StingRay City - could we do this on our own?

What we'd like to do is take a taxi to StingRay City Antigua shortly after getting off our ship. Any idea how much this would cost? Taking a bus to this location really isn't an option, right?

I think we'd need to book online with them beforehand. We'd like to experience this but not in a large ship-sponsored group. Has anyone ever tried this before?

Eli's Tours is the only tour company that offers an excursion with a stop there, right? Yes I have read all the wonderful reviews. We would book them but they are too pricey for us. Kinda strange to me that no other companies have a tour that goes there...

I would think we'd have some time after the rays to spend some time at a beach/eat lunch. Anyone know of a beach on the way back to the ship?

TIA

I looked into this option before our cruise, but came to the conclusion that it would be less expensive and WAY less complicated to book it through the ship. On Princess the excursion was $59 which included transportation there and back. Stingray City on its own, without transportation, is $50 per person. I don't think you could get a taxi there and back for only $9.00 per person, it is quite a distance from St. John's. Also, they have specific times that they go out in the boats to the sandbar, I think that even if you did it on your own you would end up being in a group from a cruise ship. I could be wrong about that part though, but in all the reviews I have read of the tour the only people I have read of doing it on their own were those that were staying on Antigua, and even they said it was pretty complicated to get there. BTW, it is a GREAT excursion!

Hmmm.

Well, we decided to stay one less night before our cruise to save money. We will visit Stingray City via Adventure Antigua's Xtreme Circumnav Tour. Hope it's as great as the reviews say!

I cannot speak for that tour, although I have heard great things about it, but I can tell you that I would go to Stingray City again in a heartbeat. I'm guessing you are on a ship that does not offer Stingray City through the ship? I know someone sailing on Carnival recently posted that Carnival does not offer this excursion. When do you sail? Please come back and post your thoughts on the tour.

I cannot speak for that tour, although I have heard great things about it, but I can tell you that I would go to Stingray City again in a heartbeat. I'm guessing you are on a ship that does not offer Stingray City through the ship? I know someone sailing on Carnival recently posted that Carnival does not offer this excursion. When do you sail? Please come back and post your thoughts on the tour.

We will be on Celebrity Summit in Jan 2013. It is too far out to know if they'll be offering that tour, but I assume they will. This month the Summit's SRC excursion is $69/p. We did not get to SRC in Grand Cayman this year, so we'd like to experience on our next cruise ... And I have read many positive reviews of SRC itself and Eli's Tours on TripAdvisor. Now the only problem is waiting 10 months!

We have twice booked this tour through the ship. it was fun and not any more expensive than booking with the company on our own. The groups are not too large. If you want more than just the rays, then I also recommend Eli's tours.

We have done sting ray city in Antigua as a rccl sponsored excursion. It was awesome. About 20 people but it wasn't crowded at all. The sandbar that you swim with the rays is very large. Enough to snorkel and interact with the rays. The guides were more than helpful. I would do it again. The bus ride was long, I'd imagine it would be pricey to get a taxi.

I looked into this option before our cruise, but came to the conclusion that it would be less expensive and WAY less complicated to book it through the ship. On Princess the excursion was $59 which included transportation there and back. Stingray City on its own, without transportation, is $50 per person. I don't think you could get a taxi there and back for only $9.00 per person, it is quite a distance from St. John's. Also, they have specific times that they go out in the boats to the sandbar, I think that even if you did it on your own you would end up being in a group from a cruise ship. I could be wrong about that part though, but in all the reviews I have read of the tour the only people I have read of doing it on their own were those that were staying on Antigua, and even they said it was pretty complicated to get there. BTW, it is a GREAT excursion!

Was trying to find out the price of this excursion thru princess. But not able to find it on 9 dates. Not offered on any of them.

So I guess we will have to find a company that does this. Stingray city says it is only open for tours mon-fri. Why does it have to be so confusing

You can book it on their website but you may be with other groups.

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