Adventures in the Cayman Islands!
Welcome to the Cayman Islands! If you've heard about the fantastic stingray city excursions in Grand Cayman, then you have Captain Marvin to thank for that. Our captain was a founding father of stingray excursions in Grand Cayman!
Whether it's snorkeling around the coral heads and reefs, swimming with stingrays, or enjoying the wonder of sea stars at Starfish Point and the other-worldly night-time bioluminescence tour, you will discover amazing things in our waters!
If you are looking for the best fishing charters in the Cayman Islands, we have you covered. Our experienced captains will take you deep sea fishing for marlin, tuna, or wahoo. Grand Cayman is also an excellent place for reef fishing (yellowtail and red snapper, grunts, triggerfish, jacks), and our knowledgeable guides know all the best places to go. Come with us to explore all that Grand Cayman has to offer. Adventure calls and we must go!
Explore our activities
Stingrays, Starfish & Snorkeling
A new and more exclusive tour is being offered on our brand new motor catamaran.
This tour has been getting really great reviews! With approximately 25 people on average, it's a comfortable and high-end unique visit to some of the most beautiful spots on the planet.
The snorkeling will be at either the Coral Gardens OR the Barrier Reef, with approximately 40 minutes at each stop, allowing you more time to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean Sea.
Bioluminescence Tour
Start with a cruise over to Starfish Point for sunset and starfish viewing, then get educated on the upside-down jellyfish before going into bio bay to experience this phenomenon (swimming optional) of seeing the bioluminescence, something that only a few places in the world can offer.
Two-Stop Stingray/Snorkel Tours
Our two-stop stingray/snorkel tour lasts about two hours and 30 minutes, slightly shorter than our three-stop stingray/snorkel tour. The two-stop trip goes to the Stingray City sandbar plus one snorkel stop, either the Barrier Reef or the Coral Gardens. Our captain will decide when he gets out to the stingray/snorkel areas which snorkel stop to use, based on wind, wave, and tide conditions, as well as on the number of people at each of the two areas. We always try to go to the less populated of the two stops.
Three-Stop Stingray/Snorkel Tours
Our three-stop stingray/snorkel tour lasts three hours, dock to dock. The three-stop stingray/snorkel trip goes to the Stingray City sandbar plus TWO snorkel stops, both the Barrier Reef AND the Coral Gardens.
We strongly recommend that you bring flotation devices for children under age 3, as our snorkel gear is for ages 3 and over. We provide snorkel vests, life vests, masks, snorkels, and fins for everyone ages 4 and over. You are welcome to bring your own gear if you like. We offer complimentary shuttle service from your hotel or condo on Seven Mile Beach.
Beach Lunch Stingray/Snorkel Tours
Capt. Marvin's Beach Lunch Stingray/Snorkel Tour is the best of the best! It includes two snorkel stops (one of which will be a conch dive during conch season, Nov. 1st through April 30th), the Stingray City sandbar for interaction with the stingrays, and a fresh seafood lunch on the beach across the North Sound (near Kaibo/Rumpoint).
Our crew will dive for conch in season and you are welcome to help them. They will even clean up some shells so each family unit who wishes can take one back home with them (supply limited). The rest of the year, you will have extra snorkeling (or Starfish) stop instead of the conch dive.
Stingrays and Starfish (Caves on Fridays Saturdays only)
Enjoy the combo tour with stingrays and starfish, offered for USD59/person each morning at 7:30 before the crowds! On Fridays and Saturdays, you can add the caves tour (USD99/person for both). You must prepay for these tours as the office isn't open before 7:30 AM.
Why choose us?
Grand Cayman Excursions With Top Guides
Captain Marvin's proudly offers one of the best fleets in the Cayman Islands. We offer first-class cabin cruisers and motor catamarans for your comfort. We provide the best boats, fishing gear, and snorkeling equipment for snorkel tours and fishing charters. Our local guides are experts in the area around Grand Cayman. You'll see the famous sites, plus a few hidden gems.
First Class Boats and Equipment
Our first-class boats, fishing gear and snorkeling equipment are all top-of-the line and kept in excellent condition to ensure a fantastic trip! Your safety is our highest priority and we take great pride in ensuring your comfort with professional equipment and well maintained boats at all times.
Outstanding Team Members
We have a team of experienced captains and crew that are ready to show you the best sights on the island! They are all knowledgeable, friendly, and very accommodating. They ensure that our guests have an unforgettable experience while they are on the island.
#1 Watersports in Grand Cayman and Hall of Fame on TripAdvisor
Top rated watersports in Grand Cayman and also highly recommended by our customers. We have been operating for over 70 years so you can be sure that we are well-established and experienced enough to provide you with the best service.
Words from our customers
Our trip was perfect! The snorkeling was beautiful and a special spot you can only get to by boat. We had our teenage son and our two year old son. We had a blow up boat with a see through bottom for our two year old and the guys were so helpful with him! The stingrays were so friendly and we are so happy we did this. Their prices were reasonable and so worth it!
Mary M
30th May 2023
What a wonderful experience. My 19 year old son and I loved it! The team was very friendly and informative. We went to Coral Gardens first and swam with a lot of fish and a few very friendly stingrays which was a nice surprise because I didn't expect to see any until we reached Sting Ray City. Pulling up to the sand bar at Sting Ray City was quite beautiful in the middle of the bay. It definitely exceeded my expectations - we were able to feed them squid, hold them and kiss them! Last stop was snorkeling at the Reef which was breathtaking with the gorgeous coral and tropical fish- we never wanted to leave.
Chris
30th May 2023
If you have kids who are inexperienced or hesitant to get into the ocean, this is a great way to get them interested and not over too it the first time. Stingray city is amazing, its like interacting with undersea puppy dogs. My young son could easily stand in the sand and walk around to enjoy the rays. The snorkel was only about 10-15 feet deep and 30 mins so short and sweet. The staff were very kind to my kids, and made the trip memorable.
A B
29th May 2023
I totally recommend the tour, the crew is very helpful and enjoyable, they are also taking professional photos for 50$. We had one stop to swim with the stingrays and the. One stop for seeing the starfish and just relax. We added also a trip to the Crystal Caves which was totally worth. They have a nice clean boat and their shuttle pics you up from any hotel.
Andreea C
29th May 2023
Such a great experience! Loved the snorkeling in the crystal clear waters!! Saw so many colorful reef fish and a few sting rays as well. Stingray City was very cool and Starfish Point was very informative - great overview and information provided by the Captain Marvin team - wonderful time!Thank you Jordan, Michael & Burger!!! You guys are fantastic!!!
Lori G
29th May 2023
Captain Marvin’s stingray city, starfish point and snorkel tour was the best! Super staff on board. Definitely recommend this for your next vacation.
Dana T
28th May 2023
We had a great time on the 3-stop tour to Stingray City, snorkeling and Starfish Point! Jordan, Michael and Burger were great tour guides, super friendly and knowledgeable. The stingrays were amazing and everywhere else was so beautiful to swim in and see all the marine life. Plenty of drinks to stay hydrated throughout the tour (it's hot out there!) There were about 20-25 people on our whole tour, and didn't seem too crowded to me. So much fun, highly recommend!
shw218
26th May 2023
This was the highlight of my stay on the island. The crew was extremely helpful and kept everyone involved and entertained. The snorkeling was OK, but Stingray City was awesome.
michaelmagee59
26th May 2023
Great trip. Clean boat. Captain Astor, Freddy, and JJ were great. They made it good. Also the guys were super handsome 😳😀
Sharon D
25th May 2023
Our trip on boat Jewel was perfect! Captain and crew were amazing! Captain helped us with our 5 year old multiple times, so i could not be more thankful for letting us fully enjoy the trip! Highly recommending this team, they are pleasant, funny and helpful!
TATYANA S
25th May 2023
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman and the most beautiful Seven Mile Beach
Three islands form the Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman, and the sister islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. While not quite seven miles long, the beach is still popular for its beautiful white sand and clear blue water teeming with marine life. A barrier reef at the northern edge of the North Sound at Grand Cayman is an excellent spot for a snorkel trip.
For such a small island, it is surprising to know that Cayman is home to over 100 different nationalities. The three islands are situated at the center of the western Caribbean Sea, surrounded by Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, and Central America. As one would expect, seafood is featured at most restaurants. You'll also find spicy dishes from Jamaica, like jerk chicken. The traditional dessert is cassava or "heavy" cake, made with grated cassava and coconut milk. The delicious cake is seasoned with vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, as most of our business is from the hotels and condos we do offer pick up along the 7 mile beach road.
Yes, we offer group rates starting with groups of ten or more for cash payments and 10% for credit card payments.
Yes, we provide snorkel gear (mask, snorkel, fins and snorkel vest or life jacket) for everyone ages 4 and up, included in the price of your tour.
Yes, we would be happy to make your tour a private charter. Please see the rate sheet under 'Private Charters' on our web site.
We will not schedule you for a trip that will not work with your ship's schedule, and we have kept detailed records over the years so we know what time your ship's last tender will be.
We are the only provider with an office right across the street from the cruise terminals, so you are guaranteed to find us easily. Your reservation confirmation from us will give you walking directions to our office, and there is a photo of the building (Waterfront Centre) and a map on our web site.
We would be happy to drop you off at Seven Mile Beach after your tour with us. There are always local buses and taxis waiting at Calico Jack's and Tiki Beach, two of the more popular areas on the beach, both with restaurant/bar/restroom facilities. Bus fare back to the cruise terminal is US$2.50/person, and taxi fare is about US$5-7/person, subject to change.
We have no age restrictions on our tours. We ask that if you are bringing along children under the age of 4, you bring flotation devices for them as we do not provide them for children under age 4.
Yes, however, pregnant women are not allowed to do any of the dolphin tours.
It is recommended that you know how to swim if you intend to do any snorkeling. We have a lifebuoy that you may use to hang on to during the snorkel stops so you can see the fish and coral if you are not comfortable swimming.
The water at the Stingray City sandbar is 3-4 feet deep. We anchor the boat nearby in about 5-6 feet of water so we don't run it aground, and you then make your way over to the shallower area where you will stand in the sand while the stingrays swim around you. The snorkel stops are in 8-10 feet of water.
We recommend that you wear your swimsuit under a cover-up or shorts/t-shirt as the only place to change clothes at Stingray City is in the head on the boat.
We offer card-carrying travel agents a discount on our tours. Please let us know when you are making a reservation, and bring your IATA card with you for check-in.
We have several boats ranging from 34-60 feet in length, with capacities from 20-45 people. The average number of people on a tour is 25.
You may make your reservation at any time now for a future date; during the busy season (November to May) we urge you to make your reservation at least two weeks in advance as trips tend to fill up.
No, we do not do any SCUBA diving but we recommend DiveTech locally (www.divetech.com).
No, we do not offer shared fishing charters.
We strongly recommend that you know how to swim before taking a snorkeling trip, but our crew are experienced at teaching beginners how to snorkel. Just ask them when you get to the boat.
If you book online, you will be charged upon completion of your reservation. If you book by phone or in person, you will be charged when you check in with us on the day of your tour. However, we will need a credit card to hold your reservation either way.
If your cruise ship cannot stop here on its scheduled day, or arrives too late for you to take our tour, you will not be charged. If you need to cancel your reservation for personal reasons, please do so at least 24 hours in advance to avoid being charged. If your ship arrives on time and you do not show up for your tour, you will be charged. If the weather is such that our captain cancels our boat trip, you will not be charged, but we do not cancel for rain only.
We have two-stop (2.5 to 2.75 hours), three-stop (3 hours) and beach lunch (5 hours) tours. These times are dock-to-dock; add 15-20 minutes for transportation each way.
You may book online by filling out the reservation form on our web site, or you may phone our office using one of the phone numbers on our 'Contact' page.
The stingrays are hungry morning, noon and night. The ones who have eaten in the morning will go off to their afternoon hangout, and others will take their place throughout the day.
Fishing is great in Cayman year-round.
The Stingray, Starfish and Snorkeling tour is approximately 40 min per stop giving you a bit more time per stop.
Yes, you may stay on the boat at any of the stops.
We provide snorkel vests and life jackets for everyone ages 4 and over. If you are bringing children under age 4 with you, please bring a flotation device for them.
Our private dock is about a 4-minute drive from our main location on Seven Mile Beach, and it's about a 15-minute drive from our location across from the cruise ship terminals.
Yes, on most of our tours we are able to accommodate a person in a wheelchair provided it is collapsible.
If your ship arrives too late for your tour with us, or is not able to stop at all, you will not be charged. However, in most cases, we will have been made aware in advance that your ship will be arriving late, and we will do our best to make adjustments to the timing so that you can still take your tour with us. Please check in at our office in the Waterfront Centre as soon as you are able to get off the ship to see what we have been able to arrange for you. If you have booked through a tour agency and have paid them in advance, you will need to deal with them directly to receive a refund.
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