Sting Ray City

[deb380]

OkaY!! How freaky is it to swim with sting rays? I tried to pet them at sea world little creepy.

 

GETTING CLOSE = to bad we have the worst roll call on earth I was hoping to get together with some of the people from cruises critic but doesn't look good!!!

[lillabella]

OkaY!! How freaky is it to swim with sting rays? I tried to pet them at sea world little creepy.

 

GETTING CLOSE = to bad we have the worst roll call on earth I was hoping to get together with some of the people from cruises critic but doesn't look good!!!

 

My husband and I did this several years ago and it was an amazing experience. The most "freaky" part of it is actually standing in the boat looking at all the of rays in the water knowing you have to get in there with them. Once you work up the nerve to take the plunge, it's amazing. I found the rays to be non-aggressive and quite gentle even when eating from your hand. Just float with your mask in the water for awhile until you get used to them and you'll be just fine. I think it was probably one of the coolest experiences I've ever had in an excursion setting.

[Wennfred]

We booked that excursion and will be in the water on Tuesday at around 8:30am, I will have on my 3mm wetsuit, booties and gloves so it wont feel wierd as they swim around me. I will post a review and pictures when I get back.

 

Fred

[Jerry101]

They really are not bad at all. It's kinda of like holding a big slab of fat that moves floating in the water. When they eat they suck the food right out of your hand. No teeth....

 

 

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=548081224&photoID=2505517170086603082&security=iOcZPS

[Raceroc]

We had a BLAST with the stingrays!!! I can't wait to do it again.

BTW, You will not need the wetsuit. I do suggest taking a underwater camera and your own snorkel (the thought of putting one in my mouth that thousands have had in theirs bothered me :eek: )

 

Have fun!

[cato 07]

Its creepy and wonderful at the same time. Just embrace it and don't be afraid. We did it last Tues. and found that it was very busy. Many other tours at the same time. They did tell one lady she could not wear her water shoes for fear of stepping on the tail of a ray and harming them.

[emmysmommy]

I was a little freaked at first since I had about 5 rays surrounding me once I got in the water. It was kinda like a bunch of puppies surrounding you begging for a dog treat! :p After the initial shock wore off, it was the most amazing experience. I fed the rays but I didn't kiss them - I didn't want to be THAT friendly with them!

[Ehpride]

It was so cool to kiss them, hold them and get massaged by one. It was also the first time I'd been in the ocean :) They're so gentle and one even swam right by my butt when I wasn't expecting it. It was definitely an experience I'll never forget.

[Sue L]

Ladies if you do the stingrays DON"T shave your legs that morning I did and suffered because of it. I ended up with a bunch of little scratches all over my legs from their tails swishing. The tour guide said it was worse because I shaved my legs that morning. My dh had one scratch I had about 50!

[serene56]

Fred:You wont be wearing booties, swim shoes, etc for this tour. They are not allowed. Having bare feet will let you know if you step on a ray unlike if you wear the shoes.. you wont know.

THe sand that you are standing on is super soft.

[marcia014]

This is my absolute favorite excursion ever! Yes, it is crowded - there are tons of people. Remember which boat you came off if you decide to wander across the sandbar because there can be 20+ boats at the sand bar at any time. There are also a lot of rays, and they can be very large! I mean about 3-4 feet across. A lot of people were expecting very small rays like in the petting pools at the aquariums. They do not have teeth, only plates that grind together to eat their food. The stingrays are used to people coming to feed them daily, so they are not aggressive or rough with each other around you - they seem to glide around looking for food and attention.

 

I remember the guide on my first stingray city excursion telling the gentlemen to be careful after holding the raw squid not to wipe their hands on their swim trunks! The stingrays mouths are on the bottom and their eyes are on the top. Therefore, they go for where the smell of the food is coming from and can give a nice "hickey" trying to suck in the food from the swim trunks!

 

Remember that they are animals in nature and treat them with respect and you will have a wonderful time!

Marcia

[lillabella]

Book the earliest available time to visit Sting Ray City and you shouldn't have any problem with the area being crowded. We were the only boat there when arrived. You probably also see a variety of other fish in the area when you are snorkeling - we were lucky enough to have a friendly shark make a visit on the outskirts of our group.

[caribbean dreams]

You may have second thoughts now, but it will be the best excursion of your cruise, the one you will talk about to your friends.

We have been 3 times and plan on going again this summer.

Don't forget the underwater camera.

[Wennfred]

Fred:You wont be wearing booties, swim shoes, etc for this tour. They are not allowed. Having bare feet will let you know if you step on a ray unlike if you wear the shoes.. you wont know.

THe sand that you are standing on is super soft.

 

Now Im freaked out:eek: because I dont mind going without shoes but the last thing I need is to step on one and get poked LOL.

 

I read above about the scratches, thats why Im wearing my wetsuit :)

 

Fred

[wadecruiser]

Go to the Grand Cayman port of call board. There is a really cool account of a person who has experienced the stingrays. They give instructions on how to feed and handle them. Made me feel very excited about going! We leave on the Liberty in 8 Days.

[MamaParrotHead]

I've wanted to go since I heard about the excursion a few years ago. Now that we're headed to GC on our next cruise, I'm having a rough time convincing my friend and DH to jump onboard, but I'm confident they will. My DH keeps saying, "what the big deal with all the stingrays?". LOL

[serene56]

Now Im freaked out:eek: because I dont mind going without shoes but the last thing I need is to step on one and get poked LOL.I read above about the scratches, thats why Im wearing my wetsuit :) Fred

 

Fed-- you are way too funny. I did this excursion two times. The first time I refused to get in the water== there were jsut too many stingrays. My kids loved it and I watched from the boat. Second time I went the water was to the knees and not soo many rays or people.

The water is sooo crystal clear its like looking through glass. (where the ship docks is like 80 feet of water and you can still see the bottom-thats how clear the waters are) i dont think you have to worry about stepping on one...when you see one coming at you-step aside.

They are like cats...how they rub against you and purrr...

[Raceroc]

Scratches?? Not sure where the scratches came from. I was the first in the water and the last to get out. Stingrays everywhere. They bump and rub against you. They are very smooth and very friendly...I saw no scratches! Not one person was scratched, poked or stung! My wife can barely swim and is intimidated by marine life...She loved it!!

 

Just GO and enjoy!

[wanman]

(where the ship docks is like 80 feet of water and you can still see the bottom-thats how clear the waters are) i dont think you have to worry about stepping on one...when you see one coming at you-step aside.

They are like cats...how they rub against you and purrr...

 

80 Feet? WHere did you go on the tour? The one I went in December it was about 4 feet deep.

[Ehpride]

80 Feet? WHere did you go on the tour? The one I went in December it was about 4 feet deep.

 

Same here. It was only up to my chest where the boats were and my waist on the sand bar.

[marktac]

We booked that excursion and will be in the water on Tuesday at around 8:30am, I will have on my 3mm wetsuit, booties and gloves so it wont feel wierd as they swim around me. I will post a review and pictures when I get back.

 

Fred

 

Fred, don't be a wuss. Bathing suit, mask and water shoes are all that are needed. They are like soft leather and unless you grab them by surprise they won't use the barb on you. They like to swim by and rub on your legs.

 

Mark T

[marcia014]

Same here. It was only up to my chest where the boats were and my waist on the sand bar.

 

There are 2 places together. Stingray City is 12-30 feet deep or so, and is a very popular dive spot where you can also snorkel. Stingray City Sandbar is inside of the area known as Stingray City, and you can stand on the sandbar which is between 18" and about 5' in depth. The tour operators typically know that you want to visit the sandbar unless you specify otherwise.

 

You do have to ride in a boat about 15-30 minutes from shore to reach the sandbar, so you are going through some deeper water which is very clear and beautiful!

Marcia

[Cruisin2Sun]

80 Feet? WHere did you go on the tour? The one I went in December it was about 4 feet deep.

 

I think she was referring to the spot where the SHIP anchored was 80 feet down and you could still see the bottom - not the excursion boat....:)

[JerseyGirl97]

Do you wear a life jacket when in the water for this excursion? I am not worried about me, but my daughter is only 5 so I am not sure she will be able to touch. Thanks!

[KansasScrapper]

We went on our last cruise. It was amazing, right up there with swimming with the Dolphin. Our friend (who post on this board) wasn't buying at first, but let us "talk him into it" and he had a BLAST!!! It is something I would do again in a heartbeat. We also wore our water shoes and were told to take them off. There are TONS of them "gliding & floating" all around you. They are nice to you as long as you are to them.

 

Don't try lefting them up out of the water, they can't breath. We know someone who did that, not realizing it, and the sting ray wiped his tail around and got him in the side. Man did he bleed. They were not on a cruise, just there for their honeymoon. He did end up with 8-10 stitches.

 

You are also told to schuffle when you walk, not pick up your feet, that way if one is laying in the sand he'll move. Also, the small ones are not babies, they are the males. :p

 

Vest at the Sting Ray City Sandbar: One is not needed. It is only hip deep.