Cabo San Lucas -- Swim with the Dolphins

[CruiseDreaming]

Hi, my family and I wanted to try this excursion and the rules for the excursion on the RCI site say that no jewelry can be worn around the dolphins. I was just wondering why and do they make exceptions for jewelry that cannot be removed? My mother has rings that she cannot get off due to arthritis--short of cutting them off (which we are not considering at this time). Any info is appreciated.

 

Kerrie:)

[susanl9532]

I seem to remember hearing that they would let you tape over rings that you couldn't remove. However, when we went on this excursion, it didn't come up so I don't know for sure. BTW, it ws a fabulous experience :) , make every effort to get all the family involved.

 

Susan

[sassyredhat]

This tour is awesome !! you must find a way to do it.

 

Maybe she can wear one of those disposable rubber gloves.

 

There is alot of personal interaction with the dolphins, and it is so easy to hurt their skin.

 

I would book the tour and bring along anything you can think of to cover the ring. Have several choices.

 

You will love this. :D

 

Pat

[vossjemi]

Our kids will be 6 and 8 at the time we go on our Disney cruise to Cabo. I know they would absolutely love swimming with the dolphins. What exactly is included? Do you book with the ship or privately? Approximate cost? And, are there any assurances given as to the treatment provided to the dolphins? Although I know the kids would love it, I hesitate because of a dolphin expose I saw a few years back at how they capture them and how many die in the process of getting them to these types of facilities. Were the dolphins in this excursion born into captivity like in the US or were they caught in the wild and trained? I just have mixed feelings about this although I know the kids would just love it.

[2Canucks]

Where is the "Swim with the Dolphins" located in Cabo? Can anyone just walk over from the cruiseship pier and book their own reservation on site?

 

Is it OK to just watch others do this?

 

Thanks in advance for any info you can share with us.

 

Pat :)

[sassyredhat]

We booked with the ship's tour, which was expensive--$150.00. The facility is just 2 blocks from the pier. Six and 8 yr.olds could walk it. Also, you could just drop in and sign up for a swim, but you have to wait for an open time.

 

Also, there are different tours for small children than adults.

 

I too, saw a program about dolphin abuse, and our first 2 times to Cabo, I did not book the tour because of that. I read more reviews and decided to try.

 

The facility was clean, the water was clean, and the trainers seemed to really love their dolphins. Our dolphin, Bashal, had been there for 11 yrs, which means he was 6 yrs old when he came there.

 

I felt reassured about the care of the dolphins, however, I wished their pool was larger. It is not as big as Seaworld's.

 

All in all, it was a great experience.

 

Pat

[househunter]

The dolphin facility in Cabo just opened last year so maybe the previous poster was posting about somewhere else. The facility is located just a few steps from where you are dropped off from the ships tenders. I would book in advance, on ship days it gets very full with the ships excursions. You cannot watch from any view point unless you are with a paying guest. I think there might be a fee for the observers. We have not done this yet but are planning on it when we are there for 10 days in May. We were there in Oct for 10 days but just didn't fit it in. We can see the facility from our timeshare and can't wait to see it up close and in person. I think it is $165/pp for the swim. Check out www.cabodolphins.com

:)

[vossjemi]

I wonder why the encounter is only for kids older than 8 yet the swim will go down to age 5? I mean, by the description, it is the same thing, but after your encounter, you swim. Why could a 5 year old swim, but not do just the encounter when they will be encounting before the swim? I'm confused?:confused: I do like the kids one that is cheaper at $79...sounds like a mini-encounter where the parents don't have to pay.

[househunter]

I think that on the swim, the kids have to be with a paying adult and on the encounter, they can go alone. At least that is how I read it:confused:

[sassyredhat]

There is a wide ledge in the dolphin pool where they keep the little kids. On the 'swim' tours, at one point, you will swim out midway in the enclosure, and the dolphin will swim to you. You will grab his dorsal fin and he will swim (40 mph) back to the trainer.

 

You get alot of water in your face. This 'swim' may be why the little kids need to be over 8 yrs. old.

Also, the smallest kids may not be big enough to grab that dorsal fin.

 

You can be a spectator--they have concrete benches elevated on a tier above the pool--but there is a fee.

 

Also, there are locker areas where you lock up your belongings, and can change your wet clothes. They provide towels.

 

It's alot of fun.

 

Pat

[househunter]

Sorry- double post!

[househunter]

Pat- Are you talking about the Cabo facility? It is brand new- just opened in the summer of 2006. It is located on the same pier where the ships tenders let you off, not a few blocks like in your earlier post. Also I have not seen an actual spectator area and our timeshare balcony is right above the pool area. Just wanted to make sure we are not confusing people as your posts have all been incorrect if you are talking about Cabo:confused:

[Pischina]

I went with my kids (15 and 16) in August and we loved it. The dolphins definitely seemed happy - I don't speak dolphin speak, but they certainly appeared to be healthy. The lockers are free, you do have to shower before getting in the pool to keep lotions out of the water, and they were pretty adamant about no jewelry so as to not hurt the dolphins. The trainers were really nice. And the actual swim with the dolphin, where you grab the dorsal, is really fast and you can barely keep your eyes open there is so much water coming at you. Very fun!!!

 

The only complaint I had was about the photos. They don't allow you to bring a camera, and when we were there they did not take video. They did take pictures but the prices were outrageous. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the exact price (sorry!) I just remember thinking the prices were CRAZY, especially because you don't even get prints - you get them on a CD!

 

That said, we bought a bunch of photos anyway (I know I paid over $100), because we really wanted them, and I would definitely do the whole experience over any day. The experience itself was awesome, I was just surprised at the price for the pictures.

[sassyredhat]

Pat- Are you talking about the Cabo facility? It is brand new- just opened in the summer of 2006. It is located on the same pier where the ships tenders let you off, not a few blocks like in your earlier post. Also I have not seen an actual spectator area and our timeshare balcony is right above the pool area. Just wanted to make sure we are not confusing people as your posts have all been incorrect if you are talking about Cabo:confused:

 

We just took this tour in June 2007. We were on the Elation, and it is in Cabo.

You get off the tender, and walk down the pier, turn right, go past some shops, for a short distance. Technically, maybe it isn't exactly 2 blocks. Like I said, small children could walk it.

The dolphin swim is on the left side of the walkway, or street.

When you walk in, you register and they give you a color code for your swim. Only 8-10 are allowed with each trainer and dolphin.

 

There is a locker area for changing and lockers for locking up your personal items. After you change, you wait in a courtyard which has chairs and umbrellas until they call your color.

 

When they call you, you walk up some stairs to the pool, and spectators go to the right, up a few more stairs to the spectator area, where there are concrete benches to sit on.

 

Swimmers go with their trainer to hear their speech on how to do the swim. Then every one gets under the showers before getting in the pool.

 

I just did this swim less than 6 months ago. I walked that pier with a tour guide to the facility. It's a very short distance, and it is a new facility.

 

If anyone needs further clarification, please feel free to ask. :)

 

Pat

[househunter]

Ok, just wanted to clarify because you had also stated that your dolphin had been there for 11 years!

[sassyredhat]

Ok, just wanted to clarify because you had also stated that your dolphin had been there for 11 years!

 

 

Yes, now that you mention that, it doesn't sound right.

Our dolphin trainer told us that.

Maybe he meant Bashal had been in captivity for 11 years.

Or maybe I just heard it wrong. :confused: :confused:

 

Pat

[Pischina]

Or Pat, maybe they meant the age of the dolphin. I seem to remember our dolphin being seven years old. I knew the facility was brand new, but it didn't occur to me to ask where the dolphin had been before coming there.

 

I just found this article about the center:

http://information.travel.aol.com/article/mexico/_a/the-cabo-dolphins/20070131095509990001

 

They appear to be recommending it - though like I said, they say the price for photos is "exorbitant".