Excursion Question!!!

[kenandlaura06]

Okay, We are going on Freedom for our honeymoon...stopping in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, and Labadee. The one thing Ken wants to do is swim with the dolphins. The one thing Laura wants to do is snorkel (preferrably in Cozumel). So the question is--we know that both of these are doable in Cozumel. Would any other stops on our cruise be suitable for either of these? We know marriage is about compromise, so we are both willing to compromise a little on this one! :)

[Jan_In_Maine]

Laura - When we were in Grand Cayman's we snorkeled at the same time we did the swimming with the stingray's - it was a wonderful experience, both of us discovered that we liked to snorkel and the stingrays were truly amazing.

Jan

[talk alot]

:rolleyes: You asked about swimming with the dolphins, let me try to help. My daughter 22 at the time my husband and went to Cozumel. We went to this park 5 minutes from the ship by taxi to a park called Chankanaab Nature Park and she swam with the dolphins. What a great thing to do you"ll love it. You can probably fine the park on line. They have different prices. She swam with the seals not that great. If you go have your husband video tape you. They tape you but expensive 10 miutes or so for 50 dollars. He can go on the pier and tape you. they don't like him to do it because they lose money but do it. The picutes you will probably but kind of high but worth it. If you need anymore help e-mail me. I usally don't get on here to much. Redcrossgirl2@aol.com

[kenandlaura06]

:rolleyes: You asked about swimming with the dolphins, let me try to help. My daughter 22 at the time my husband and went to Cozumel. We went to this park 5 minutes from the ship by taxi to a park called Chankanaab Nature Park and she swam with the dolphins. What a great thing to do you"ll love it. You can probably fine the park on line. They have different prices. She swam with the seals not that great. If you go have your husband video tape you. They tape you but expensive 10 miutes or so for 50 dollars. He can go on the pier and tape you. they don't like him to do it because they lose money but do it. The picutes you will probably but kind of high but worth it. If you need anymore help e-mail me. I usally don't get on here to much. Redcrossgirl2@aol.com

 

Thanks! I will probably be doing the one taping...I am not so keen on this whole swimming with dolphins, stingrays, creatures thing. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. I will do it for Ken though! :)

[Coralc]

According to Cruise Travel magazine, you can snorkel at Chankanaab Nature Park, also. So you can do both things on the same day in Cozumel.! :)

[CruisinDawn]

Can't find where I stashed the link direct to the park but you can get load of info here http://www.*****cozumel/cozumel-dolphin-swim.aspWe have done the dolphin encounter & sea lion swim. Both wre a blast! You book with the cruiseline they send you to the same place. Cheeper to book direct.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[lszu]

First off - Congratulations!

 

If you do the dolphins in Cozumel, consider swimming with the stingrays in GC. It was one of the coolest things we've ever done - right up there with the dolphin encounter.

[OPSoccermom]

Did the dolphin swim last year at Chankanaab - very nice.

 

RCI will offer a Chankanaab dolphin swim as an excursion. Don't go with it. Book yourself directly with them and take a cheap cab ride right from the pier to Chankanaab. You can get dolphin swims directly from Dolphin Discovery that offer more time with the dolphins for less than what RCI charged for the baseline excursion.

 

We spent lost of our day at Chankanaab. They have beaches, snorkeling and scuba, a sea lion swim, and some nice outdoor restaurants. Had a very nice time.

[PelicanBill]

I agree completely with the other replies - do your dolphin and snorkeling at Chankanaab in Cozumel... just get a taxi and go quickly when you dock if you cant find a reservation ahead of time... you wont want to book with the ship because he will have to go separate from you!

 

As for the other ports: There is no good snorkeling at Labadee or Montego Bay. Labadee has no close barrier reef and Montego is a dying reef.

 

There is good snorkeling at Grand Cayman but only if you take an excursion or drive yourself to out of the way places like Rum Point. In general, snorkeling from shore is not great snorkeling - but Chankanaab and that Southwest coast of Cozumel was an exception - quite good! If you find an excursion after Cozumel that gets you to a reef offshore then do it - that's where you find clear water and less damaged reefs.

[dinobja]

I have swam with the dolphins and the stingrays. Swimming with the stingrays in Grand Cayman was the best excursions I have done and I am hard to entertain and I have been on a lot of cruise excursions. Swimming with the dolphins was fun too but it is very structured for the safety of the animals.

[hstrybuf]

I would suggest swimming with the dolphins in Coz and doing a snorkeling excursion in Grand Cayman. Captain Marvin's, and possibly some of the other independents, has a tour that not only takes you to swim with the stingrays, but also makes one or two other stops for snorkeling.

[kenandlaura06]

Am I the only person who is scared/freaked out by those stingrays?

[littlepea]

Laura...I am a little freaked out about it but have heard such awesome reviews I can't pass it up. I know that when I am there I will have a great time and get over my nervousness. In fact I just booked with Nativeway for next July on FOS. Go for...if you freak just get back on the boat and enjoy from above. Good Luck!

[Gabrielle R.]

Am I the only person who is scared/freaked out by those stingrays?

A friend of mine thought she would be, but then she did it! She is now in love with the Sting Rays! She said she couldn't believe how gentle the rays were. Gabrielle

[camreesmom]

I can't swim so I'm really worried about freaking out on the stingrays. How deep is the water there? Can you touch the bottom? I've heard different stories so would really like to know. I have snorkeled (once) and loved it but it was with a private tour guide and only 8 of us on the boat so he helped me ease into it. I know that I couldn't have done it on a ship excursion.

[joeyancho]

Hey Ken and Laura, Try the dolphin swim in Chankanaab Park. A friend did this and loved it. You can book it yourself online. After the dolphins you can chill on the beach at Chankanaab and you can also snorkel there. I have done it and it was real nice. You can bring your own gear or rent it there. Chankanaab is a really beautiful and fun place. If you wanna save a few bucks on the excursion in GC, you can snorkel right from the shore very close to the tender pier. It is a very short walk. Just walk to the street by the tender pier and go right. On the right you will see a beach bar named the Paradise beach. It has a red roof. You can't miss it. They also rent gear there. It is free to snorkel from the shore there. The snorkeling there is FANTASTIC. There is an abundance of fish. I agree with the above posters that Stingray City is an awesome experience. The water is only waist deep and don't worry all the creatures are harmless. Perhaps you could try Paradise Beach when you return from Stingray City. Bon Voyage..........

[SheilaNC]

Please do swim with both the dolphins and the stingrays...they were both very special experiences for both my husband and me (and we're seniors). The only thing better was swimming with baby sea lions in the Galapagos...a truly amazing experience.

[kenandlaura06]

Thanks everyone for the tips and the convincing.