Snorkeling with young children

Can anyone recommend a good child-friendly snorkeling excursion? My son got some goggles and breathing tube while we were in FL this past spring break, and wanted to try him out snorkeling on our cruise this Nov. He will be 6, and we are heading to Labadee, Falmouth, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

Sorry, I don't have any excursion advice.

But I would recommend testing it out in the bathtub at home. Snorkelling masks take some getting used to. Even as an adult, that whole "darth vader breath" scared me and took some getting used to.

I bought sets for both of my kids for one of our trips to Castaway Cay. They tried it out and gave up quickly. they were much happier just floating around and looking at the fish.

It's funny. I worried the same thing, so we tried it in the pool in FL. He put on the life jacket, mask, and put tube in his mouth and started snorkeling like he had been doing it for years. He only did this for maybe 10-15 minutes and then he got bored. I am hoping with fish and coral he might last it longer.

In grand cayman, I recomend the stingray, turtle farm and hell excruision. Assuming the water isn't rough, it's great!

I don't know the min age though.

If the water is rough, or he freaks out, someone will have to stay on the boat with him.

Personally, at six, I'd do a beach day and let him snorkle there, Typically you do see small fish. I remember seeing some colorful ones somewhere, Damsles.

Do make arrangements for him to snorkel in a swimming pool someplace at home.

He doesn't have to spent lots of time doing this ... just long enough to have him be comfortable with his ability to snorkel before having his first snorkel experience in the ocean. ;) ... :)

LuLu

Do make arrangements for him to snorkel in a swimming pool someplace at home.

 

He doesn't have to spent lots of time doing this ... just long enough to have him be comfortable with his ability to snorkel before having his first snorkel experience in the ocean. ;) ... :)

 

 

 

LuLu

Yes. My wife is planning to have him practice in our community pool this summer. But we may need to practice a few times in shallow water in ocean first before tackling too much.

In grand cayman, I recomend the stingray, turtle farm and hell excruision. Assuming the water isn't rough, it's great!

 

 

 

I don't know the min age though.

 

 

 

If the water is rough, or he freaks out, someone will have to stay on the boat with him.

 

 

 

Personally, at six, I'd do a beach day and let him snorkle there, Typically you do see small fish. I remember seeing some colorful ones somewhere, Damsles.

I will look into it. I know the stingrays will freak him out, so I was not even looking at that excursion - but I have been reading up on the beaches in GC. Maybe I can find one where we can walk out always and just float and look at some fish... Baby steps :)

Yes. My wife is planning to have him practice in our community pool this summer. But we may need to practice a few times in shallow water in ocean first before tackling too much.

Good Plan! He'll be so much more at ease in the ocean when he feels good about his ability to snorkel.

Labadee would be a good place for him to give it a try from the beach. :)

LuLu

Good Plan! He'll be so much more at ease in the ocean when he feels good about his ability to snorkel.

 

Labadee would be a good place for him to give it a try from the beach. :)

 

 

 

LuLu

This will be our first trip to Labadee, so will give it a go :).

My daughter was 6 when we took her snorkeling last year. To be totally honest I would not book a snorkeling specific excursion with a kid this age, even with lots and lots of practice. The excursions are expensive and often have age limits- they don't care if the child knows how, they just care how old he is. Also they usually need frequent breaks (even with the vest sometimes they feel unsafe and just need to stand up somewhere) so it's really important to have them somewhere where they could take a break, so not out in the middle of the ocean, but near a beach. We typically booked a beach excursion and then just snorkeled with her off the beach. If YOU want to book a snorkeling excursion for you, then have at it, but don't expect the 6 year old to snorkel the entire time. We snorkeled with her at RCIs beach on Haiti last year (labadee?) and that was just perfect.

My daughter was 6 when we took her snorkeling last year. To be totally honest I would not book a snorkeling specific excursion with a kid this age, even with lots and lots of practice. The excursions are expensive and often have age limits- they don't care if the child knows how, they just care how old he is. Also they usually need frequent breaks (even with the vest sometimes they feel unsafe and just need to stand up somewhere) so it's really important to have them somewhere where they could take a break, so not out in the middle of the ocean, but near a beach. We typically booked a beach excursion and then just snorkeled with her off the beach. If YOU want to book a snorkeling excursion for you, then have at it, but don't expect the 6 year old to snorkel the entire time. We snorkeled with her at RCIs beach on Haiti last year (labadee?) and that was just perfect.

That is great advice. I was thinking more like a snorkeling lesson aimed at kids, not necessarily a full blown excursion. But I like this approach - because you are right, at his age, he may get bored quickly, and being at the beach offers more things to do.

I will look into it. I know the stingrays will freak him out, so I was not even looking at that excursion - but I have been reading up on the beaches in GC. Maybe I can find one where we can walk out always and just float and look at some fish... Baby steps :)

No. don't walk to the beach in GC, please, trust me. Take the cab to the free beach, it's not much, I forget how much pp, but affortable. Well worth the cab fair. they have a playground and showers/bathrooms, umbrellas, chairs for rent, water stuff to rent, and someone or more than one someone selling barbque.

We did the walk to the beach...it's all rocky, even with our water shoes it wasn't fun. Next time we did the cab, much better experiance. Oh, the cabs KNOW when the ships are leaving, so getting a cab back to port was never more than a 5 minute wait, though sometimes waiting for it fill up.

I remember years ago we did a snorkel excursion in Cozumel - in the ocean. The water was very rough. I remember DH getting sick.

Stick to bay and waters with stiller waters.

It's not on your itinerary, but a nice one is Trunk Bay/St.John's. They have a snorkel trail that you can enter from the beach. It's been years since I've been there. The "expense" is getting to Trunk Bay. The snorkel train is/was free.

I remember years ago we did a snorkel excursion in Cozumel - in the ocean. The water was very rough. I remember DH getting sick.

 

 

 

Stick to bay and waters with stiller waters.

 

 

 

It's not on your itinerary, but a nice one is Trunk Bay/St.John's. They have a snorkel trail that you can enter from the beach. It's been years since I've been there. The "expense" is getting to Trunk Bay. The snorkel train is/was free.

Thanks. If we cruise again next year, we will most likely do Eastern or Southern, so will keep an eye out for cruises that go to St. John's.

No. don't walk to the beach in GC, please, trust me. Take the cab to the free beach, it's not much, I forget how much pp, but affortable. Well worth the cab fair. they have a playground and showers/bathrooms, umbrellas, chairs for rent, water stuff to rent, and someone or more than one someone selling barbque.

 

We did the walk to the beach...it's all rocky, even with our water shoes it wasn't fun. Next time we did the cab, much better experiance. Oh, the cabs KNOW when the ships are leaving, so getting a cab back to port was never more than a 5 minute wait, though sometimes waiting for it fill up.

Thanks. I meant walk from beach out into water to snorkel, vs taking boat. :). I saw some recommendations for 7 mile beach and a few others. I need to check on my roll call to see what everyone else is doing. One lady mentioned a pirate ship.

In Cozumel, you might like Chankanaab. There is decent snorkeling off shore, but it is deeper water there. There is a smaller lagoon that is more protected where he could start off. The bottom is sandy, so there is not a lot of sea life here, but if he does well here, you may be able to venture out to the areas that are a little deeper, with coral and more fish (and a snorkel vest for safety). The cab fare is around $15 for up to four people each way, and entry into the park is around 25.00 each.

In Cozumel, you might like Chankanaab. There is decent snorkeling off shore, but it is deeper water there. There is a smaller lagoon that is more protected where he could start off. The bottom is sandy, so there is not a lot of sea life here, but if he does well here, you may be able to venture out to the areas that are a little deeper, with coral and more fish (and a snorkel vest for safety). The cab fare is around $15 for up to four people each way, and entry into the park is around 25.00 each.

Thanks. I have heard of that place before but did not see it listed as an excursion, so never really looked at it. We were leaning towards Playa Maya (sp?) as a few people on our roll call are going there, but we have not made any plans yet.

I remember years ago we did a snorkel excursion in Cozumel - in the ocean. The water was very rough. I remember DH getting sick.

 

Stick to bay and waters with stiller waters.

 

It's not on your itinerary, but a nice one is Trunk Bay/St.John's. They have a snorkel trail that you can enter from the beach. It's been years since I've been there. The "expense" is getting to Trunk Bay. The snorkel train is/was free.

*snorkel trail not snorkel train

lol.

though i suppose you could link up and form your own train :D

Have been to Playa Mia several times -- waves are usually robust, not r\great snorkling off the beach. It is a great beach day, tho! Look for a snorkling excursion that is kid friendly, but if you don't have a chance to practice a lot in a pool or the tub before hand, don't bother -- some kids don't take to the breathing tube nor the mask thing well right away, and wavy salt water is not the place to start.