EXCURSIONS TO STINGRAY CITY IN GRAND CAYMAN

Waist deep in stingrays......now what?

Great! You've chosen the best tour operator at the price you want to pay, to take you to the Stingray City Sandbar in Grand Cayman.....what can you expect during this adventure?

Stingray City Grand Cayman - welcoming committee

Depth of water

Water at the Stingray City Sandbar is between 2-5 feet deep. Good weather conditions mean water as smooth as glass, rougher conditions bring choppy water. Good excursion operators will ensure that he moors his boat in water as shallow as safety allows, providing easy access into these beautiful Caribbean waters.

Stingray activity

These stingrays are clever! They know which boats bring stingray "popcorn" (the squid that they so enjoy feasting on), and enthusiastically form a welcoming party before the anchors are even set! 

The most important thing to remember?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T the stingrays

and they will respect you!

These foxy girls have had over 35 years experience of human contact, and like all self-respecting ladies, will give you the "cold shoulder" for bad behaviour. Hopefully, your guide has informed you how to behave in the water, and how to handle the stingrays. If you are feeling unsure, please mention this to your crew before entering the water - do not wait till you are in the water to freak out!

Our Captain Mario likens the stingray encounter to "a barbecue in your backyard with friends, with 15-20 six month old labrador puppies running around". Tread carefully, treat gently. Upon entering the water, they will peacefully swim around you, touching you and rubbing against you to get to know you.

Stingray City Sandbar - waist deep in stingrays and loving it!

You are not allowed to wear shoes at the Sandbar, so just enjoy the feel of fine coral sands between your toes. Get that Caribbean vacation vibe going, relax and enjoy the adventure! Guests who have been initially terrified of this moment have to be dragged back onto the boat when it is time to depart - such is the magic of these creatures.

However, this docile behaviour is quickly forgotten when they sense the squid coming their way - that is when they get quite excited (mine! mine! mine!) and just like those little "puppies" we alluded to earlier, they will become quite the attention getters! Once again, just enjoy the fun, share the squid (don't tease!) and appreciate them for sharing their time with  you.

Some guests are quite taken aback by the size of the stingrays so best be prepared - the girls can be up to 5.5 feet from wingtip to wingtip, while the boys are smaller - approximately 1.5 - 2 feet across.

Our crew are particular protective over these rays, but love showing you how to cradle them in your arms for a photo, and help you get your stingray kiss which bring 7 years good luck! The stingrays seem to enjoy these kisses - their little "noses" actually pucker up!

We have not yet seen one guests leave this attraction with a smile, which makes it one of the top things to do in Cayman Islands! So get out there and enjoy!

Go girl! Gran earns her 7 years of good luck!

STINGRAY CITY GRAND CAYMAN - BEST TOUR # 2

Stingray City in Grand Cayman is free??????

Then what am I paying for?????

There is no charge for entering the water at the Stingray City Sandbar, likewise, snorkelling in  the Cayman Islands is free. So what are you paying for?

You are paying for the best excursion experience you can afford, and while searching through the numerous tour operators available, you are choosing how you want to experience your visit to the Cayman stingrays and snorkel sites.

Stingray City Sandbar Grand Cayman - stunning!

Grand Cayman Excursions come in all shapes and sizes (with the relative price). You can choose  between motor boats (we use a motor boat - this is faster and carries guests to see more in the allotted tour time), catamarans and jet skis. There are small boats and huge boats, cheap excursions and expensive ones. Cruise passengers have to decide between cruise tours or independent  tour operators. Private tours are also available ....... the possibilities are endless.....

So, ultimately, you are paying for how you experience your visit.

Before reserving the first (or cheapest) tour you can find, perhaps ask yourself the following questions:

• Will I feel safe doing this excursion? Responsible Stingray City operators will ensure that they are licensed by (and act in accordance with the laws) of the Cayman Islands Port Authority and the Cayman Island Department of Environment
• What is included in the price of the tour? Make sure there are no "hidden" costs e.g. do you need to pay to use on-board snorkel equipment, are photos and refreshments an extra expense?
• Do I receive maximum value for my money? How many sites does the excursion include and what do I get to see?
• What is the duration of the tour? Some tour operators might advertise a longer tour time than others, but this may include the time it takes to transport you to the boat. This may, or may not, suit you.
• Will the crew assist me? For some visitors, Stingray City and snorkeling might be a little beyond their comfort zone - will the crew assist me and be in the water with me?
• Is this tour operator recommended? Read up reviews on tour operators - no tour operator can please everyone all of the time, but reading reviews will give you a very good general "feel" for the excursion operator and it's crew.

Would you prefer the "A" experience, or the "B"? You choose.

All of the reputable excursion operators in Grand Cayman work hard to provide the best experience they can to their guests, and we sincerely hope that the visitors to this world famous site leave with  only beautiful memories that will last a life time!

Happy Caribbean vacation planning!

GRAND CAYMAN ISLANDS - CRUISE PASSENGER INFORMATION

Cruise passengers visiting Grand Cayman are sometimes confused about time differences. This can lead to them arriving too early or (unfortunately), too late to meet their chosen tour operator.

Grand Cayman is on EST (Eastern Standard Time) and DOES NOT practice daylight saving. 

The island welcomes numerous cruise ships - some of these stay on the time of their port of departure, some change their time to the port of arrival, some practice daylight saving and some don't. It is impossible for local excursion operators to know which ship does what, and generally, will quote their tour times in local time.

In our confirmation e-mails to cruise guests, we try to highlight this factor, and provide a link to our website which shows Cayman time - this link follows : TIME IN GRAND CAYMAN.

An alternative point of reference can be found on 24TimeZones.com

If in any doubt, do ask your cruise crew for assistance with time differences.

Happy cruising - Grand Cayman Island looks forward to meeting you!