Grand Cayman- tailoring excursion so young kids can do Stingray City, and more

[ScubaMama]

We are three adults and two kids (1 and 4 years old) stopping in Grand Cayman at the end of January. We would like to see Turtle Farm Exploration Tour (leaves out the snorkeling) and Stingray City Sandbar. I don't know what else makes sense with a toddler and preschooler, perhaps Rum Point Beach or another great beach or pool with slide (that allows a 43 inch 4 year old to ride.)

I know Disney will not offer me these excursions becayse of the kids. What are my options? Other than hubby, we tend all get motion sickness unless we're in the water or the boat is running. While at the sandbar, it seems easy to hop off the boat and hold the 1 year old. I'm assuming snorkeling would take us to a different deeper spot where the toddler and possibly preschooler have to stay on the boat with an adult. If that's correct, we need an excursion without that portion or they'll be sea sick.

Pleas help.. I welcome any advice you may have that will help us have a great day together! All aboard is 3:30pm so the idea of Turtle Farm, Stingray City and beach/pool may be overly ambitious. I haven't checked the water temperature. I hope the end of January won't have my son saying the water is freezing!

 

[Madzac]

I will have a three year old on our next cruise so I understand your frustration! Its not easy to find excursions!

I was initially looking at stingray city as well. I think my older kids would really enjoy it. There is no way to do it with disney, but there are a number of private companies that will take kids of any age. With researching, many require you to bring your own life vest for a child that young. I really didnt want to purchase that. The one exception I found was Moby Dick tours, but they didnt have anything without snorkeling. On our cruise meet thread we had a family that had recently gone and the water was rough and waves fairly high so between not being able to find an excursion that worked and worries my daughter would be afraid we changed our minds.

Everyone seems to recommend the turtle farm for young kids the most. Most say their kids absolutely loved it! I think if I had just little ones like you I would do the turtle farm and then just wander around or hit seven mile beach. Good luck!

 

[ScubaMama]

I will have a three year old on our next cruise so I understand your frustration! Its not easy to find excursions!

I was initially looking at stingray city as well. I think my older kids would really enjoy it. There is no way to do it with disney, but there are a number of private companies that will take kids of any age. With researching, many require you to bring your own life vest for a child that young. I really didnt want to purchase that. The one exception I found was Moby Dick tours, but they didnt have anything without snorkeling. On our cruise meet thread we had a family that had recently gone and the water was rough and waves fairly high so between not being able to find an excursion that worked and worries my daughter would be afraid we changed our minds.

Everyone seems to recommend the turtle farm for young kids the most. Most say their kids absolutely loved it! I think if I had just little ones like you I would do the turtle farm and then just wander around or hit seven mile beach. Good luck!

Thank you! I was just thinking the same thing this morning! To limit things further, not only is all aboard at 3:30 but we're also there on a Sunday which seems to limit charters further. I couldn't find anything that wasn't a combo with snorkeling. (Snorkeling is out of the question because the kids plus whoever is watching then would get sick sitting in the boat for an hour.)

I was thinking of the same thing. Turtle Farm and beach. Which package are you doing for Turtle Farm? It seems like the more expensive one has a snorkeling pond and their pool/slide. Are you planning to get in a taxi when you finish Turtle Farm and ask them to take you to the beach or did you have a specific spot in mind. Thank you!

 

[Madzac]

We are still debating! Since my DD is 3 we are leaning towards doing a dolphin interaction with the turtle farm. If we dont do that we would probably choose the island tour with the turtle farm. I think the plan would be to do the excursion, whichever ultimately decide on and then when we get back to the main area with disney if time allows, hop a cab to a nearby beach. I need to do more research, lol!

What are your plans in Cozumel? We are leaning towards Playa Mia Beach Break as I think my little one would love the little kid waterpark and the big kids would like the other amenities.

 

[susiee]

We did a stingray and snorkel trip that we booked on our own in Nov 2012. The stingray city was good but the waves were pretty rough. We stood on the sandbar while the rays swam all around and they rub against you quite a bit. My girls (7&9) did fine; our friends' 6 year old was quite freaked out and was basically on her dad's shoulders the whole time.
The snorkeling was ok - not many fish but lots of starfish.
For us, we had a great day and were happy our girls did well with the snorkeling and stingrays. I think our friends enjoyed it but definitely didn't have as good a time as we did.
Have fun planning and an awesome cruise!

 

[neoavatara]

We are still debating! Since my DD is 3 we are leaning towards doing a dolphin interaction with the turtle farm. If we dont do that we would probably choose the island tour with the turtle farm. I think the plan would be to do the excursion, whichever ultimately decide on and then when we get back to the main area with disney if time allows, hop a cab to a nearby beach. I need to do more research, lol!

What are your plans in Cozumel? We are leaning towards Playa Mia Beach Break as I think my little one would love the little kid waterpark and the big kids would like the other amenities.

We have a 8 and 4 year old, and our plan is IDENTICAL to yours, for the same reason.

 

[kmfitch]

I want to do stingray city with my 4 year old this april. I am planning on booking through a company directly and not going through disney. It is cheaper and most have no age limit for stingray city. I have been to stingray city and think it would be easy to manage a child there and plan on bringing our own life vests for the kids incase the water is higher. Disney is very strict and will not budge on age requirements as far as I know.

 

[ScubaMama]

I want to do stingray city with my 4 year old this april. I am planning on booking through a company directly and not going through disney. It is cheaper and most have no age limit for stingray city. I have been to stingray city and think it would be easy to manage a child there and plan on bringing our own life vests for the kids incase the water is higher. Disney is very strict and will not budge on age requirements as far as I know.

The sandbar seems like it's do-able for a 4 year old as long as the surf isn't rough that day and it's a preschooler that enjoys animals. The snorkeling though seems tricker. Even just floating on the water with their life vest seems tough because even 1-2 foot waves would mean my kid would get water in his mouth and when does the open ocean not have 1-2 foot waves?

We're not doing Cozumel.