Cayman independent excursion

[finest14]

Has anyone ever been on this Stingray City excursion in Grand Cayman?

 

http://caymanislandsdiscounts.com/Stingray_City_Buccaneer_Excursion.htm

 

Thinking about this over the ship's excursion during our Zuiderdam cruise in July. Thanks!!

[ekerr19]

I haven't been on that one - but I will tell you it looks alot better than the one offered through HAL. We thought HAL's to be one of the worst excursion's we've ever taken and do not recommend it at all.

 

The snorkeling equipment was sparse and dirty, the boat was crammed full of people (from all ships - they didn't care if you were traveling as a group with others, they separated you) no food, snacks or anything else were offered on our boat - though our friends on another boat said they got bottled punch and crackers. When we got back to the ship, I complained about it to the Shorex Manager, who simply shrugged, "sorry" - I guess we weren't alone, there were tons of complaints from pax on our Zui sailing.

 

As the excursion operators were putting us on the buses to take us to the boats, they were offereing our excursion to others walking by for $20 pp, this after we had already paid about $40+ through HAL. This is one excursion that I would recommend booking somewhere other than HAL's Shorex.

 

Oh, and our boat captain & crew were really nasty if people did not tip them - they talked about the "tip" the entire trip back from Stingray City.

[TinaLee]

We've booked on our own 3 different times with Captain Marvin in Grand Cayman and have always had a wonderful time, great service. The guys on the boats are amazing and it is SO MUCH LESS CROWDED that the cruise ship excursions!! If you contact them by email, they will hold your resevation for you.

 

Captain Marvin

[sandydownunder]

We had a wonderful excursion with Nativeway. We (4 of us) were late getting ashore because of the large number of ship's tendering. They couldn't wait for us, so the main tour left. The owner met us and drove us to Seven Mile Beach and left us for an hour while she made other arrangements. That was an excursion in itself as we swam in the beautiful clear waters. She then collected us and drove us to a boat where we teamed up with one other couple who were having a land vacation. Lots of fruit punch onboard and lots of attention, in fact other people in the water were listening to our guide show us how to feed the stingrays. We did see many overcrowded boats. I think we paid $25 each, it may have been $30 but no more. At the conclusion we were driven back to the pier.

 

I can recommend Nativeway.

 

Sandra

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We have reservations for the morning excursion with Nativeway on March 17th. I plan to report nightly from the ship on my laptop so watch for my review. Sharon from Nativeway says she has several other from the Westerdam so she will wait for us. Luckily we are in a suite so that may help for us to get off on one of the first tenders. The bad part is the day we are in Georgetown is the day of the week that they have the most ships in port. Carnival Conquest, Carnival Victory, Star Princess, Mariner of the Seas, and Rhapsody of the Seas.:eek: That is a whole lotta people on one little island. The last time I was there was in 2002 and there were only 3 ships in that day and they were all small we were on Monarch of the Seas there was even a small HAL ship that day. Something tells me we won't enjoy Geogetown near as much as we did the first time we were there.:o

[weluvcruisin']

We went with Nativeway in January...great tour company, you'll love it

[Himself]

I don't know that I was on that one but I was on a similiar boat a couple of years ago and got a bad sun burn. I am fair complected and in my youth I had very red hair---that is now quite brown (not grey).

 

Himself

[Host Walt]

Having spent a week on Grand Cayman, we learned the secret. If you are able to catch a very early tender you can beat the shorex crowds and have a great experience in Sting Ray City.

[travelingman]

We went with Captain Marvin and snorkeled in 3 different places with Stingray City being the last one.

There were only 11 of us on the boat. We went to an area where they knew there was an eel (huge) and another where they knew a reef shark hung out. Got to see both. We arrived at Stingray City as a large 70 person boat was leaving and before another arrived. Seemed they knew what time to get to Stingray City to be in between the large crowds.

I think any independent would be better that the cruise excursion if for no other reason due to the large crowds on the ship excursion.