Carnival Stingray City Excursion OPTIONS???

[MikeA0589]

We just booked our first cruise together on Carnival's Liberty 6-day cruise leaving on May 20th 2007. The stops are Freeport, Bahamas.... Grand Cayman... and Costa Maya Mexico. Not sure what we'll do in Freeport yet, but in Costa Maya we'll check out one of the ruin tours. My question is about which Stingray tour to go on in Grand Cayman. There are many different options and I'm confused on which one is better and why. Here are the options.

 

1. Allure Catamaran Sail to Stingray City Sandbar (3.5 hrs $70)

• Take a short transfer to the Cayman Island Yacht Club.
  
• Board the amazing spacious and comfortable Allura catamaran.
  
• Sail the beautiful waters of the North Sound to the stingray sandbar.
  
• Snorkel, feed and interact with dozens of Southern stingrays. The stingrays literally eat out of your hand!
  
• Have plenty of photo opportunities before hoisting the sails and returning to the yacht club.

2. Ray Runner Stingray City Snorkel Tour (3 hrs $99)

• Take command of your own inflatable boat and speed out to world famous Stingray City.
  
• Swim with these wondrous creatures of the sea.
  
• Reboard your boat for the short trip to Coral Gardens for snorkeling.
  
• See Grand Cayman’s underwater world as you explore this colorful coral reef.
  
• Possibly catch sight of a green sea turtle.
  
• Pilot your boat back from Coral Gardens to the dock.
  
• Board a bus for the return trip to Georgetown for shopping or your ship.

3. Stingray City & Island Tour (4.5 hrs $59)

• Travel the length of 7-Mile Beach and view the miles of white sandy beach and crystal clear blue waters.
  
• Experience a guided tour of the Turtle Farm; one of only a few turtle conservation centers in the world, home for the smallest hatchling to some of the largest sea turtles in the world.
  
• Be taken to what is known as Hell; an area of exposed rocks, locally termed the Town of Hell because of the lack of life truly portrays what most of us would perceive Hell to look like.
  
• Relax on the boat ride out to Stingray City Sandbar where you can stand in the shallow waters, as you swim or snorkel, feed, pet and hold the friendly stingrays.
  
• Be provided snorkel equipment and food for the stingrays at no extra cost.
  
• Enjoy our complimentary drinks including rum punch and listen to great Caribbean music on your return.

4. Stingray City Snuba (2 hrs $99)

• Experience the thrill of swimming deeper than you could snorkeling, without the burden of scuba gear.
  
• Take a boat ride to the Deep Stingray City situated inside the barrier reef that protects the North Sound.
  
• Have a short briefing and instructions on the easy use of your Snuba gear.
  
• Enter the clear Caribbean Sea and venture beneath the waves as the graceful rays swim around you.
  
• Be led through the reef and rocks until you are comfortable with the gear.
  
• Watch as the guides feed the rays and be on the lookout for the resident morays that inhabit the reef.

5. Stingray City Tour (2.5 hrs $45)

• Take a short ride through Grand Cayman to Stingray City.
  
• Cruise on a yacht out to the sandbar.
  
• Stand in 3 – 5 feet of water to feed and touch these magnificent creatures.
  
• Snorkel with them and share their environment.

6. Stingray Sandbar, Hell, & Turtle Farm Experience (4.5 hrs $74)

• Visit world famous 7-mile beach and the old Homestead for a photo stop.
  
• Tour the Turtle Farm, a one of a kind facility that is home to thousands of turtles.
  
• Arrive at the town called Hell, featuring a pre-historical rock formation that some think hell must surely look like.
  
• Stop at Stingray City for a boat ride out to the Sand Bar.
  
• Hold, pet and feed the stingrays in shallow waters (3 – 4 feet).

Obviously some tours have more involved than others but has anyone taken any of these SPECIFIC tours through Carnival Cruise Lines?

 

Which tour has the most involvement with the stingrays for the buck?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

-Mike