Stingray City????

I did the tour with my family and we booked with Stingray City United. It was such a memorable experience, my husband and my two sons enjoyed it the most, they did not want to leave the water. My youngest wanted to take home a Stingray as a pet :). The tour was professionally organized and we were picked up from the port and taken to where we need to be. I really can't wait to visit Grand Cayman again and I would definitely book with Stingray City United again.

We are taking our grand children, age 5 and 7. Is stingray city appropriate for children that young? Both are comfortable in the water although the 5 year old is not the greatest swimmer.

We are taking our grand children, age 5 and 7. Is stingray city appropriate for children that young? Both are comfortable in the water although the 5 year old is not the greatest swimmer.

Yes, it is fine to have your kids out there with you. My youngest is 8 and he enjoyed himself. The sandbar that you go to, which is where the Stingrays are, is like waist deep water so it is not that much different from say if you had them in a pool. There were a lot of families with kids out there enjoying themselves. Just go in the water with them as you would at the beach or in a pool, they will love it and it is safe.

We've taken kids as young as 2 or 3. Timid sorts usually end up on mom or dad's shoulders.

We have done the Stingrays twice now and love it!

I agree with everyone else that you don't have to get off the boat when they do the snorkeling part. There were people that stayed on the boat when we went. They are use to it.

However, if I remember correctly, they did have a tour that was the stingrays and the starfish? I think you swam with the stingrays and then they went to the starfish area and they would dive down and bring some up for you to hold. Maybe you could do that tour which wouldn't require anyone to get off the boat.

We went with Nativeway and looking at their page, they do have just a stingray and island tour for $60, which takes you to Turtle Farm, Tortuga Rum Factory, 7 Mile Beach, and Governor’s House.

Then they also have the stingrays, coral garden and the starfish for $40

There is a short review on our blog about stingray city. I believe that we used Captain Marvin, but it sounds like perhaps one of the others may be a better fit for you. If nothing else, you can go check out the photos and get excited for your trip. (that's what I like to do before a trip... just overload on info).

Either way, stingray city is a DON'T MISS. Take an underwater camera and snap a few shots and enjoy.

I would say (like others) captain marvins is awesome! We had some that could not swim they loved it! They were patience and gentle and kind. They stayed on boat while the rest of us snorkels

Everyone still gets to have a great time even if you are not able to swim, you are not at all pressured to get off the boat if you do not want to and you get to see everyone go crazy and have a great time. That is how it was with Stingray City United and I am pretty sure the other tours, either way, swim or no swim, Stingray City is not to be missed by anyone visiting Grand Cayman :)

For the boat ride is there a lot of rocking? I get sea sick on small boats but would love to do this tour. How long is the boat ride?

That largely depends on the weather. On an average calm day, there should be very little rocking, because you are inside the barrier reef. If you look at satellite photos of the area, it will be a little more clear what I mean, but the waves are stopped at the barrier reef. The exception to this is if the weather is windy or the seas are rough enough to impact that area, but as I recall, this was not an issue.

Anyone else have similar thoughts in that regard?

dsschmidt:

If you search the various posts regarding stingrays, at GC or Gibb Cay or other encounter opportunities, you will see a very few disappointed posts, many many MANY happy posts, and quite a few from folks like you who are interested, but with reservations. The last group, in their after-encounter reports, are almost unanimously rabid stingray converts.

My advice? Go, see, try, enjoy, and come back and tell us. Personally, I recommend this for people's bucket lists.