"Stingray Sandbar & Coral Gardens" tour w/NativeWay

[NorthCarolina_Cindy]

We are booked for this tour in a few weeks. Anyone ever taking it? Anyone have pictures posted?

 

Thanks, Cindy :)

[mbisson]

Cindy, we took it a couple weeks ago, and our family loved it. There are a couple pictures posted on my webshots site (NCL Sun) that I shot from the boat with my digital camera, but I don't have any underwater shots. The stingrays are amazing and the snorkeling at Coral Gardens has some of the clearest waters I've ever seen (lots of fish as well).

 

We had a great cruise and this was the highlight. Hopefully you'll have a blast. BTW-there were only a total of 8 passengers on our tour.

 

-Monte

[bolt]

I have booked this tour for my cruise in April. I am very excited, and have read many favorable reviews for NativeWay.

[NorthCarolina_Cindy]

Monte - Thanks for the reply. Took a look at your pictures - water was beautiful. Just a bit over two weeks (leave Charleston 01/15) we will be in Grand Cayman on the 18th, our anniversary. Getting very excited!!

 

Thanks again, Cindy :)

[msweezie99]

How is the snorkeling? Are there lots of colorful funky fish? I just remember snorkeling in Hawaii nine years ago, some cool fish! Someone else mentioned black coral?!! Do you see any cool colored fish?

[joand452]

Can you do this tour if you don't snorkel? I have never been able to get the hang of it. As soon as that mask covers my nose, I start to hyperventilate! I would really love to see the stingrays.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[ladycaveat]

I'll be taking this tour in April and I can't wait!!!!

[Ellya]

Yes, you can definately see the sting rays without snorkeling. The water in the sting ray area is only between waist to chest deep, so it is actually kind of hard to "snorkle" there. I did use my mask to look under the water at the rays, but for the most part you see them as the guides bring them to the surface to interact with. You don't need to swim or snorkle at all to enjoy this part of the trip. Now if your tour includes other snorkle stops you won't be able to see the fish there, although you can enjoy the boat ride! I don't know if it would be practical to lug along, but in Hawaii my husband enjoyed using a boogie board with a little porthole viewing window in it to see what the snorkelers were seeing (he has the same problem with the snorkel mask making him freak out).

[zydecocruiser]

Can you do this tour if you don't snorkel? I have never been able to get the hang of it. As soon as that mask covers my nose, I start to hyperventilate! I would really love to see the stingrays.

 

Thanks for any advice.

You can do the tour - any of them - any operator - without snorkeling or for that matter getting off the boat. With snorkel stop(s), you can stay on the boat or swim around without the mask. If you don't get off the boat at the sandbar, you won't be able to interact with the stingrays, but you can certainly see them.

 

I'm sure there are ways to overcome the mask phobia, but I'm no doctor.

 

You may want to try to a stingray sandbar tour without the extra stop(s).

 

You do NOT have to wear a mask at the sandbar, nor do you need to if you don't want to dunk your head underwater and see. You do not really snorkel there - you mostly stand and walk around. They don't even let you wear fins there. The water may be over your head when you get off the boat, but even NON-SWIMMERS go. They have life vests and/or preservers you can use.

 

I know on Soto's they were real life preservers, but likely the same on any.

 

Without a doubt, GO.

 

Here are some photos from my trip with Soto's - it was a bad water day - all the ship stingray tours were canceled - the the private operators went out and I thought it was great. You can see lots of people with no masks, some with sunglasses, whatever...

 

zydecocruiser's Album:Conquest 11/7/04 Zydeco Cruise

Click on the link above to view the 116 pictures in this album. As the recipient, you can download, re-share and order prints and merchandise containing these pictures. Please do not use the owner's pictures in an unexpected way.

 

There is always decadent snorkeling - love the boogie board idea. But there are others. You can buy inflatable rafts with windows in them to float around on at snorkel stops and see underwater. Not sure what your luggage situation might be like, but you could probably find in any port city and haul with.

 

This isn't exactly what I was thinking of, but was the first one that popped up. There are normal inflatable rafts with view ports available. Now if this was only that squarepants guy...

http://www.poolcenter.com/images/pooltoys_bi_msrid_minisurfrider.jpg

 

I've even seen some with built in beer pockets.

[NorthCarolina_Cindy]

we will be there on the 18th. Looks like great fun!!

 

Just want to add that Sharon at Native Way was very helpful. Our first choice was a different tour with them but it was all booked. Upon request she emailed a list of choices for the day we were to be in port. E-mail can be kind of slow, I understand service isn't great right now, understandable, but I always heard back, called to make the final reservation, very friendly.

[VaCruzers]

Just be sure you confirm & reconfirm the specifics of the trip you have with Nativeway. We reserved the stingray & Coral gardens trip, but were not taken snorkeling. Nativeway changed our trip because we also wanted an island tour, but failed to tell us that the new trip would not include snorkeling at Coral Gardens. It was very disappointing because we all love snorkeling & this was our only opportunity during our cruise. I have been in contact with Sharon & she explained the mix-up, but I wouldn't want you to be disappointed like we were! Enjoy your cruise!

[AvMan]

Hello Cindy,

 

6 of us coming in on the Carnival Miracle are taking the morning snorkel with Nativeway on the 18th. We are from Durham.

 

See you on the boat!

 

Bob and Deidre

[Fiddlemama]

I can't find their website. Can someone help me with that?

Thanks!

[plannermom]

http://www.nativewaywatersports.com