SESFan

Sorry for the delayed response! Here's my experience for the above questions:

Did the horseback riding include swimming with the horses?

Yes, the swimming was included. We rode the horses through the nearby village area and then trotted through the beach. The horse "swimming" was more like the horses walking through the water half way up to horse (just below their belly). It was kinda short but cool :)

Did you have time to do both activities (horses and Blue Hole)?

Yes, we had time to do both and we were not rushed during the trip. We had a private van that took us to the horseback riding area, then after that we loaded back up to go to the Irie Blue Hole. We were assigned a guide there who helped us through the waterfalls. So much fun :D Afterwards, we went to Scotchies for lunch (yum!) and they took us to a very touristy/ghetto souvenir shop (not recommended). We were dropped off back at the port with time to spare.

Would you recommend this combination, and which tour company did you use?

I enjoyed the Irie Blue Hole the most out of the tour but I was with friends who enjoyed the horseback riding more. It was a really fun experience though! It was the excursion we spent the most money on but I think it was worth it. We used Ricardo from Liberty Tours.

Is there a changing room/bathroom available to switch from bathing suits to riding clothes?

Nope! We wore our swimwear underneath our clothes. When we needed to get ready for the waterfalls, we just removed our clothes and left them in the private van. We did the horseback riding first and I wasn't really in "riding clothes" ... just a tank top, shorts, and water shoes.

If your taking the ship excursion I would imagine they get you back to the boat on time?

I believe they guarantee that you will make it back in time. But we had enough time, even with all our activities.

Is there also somewhere to lock up your belongings during the water portion of the horseback ride (cameras, cruise information, clothes)?

We left most things in the private van, but if you're only doing the horseback riding, you can probably bring a small pouch with you. I brought along my camera (not waterproof) and a tote bag to hold my wallet and things. The "swimming" isn't like full on swimming. I only got my legs wet while sitting on the horse. The guides were super nice though because they grabbed a couple of our cameras to help take photos of the whole group. I wouldn't be too worried about getting your things wet.

I've booked a similar tour (Private tour: Horseback riding + Irie Blue Hole) and we'll be going next week! I'd let you know after I come back but I think we might be on the same cruise! :rolleyes:

Quick question wave rider...

When you did the horseback riding, was it difficult to take photos? Or do they help take photos for you? We're going in a group of 6 people and it'd be great to capture those moments :p

All that research and Acquarus Sea Tours is fully booked! Sad :( I've emailed the other two tours to see if they have availability.

Does anyone have experience snorkeling (without a tour) with turtles? I was thinking of switching it up to see the Turtle Farm instead but read reviews that the Turtle Lagoon wasn't very nice. Anyone know what a nice spot to snorkel with turtles would be? :)

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I decided to book the Acquarus Sea tours, although the decision was a difficult one. I couldn't help it when free photos are offered. ;) I'll be there in 2 weeks so I'll let you guys know how it went.

Thanks again!

Hello! I'll be sailing away on the Disney Fantasy in 2 weeks (my first Disney cruise, but will be my 10th overall) with 5 other adults in our 20's. I've been researching the different Stingray tour companies and have read multiple threads about them.

My main concerns:

1. # of people of each boat - I don't want to be packed in like a sardine :P
   
2. Finding them on pier/local time issues - I've read reviews about confusion with local time vs ship time. How do you figure it out? :(
   
3. Price - We're spending a lot in Cozumel and Jamaica so there's not much left in the budget :X
   
4. Returning to ship on time - I get very nervous about missing the ship! Do these tours guarantee your return?
   

Here are the 3 companies I have narrowed down with comments/questions:

Captain Marvin's - $45

Sandbar + Barrier Reef + Coral Gardens

3 hours (dock to dock)

Comments/Questions: Highly recommended on CC. But is it crowded? How many people are usually on the boat with you? Ever felt too packed in? Also, is there a deposit required?

Native Way Water Sports - $40

Sandbar + Coral Gardens + Star Fish Snorkel

3 hours (dock to dock)

No deposit required

Comments/Questions: Also highly recommended but read negative reviews about local time issues. Read a couple (ya, only 2 ...) reviews that stated the operator said they were late so they left without them (although pax say they were not late). Makes me nervous as I'm planning for my group. Are these just rare occurrences? Also, is this tour crowded? Ever felt too packed in?

Acquarus Sea Tours - $50

Sandbar + Coral Gardens (or Reef) + Star Fish Snorkel

3.5 hours (on boat, excludes transport time)

Free downloadable photos, iced water/fruit punch, margarita pizza

No deposit required

Comments/Questions: Fewest reviews of them all ... anyone else use this company? Nice that the 3.5 hour time is actual boat time (more time to snorkel, etc). Also really really like that they provide free photos. (I'm a huge photo taking person so it's nice that I won't have to worry about getting my camera wet) Don't really care for food but I guess that's a plus?

We were not planning on seeing the stingrays (due to budget issues, hehe) but I kept reading wonderful things about it! I'm suuuper excited :D Any suggestions/info is much appreciated!!! ;)