Swim with stingrays w/o booking excursion??

[Mindymom]

Has anyone ever just got off the ship in Grand Cayman and took a trip with locals offering to take you out to swim with the Stingrays (without booking an official excursion)? My parents did this several years ago and it worked out real well and we're going in November and I don't know if I want to take the chance that it will happen this way again.

I'm looking into Captain Marvins. Is there anyone out there that has had a negative experience with them? I've only seen positive. How many people are on the boat?

Mindy

 

[aprilgail2]

Well I can't post anything negative anout them but I can answer the how many question...we had about 30 I think on board. It was not crowded and very nice!

 

[jel0511]

Mindymom - We're on the same cruise as you, and we've booked the half day excursion with Captain Marvins. I've read nothing but good things about them, and if the ship doesn't dock for some reason, we don't get charged for the trip. I'd rather have a confirmed reservation than trying to find something and possibly having to pass due to the early departure time from the dock. DH and I have been to Grand Cayman before and the morning departures are usually booked up, with the afternoons being the ones with openings. With the last tender being at 4:30, and everyone always running on Island Time, I'd much prefer to be on the earlier excursion.

 

[tkd lisa]

We booked with Capt Marvin's and really enjoyed it. There were about 20 people on our boat (1/2 day excursion)

 

[cjsmith]

We also booked with Captain Marvins on our June 03 cruise and loved it. We only had our group of 9 (my family of 5 and our friends who had 4) and then another family of 4. The other family of 4 were also from the Magic. It was a wonderful excursion and I would book with them again.

 

[mmouse37]

We also had a great experience with Capt. Marvins.....we only had about 10 on our boat...this was August of '02.

MJ

 

[BobandLee]

We also did Captain Marvins. Had 10 people on board. It was a great experience. Seems like the excursion that Disney was with cancelled that day and some of the other boats seemed overcrowded. I think we made the best choice. I would avoid their late tour as it seems they cut it a little close and Disney does not have to wait on non-Disney excursions.
try this!
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Lee and Bob's 2004 Disney Magic Western Carribean Cruise

7 day western cruise with Payton-2002

<marquee><font color=GREEN> Can't Wait For Our 14 Day Disney Relocation Cruise!</font></marquee><br />

 

[SheilaBlalock]

How did you find out about the Captain Marvin excursion, and where can you book. We leave Oct. 9 on the Western Caribean and I am very interested, but new to all of this

 

[jel0511]

goto www.captainmarvins.com They're you'll find all the info and pricing.

 

[jlawall]

I originally booked Captain Marvin's when I couldn't get on a sold out excursion with DCL. It was wonderful last year so we decided to repeat it this year. It was even better. There were about 7 or 8 families on the boat with about 3 crew members and a videographer. We visited with the stingrays and held them. It was a beautiful pristine sandbar in the middle of a huge bay. Very nice experience. Captain Marvin's give you a free rum cake and 10% discount in their little shop when you return. Go for it!

 

[bfosbenner]

Is the two hour trip ok for beginners or should I stick with the half day? 2 Adults and a 8 year old that loves the water.