Need Help Deciding: Stingray Snorkel Excursion

Hi,

I have narrowed it down to four companies for a stingray snorkel tour. Could anyone provide me their thoughts and suggestions? Would love to hear your experience with these companies. Please help us decide who we should us. They are: Dexter's Fantasea Tours, Captain Marvin's, Moby Dick Tours, and Aquarius Sea Tours.

We are a group of 8 and do not want to be on a boat with tons of people (i.e. 30, 40, 50, etc people).

Thanks,

cruzbound

Hi,

 

I have narrowed it down to four companies for a stingray snorkel tour. Could anyone provide me their thoughts and suggestions? Would love to hear your experience with these companies. Please help us decide who we should us. They are: Dexter's Fantasea Tours, Captain Marvin's, Moby Dick Tours, and Aquarius Sea Tours.

 

We are a group of 8 and do not want to be on a boat with tons of people (i.e. 30, 40, 50, etc people).

 

Thanks,

cruzbound

I have done it twice with Captain Marvins. The experience was great. Got to hold and kiss a Stingray. About 15 people on the boat both times.

We have a tour booked in April with Acquarius Tours. We love the fact that it is much smaller and you get the free photos, pizza, punch and full bathrooms. As well as well as going to the 3 places (starfish point, stingray city and the snorkeling site! LOVE that they do the complementary photos we love having those but they add up so quickly, and it takes the stress out of trying to get good photos.

we chose dexter. they don't take pictures but will take pictures with your camera. it's a catamaran so weather permitting a nice sail back. only 2 stops. drinks [non alcoholic]. done by noon. hoping to have time to sit on beach. only $40. smaller groups.

i didn't like the looks of the boat moby dick.

i contacted dexter's and they will drop you off at 7mb after tour.

Hi TnTWalter

When are you going with Dexter? Are you going to take a taxi back to 7 MB? We have only been to Grand Cayman once and it was a long time ago so I can't remember where things are. I think our group may be interested in a little beach time and also walking though town. Is 7 MB and town close to each other? Just trying to get a feel for the logistics of the area and cost of taxi and timing. Thanks for your help.

I have narrowed the choice down to two - Dexter or Acquarius. Just have to decide if the group wants more snorkel time or more free time. I think both operations have nice boats. I do like Dexter because it is more of a cataraman but Acquarius looks like it is a nice cabin cruiser type boat. Such a hard choice.

cruzbound

Dexter's van will drop us at 7mb and then we will take the bus back to terminal [$2.50 per person and we are a family of 5 so cab might be issue].

We are booked for Early April can't remember exact day in port but it's an April 3 cruise.

I liked more free time and the catamaran better but both sound good. I really liked the sound of conch diving included in the Captain Marvin 9-2:30 trip but it was a long day and pricey....

Flip a coin. It will be fun.

Just got back from Captain Marvin's. Have used them before. On time, uncrowded boats, Helpful crew. Plenty of time with the rays. The photos they take are fantastic. We had friends with us this time who had never been, and they said it was Hands-down their favorite thing.

We did the three stop tour with Captain Marvin's 2 weeks ago. It was excellent!

My family went with Captain Marvins. Maybe 20 people on the ship so it was easy to maneuver and easy to experience the sting rays. We had an 11 month old baby with us and she was welcomed which was why we chose that tour. When we went to the sting rays she got in her little boat float thing and was happy as a clam. The guides were great with her too and brought a sting ray up to her. She really didn't seem to notice lol

The sting ray part was pretty cool but kinda short. Looked like all of the tours were pretty short though (saw a few other boats out there with us). The "snorkeling" part of the trip was very subpar. There was a lot of waves so if someone isn't a strong swimmer, it can be difficult to get around and even a struggle to get back to the boat. and the actual snorkeling isn't even very good. not much to see...

HOWEVER, the sting rays were so freakin cool that it made the trip totally worth it! Not something I'd probably do again (just because I've done it once) but it was really neat and worth doing once in your life.

I would definitely recommend Captain Marvins!

Whether you're on a boat with 8 or 30...you will all go to the same place at the same time...

You can also read reviews on Trip Advisor.

Keith

just back from our cruise with Liberty of the Seas.

I would give this a 4/5. There were 2 issues that annoyed me. But first the good.

There were 2 families of 6, 2 families of 4 and my family of 5. A little more than I hoped [thought would be 18-20] but kids don't take up much room! Nice catamaran [minus the bathroom; emergency only]. Beautiful day. We got in the vans and headed to the boat. Boarded and motored out stingray city. The boats tie up in a big circle to keep the waves down in the middle. There are lots of boats. Wow. But it's not bad. Really. You jump in [or can use ladder] in about 5 feet and wade to wear it's 3 feet or so. The stingrays swim by your feet. The water is so beautiful. You interact with the stingrays for a bit. Everyone gets to interact. Don't worry. Then off to the reef to snorkel with the fish. Head out as far as you can for most fish. Great time. There is water and soda available. Plenty of room on the boat. Captain was nice and attentive. He took pictures with your camera. Overall good experience. $40 per person is a really great deal IMHO.

My 2 issues.

1

We arrived at 7:30. NCL people were also on the trip. Their ship didn't let out until 8:15 or so. Their emails to me were make sure you are there by 7:45 etc. So that was frustrating. It was a busy day in port and that time would have helped with crowds at stingray city and for afterwards when we wanted to go to 7MB. [we were done later than predicted]....

2

when we were in the water although he gives nice time for each family to interact with stingrays and he takes pictures etc, you wait a bit for this interaction. Not a big deal but perhaps the first mate could also work with families...there was plenty of time and plenty of interaction though so it was all good.

We saw other super crowded boats and some came dumped people in water saw a ray and were back on boat and out of there within several minutes.

Some pics

Great pictures, looks like a fun time! Though when I saw the thread title I thought this was a Dexter (tv show) based excursion which would have been perfect for my daughter! Haha, oh well.

Now what a tv show Dexter excursion would look like, I don't know...