Stingray City with Back Problems

[jce2]

Looking for opinions on Stingray City tours. Let me stat by saying, as this is our first cruise we are very leery of trying non RCL-sponsored tours. That being said, our situation is this. I REALLY want to do the stingrays, I consider this the highlight of my cruise. However, of utmost importance (to me) is my wife's comfort and happiness. She suffers from back problems (but is still mobile). Right now we are signed up for the "Stingray City and 2 Snorkeling Stops" excursion. She seems content that if her back is too sore she can just sit out the snorkeling. But I am wondering if we wouldnt be better off with the "Deluxe Stingray City Sandbar" that involves a special boat with a staircase all the way into the water, or one of the two tours that include dolphin encounter/swim and Stingray City. Anyone do any of these? Also, how good is the snorkeling (which i have never done), a lot of the video I have seen look like its mainly coral and plants and little in the way of fish)

[WAAAYTOOO]

Since you are saying "Stingray City" I am guessing this is at Grand Cayman ?

Honestly, I cannot recall what kind of ladder the boat had when we last visited Stingray City....but let's just say that I would not have been able to get in or out of the water if it hadn't been fairly easy....so it must have been a good access ladder.  Frankly, not knowing your wife's specific back issues, I would think that the boat ride getting there will be harder on her back than anything she would do in the water.  Those trips are very bumpy and it's a fairly lengthy ride out to the sandbar.

The snorkeling will definitely be in a different location from the stingrays.  The water at the sand bar with the stingrays is very shallow and there's literally nothing there except for the stingrays - but there are LOTS of stingrays.  I cannot predict where the snorkeling locations would be but on GC there are really not many BAD snorkeling locations (except for the sand bar !).

I agree with you....everyone should do stingray city at least once.  It is incredible and you will enjoy it.  Personally, I think I would enjoy the dolphin swim more than I would just a snorkeling experience but that's just me.  I have done dolphin swims before but never at GC.

As I'm sure you already know, Stingray City will be probably be packed with people when you go there.  The last time we were there, there were literally dozens of boats and hundreds of people in the water with the stingrays.  They're EVERYwhere but they are so interesting.  I'm thinking you and your wife will have a blast !

[kellie in texas]

We did the Deluxe Stingray City Sandbar in June while on Liberty OTS.  I had researched the stingray vendors and found Marineland Tours, which is the company with the boat you describe where the steps -- essentially about a 7-8 foot wide "staircase" descend into the water.  I have a bad knee so climbing out of water on just a ladder would not have worked for me.  And then I discovered that Marineland Tours is the vendor for the RCCL excursion in Grand Cayman.  Sold!  It was a great tour and amazing being in the water with the stingrays.  They do have some snorkel masks on the tour boat but there's not really any true snorkeling, i.e. reefs, etc.  Just getting you underwater to see the rays, if you want.