Which Stingray City tour is for you?
Six ways to meet the stingrays. Tours #4 and #5 are our most popular. Tap a number to jump to it.
Early morning, before the crowdsTour #1: Stingray City, Starfish Point and Cayman Crystal Caves (Caves on Fridays & Saturdays only)
- Stingray City sandbar
- Starfish Point
- The Crystal Caves on Fridays and Saturdays
- Round trip transportation
- Juice and water
- Snorkel gear and vests for ages 4 and up
- Lunch (lounge or lunch at your own expense)
- Flotation devices for small children, bring your own
One snorkel stop, 2.5 hoursTour #2: Stingray City and one snorkel stop to Barrier Reef OR Coral Gardens
- Stingray City sandbar
- One snorkel stop: the Barrier Reef or the Coral Gardens
- Mask, snorkel and fins
- Life vests and snorkel vests
- Round trip transportation from the Waterfront Centre or your hotel
- Lunch
- Flotation devices for small children, bring your own
The original, with beach lunchTour #3: Beach Lunch, Stingray City & Snorkel tour
- Two snorkel stops, one a conch dive in season
- Stingray City sandbar
- Fresh seafood lunch on the beach near Kaibo and Rum Point
- Mask, snorkel and fins
- Round trip transportation
- Flotation devices for small children, bring your own
Every day, three stopsGuest favoriteTour #4:Stingray City and Two snorkeling stops to Coral Gardens and the Barrier Reef
- Stingray City sandbar
- The Barrier Reef
- The Coral Gardens
- Mask, snorkel and fins
- Life vests and snorkel vests
- Round trip transportation from the Waterfront Centre or your hotel
- Lunch
- Flotation devices for small children, bring your own
On the catamaranTour #5: Stingray City, Starfish Point and Snorkeling
- Stingray City sandbar
- Starfish Point
- The Coral Gardens or the Barrier Reef, about 40 minutes each
- Snorkel gear and vests for ages 4 and up
- Round trip transportation
- Lunch
- Flotation devices for small children, bring your own
Stingray City only, 2 hoursTour #6: Stingray City Sandbar Experience
- Stingray City sandbar, about 45 minutes with the rays
- Snorkel gear and vests for ages 4 and up
- Round trip transportation
- Lunch
- Snorkel stops: this tour is the sandbar only
- Flotation devices for small children, bring your own
Guest favorite: the tour our Google reviews mention most. Prices in US dollars.
Best Stingray City tours in the Cayman Islands
A minute on the sandbar, from their YouTube channel.
The family that started Stingray City
Capt. Marvin Ebanks took the first visitors out to see the stingrays 75 years ago. His family still runs every trip.
1951
Capt. Marvin Ebanks, home from the Merchant Marine, takes visitors out in a borrowed sailboat from a dock in West Bay to see the stingrays.
The water glass
Before masks and snorkels, locals looked into the North Sound through five sided wooden boxes with a glass bottom.
Lunch at Rum Point
All day trips, 9am to 5pm: conch, fish steamed Cayman style over a wood fire, and Ms. Anna's potato salad on the beach.
The 1980s
Divers get into the water at the shallow sandbar. The trip becomes what it is today: meeting the stingrays in their own habitat.
2000
The second generation takes over: Capt. Marvin's son and his nephew.
2024 to 2026
Gold in Watersports, Boat Tour Company and Fishing Charter at the Best of Cayman Islands awards, voted by the public.
What every Stingray City tour includes
- Mask, snorkel, fins and a snorkel vest or life jacket for everyone ages 4 and up
- Round trip transportation from the Waterfront Centre, or from your hotel or condo on Seven Mile Beach
- Our crew helping you all the way, in the water and on the boat
- A lifebuoy to hang on to at the snorkel stops if you are not a confident swimmer
- Flotation devices for children under 4, bring your own
- Lunch, except on Tour #3
- The Crystal Caves, except on Tour #1 on Fridays and Saturdays
Children under 3 ride free. Times shift with US Daylight Time, so check your ship's clock with us.
The six tours at a glance
The same six tours in one table.
| Tour | Where you go | How long | When | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tour #1: Stingray City, Starfish Point and Cayman Crystal CavesEarly morning | Stingray City sandbar and Starfish Point. The Cayman Crystal Caves added on Fridays and Saturdays | 2 hours (5.5 hours with the caves) | Every morning, pickup 7:15 to 7:30am | $65 adult, $59.95 ages 3 to 11. With caves $110 and $99.95 | Book |
| Tour #2: Stingray City and one snorkel stopOne snorkel stop | Stingray City sandbar plus the Barrier Reef or the Coral Gardens | 2 hours 30 minutes | Monday to Friday, 8:30am and 11:30am (seasonal times) | $65 adult, $59.95 ages 3 to 11 | Book |
| Tour #3: Beach Lunch, Stingray City and SnorkelThe original | Two snorkel stops (a conch dive in season), the sandbar, and a fresh seafood lunch on the beach near Kaibo and Rum Point | 5 hours | Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 2:30pm | $129 adult, $100 ages 7 to 11, $90 ages 3 to 6 | Book |
| Tour #4: Stingray City and two snorkel stopsEvery day | Stingray City sandbar plus both the Barrier Reef and the Coral Gardens | 3 hours | Mon to Fri 10am and 2:30pm. Sat and Sun 9am and 1pm | $75 adult, $59.95 ages 3 to 11 | Book |
| Tour #5: Stingray City, Starfish Point and SnorkelingOn the catamaran | Stingray City sandbar, Starfish Point, and the Coral Gardens or the Barrier Reef, about 40 minutes each | 3 hours | Monday to Saturday, 10:30am and 2:30pm | $75 adult, $59.95 ages 3 to 11 | Book |
| Tour #6: Stingray City Sandbar ExperienceSandbar only | Stingray City sandbar only, about 45 minutes with the rays | 2 hours | Monday to Friday, 1:45pm | $59 adult, $49 ages 3 to 11 | Book |
Children under 3 ride free. Free pickup from hotels and condos along Seven Mile Beach, or from our office at the Waterfront Centre across from the cruise terminal.
From the dock to the sandbar and back
Dock to dock, this is how a Captain Marvin's stingray trip runs.
Check in
At our Seven Mile Beach office, or at the Waterfront Centre across the street from the cruise terminals. Wear your swimsuit under a cover up.
The van
Free pickup along the Seven Mile Beach road. Our private dock is about a 4 minute drive from the main office and about 15 minutes from the Waterfront Centre office.
The boat
Gear is handed out on the way: mask, snorkel, fins, and a snorkel vest or life jacket for everyone ages 4 and up.
The sandbar
The water at Stingray City is 3 to 4 feet deep. We anchor nearby in 5 to 6 feet and walk you over. Stand, feed, touch and take photos.
Snorkel stops
The Barrier Reef, the Coral Gardens, or Starfish Point, depending on your tour, the wind and the tide. You can stay on the boat at any stop.
Back in time
Dock to dock times are on each tour. We keep records of every ship's last tender and never book a trip that will not work with your schedule.
What guests say about Stingray City
Three of the 1,560 Google reviews, as written.
“What a great way to spend a morning! I live on island so have done a few tours of stingray city, but this was the best one. Mitchell and Prince were both very attentive and informative. Would definitely go again!”
“We had an amazing time with Captain Marvin's Watersports, the stingray city tour was awesome, all the crew was really nice and Romel took beautiful pictures of our family, the boat was clean and we felt safe all the time, it was also not crowded so we enjoyed every second of it..”
“We had an awesome time on our tour. Richard, Jessie, Morris, and Romelo took awesome care of us. They assisted us while snorkeling. They made sure we were taken care of. They really helped us during the sting ray portion and made sure we had a awesome time! 10/10!”
Stingray City Tours
Capt. Marvin's Stingray City Tours allow guests to experience the wonders of Stingray City, as well as beautiful coral formations, colorful fish, and sea life with our world-famous crew helping you all the way. Experience the tour of a lifetime--there is no other place on earth like Stingray City! Come visit us and see our clear blue water, exotic fish, and stingrays, and experience for yourself some old-fashioned Caymanian hospitality. We are the original stingray-friendly watersports company on the island. Come on aboard!
Unforgettable adventure at Stingray City
The tour takes you away from crowded shorelines and offers an incredible swim with the stingrays, colorful fish, beautiful coral formations and gives you a first-class experience in the famous crystal clear waters . Our local Caymanian guides will show you what it's like to meet a stingray in its natural habitat, while providing you with all the information about these amazing creatures.
Stingray City questions
What guests ask before they get in the water
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Yes, however, pregnant women are not allowed to do any of the dolphin tours.
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.
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 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 Bonny Moon, Jack's and Royal Palms beach clubs, some of the more popular spots on the beach, with restaurant/bar/restroom facilities. The buses from the beach back to the cruise piers cost about US$5-7/person. Public buses also run on the main road, a 1 to 3 block walk from the beach, for US$2.50/person. Prices are subject to change.
No, we do not do any SCUBA diving but we recommend DiveTech locally (www.divetech.com).
Many seniors enjoy our excursions. However, participation depends on individual mobility, health considerations, and the requirements of each tour.
Yes, restrooms are available on all of our boats.
Water and fruit punch are provided on all of our tours; food is only provided on our Beach Lunch, Stingray City & Snorkel tour.
If you are prone to motion sickness, consider speaking with a pharmacist or healthcare professional about suitable preventative options before your excursion. We also recommend doing a private charter where it is only your group, and you have control of your stops and time, and you get to decide if you would like to cut the time shorter.
Yes, we have limited parking available at our dock and office in The Cayman Falls Plaza.
We recommend bringing swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
Yes, you are allowed to bring food and drinks. When on a public tour, we only allow a small quantity of food and drinks. No glass bottles. Alcoholic beverages are allowed; however, we highly recommend that you wait until you are done with your water activities to consume alcohol.
