Stingray Adventure

[jb2]

Can anyone tell me about their experience with the stingray adventure on Castaway Cay? How long are you actually in the water with the stingrays and what do you do? Thank you

 

[awoltoday]

Can anyone tell me about their experience with the stingray adventure on Castaway Cay? How long are you actually in the water with the stingrays and what do you do? Thank you

I can point you to my trip report and an excellent recent thread on the subject:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=965950 - my trip report
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1131938 - Excellent thread

You can use the search function to find more. After an informative presentation, you get in the water at the feeding station where you can touch and feed the rays. After that you can snorkel about with the rays. The excursion is scheduled for an hour.

Note the post in the thread that discusses the "Extreme Getaway Package". If you're planning on renting snorkel gear and/or floats and bikes, it's a good value as well as providing additional stingray timeslots.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

There are also some awesome stingray adventures on Grand Cayman if you want to do it there and use your CC time for sand and sun....

 

[Marypoppinsiam]

had a great time at the Stingray Adventure. I would totally recommend it.

 

[jtjcwise]

Just did the stingray adaventure last week on the double dip cruise. My DW and 2 sons, 9 & 6, had a great time. We were there about an hour. Was a highlight of the trip.

 

[WDWLVR]

We did it on the May 27th double scoop and loved it!

You have about 5-10 minutes of class time. Then you go in the water and gather round the feeding platform. They take about 6-8 people per platform. You take turns getting to feed them and pet them as they come up on the platform. After that you have about 1/2 hour to snorkel in the lagoon with them. Really fun!

 

[RCBA]

I did this excursion on the June double dip...I enjoyed it but wasn't able to snorkel w/ the rays as much as I would have liked. They seemed to keep moving away from the people.

 

[jjatwdw]

We did this excursion on our May 27th cruise and loved it. I had the opposite experience from RCBA. The same rays kept following me around. Some of them were very friendly. DS19, DD15 and DS6 all had a great time. I highly recommend it.

 

[degrapevine]

Hi, all!
On the stingray excursion, how deep is the water that you are in?
I ask because my DD6 doesn't swim yet (hopefully by our trip - She'll be taking lessons soon!) and would be happy just standing in the water with a mask on, looking down into the water at the stingrays.
Or ... do you have to really snorkel (ie. swim!) to participate?
Just wondering ...
Rose

 

[ImNarek]

The water where the feeding stations are was about waist deep on me and I'm a short adult. So I think most kids would be fine. It does get deeper if you go further out, but that's not necessary to see the stingrays, so I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[PMDR59]

It is perfect for the little ones (and some moms too!!) My boys were 5&6 when we went last year. Water was waist deep on the at the feeding platforms. It got deeper the further you went out. They pretty much stood and bent over to put faces in the water, they loved it!!!!!!!

We also did the stingray excursion in Grand Cayman to Stingray city. Me and the kids enjoyed CC much more. DH loved Stingray city. Me and the kids were in the water for about 5 minutes and stayed on the boat the rest of the time. Water was about waist deep on the sandbar but it was rough so the waves were popping you up off the sand. and the stingrays were HUGE. It also took a long boat ride to get out there.

Highly reccommend Castaway Rays especially for a 6 year old.

And you get to feed the rays from a mickey plate!

 

[RCBA]

Hi, all!
On the stingray excursion, how deep is the water that you are in?
I ask because my DD6 doesn't swim yet (hopefully by our trip - She'll be taking lessons soon!) and would be happy just standing in the water with a mask on, looking down into the water at the stingrays.
Or ... do you have to really snorkel (ie. swim!) to participate?
Just wondering ...
Rose

You stand in about water about knee deep for an adult...there were serveral kids about your DD's age in my group...they were just fine. After feeding your DD will be able to stand in the water and see the rays swim around. I saw more of them standing than while snorkeling.

 

[degrapevine]

Thank you, everybody!
Seems like Castaway Rays will be the perfect thing to do with DD6 and her scaredy-cat brother (DS12) while DH and DS8 (the daredevil - middle child!) go on the banana boats.
I appreciate your quick replies.
DIS'ers are the best!
Rose

 

[shelleyr25]

Great information!! I was considering this for our upcoming Thanksgiving cruise and will now be sure to book it!! My kids will be 7 and 8 at the time and cant really snorkel yet so this will be perfect for them!! TY!!

 

[needAcruise]

There are also some awesome stingray adventures on Grand Cayman if you want to do it there and use your CC time for sand and sun....

Which one should I take? The Grand Cayman shore excursion lists 4 excursions with "Stingray" in the name.

1) Stingray City Snorkel Tour (The description looks right, but why is this a tour?)

2) Island Tour and Snorkeling with Stingrays (Am I stuck on a bus most of the time?)

3) Stingray City Reef Sail and Snorkel (does not look like any interaction, just snorkeling)

4) Stingray City Observatory & Island Tour (This says nothing of swimming so I think this is completely wrong for me.)

I wish to acutally feed, pet and interact with the stingrays.

And I would be bringing my DD5 and DD7. DD5 is rather small, but brave. She can't swim yet (she's taking lessons) but if she could stand up and not be knocked over by waves, it would make her experience a bit more enjoyable.