Pricing...Swimming with Stingrays

[darie81]

Does anyone know if passengers can get better deals with pricing of excursions once off the ship?

[caymanjohn]

Absolutely, you are paying over the odds for the privilege/convenience of booking through the cruise lines.

 

There are plenty of companies (often the same ones the cruise lines use) picking up at the dock.

[cruiserssandr]

We used Captain Marvins when we went. Much less expesive than the cruise line and a lot less crowded too. The time we went there were only 8 on our trip. Usually I think they take up to 40.

[christineann]

I have been with Nativeway twice and found their excursions to be less expensive and less crowded than the ship's. The guides are great and know a lot about the rays.

 

http://www.nativewaywatersports.com

[BonnieVA]

I'm interested in this topic too so if I may reiterate the OP's main point ... Are there companies right at the pier who will take you to the stingrays for a good price who you haven't pre-booked with before your cruise?

 

Caymanjohn, do those companies charge any LESS than when you pre-book from home?

 

I know I'm sounding cheap (well, I AM - I prefer the term "frugal") but we're a family of 6 so these excursions are lots of $$ & saving every dollar is helpful.

[suezyq50]

We used Captain Marvin's and were very pleased.

[SanNic44]

Nothing wrong with being frugal. Vacation dollars aren't free. Just wondering, however, if you can get a spot on this popular tour if you don't book in advance? Would you be left standing there without a tour? Hmmm.... thanks for any insight.

[sdirector77]

We have also used Captain Marvins and were pleased. After swimming with the rays they dropped us off at Seven Mile beach and we arranged our own transportation back to the pier. A great experience.

[deputy836]

We have gone with Mobydick tours before and will be with them again this coming Monday while back in port. I have been happy with them..they charge $35 if you go thru them...the boat usually has about10-20 people on it...they are right at the pier and the price includes the ride to the boat, juice, stingray sandbar, squid for feeding, snorkle equip for a brief trip into the water before the sandbar area...and the staff has always been great!

[HRHMadonna]

We have always had good luck booking stingray & snorkeling trips right at the dock....There will be many tour vendors in the area with large boards and photos of their excursions. Most charge around $35 per person. Sometimes when we have had a large group we have negotiated the price down...approx $5 off for each person for our group rate.

[Carolinamamasita]

We have always had good luck booking stingray & snorkeling trips right at the dock....There will be many tour vendors in the area with large boards and photos of their excursions. Most charge around $35 per person. Sometimes when we have had a large group we have negotiated the price down...approx $5 off for each person for our group rate.

 

Now that was exactly what everyone was wondering about

booking it right at the dock .

Thanks for the info :)

[Tikibird]

The ones who wait at the pier, do they get out there pretty quickly? I am not worried about $5 one way or another but I am trying to figure out the fastest way to get out the the stingrays, preferably before the large tours get out there. I don't want to be stuck waiting while they try to fill the bus.

 

The other option is going with the shore excursion, does anyone know what time is the earliest one on Freedom of the Seas? JUST the stingrays. the we will hop out and use the local bus to Boatswain's Beach.

[sdirector77]

We reserved out tour with Captain Marvin and paid in cash when we arrived. We were one of the first to arrive at Stingray City and it was great. By the time we were finished there were many many boats arriving. It was great being one of the first to arrive. If I were to do it again I would schedule the early tour with Captain Marvin to avoid the crowds. :)

[Tikibird]

Thanks, the thing that worries me about booking a tour in advance is that the ship tours get priority in the tenders. If we miss the first tender, we might miss the whole tour. Could we just find the Captain Marvin's rep at the pier and go with them provided we get off the ship in time? There is a lot we want to see, so we have to make the most efficient use of the time.

[jenseib]

I assume that Captin Marvins and mobydick have websites?

[valancy1]

FWIW, I booked through Soto Cruises http://www.sotoscruises.com/ . They come highly recommended here at CC.

 

They specifically asked us to get on the first tender that morning so we could get there before everyone else.

 

Other people who've used them have said that the boat never had more than about 18 people on it and you got individual service/attention.

 

Price is the same as others mentioned-- $35 cash when you arrive.

 

 

Good luck and have fun!

[Ren1216]

http://www.captainmarvins.com/

 

http://www.mobydicktours.com/

[sdirector77]

Not sure if it is still the same but with Captain Marvins they have a store front a short walk from the pier. We were instructed to meet at the store and from that location we boarded a bus. Very easy to find and a short walk. :D

[BigJohnToo]

I went on my first cruise in July and like everyone else, I was not sure what to do and how to do it. The message board was very helpful and I contacted Moby Dick Tours. I made a reservation, met them in Cayman after following their instructions and had an uneventful outing. The tour was not too crowded, the crew was excellent, and we all had a great time. I would recommend Moby Dick and would recommend booking direct via the internet.

[KOOLBEANS]

I've used Captain Marvin's and Nativeway and I prefer Nativeway. Less crowded, great price, better excursion all the way around. They were more thorough and really took the personalizing and pleasing the entire group. For me, always nativeway....

[will work to cruise]

FWIW, I booked through Soto Cruises http://www.sotoscruises.com/ . They come highly recommended here at CC.

 

They specifically asked us to get on the first tender that morning so we could get there before everyone else.

 

Other people who've used them have said that the boat never had more than about 18 people on it and you got individual service/attention.

 

Price is the same as others mentioned-- $35 cash when you arrive.

 

 

Good luck and have fun!

 

We used Soto this past June and had a great time. We had a 5 minute walk to the pick-up point and they were there right on time. The snorkel stop was fun, but the stingrays were fantastic. We had 15 people on our boat. When we arrived at Stingray City we saw boats with 30+ people pull up and were thankful we booked with Soto.

[TeeBuccs]

We used Captain Marvins when we went. Much less expesive than the cruise line and a lot less crowded too. The time we went there were only 8 on our trip. Usually I think they take up to 40.

 

 

We have done this twice - both times with Captain Marvins and had a great experience with maximum of like 12 people on the boat. If you opt for the early excursion like we did, we managed to beat the cruise ships boats to the sand bar and interact with the rays in a much more personal environment. There are plenty rays to go around (LOL), but...once the large cruise ship boats pull up they will have 100+ folks on each one. I prefer the intimate interaction with some quiet and less bodies close by!

[sdirector77]

We have done this twice - both times with Captain Marvins and had a great experience with maximum of like 12 people on the boat. If you opt for the early excursion like we did, we managed to beat the cruise ships boats to the sand bar and interact with the rays in a much more personal environment. There are plenty rays to go around (LOL), but...once the large cruise ship boats pull up they will have 100+ folks on each one. I prefer the intimate interaction with some quiet and less bodies close by!

 

Yep that is why I just made the reservation again with Captain Marvins, 2nd time. We want to go to see the rays early and then off to snorkle. They will drop us off at 7 Mile beach afterwards to spend the remainder of our day. A great value for $35.00.

[compguy]

I can absolutely help you w/ this one. I just got back from our cruise on Sunday. We went to GC, booked directly w/ Captain Marvin's on-site, and spent just under $40 pp for a half-day excursion. Do it. Swimming and interacting w/ stingray is fantastic! What a thrill! You will save money doing it this way vs. through the ship. If you are very nervous about making it back in time, poney up $20 pp w/ the ship. I believe they use Kelly's for this same type of excursion. Captain Marvin's is the best though.

[carribbeanmic]

Went on cruise to GC years ago booked trip for $45 from Carnival, when we tendered right in our faces were a bunch of tour companies offering the same trip I had already booked for only $15. I'm going back in Nov on Carnival and I will wait to book when I get to the island. I save money so I can go on more vacations.