Stingray City w/ 3 yr old

[Angela]

Thanks for all the great suggestions and ideas on this board! We are cruising on the RCCL Enchantment next week and are very interested in visiting Stingray City. However, every excursion I see offered is for 5 year olds and up. Does this mean our 3 yr old can not go? Or that they will not allow her to snorkel ( which she wouldn't do)? Can we arrange to get there on our own? Our 7 yr old will not snorkel either - is there a better suggestion for us? Another quick question - is there a cattamaran trip that you would suggest over another for the kids ( and their incredibly excited parents! )?
Thanks for your time -

Angela

Perhaps you should put your daughter in the youth program during the Stingray City excurion if you'd really like to go. It's really not appropriate for little ones -- even if they let her go, you'd be wasting your money.
Before or after the excursion, why don't you take a cab as a family to Seven Mile Beach? Your daughter will love the fine sand and gentle waters.
Smooth sailing,
Luisa Frey GAynor
Family Cruise Editor

Hi! We just got back this week from Carnival cruise to W. Caribbean and took my 2.5 year old daughter to StingRay City Sandbar. She absolutely loved it (loved seeing & touching them and even starting calling them her buddies). She is still talking about it and I must say that it was the highlight of our whole week. I can understand why there might be some hesitation from others, but my daughter LOVES animals and has been to Sea World and several zoos/aquariums where she has been able to interact with sea life.\ So, we were pretty confident she would enjoy it. If your children likes animals/fish/etc., then you might be OK, probably depends on how adventurous they are, or how easily scared. The waters are very shallow (about 4 ft.) so you should be OK holding your little one. We took a "KIRK" Company sponsored tour and they didn't have a problem w/ her age. We arranged it through Carnival, but I imagine you can arrange it on your own if you can't through your RCCL. If you can't work it out to bring the kids - try to go yourself as it is an awesome experience.

Hope that helps and you enjoy your time! Let me know if you have any other questions!

Jodi

Thanks Jodi for sharing that with our readers. Glad to hear that Stingray City was good experience for your family.

Smooth sailing,
Luisa Frey Gaynor

We're going on Grand Princess 04/27/03 and taking our 2-yr. old to Sting Ray City. She loves animals and I know she'll love this. We've booked it through Nativeway Tours. www.nativwaywatersports.com ($25US)

On the first leg of the tour, the water is only 3-4 ft. so we'll hold her in the water. The second leg is 10 ft. deep, so my husband and I will take turns staying in the boat with her. Where there's a will, there's a way...

Have fun!