Whats included in your package

[Mainahman]

Quite right.

Snorkeling in CC is fine. It is safe, controlled, great for first timers, you will see plenty fish and can touch one of the old 20k subs, but there are much better options on the excursions.

If you plan to go snorkeling anywhere, I would recommend buying your own equipment as the rental stuff is garbage. I am not talking garbage in the mind of some elitist diver who would call a $500 mask garbage,I am talking Wal-Mart would be embarrassed to sell it.

You can get a base level U.S. Divers set with fins, mask and a dry snorkel kit for under $40 at Wla-Mart and it will be vastly superior to the rental gear. If you don't mind spending a little more, you can get a full face mast with an integrated snorkel.

Good to know! One of my co workers is a certified diver, So id likely ask her what to get for the best bang for the buck, that wont kill the bank.

So the ships are a cash less system. You can charge things back to your room. But you can use your gift cards to pay your room charges. Just go down to guest services before the night before your cruise ends.

Thats exactly what i was after. Makes sense. I wouldnt want cash on board anyways. Heck i dont take cash to the parks. We use our gift cards for that. Keeps a better budget that way.

 

[Mainahman]

It was still there on our last cruise. I doubt it will be going anywhere unless it was to decay to the point of being a safety hazard. Since it was designed to be in the water 24/7, I doubt that will be in my lifetime.

I never got the ride, but i have an odd obsession with that is no longer, and spend way to much time researching. If i was there, it would be something i must see.

 

[flynnibus]

Discovery cove has great animal experiences in their snorkeling pool and you dont even need to swim far

Interacted with more animals there than any other excursion ive been on.

Ccay has some stuff... but its largely just a sand basin with small fish swimming around that are basic.

 

[Mainahman]

It just sounds like a more relaxing experience. Im not sure what they run price wise, but something tells me ill see more at an excursion at Grand Cayman anyways.

 

[flynnibus]

Snorkeling at Discovery Cove


At CCay.. you're happy to find 1-2 fish at a time.. and MAYBE see a small school. It's more about looking for the things they have sunk out there.

DC is a artificial experience, but still way more packed than even the common excursions you'd do in the Bahamas, etc. And it's more approachable since even people who just want to float/walk can do a lot of it.

 

[Mainahman]

Snorkeling at Discovery Cove


At CCay.. you're happy to find 1-2 fish at a time.. and MAYBE see a small school. It's more about looking for the things they have sunk out there.

DC is a artificial experience, but still way more packed than even the common excursions you'd do in the Bahamas, etc. And it's more approachable since even people who just want to float/walk can do a lot of it.

That looks like an amazing experience, and i bet i could name most of those species. I may need to look at this seaworld thing again after all...

 

[flynnibus]

That looks like an amazing experience, and i bet i could name most of those species. I may need to look at this seaworld thing again after all...

Here's the skinny... DC is expensive.. and a scheduled date that is pre-reserved. However, buying a DC ticket also gets you 7 days access to SW and Aquatica. You can upgrade to include BG Tampa if you wanted. Inside DC its an inclusive experience, with paid opportunities to do a dolphin swim and a dive helmet piece. The dolphin swim is inferior to those you would do in the Bahamas.. it's more like a 'dolphin encounter' tho you can upgrade and do the swim where they drag you. Instead, do Blue Lagoon in Bahamas and get to do things like this..




So it's expensive if you only do DC.. but if you do Orlando.. it's great. We did I think three days in Orlando... One day at DC, One day at SW, one day at Aquatica.. and we'd go back to SW at night so the kids could do their repeat rides, etc. We also got to see the Christmas stuff at SW because it was November.

A day at DC.. even after doing the cruise... will make you hate everywhere else because the inclusive nature, limited crowds, etc again brings back the idea of SERVICE... not just consumption

 

[Phonedave]

It just sounds like a more relaxing experience. Im not sure what they run price wise, but something tells me ill see more at an excursion at Grand Cayman anyways.

You can snorkel from the beach at GC and see a lot more. Of course if you are on a cruise at GC, getting somewhere such as starfish point, rum point, or morritts dock (holy barracuda) on your own is going to be tricky. I know they do excursions out to Sting Ray City, which is great if you want to see Sting Rays. There are loads of snorkeling and dive operators on GC that will go out to the reef. Some of the coral heads out there are only 3 feet or so below the surface. I don't know if any of them contract with DCL.

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

Quite right.

Snorkeling in CC is fine. It is safe, controlled, great for first timers, you will see plenty fish and can touch one of the old 20k subs, but there are much better options on the excursions.

If you plan to go snorkeling anywhere, I would recommend buying your own equipment as the rental stuff is garbage. I am not talking garbage in the mind of some elitist diver who would call a $500 mask garbage,I am talking Wal-Mart would be embarrassed to sell it.

You can get a base level U.S. Divers set with fins, mask and a dry snorkel kit for under $40 at Wla-Mart and it will be vastly superior to the rental gear. If you don't mind spending a little more, you can get a full face mast with an integrated snorkel.

I have those fins from US Divers. I was not thrilled with the mask, but those fins are great. They are shorty fins, so they pack a LOT easier for quick trips.

 

[Mainahman]

You can snorkel from the beach at GC and see a lot more. Of course if you are on a cruise at GC, getting somewhere such as starfish point, rum point, or morritts dock (holy barracuda) on your own is going to be tricky. I know they do excursions out to Sting Ray City, which is great if you want to see Sting Rays. There are loads of snorkeling and dive operators on GC that will go out to the reef. Some of the coral heads out there are only 3 feet or so below the surface. I don't know if any of them contract with DCL.

-dave

Ill have to look into it. Coral is one of my obsessions, so to see it in the wild would make it for me!

 

[Mainahman]

Here's the skinny... DC is expensive.. and a scheduled date that is pre-reserved. However, buying a DC ticket also gets you 7 days access to SW and Aquatica. You can upgrade to include BG Tampa if you wanted. Inside DC its an inclusive experience, with paid opportunities to do a dolphin swim and a dive helmet piece. The dolphin swim is inferior to those you would do in the Bahamas.. it's more like a 'dolphin encounter' tho you can upgrade and do the swim where they drag you. Instead, do Blue Lagoon in Bahamas and get to do things like this..




So it's expensive if you only do DC.. but if you do Orlando.. it's great. We did I think three days in Orlando... One day at DC, One day at SW, one day at Aquatica.. and we'd go back to SW at night so the kids could do their repeat rides, etc. We also got to see the Christmas stuff at SW because it was November.

A day at DC.. even after doing the cruise... will make you hate everywhere else because the inclusive nature, limited crowds, etc again brings back the idea of SERVICE... not just consumption

Im liking it more and more! I mean for the longest time, it was "if were going to florida were going to disney" mentality from my wife and I. Now that we live so close, or at least to us, i could see us visiting all the good spots on rotation. As a family we all bond on Fish keeping, salt and fresh, and to see these beautiful Animals would be amazing!