reluctant kids and stingray adventure?

We're on the Dream in October and I had been looking forward to doing the stingray adventure with my kids - 6 & 10. I have fed and swam with stingrays years ago on Grand Cayman and it was amazing. I showed some youtube videos to my kids and they are very hesitant. My 6 year old is adamantly saying no. My 10 year old just wants to feed them, but not swim with them. I don't want to waste time and money on this if they are not interested. Hoping to convince the 10 year old it is worth it.

Any tips, advice, or past experiences? If you did this with your kids did they enjoy it?

If they are reluctant, I'd wait until they're older before spending that much money!

If they are reluctant, I'd wait until they're older before spending that much money!

I agree with this. Especially with one "adamantly saying no". That doesn't seem "reluctant" to me - seems the younger one is being definitive that s/he does NOT want to do it.

I get that you loved your experience doing one - which is great! That does not mean, however, that your kids will think it's "great" or "amazing". Different people like different things, and that's ok. I think if you force them to do it, you're just setting yourself up for a day of unhappiness and hurt feelings all around (you'll be upset that your kids didn't find it amazing, your kids will be resentful that you forced them to do something, etc.) on Castaway Cay when that should be a day of relaxation and fun!

probably ... the reluctant can stay on the tour boat and watch from a few yards away.

probably they will get comfortable after watching for a few minutes and call to m or d and be willing to be carried over and then all will be good .....

******

for entertainment this story where I had the opposite:::::

DD was about 7 and had been snorkeling in the pool for a couple of years, LOVED fish and had seen all of our pictures and videos of diving (DW and I were very active divers at this time). DD BEGGED to go "real snorkeling" and we lived in Miami so one day I set off with her to the Keys for a "real snorkel trip". We stopped on the way down to Key Largo to buy her decent fins, mask and snorkel. We got to Pennekamp Park, got on the snorkel trip boat under ideal conditions and enjoyed the trip to the reef. She geared up like a pro and we jumped in .... her eyes were HUGE as she took in all the sights for the first time.

AND THEN it happened .... she saw a small 'cuda with its mouth open about 10 feet away. All she saw were TEETH.

What I next saw most closely resembled a 1000 hp super boat at full throttle doing 60 mph over the water with a HUGE rooster tail ..... if she could duplicate this swim today she'd have Olympic Medals for sure.

In seconds she had walked on water back to the boat and was NOT to be coaxed back in!!!

I guess I handled it well tho as there was no permanent damage. She later did an internship at CocoView Resort, Roatan (college credit BTW - 'BAMA program that picks two a year - she counted sea horses for the annual census)

POINT? Don't push ... encourage .....

Yes I will of course not force them. I am sad that the 6 year old is so against it, but I am also fine with her sitting out as I know she would ruin it for me completely if she did not enjoy it. She can sit out with DH who really has no interest either. I'm hoping to convince my 10 year old to do it though, she is on the fence - ok with feeding them, but not swimming with them. I think she would enjoy it if she could get past feeling scared. I do have the excursion booked and we sail in about 5 weeks. Just wondering how this experience went for others with kids.

I guess there is a good chance that once your 10 yr old has been up close with the rays for feeding, the thought of swimming with them may not seem so intimidating, but I can see why she might be reluctant now.

Maybe you could get her to work on a project learning about them, how they feed using suction etc before the cruise and that will also calm her nerves?

ex techie

One of the zoos near us has a sting ray exhibit where you can feed them. That would certainly help with getting accustomed to the Rays.

My son was 6 when I took him to grand Cayman. He was excited till we got in the water and clung to me so tightly. There were some big ones swimming around and he was overwhelmed by them. He didn't enjoy it at all. Are you doing the excursion at the Disney island.

When we did that with older kids there was two parts. Feeding them close to the shore on a floating table and then swimming freely with them out in the bay. The feeding was structured and not near as overwhelming as jumping off a boat into a swarm of rays all around. My kids were 14 and 10 for that one and really enjoyed it.

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We went on a stingray adventure in May in Grand Cayman with two 5-year-olds. We booked independently through Acquarius Sea Tours and had a great experience even with reluctant kids.

It helped that this operator does the tour in "reverse" to skip the crowds and get people comfortable in the water. We went to Starfish Beach first where my kids touched starfish in the water. Next we made a snorkeling stop - which was a little rough because of wind, but again, it got everyone comfortable in the water with the crew. Last stop was Stingray City. We pulled in just as a lot of operators were pulling out. With a little coaxing my kids posed for a photo with the rays even though they didn't touch one - crew was very understanding and helpful to make sure my kids had fun without being scared. I think the cost was $50 per person which I think was less than a lot of operators charge just for the the Stingray City trip.

I'd say if you really want to do the stingray adventure (like I did) go for it, your kids may surprise you. That said, my brother and his kids went to the turtle farm and had an equally great time.