Captain Bryan Stingray Review 11/3/05 (very very long)

[Sablerose]

Well, after much reading and figuring out what we were going to do in Grand Cayman, we decided to take the Buccaneer Catamaran Excursion through Captain Bryan.

 

We were disappointed.

 

Not in the stingrays or the marine life, but in the general outcome of the whole trip.

 

I'm going to cut-and-paste pieces from my regular large, long Conquest cruise review (Conquest 10/30/05) and I am going to cut-and-paste an e-mail that I sent to Capt. Bryan's, but haven't heard back from yet.

 

I hope you'll take my review with a grain of salt, esp. if you've had a great experience with Capt. Bryan. I know that many people have had perfect experiences with them. Perhaps we just got a bad boat, and a bad crew, on a bad day.

 

In short, we will definitely do the stingray and snorkeling again. But I doubt we will pay a premium to go on the Buccaneer. Another independent provider with a small group and some good snorkeling stops will do us just fine. Depending on what Capt. Bryan's has to say about it (they haven't written me back yet) I can't say whether or not we'd try them again with a different boat and crew.

 

Here goes.

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(The e-mail I sent Capt. Bryan, summarizing our experience)

 

Good morning,

 

We were guests on the Buccaneer excursion in Grand Cayman on 11/3/04 (Carnival Conquest).

 

I am writing with some critiques of our day's trip, because we ended up being disappointed with our experience with Capt. Bryan's. We had selected Capt. Bryan's because of positive reviews on http://www.cruisecritic.com and through recommendations of other people. Before I post my own review of our experience in http://www.cruisecritic.com, I thought I should contact you directly with my concerns.

 

1) I understand you cannot do anything about the weather, but it's important to note that I am a first-time snorkeler. I deliberately asked upon making the reservations if there was anything I needed to be prepared for, as I am not the strongest swimmer and I had no experience snorkeling. With the seas as high as they were that day, after only 5-10 minutes in the water at the Barrier Reef, I became a combination of sea-sick and sick from ingesting salt water, and had to climb back up on the catamaran. No one helped me fit my equipment, so I could not get my snorkeling vest tight enough around me and I couldn't get comfortable in the water. No one offered to help anyone who was not an expert swimmer or experienced snorkeler. I did not even see anyone from the crew get in the water besides Jody the photographer, on the first stop.

 

2) The crew of the catamaran were unwilling and unable to keep certain "problem passengers" under control. Rude children ran amok, and in particular one family of travelers who repeatedly endangered themselves AND other passengers were allowed to do whatever they liked. I witnessed one older lady (who spoke a non-English language, like Russian) heading down the ladder on the catamaran at the Barrier Reef completely oblivious to a weak-swimmer passenger who was frantically trying to get on the ladder and return to the boat... This woman just hopped down the ladder, pushed the other woman back into the rough waters, and went about swimming. Crew members stood right by the ladder and did NOTHING to prevent this woman from endangering others, when it should obviously have been the priority to let the frantic swimmer up out of the ocean before this woman got in.

 

3) These same problem passengers went swimming in the boating channel at The Aquarium stop, lifted a live conch out of the ocean and onto the deck of the boat, and shouted angrily at other passengers on the catamaran repeatedly, without anyone of the boat crew saying anything. Eventually the live conch was returned to the water, but only after much trepidation and arguing with the out-of-control passengers.

 

4) I sat out at the Aquarium stop because I was still too seasick (many, many people sat out). We were traveling with friends and a number of them stayed inside the cabin of the catamaran for the entire cruise, even through the Stingray stop, because the waves were so high and the weather was chilly and grey with what appeared to be a threat of storms.

 

5) At the Stingray City Sandbar, our experience was made more pleasurable by the interaction with the stingrays. However, I have read that Capt. Bryan's was one of the tour providers who was going to take efforts to not stress the stingrays by lifting them out of the water -- we received a "massage" with a stingray in which 2/3 of a stingray was lifted completely out of the water. Also, although the guides were doing a good job of trying to keep the stingrays calm and educating us about the stingrays, they were lifted completely out of the water on more than one occasion. This seems directly in conflict with wanting to preserve the stingrays' well-being. It was obvious to us that the crew of the catamaran has great respect for the stingrays and just wanted to make the trip enjoyable for everyone, and exciting, but I was surprised to see such actions after reading what I had.

 

6) Back to the crew of the boat not controlling passengers who endangered others, the same family of people that had caused so many problems (screaming children, thoughtless swimmers, endangering other passengers) also kept repeatedly shoving through groups of people to touch stingrays when they were out-of-turn, and one lady in particular kept reaching up and grabbing/yanking the stingrays' tails. Your guide had to try to explain to the woman that it was dangerous, but the woman didn't listen and did it again. We had to make a concerted effort within our small group to avoid that woman, because she made us very uncomfortable and we were in fear that a stingray would get angry as a result of her prodding and yanking, and someone would end up stung.

 

7) On our way back to the dock after the trip, when I was shivering on the deck (the cabin was full) and in the rain and wind, I overheard someone ask the captain of the catamaran how often the weather was "this bad." The captain of the catamaran said that the weather had been like that for weeks. I became very upset because I do not think I would have booked the excursion if I had known I was going to be out on the sea in rough waters like that, and wouldn't be able to snorkel. The only reason I got back in the water after getting so seasick at the first stop, is because I was able to stand up at the sandbar and the movement did not make me as sick. If there are no accommodations for weak swimmers or first-time snorkelers, the weather and the height of the waves (especially for people like myself, who get seasick easily and KNOW they do) is very important.

 

8) The catamaran was not as nice as in the photos on your website. It was dirty, fairly run-down, smaller than I anticipated, and could have been improved upon with just a little elbow grease. When paying a premium price for a ride on a catamaran, one would hope it would appear to be a better boat than the other boats available. This was not the case.

 

9) Finally, Jody the photographer was rude, unkempt, and was negative, condescending, and quite rude to a paying customer on the catamaran, making fun of her for not getting in the water when she was very clear that she was afraid of entering the water when the weather was bordering on stormy and because she was a weak swimmer.

 

I wanted to pass along this information to you as two customers who went into this trip looking to make the absolute best of it. What I thought was going to be the finest excursion of our whole week on the cruise ship ended up being, in my opinion, the poorest experience.

 

I look forward to your reply.

 

Thank you,

(our names)

 

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(Excerpt from my cruise review: Snorkeling With The Crazies)

 

When we pulled into the bay at Cayman the weather was right behind us… kind of cloudy and gloomy. By the time we got off the ship it was breezy and rainy, at least a little sprinkle here and there. We met up with some CC'ers who were on the same tour as us (Capt. Bryan's stingray city tour) and did a little bit of shopping before heading up the road to Capt. Bryan's.

 

We found Capt. Bryan's after a short walk. Everyone was already on the bus ahead of us (we showed up RIGHT at 10:00) so we paid our money and got on board.

 

The "Buccaneer Catamaran" of Capt. Bryan's wasn't as nice as the Island Dreamer of Jamaica. It was significantly smaller, and older, and wasn't as well-kept. So since we had already been kind of spoiled by the previous day's boat, we were a little disappointed with that one. We put our bag downstairs (very crowded), got swimsuit-clad and ready to go snorkeling. I was really surprised that they were going to take us out in the weather like it was. I just kept telling myself that it was okay because we were going to be getting wet anyway so it didn't much matter if we got rained on. Then, in our infinite wisdom and because we are big dorks, we positioned ourselves right in the front of the catamaran - which was traveling against the wind - and we were pelted with raindrops that felt like tiny little rocks embedding themselves into my squishy flesh! But, I just kept saying it would be okay because soon I'd be in that warm Caribbean water!

 

At this point in my description, I'd like to introduce you to who I will only call The Crazy Family. We were previously introduced to the Crazy Family when they were at EZCruise with us when we were waiting for our shuttle to come take us to the ship. The Crazies are made up of Dad Crazy, Mom Crazy (who is from another country and speaks two languages), Child Crazy, Aunt Crazy, and Grandma Crazy (who is from another country and only speaks ONE language, which is not English). We noticed them the first day because they hardly had any luggage. They had overnight bags, every one of them, with enough for probably two changes of clothes in them. To each their own, you know, we just figured they were going to hang out and be casual all week. But Child Crazy was getting on our nerves, as he had picked up a piece of metal and was whacking it on the metal pole that was holding up the canopy at the parking lot. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. "When is the bus coming?" "I don't know, son." CLANG. CLANG. CLANG. "How much more do I have to wait?" "Until the bus comes, son." CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

 

I would have strangled the child, but I don't think they would have let me on the ship then.

 

Now. Child Crazy and his family were on this catamaran with us. And Child Crazy, from the minute we got on the boat, was grating on my very last, extra-raw nerve. "When are we going to get there?" "I don't know, son." "How can you not know? How long do they expect me to wait?" "Son, you'll wait as long as you have to." "But how long?!?!" The kid was running all around the boat. Up. Down. Whacking on things. Hanging on things. Whining.

 

Urgh.

 

The first spot we went to was the Barrier Reef. The waves were probably 3 foot waves. That's a lot for someone with no snorkeling experience, like me. Getting in the water in the rough ocean was going to be very interesting. I let a bunch of folks get in ahead of me. Stang was right behind me. We got in and about the first thing that happened to me was my mask leaked and my snorkel filled with water, because my snorkeling life vest wasn't doing a very good job of holding me up in a way that didn't keep my head from going under (I think I had it on too loosely, but no one checked it or anything before I got in). In comparison with Jamaica, they did not ask us our snorkeling skill level or anything. They just handed out the equipment and told us all to get in.

 

We swam around snorkeling for a little while but I started to get panicky and had to get out. The combination of a gut full of salt water, bobbing around on the rough ocean, and seeing the boat rocking up and down on the water was making this land lubber a little bit seasick. I swam back to the boat and tried to get back up the ladder, which was kind of a feat. I couldn't get my fins off my feet AND hold the rocking boat ladder AND keep my mask and snorkel clear AND get on the boat all together by myself -- some very kind and patient other swimmers including Stang helped me. He says my eyes were big like golf balls when I was trying to get back on the boat. I was a little freaked out.

 

Here's where the Crazies come back into it.

 

We were waiting until everyone finished up snorkeling (we hadn't seen many fish or much coral where we were, because we didn't want to swim over to the barrier reef - I was afraid I'd get pushed into the rocks that they had told us to stay away from) and I saw Grandma Crazy. Mom Crazy was out in the ocean hollering to Grandma Crazy in their native tongue. Loud, angry, abrupt yells. If I weren't sure she'd been speaking another language, I would swear that she called a bunch of us "****ing freaks." Then suddenly, Grandma Crazy starts trotting over to the ladder and decides she's going to go in the water. She takes 2 rungs of the ladder and I look over the front of the boat - there is a small, panicking lady who has had just about enough of the rough water and is trying to do the same dance I did - fins, mask, ladder, ocean - and is trying to climb out. Grandma Crazy just keeps on down the ladder, oblivious, and actually BACKED the girl down the ladder and back into the water. Grandma Crazy jumped right in the water and started swimming around, leaving Panicked Lady to try to get back on the boat all by herself. The crew of the catamaran didn't do anything to try to stop Grandma Crazy.

 

Eventually we moved on to the next snorkeling stop after getting everyone, including the Crazies, back on board. Child Crazy was complaining to Dad Crazy that he didn't get to go in the water, and wanted to know why. Five hundred times. It was like an episode of The Simpsons. "Are we there yet?" "No." "Are we there yet?" "No." "Are we there yet?" "No." No answer was good enough for the child.

 

I sat out the snorkeling at the second stop, which was called The Aquarium. I was feeling seasick and didn't feel like getting back in the water. I was saving all my gumption up for when we got to the sandbar to swim with the stingrays where I could actually stand up.

 

Child Crazy kept being crazy.

 

Stang did a lot of snorkeling and really loved that portion of the trip. He said the water was clear and gorgeous and is STILL regaling me with tales of the spectacular ocean life he saw. Our underwater pictures didn't come out very well - not much sunlight to illuminate them - but I trust him when he says it was amazing.

 

I was too busy watching The Crazies.

 

Mom Crazy went swimming in the part of the channel they specifically told us not to go, because there is (1) no coral there, (2) no fish there, and (3) boats drive there. But she splashed around and swam up and down the boating channel with no fins, no life vest, no snorkel and no mask. Aunt Crazy was with her swimming, but sometime during the trip came up with a large LIVE conch that she put on the deck, announcing that it was for Child Crazy. Grandma Crazy waited, again, until all the Crazies (except Dad and Child) were in the ocean before deciding she was going to go swim - then she started yelling at all of us in her native tongue, the same words over and over again. None of us knew what she wanted. People were handing her masks, snorkels, life vests… finally someone handed her fins, which ended up being too small but she crammed her feet in them anyway and jumped off the back of the boat to go swimming, apparently in the boating channel with her daughter. Child Crazy just kept asking why he couldn't go in the water and making a total fuss about everything.

 

The crew of the boat realized they had brought the conch up and pointed out to Aunt Crazy that the conch was alive and they couldn't take it, and would have to throw it back in. Aunt Crazy agreed, and tried to explain it to Child Crazy, who seemed okay with it. That is, until Mom Crazy came out of the water and asked where the conch was. She insisted that she wanted to take pictures with the shell and that she wanted pictures of her son with the shell, and that they had to either find another shell or just go get that one long enough to take pictures with. Fortunately by then we were done with our stop and were on our way to Stingray City.

 

Stingray City was awesome. Amazing. We fed the stingrays and kissed one and held one. The smaller group led to a lot more interaction with them. They were so soft and gentle, like big underwater puppies.

 

Mom Crazy grabbed one by the tail while a guide was holding it.

 

Twice.

 

We avoided them for the rest of the stingray sandbar tour.

 

On our way back to the dock from Stingray City, everyone was pretty much cold and miserable. They tried to sell us a video which we didn't want to buy (it was $65 for a DVD copy). The videographer, Jody, was rude to one of our fellow CC'ers on the trip (but I'm sure she's going to take that up with Capt. Bryan). And I overheard someone mentioning to the boat crew that it'd have been more fun if the weather was nice… the boat captain replied that the weather had been that way for weeks and weeks. I was frustrated that no one had let us know there was the possibility of rough waters and that it might not be the best thing for people who weren't strong swimmers. I know a bunch of fellow CC'ers on this tour with us didn't even go in the water because the seas were rough. It ended up being a waste of a day for them.

[That_Stang_Guy]

Agreed. While I still managed to have a good time, it did leave alot to be desired.

[Sablerose]

I wasn't blaming them for the weather, even said so. But just because I sign my name to a waiver that says "I won't sue you if I drown," that doesn't mean they couldn't be a little proactive with regard to safety for passengers.

 

And the fact that the photographer was very rude to a paying customer, well, that's uncalled for.

 

And if the other passengers are endangering someone's safety, I think that's a very appropriate time to step in and try to help "manage the herd" a little, don't you?

[KC_cruisers]

We're taking Capt. Bryan's Buccaneer next Tuesday. I'm the type of person that WILL say something if I experience or see what you did, Sable!! We have a weak swimmer (50 yrs old) going with us who has not mastered a snorkel, so I will let them know up front to keep an eye on her. They do this day in and day out, you'd think they'd be more conscientious and professional. Regarding the Crazy Family, I'd certainly speak up to the crew about them as well as the family personally. We would have paid just as much as they did to have a good time. Sure they're entitled to a good time. BUT there's a big difference between having a good time and being "obnoxious" and "dangerous".

[cjmiller]

I did this tour last week. I really liked the stingrays, but the water was way to choppy for me to snorkel. The people where all nice, but if your friend is not a strong swimmer someone from your party needs to keep an eye on her. I would not depend on them to do it, because they just didn't seem to pay much attention.

[gc]

Capt. Bryan's crew should have given them the "OPEN WATER" treatment!!!

[Luv_to_Cruise]

This was our experience on Grand Cayman and the Buccaneer tour...

 

We had to tender from Spotts Bay as the water was too rough to tender into Georgetown. There is nothing at Spotts Bay to look at. It is a fenced in sand parking lot. Many people just returned to the ship. You could get a tour or a taxi to take ou into Georgetown at Spotts. Getting the tender back wasn’t too bad, possibly a 45 minute wait. We never saw Gerogetown because the transport to and from Spotts Bay took so long we just made the last tender to our ship.

 

In this port we took a private tour, the Captain Bryan Buccaneer. We were picked up at Spotts Bay and driven to the catamaran, however we waited over an hour for the bus. It took another 30 minutes to get to the catameran. We were very disappointed in the Buccaneer itself. It was easy to get in and out of the water on this catamaran, as there are steps on the front and back of the boat. But catamaran is so old, the captain didn’t know exactly how old it was or the maker of the boat. It is not well maintained. The boat you see on the website does not appear to be the Buccaneer to our eyes. The crew seemed bored with handling tourists and I don’t think too happy to be out on a tour on Boxing Day, a national holiday. Because the water was so rough we didn’t try to snorkel at the two snorkeling stops as were are not strong swimmers. There should be alternate snorkling stops in areas more protected when the water is rough. The Stingray City Sandbar (water was 3-4 foot deep) was good, plenty of stingrays, but again the water was rough. At the end of the tour, the photographer “suggested” that the tour participants pull out a $20.00 bill as a tip for the crew. The captain nodded his head and smiled at this suggestion. You’d be amazed how many people gave a $20.00 tip for a $50.00 tour. Personally, the tour fee was enough I suggest you look carefully at all the reviews for Cayman tours and possibly choose something other than Captain Bryan and the Buccaneer.

[Rockin' Rhonda]

My friends and I booked our Stingray City tour with Captain Marvins - www.captainmarvins.com. It was WONDERFUL. Our cruise was 10/9-15/05, so we were a couple of weeks ahead of you guys. The water was a little choppy, but our captain (not Capt Marvin - we were on his other boat - cute young guy) found nice alternative places for us to snorkel. AND, it was a smaller boat - like 20-25 people. Next time I'm at GC, I'll definitely book with Captain Marvins:D