life jackets and tours

[TracersQQ]

Just wondering if anyone knows of any of the Stingray city/snorkeling tour operaters that don't require you to wear the life jackets. I know it's a safety thing - and I get that - but I really have panic attacks when wearing them. The last time I did Stingray/snorkeling our guides made us wear them. I did OK with the Stingrays because I could stand upright, but when snorkeling I couldn't see around me and I started panicing and went back to the boat and I didn't even get off of the boat at the next snorkeling stop. I am a strong swimmer, I'm not concerned about not wearing one. I do understand safety issues, rules, laws, etc., so if I have to wear one I just won't snorkel. So if anyone has an experience with an operater that doesn't require them, let me know.

[tandemcruzr]

We went with a Carnival excursion and we were not required to wear life jackets. Don't recall the name of the operators.

[doctordi]

Do the little yellow blow up ones bother you? I put one on, but didn't blow it up. So while I was technically wearing a life jacket, it was providing no bouancy. Not like the big ones that are on the ship. This was through a Celebrity ship tour.

[canajo]

Moby Dick's tours does not require them. Our party opted for them during the snorkeling at the reef but the tour operators said that they were really not necessary. We were just that two weeks ago. The sting rays are the BEST!

[TracersQQ]

Thanks for the input, everyone. Atleast I know that it is not a requirement of all operators. I will check out Moby Dick and if I check into any others, I will ask them about life jackets before I book anything.