Reluctant kids and stingray adventure?

[snoopy5386]

We're on the Dream in October and I had been looking forward to doing the stingray adventure with my kids - 6 & 10. I have fed and swam with stingrays years ago on Grand Cayman and it was amazing. I showed some youtube videos to my kids and they are very hesitant. My 6 year old is adamantly saying no. My 10 year old just wants to feed them, but not swim with them. I don't want to waste time and money on this if they are not interested. Hoping to convince the 10 year old it is worth it.

Any tips, advice, or past experiences? If you did this with your kids did they enjoy it?

 

[Laundress]

a few pics of our time



So the children's bodies don't have to come in contact with the sting ray.
They swim up the ramp and collect food from your fingers.
I hope this help ease their fears.

 

[loves to dive]

I wouldn't push them but it can be a cool experience. I've never done any of the things like what is done in Grand Cayman, we have been diving there a number of times and, of course, see them in the ocean so no need for that. I have done the petting them kind of thing at Sea World and that might be the way to go. As you can see by my avatar, I've been up close and personal with them and they are beautiful creatures but we don't touch or feed.

 

[firepuppy]

We did this on our 1st cruise and had so much fun. The stingrays are trained to come to the Mickey and eat. I don't know if they still do that but is was great for the kids.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I am guessing they might like it once they are doing it. However, the experience that I can share is we pushed our 13yo DD to do an excursion with us that she clearly did not want to do as she is afraid of the ocean. After much prodding and negotiations, she went along. She ruined it for the rest of our family. She refused to get into the water once we were there or participate or even sit onboard and act interested for the rest of us. She literally laid on the boat like a log. It was horrible. I realize 13yo girl drama is much different than kids your age, but this Mom disappointment is still very fresh in my mind three years later!

Bottom line, your kids will probably be just as happy swimming or doing Pelican Plunge or something for "free". They are young. My guess is you will cruise again sometime when they are older and can do a stingray activity when they are older and very much in agreement.

 

[Savikins]

I would show them some videos and maybe book the excursion just in case they change their minds leading up to the cruise. As long as you cancel the excursion 3 days before your cruise you won't be charged, but at least you have the reservation in case they have a change of heart. At the same time I wouldn't push them too much. It sounds like your 6 year old might be pretty hard to convince - is it possible for you to do the excursion with your 10 year old and let the younger one sit it out with another adult?

I am guessing they might like it once they are doing it. However, the experience that I can share is we pushed our 13yo DD to do an excursion with us that she clearly did not want to do as she is afraid of the ocean. After much prodding and negotiations, she went along. She ruined it for the rest of our family. She refused to get into the water once we were there or participate or even sit onboard and act interested for the rest of us. She literally laid on the boat like a log. It was horrible. I realize 13yo girl drama is much different than kids your age, but this Mom disappointment is still very fresh in my mind three years later!

Bottom line, your kids will probably be just as happy swimming or doing Pelican Plunge or something for "free". They are young. My guess is you will cruise again sometime when they are older and can do a stingray activity when they are older and very much in agreement.

I think my boyfriend and I can relate to your DD, haha! When we were 18 we went on a RCCL cruise with his family. His mom asked us months before if we were interested in a snorkeling excursion in Cozumel and we both told her no thank you. She asked again about a month beforehand, again we said thanks but no thanks, it's not for us. We get on the cruise and turns out she booked us on the excursion... I had an okay time, I had a Corona because it was included and I got in the water but did not snorkel (I don't like having my head underwater). My bf on the other hand was 100% miserable, he was also a sad sad log like your DD. He was seasick on the small boat the entire time and he doesn't like swimming in the ocean either. He ended up getting so seasick that he requested that he be let off at some random dock - I was really surprised that they let him get off there. I got off with him and so did his uncle who was sick as well, and I remember having to scramble/climb onto the dock because it was way taller than the tiny snorkel boat. I know this whole ordeal caused a lot of drama and annoyance.

 

[wanderlust7]

Did the videos you showed your kids have the feeding platform? I went with my 7 year old DS, who tends to be a little timid and cautious. First I showed him a video of Grand Cayman stingrays and that was definitely a NO. Then I showed him a video of Castaway Cay stingrays with the feeding platform, a much more controlled experience, and he said yes.

When we were feeding the stingrays, I went first and guess my hand wasn't flat enough, the stingray sucked in my finger (felt weird but didn't hurt at all). Then DS got scared and didn't want to feed them. I managed to get him to try it once, but he was so nervous he let the food float away. The stingray ate it, so I guess he "fed" it. He still got to see them up close, so I didn't feel like it was a total loss. Besides, I enjoyed it enough for the cost of both of us. After the feeding, we looked at the stingrays in the water a bit but he soon lost interest, so I walked him back to our family, then came back (I checked with a CM first that I could still come back in). The water is very shallow so there's not a big difference looking at the stingrays standing or sitting in the water as opposed to snorkeling. Maybe that makes a difference for your 10 year old?

 

[Sytrace]

My son and I did this when he was 11 and he LOVED it.

We had a few stingrays swim around behind the feeding station by our legs, but then they went back around the front way because that is the only way they get fed. lol The guides were really good about making sure that the rays and people followed the directions.
After the feeding, my son was out there swimming with them as long as he was allowed before the next group was brought in. He actually wants to do it again and I think I will book it for our next cruise.