Dolphin Encounter with Carnival

[md10074]

Is the "Dolphin Encounter" excursion through Carnival the dolphin "touch encounter" that is listed on Dolphin Cove's website or do you have to go into deeper water? I'm looking for something where you don't go in past your waist because my daughter and I don't swim, but we'd like to pet the dolphins.

 

If you've done it, did you think it was worth it, or should we just go for the Dunn's River Falla and Dolphin Cove excursion and just see them and not touch them.

[ottawa_traveler]

We did the Touch Encounter as most children in our group were too young for anything else. For us it was worth it as it was only slightly more expensive than general admission to Dolphin Cove. We were standing in knee-deep water on a platform, and the dolphin was brought right up alongside us.

 

We paid $67/person for the Touch Encounter, while the Encounter Swim would have been $129/person.

[chipmaster]

Only you can decide if it is worth it. We did it thru Carnival, my take do the swim nor not at all. Yes you simply stand on a platform and don't need to know anything about swimming. Get to touch the dolphin for minimum time, weren't allowed to take pictures, everythign was about making a $ versus making sure it was an enjoyable experience. My kids were like you paid what for that :eek:

 

Maybe they've changed in the years since we've gone.

 

Dunns falls we loved it, would do it again for the fun, getting wet, just the adventure. If you feel good about doing independent I'd just rent a cab and DIY.

 

Happy planning!

 

 

Is the "Dolphin Encounter" excursion through Carnival the dolphin "touch encounter" that is listed on Dolphin Cove's website or do you have to go into deeper water? I'm looking for something where you don't go in past your waist because my daughter and I don't swim, but we'd like to pet the dolphins.

 

If you've done it, did you think it was worth it, or should we just go for the Dunn's River Falla and Dolphin Cove excursion and just see them and not touch them.

[md10074]

Thank you both for your help. Eh, maybe I'll ask the hubby and kids if they just want to see the dolphins and not touch them. Dunn's River Falls and Dolphin Cove is half the price of Dunn's River Falls and Dolphin Encounter ($55 vs $110 pp.) For Dolphin Cove it says " Meet some of nature’s finest creatures such as dolphins, sharks, fascinating snakes and exotic birds" so I'm assuming you can see them there, just not touch them right?

[ottawa_traveler]

Thank you both for your help. Eh, maybe I'll ask the hubby and kids if they just want to see the dolphins and not touch them. Dunn's River Falls and Dolphin Cove is half the price of Dunn's River Falls and Dolphin Encounter ($55 vs $110 pp.) For Dolphin Cove it says " Meet some of nature’s finest creatures such as dolphins, sharks, fascinating snakes and exotic birds" so I'm assuming you can see them there, just not touch them right?

If you don't book a dolphin encounter/swim, I'm not sure how close you can get to them. The dolphin area is roped off and they only let you in when it's time for your paid program (encounter/swim, etc.), and then they escort you out of the area again when you're done. Maybe someone else can comment on what you can see from the public viewing area?

 

The sharks are viewed from a boardwalk around the shark enclosure, we got a pretty good view of them (it wasn't crowded when we went). The stingrays you can get right in and swim with them (and touch them as well when the guide is there). Touching them was neat, but the swim wasn't a huge success for us as the stingrays are so used to all those humans around that they don't startle easily and swim much, they just tended to sit on the bottom.