Help and your advise is needed please

[Sparkyboi]

Hey All,

Ok so I am on Costa Fortuna on Jan 3rd.

 

We call upon Ocho Rios, Nassau, Grand Caymen and Cozumel...the only new things for me is Jamaica by sea (been there and done dunns before but travelled the land) but GCM is BRAND NEW.

 

OK heres the kicker....I am 100% an Ocean person but terrified of live fish....LOL...I know sad...but it freaks me out...i try to snorkel, but as long as the fish are far enough away i am good, once they are close I freak :eek:

 

Eating them is different! I could eat fish everyday.

 

Now...I HATE cliche touristy things...but i feel that in GCM String rays are a must! Can anyone help me out with this? were you afraid of fish and did it? were you afraid of being stung?

 

And i honestly dont know if i am gonna get off the ship anywhere else...i have been to cozumel so much....there is nothing there for me...Jamaica....any ideas of Ocho Rios?....Nassau...frankly i found it to be very Boring....I think its gonna be a ship day.

 

 

ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS....PLEASE SPEAK UP!

[Hollyday]

Check out this thread

best excursions-Carnival or independent booking?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1031043

 

Hope this helps.

 

We've used Capt. Marvin's twice and it was great....I'm not a strong swimmer, the water at Stingray City is only about 3 feet deep. I was not afraid of being stung. I'm not sure if I'm afraid of fish as I've not been around them. The sting rays can be a little intimidating but the guides will make you feel more comfortable. They are amazing creatures and you would fee terrible if you missed this.

[GinDon]

Wow, if you are afraid of fishies, then doing the Stingray Excursion might be a challenge for you. There are lots of them, they are huge, and they WILL touch you, They seem to love human interaction. They will NOT sting you.

So here's the thing: This is an experience not to be missed. It's lovely, amazing, and something you will never forget.

I am a non-swimmer (the water is only 3 feet deep), and not known to be brave about anything. I absolutely LOVED this experience. If I ever return to GC, I'll do it again.

I would say to "go for it". If, at the last minute you can't bring yourself to get in the water with the rays, at least you will still have enjoyed a nice boat ride out to the sandbar, and you can see these beautiful creatures up close from the safety of the boat.

We did our excursion with Moby Dick, booked on-line. One more thing I will add: One of my group is physically challenged, yet he was allowed to join the tour, and was able to get in the water, and pat and feed the rays. We had no fear for his safety, the rays are perfectly tame and friendly.

[Sparkyboi]

Thanks for your encouragement....I know its a chance of a life time and one of those things that you HAVE TO DO...it like going to fance and not seeing the eiffel tower....

 

I am afraid of the fish, but i am going to try real hard to brave it....these are rays, not little fish right...so...

 

the fear of live fish goes back to when i was a kid when my sister would torture me into corners with live fish...and well more....but she is the cause of this fear....I hate it becuase i LOVE THE OCEAN and think marine life is beautiful, i hate being so scared...but i just think i am gonna do it.

 

The tour with Costa includes Hell and Turtle Farm, both of which i dont care about....any tour companies you know of that I can book just the sandbar enounter? i wanna spend the rest of the time venturing out to (beer point?) and out of Georgetown.

[bookbabe]

The tour with Costa includes Hell and Turtle Farm, both of which i dont care about....any tour companies you know of that I can book just the sandbar enounter? i wanna spend the rest of the time venturing out to (beer point?) and out of Georgetown.

 

If that's what you are interested in, then do a search in this forum for Nativeway's Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour. You should find a ton of threads just using "nativeway" as your search term...it's a very popular tour of theirs.

 

In order to visit both the Sandbar and Rum Point, you really have to take one of the excursions that stop at both locations. Rum Point is a 45 minute drive from Georgetown, so the only ways to get there are either an excursion that takes you there by boat or a rental car. The rental car option takes up pretty much the whole day, though, and wouldn't leave you time for a trip out to the Sandbar.

[TheWog]

Captain Marvin's and Nativeway both come highly recommended. They will take you to both Stingray City and Rum Point, but they may also include a snorkel stop along the way. They will also get you back to the pier. You are not obligated to get out of the boat at any of the stops, so you can decide if you are willing to try it out without any obligation to get in the water.

 

http://www.nativewaywatersports.com/

 

http://www.captainmarvins.com/

[teeny25]

You can still see the Stingrays from the boat..you dont have to get in but once there you may find yourself wanting too! We did Captain Marvin's..great time!!

Also in Ocho Rios have you booked a tour with Peat Taylor yet? He has the Dunn's River Falls but other ones as well.. he is very cheap(30 bucks basic tour) and will take you anywhere!! He got us the best deals on blue mountain coffee and rum..a good $5 cheaper than other stores were asking. I highly recommend him!!! He has a website, just type his name into a search engine.