Best Bet for Water Lovers

Will be on Coral Princess - 12/10/04. Interested in rays either in Belize or Grand Cayman. We are very good swimmers and experienced at snorkeling. Looking for challenge and excitement - not hordes of people standing knee deep in water or swimming single file with a guide. Any suggestions??? Thanks for any help.

Haven't been to Belize, so can't help you there.

But if you have any experience at all with Snorkelling, AVOID ALL SHIP ORGANIZED SHORE EXCURSIONS in Grand Cayman.

Most of the snorkeling excursions are to Stingray city - fine, but boring if you've been before, just standing around in waist deep water looking at stingrays. Also, if you book the Wreck & Reef excursion, it's pathetic - very few fish at the "wreck", too many people, wreck is mostly gone. The reef was too close to everything else, and so was mostly dead (and this was a couple of years ago).

So, look through these boards on info on shore snorkeling from GC - i think there's a place to get into the water just a couple of blocks from where you'll tender to, and i've heard it has a nice reef and good things to see. That's our plan for GC in January.

Thanks so much for your reply. We have not done the ray thing before. In fact, this is first trip to GC. We understand that there is also a ray/shark excursion in Belize. Wondering if either excursion is worth the time and money for experienced snorkelers. If we have never done the rays should we do it once for the experience???

Wondering if either excursion is worth the time and money for experienced snorkelers. If we have never done the rays should we do it once for the experience???

Yep, loved it:) We booked thru Captain Marvin.

If you've never done the rays, I would if you're interested. I had fun when we went in GC. I don't know if it's any better than belize or not. But definatly do not book through the ship in GC for the rays if you do decide to go.

Thanks to all for info. Is Captain Marvin tour at GC? Details please.

;) Captain Marvin's is a great way to do the rays in GC! Smaller group, nice people and boat. Highly recommend them. When you see the cruise ships boats you will be soooo glad you chose another option. Check out Captain Marvin's web site, just do a Captain Marvin Grand Cayman search.

I noticed that Captain Marvin has 2 hour, 3 hour and 6 hour packages. The 6 hour package is somewhat tempting because we don't plan on spending a lot of time snorkeling at our other two cruise stops (Key West and Cozumel). But, is this overkill? Maybe the 3 hour tour combined with shopping? This will be our first visit to the Caribbean & we're trying to balance our activities at the various stops.

Link to Captain Marvins

http://www.captainmarvins.com/

Thanks for any input.

- Patrick

you might want to take a shorter tour and then go to edens rock for lunch, lying on the little beach and some of the best snorkeling ever with easy access!!!!