Tell me about Sting Ray City...

[bluehawks47]

If we are booking the stingray city on our own through capt marvin, capt bryan, etc., how far in advance should we do it? Will they fill up? We leave in less than two months.

 

Is anyone sold on one of the above mentioned companies?

 

Thanks,

Kathleen

[Cuizer2]

If we are booking the stingray city on our own through capt marvin, capt bryan, etc., how far in advance should we do it? Will they fill up? We leave in less than two months.

 

Is anyone sold on one of the above mentioned companies?

 

Thanks,

Kathleen

 

I am already booked with Captain Marvin for a June cruise. I did ask Captain Marvin how far in advance I have to book and I cannot find the reply (most likely I deleted it after I booked). In August 2004 I went with the ship's tour. This time I want to try Captain Marvin because of all the positive reviews I have read. What follows is a cut and paste of an e-mail I received from Captain Marvin in response to several questions I asked ...

 

>Thanks for your order! I have reserved 6 spots for you on our 11:15 AM

trip

>for June XX, 2007. Please meet us at our office in the Waterfront

Centre,

>2 blocks LEFT of the cruise ship pier. You should be here by 10:45

local

>time that morning (11:45 ship's time if it remains on Eastern Daylight

time

>here), with towels and sunscreen.

>

>We have several boats ranging in length from 34-45 feet, with

capacities

>from 20-45 people. The boat assigned to a particular trip depends on

how

>many people sign up for that trip, but the average number of people on

a

>boat is about 25. We will have plenty of space if your friends decide

to

>join us.

>

>For all the information on our trips, times, prices, and location,

please

>read through our web site at http://www.captainmarvins.com, where you will

also

>find an on-line reservation form for booking with us.

>Let me know if you have any other questions, and I will be happy to

answer

>them for you. I look forward to hearing from you again!

>Ruth for Capt. Marvin's

>

>

>

>Your card is not charged until you arrive here, and we prefer if you

pay in

>cash or by travelers' checks at that time. We also accept Visa,

MasterCard

>and American Express, but there is an extra 5% fee added to your bill

if

>you

>pay by credit card.

>

>If your ship is here on time, but you do not show up for your trip

with us,

>you will be charged.

>

>See you in June!

>Ruth for Capt. Marvin's

[Sheffie]

If we are booking the stingray city on our own through capt marvin, capt bryan, etc., how far in advance should we do it? Will they fill up? We leave in less than two months.

 

Is anyone sold on one of the above mentioned companies?

 

Thanks,

Kathleen

 

When I book with independent companies I book as soon as I have made up my mind. We booked our tour with the Silver Moon in Barbados about 10 months out. Some companies/tours have limited amounts of space and can fill up quickly.

[chicagojayhawk]

Thank you so much for the advice, everyone! We booked our spots on the Buccaneer this evening!! We're looking forward to it immensely!! :D

 

This may be the only one we book independently for this cruise...we'll see!!

[bluehawks47]

Thank you all for the great information. I guess we will have to check into what time zone the ship is on so we will know when to meet marvin.

 

Thanks again!

[scher]

Thank you all for the great information. I guess we will have to check into what time zone the ship is on so we will know when to meet marvin.

 

Thanks again!

We did Captain Marvin a few years ago and found them to be great! A short walk from where we got off the boat. We did a little snorkel and stingray city. It was amazing. No problems with them at all.

[bigred08046]

I tried to email my reservation and it keeps coming back? Dose anyone have their e maill address for reservations??

[TennisLover]

I tried to email my reservation and it keeps coming back? Dose anyone have their e maill address for reservations??

 

nativway@candw.ky

[PaddleAddict]

I did an excursion with Carnival once and also on the Buccaneer last September and the independent excursion was SO MUCH BETTER!

 

You'll have a blast.

[LuckyBird]

Does anyone have any information or experience with this excursion, either the ships (thru Carnival) or a private tour in regards to accesibility. I have CP (cerebral Palsy) I am a good swimmer, and walk independently but do have some problems keeping my feet on the ground if waves are coming in. I went to the beach in progresso last year and had a very hard time standing in waist deep water, but the waves were pretty rough. If the water was calm I think I would be okay. Please let me know.

[rwillis9]

Hi LuckyBird,

My wife and I went last March to Stingray City Sandbar through Nativeway. The day we went it was very windy and the current seemed to be alittle strong. It does get pretty shallow on the bar, but it was not the easiest to stay in one place. If I were you, I would email a few of the tour operators and maybe the cruise line and just tell them your situation. They would probably be better at telling you what it is like all the time and hopefully figuring something out. I do know that our boat operator said that it can get pretty windy where the bar is because it is an inlet. Hope this helps and best of luck to you. Enjoy your vacation either way!

[littlehead]

Swimming with the stingrays is an amazing experience. I can't think of anything else like it.

 

We are doing it again in February -- this time combining it with snorkling on a separate reef then a visit to Rum Point (beach) through NativeWay Watersports. I can tell you about it upon my return.

 

 

Hello Tennis Lover...

How was your Stingray City tour through NativWay???? Do you recommend it???

Thanks

[TennisLover]

It was awesome. I would recommend NativeWay in a minute.

 

We got the first tender off the ship and they were there waiting for us. We got out to stingray city pretty quickly; it was already a little crowded so we went and snorkled first. The guide brought a shark over to us (it was a kind that doesn't bite, or so they said). The snorkling was great. Then to stingray city. The guides were excellent and even brought a stingray over to the boat so that those who didn't choose to swim could feel the stingray.

 

Then the boat to Rum Point. We had ordered lunch in the morning -- they gave us the menu when we were on the boat going out to the stingray sand bar; got to Rum Point and it was ready (and very yummy). I had a blackened mahi mahi sandwich, DH and DD had veggie burgers; they were nice enough to make a grilled cheese (not on the menu) for my DS.

 

We were able to get a few lounge chairs at Rum Point and the kids had a good time in the water. Then took the Native Way boat back to the dock where we had to tender. They said we would be back at 2:15 and we were. A few people decided to shop, but I had enough and went back to the ship (there was a pretty long tender line but it went quickly).

 

I met Sharon and thanked her for everything.

 

There are a few pictures from my trip on WebShots:

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/557958960HEpKRs

 

NativeWay was excellent and I highly recommend them. The driver and guide were friendly and courteous and did all they could for our group (including children as young as 4 yo).

[captjaneway]

TennisLover, Thanks for your report. I have just emailed Nativeway to hopefully book for my April cruise. Loved your photos, especially the one of Dunn's in Ocho. Who did you book with there?

[TennisLover]

TennisLover, Thanks for your report. I have just emailed Nativeway to hopefully book for my April cruise. Loved your photos, especially the one of Dunn's in Ocho. Who did you book with there?

 

Used Peat Taylor in Jamaica. Dunns River Falls was a great experience too.