to our room, we stood and watched one of the Carnival ships leaving port. Great timing.

[crusinmama06]

Too bad you're not sailing out of Tampa. At the Tampa (Ok, maybe it's Florida) Aquarium, right at the port, there is an area where anyone can stand and pet the Stingrays. There are quite a few of them in the tank, ranging in size from very small to about a four foot wing span. My wife and I took our not quite one year old there in April, and she even let me put her little hand on the Stingray, with a little squeal of delight at the soft/slimy feel. I was surprised she wasn't scared.

 

Then, as we were walking out the front gate to head back to our room, we stood and watched one of the Carnival ships leaving port. Great timing.

 

 

Awesome! :D

 

Well I have to say that at the Pittsburgh zoo, my kids can (and have) pet stingrays at the exhibit there. I guess she just want to jump in the water with them now. :eek: