whats the difference (stingray)

We will be on the Carnival Legend in July and trying to fiqure out what to do in Grand Cayman. Does anyone know the difference between all the stingray tours, for example, the Stingray City Tour and Stingray Sandbar Tour? Thanks!

Hi Gal,

I was just in GC last week and heard the location where all the stingrays hang out refered to as both Stingray City and the sandbar. It is the same place. To get there, the tour operators bus you to a marina where you take a 15 min or so boat ride out to the sandbar off shore where the rays hang out. When were there, the water was about waist deep on me (I'm 5'4).

We used Nativeways and had a great time doing the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour.

Have fun!

Lynne

Stingray City and Stingray Sandbar are different places

There are two sites used for stingray snorkelling tours in Grand Cayman, and much confusion about how they are referenced.

Stingray City is the original site. It is about 10-12ft deep and is located about 1/3 of the way across North Sound from the west side where most tours depart. It is never referred to as a sandbar, and indeed it is much too deep to stand up. It may be referred to as the Original Stingray City. Most scuba trips, and some snorkelling trips, that visit the stingrays go to this site.

Stingray Sandbar is a shallower site further from George Town. It is about 2/3 of the way across the North Sound from the west side. It is never referred to as the original site, and as the name implies it is only about 2-4ft deep and most people can easily stand up on this submerged sandbar. It may be referred to as the Stingray Sandbar or simply The Sandbar. Occasionally tour operators call this Stingray City as well - thus the confusion. Most snorkel trips, and only a few scuba trips, that visit the stingrays go to this site.

If the tour description mentions being able to stand up, or a site in shallow water of 6ft or less, it is referring to the Sandbar.

We're arriving on the Conquest and will be there from 7a.m. - 4 p.m. I'm guessing this is ship time and not land time, but need some clarification from a local such as yourself.

Also, we'd like to do the Waverunner/Stingray tour at 9 a.m. (again, not sure who's time this is) AND do the Bubble Sub around noon. Do you think it is possible to fit both in during the time we'll have on shore???

Thanking for your knowledge.

Well, I don't know the schedules of each business so I really don't have a clue how long the waverunner tour is scheduled to take.

If you are trying to squeeze two tours in for your port of call, I would suggest speaking with your tour guide for the first tour about your plans. assure hum/her that you do want to finish on schedule and that a little extra time is not really a "bonus" for you.

Time has been discussed in several threads. Cayman time = Houston Time in the summer. Some ships apparently change the onboard clock to match the port, but most don't. You have to clarify with your ship how this will be handled.