Are stingray tours safe?

Cruise line and tour reaction

When I spoke with Carnival Cruise Lines spokesman Vance Gullicksen, he lamented Steve Irwin’s death as a terrible tragedy and added that Carnival has informed guests that stingray injuries are extremely rare. “We have had tens of thousands of our guests participate in the stingray shore excursions offered by our tour-operator partners,” Gullicksen said, “and there has never been a fatality or serious injury.”

Royal Caribbean International stated it had not changed any stingray excursions that the cruise line offers. Royal Caribbean representative Lyan Sierra-Caro stated that the cruise line had not seen an increase in questions from passengers, either. “I think everyone understands that this [Irwin’s death] was a rare circumstance,” she said.

I also spoke with several Grand Cayman tour companies that operate tours to Stingray City, one of the most popular stingray gathering grounds in the Caribbean; none has experienced cancellations because of Steve Irwin’s death. The Cayman Islands Tourism Association water sports directors had not heard of cancellations from members, either.

According to statistics, there have been only 17 stingray deaths recorded worldwide. While what happened to Steve Irwin is a tragedy, Henningsen notes it’s extremely rare to have a vital organ punctured by a stingray barb. According to the fishes expert, “You have a better chance of winning the Powerball lottery than dying from a stingray barb.”

Have a cruising question or issue for Anita? Feel free to e-mail her.

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