"Swim where the manatees live" tour

[SamsCalling]

Has anyone done this? It's in the virgin brochure, I'm sure it's online too cheaper but I've not had chance to look. It includes breakfast, snorkling, lunch, and an airboat ride at the Homossassa natural park.

I'm very interested, but I could do with knowing if anyone else has done it & what you thought? Is there alot of travelling? Not sure whether it's worth just doing an airboat ride seperately without the manatee swim as from what I can make out, seeing a manatee is quite difficult, lol!!

[disneyholic07]

Has anyone done this? It's in the virgin brochure, I'm sure it's online too cheaper but I've not had chance to look. It includes breakfast, snorkling, lunch, and an airboat ride at the Homossassa natural park.

I'm very interested, but I could do with knowing if anyone else has done it & what you thought? Is there alot of travelling? Not sure whether it's worth just doing an airboat ride seperately without the manatee swim as from what I can make out, seeing a manatee is quite difficult, lol!! hi not sure how much it is with virgin but we are going to do one with this companyhttp://www.sunshinerivertours.com/
we are doing tour for 7 people for six hours, breakfast & lunch included,have been told its about $70 dollers ahead.going in sept will let you know if its any good

[COOLPAUL]

Its All Ways Better To Wait Till You Get There And Then Book It Up But Look Were To Go On The Net 1st

[aly]

Try Fun2dive. We went with them, just e-mailed captain joe and paid when we got there. Its a few years ago now but i think it was around $80. He's very passionate about the manatees and doesn't take large groups out. we had an amazing day..

[SamsCalling]

Thanks for those sites. Both look good...unfortuantely fun2dive don't provide transportation & we won't have a car so that's a no-go. Sunshine do..but it's $130 each way from Orlando-Tampa (not inc the tour price)...so again that's no good...such a shame as they both look great tours! Will keep looking.....

[SamsCalling]

By the way the Virgin trip is here:

http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/florida/info/excursions/

(Scroll to the very bottom)

You seem to get alot for the price, I'm trying to find the company that must run this online but not having much luck!

This is where you can book the same trip too (we're not booking through Virgin so I'm not sure if we could book with them...)

http://www.viator.com/tours/Orlando/Florida-Adventure-Tour/d663-2855MANATEE

Does look very good!!!

[saraj]

I swam with the manatees last week at Crystal River. It cost $50 and included snorkels, wetsuits, masks and an underwater camera. There was coffee included but no breakfast. We made our own way there.. had to be at marina at 6.30am

www.swimwithamanatee.com

I have to say it was a fantastic experience. Plenty of inquisitive manatees in the water.

Sara

[SamsCalling]

Thanks for the link Sara. I'm now torn whether to do the overnight dolphin swin at Key Largo instead. It's only about £40 pp more expensive, but includes an airboat ride too, overnight accom & evening meal/breakfast. And of course the dolphin swim! Only downside is the four hour drive...& 2 days out of our itinerary, so it's whether we can fit it in!

http://www.viator.com/tours/Orlando/Overnight-Swim-with-Dolphins-and-Everglades-Airboat-Adventure/d663-2855DOLPHINS

[SamsCalling]

Actually - that's too good to be true. The £101 price that it's quoted as starting at is without the dolphin swim, which is a bit misleading as it's called a '2 day dolphin swim' - but anyways, it's £178 with the swim. Managed to find it here http://www.attraction-tickets-direct.co.uk/attraction-ticket-prices/swim-with-dolphins.htm for £166pp, same thing. Will have to have a good think about this, it's alot of extra money!!!

[saraj]

Decisions decisions... It is a lot of money, but if you look at it as an experience of a lifetime then it's not too bad..

Well that's the line I try on DH, sometimes I win sometimes I lose..Lol

Sara ;)

[SamsCalling]

LOL I know - it's the decision, then it's trying to work out whether we'll have enough days...cost won't be that much different than if we did DC really...DC tickets with admission to aquatica, busch & sea world, then universal/ioa/wet n wild tickets would be £244 each. Same tickets without DC (well, almost the same...these tickets would include 14 days access to ioa/wet n wild/universal, whereas the other way would only be for 5 days...but we wouldn't be able to go more than 5 days anyhow, so that won't matter) would be £137..so it'd be about £60 each to do the overnight stay...but I don't think that's too bad when you consider what it is.

I have a feeling we'll end up not doing it...just because otherwise, we'll have such a jam-packed 17 days that we'll end up not enjoying things cos we'll be so tired....but...it does look amazing!! We'll seeif we can fit it in - plenty of time to decide!!!!!!!!

[saraj]

Well good luck.. Plotting your iteniary is half the fun.. And whatever you decide you'll have a fab time

Sara :wave: