Snorkel tours--on Grand Cayman...

[monakayk]

:confused:I was wondering if there were any snorkel tours that DO NOT INCLUDED a stop at Stingray City? We have done that on tour before and would rather have a tour that has total snorkel stops at other places that DO NOT stop at Stingray City.

 

Any suggestions as to tour companies that do that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[EnTnSA]

Im not sure what the rules are about posting tour companies, but yes…there are private tours you can do that will tailor their excursion based on what you want to do.

 

We are doing a private tour in a couple of weeks with a local company that is very well reviewed (almost 100% 5 star reviews on trip advisor). It is a 40' sailboat that basically takes us where we want to go. They have a recommended itinerary, but will change if you ask. Instead of doing sting ray city, we are snorkeling, going to a secluded beach where there are starfish apparently, and going to lunch on Rum Point.

 

PM me and I can give you the website / name. I will report back in a few weeks on how it went.

 

EDIT: Looks like posting tour companies is fine. Check out Seven Seas Grand Cayman. So far they have been a pleasure to work with.

Edited July 10, 2014 by EnTnSA

[Capt_BJ]

you do realize that there is excellent snorkeling that does not require any sort of a tour?

 

You can walk to Eden Rock, Sunset House or many other sites and the snorkeling is totally free. At Eden and Sunset there are dive shops if you need to rent equipment, but still no charge to snorkel there.

 

Eden would be next to Paradise Grill for food and Sunset House has My Bar . . .

[chaching]

Great information about snorkeling. Thanks, everyone!

[monakayk]

Im not sure what the rules are about posting tour companies, but yes…there are private tours you can do that will tailor their excursion based on what you want to do.

 

We are doing a private tour in a couple of weeks with a local company that is very well reviewed (almost 100% 5 star reviews on trip advisor). It is a 40' sailboat that basically takes us where we want to go. They have a recommended itinerary, but will change if you ask. Instead of doing sting ray city, we are snorkeling, going to a secluded beach where there are starfish apparently, and going to lunch on Rum Point.

 

PM me and I can give you the website / name. I will report back in a few weeks on how it went.

EDIT: Looks like posting tour companies is fine. Check out Seven Seas Grand Cayman. So far they have been a pleasure to work with.

EnTnSA;

 

Thanks for this info. I did check out Seven Seas website and have sent them a request to e-mail me for further info.

 

:confused:By chance....Can you tell me how long your private tour will be, how many in your group, what the price was, and what will be served for lunch?

 

Please do come back to this thread to let us know how the tour went.

 

Thanks

[pompeii]

I am interested in the same type of tour so I contacted Seven Seas. Here was their response:

 

"Thank you for your enquiries with Seven Seas Charters in Grand Cayman. Please note that I've checked my business diary on the above date and it's completely wide open and available. (no other bookings)

 

If you are requesting to proceed on a per person basis as advertised, (group tour) I would require an additional 8 - 10 persons for the tour to be profitable. "

 

They then went on to suggest that I charter the boat for $360 for the two of us! Although I perfectly understand that 2 people at $55 wouldn't make much of a profit, I was disappointed in their response. The other tour companies fill their boats as they get requests, and if some of them go out with less than full capacity, so be it. I get the impression that if Seven Seas doesn't have a full boat, then they don't do the tour.

 

Their reviews are good though, so I may check back with them closer to our date and see if they have some people lined up. I'm not going to try and find another 8-10 people for the tour; I've done that before and it's kind of a pain.

[monakayk]

I am interested in the same type of tour so I contacted Seven Seas. Here was their response:

 

"Thank you for your enquiries with Seven Seas Charters in Grand Cayman. Please note that I've checked my business diary on the above date and it's completely wide open and available. (no other bookings)

 

If you are requesting to proceed on a per person basis as advertised, (group tour) I would require an additional 8 - 10 persons for the tour to be profitable. "

 

They then went on to suggest that I charter the boat for $360 for the two of us! Although I perfectly understand that 2 people at $55 wouldn't make much of a profit, I was disappointed in their response. The other tour companies fill their boats as they get requests, and if some of them go out with less than full capacity, so be it. I get the impression that if Seven Seas doesn't have a full boat, then they don't do the tour.

 

Their reviews are good though, so I may check back with them closer to our date and see if they have some people lined up. I'm not going to try and find another 8-10 people for the tour; I've done that before and it's kind of a pain.

pompeii,

 

I got a standard e-mail from Seven Seas too. Then I asked for some altercations to their itinerary and such....haven't heard yet from them again. Wonder if they are very accommodating to special request when you are chartering their boat. I know I will have 4 people..maybe 6. So you would think they would work with customers about which boat they want to use and where to go.

 

Please let me know if you hear anymore from them. Thanks

[OCruisers]

Great Post! Thanks! :)

Lots of people want to take a snorkeling tour without having to stop at Stingray City.

LuLu

[Nickymjw1]

you do realize that there is excellent snorkeling that does not require any sort of a tour?

 

You can walk to Eden Rock, Sunset House or many other sites and the snorkeling is totally free. At Eden and Sunset there are dive shops if you need to rent equipment, but still no charge to snorkel there.

 

Eden would be next to Paradise Grill for food and Sunset House has My Bar . . .

 

is the snorkeling there far from shore? I have a 4 yr old that I would like to take snorkeling for the 1st time. she will have her swim vest on and we could help her swim to the site if it isn't too far...

[OCruisers]

is the snorkeling there far from shore? I have a 4 yr old that I would like to take snorkeling for the 1st time. she will have her swim vest on and we could help her swim to the site if it isn't too far...

 

Eden Rock would NOT be a good place for a 4 yr old to snorkel ... especially for the first time.

LuLu

[Nickymjw1]

Do you have any suggestions? she loves the ocean and swimming and pretend snorkel in our pool :-)

[TurtleTagger]

If you truly prefer a tour vs. snorkeling from shore, look into snorkel trips that go to the USS Kittiwake. These trip do not stop at SRC.

 

http://www.dive365cayman.com/kittiwake-cayman/schedules

[Schasz]

Has anyone snorkeled where the Navy ship was sunk somewhere in 7 Mile Beach area. If so can you provide details because we are interested.

 

Shari & John