Dolphin Assistance PLEASE!!

[KajunKruiser]

I have read thru several post regarding dolphin swims. I understand there are 2 places that offer this. Which location are you taken to if you book thru Carnival.

 

Here's the goal....Aside from not wanting to be left in Mexico....I want my daughter to actually get the most time w/ a dolphin, be able to touch, kiss, shake hands & actually swim (fin & push) w/ them as well as "group free time" after. I don't need to participate in the program but I do want to accompany her & get as close as possible to watch & get some photos.

 

Can someone please direct me? I know it will be more expensive going thru Carnival, but I fear not being able to understand a cab driver or them not understand me...and if I just say dolphin, how will I know they are taking me to the correct place?

 

Also don't want to be there all day as I'm sure we'd like to get in a little "local culture", shopping & of course, a frozen rita!

 

Thanks for any help & insight!

[firefly333]

Can you see this thread?? Results of my search.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=10222660

[Grits53]

Yes, there are now two dolphin facilities in Cozumel....Chankanaab Park and Dolphinaris (which is new). Both are offered as Carnival excursions. I have been to Chankanaab twice and thoroughly enjoyed the dolphin swim each time. The first time, I booked directly through Dolphin Discovery, the second time through Carnival. I feel that we had more time with the dolphin and were "better taken care of" with the Carnival excursion than the other one. The difference was actually quite noticeable between the two. However, we DID enjoy the one booked through Dolphin Discovery, but the Carnival one was longer and included more contact with the dolphin.

 

I advise you to book a time as early in the day as possible. That way, when you finish with the dolphins, you will have plenty of time to explore Cozumel. As I said, I have no experience with Dolphinaris, but I can recommend Chankanaab.

[CruisnGram]

I have read thru several post regarding dolphin swims. I understand there are 2 places that offer this. Which location are you taken to if you book thru Carnival.

 

The only way to find out for sure is to contact Carnival. But, be prepared that they may not know either at the shore excursion office. The way that we found out where our cruise ship went was reading the description of the excursion. It ended up being the same, word for word, that Dolphinaris had on their website.

 

Here's the goal....Aside from not wanting to be left in Mexico....I want my daughter to actually get the most time w/ a dolphin, be able to touch, kiss, shake hands & actually swim (fin & push) w/ them as well as "group free time" after. I don't need to participate in the program but I do want to accompany her & get as close as possible to watch & get some photos.

 

To my knowledge, there is no program that will give you everything you want. First, neither Dolphin Discovery, nor Dolphinaris will allow you to get close enough to take great photos, unless you have a very nice camera with a terrific zoom. I have not been to Dolphinaris but it is my understanding that they will not even allow participants to bring cameras. Dolphin Discovery does allow participants to bring underwater cameras with them for snap shots. They don't allow others to photograph cause they want to sell you the professional shots they take. It's part of their profit margin and they want to protect that. If you want fantastic pictures, plan on buying theirs.

The program that offers the most time with the dolphins is the dolphin trainer program at Dolphinaris but it does not offer the foot push. The Royal Swim at Dolphin Discovery offers all that you want, except for a any real "free time" with the dolphins. You aren't going to find any place that gives you any real "free time". The trainers are right there and want to protect these beautiful creatures so they're not going to allow a bunch of people to just swim around freely, grabbiing at them etc.

 

Can someone please direct me? I know it will be more expensive going thru Carnival, but I fear not being able to understand a cab driver or them not understand me...and if I just say dolphin, how will I know they are taking me to the correct place?

 

I would recommend either the dolphin trainer program at Dolphinaris or the Royal Swim at Dolphin Discovery (Chankanaab Park). Book directly through their site as opposed to going through Carnival as you will get a better program, at a more reasonable price. Here are their websites:

 

http://www.dolphindiscovery.com

http://www.dolphinaris.com

 

Concerning taxi's, the drivers speak English well so there will be no problem in directing them. You will either tell them: 1) Dolphinaris or 2) Chankanaab Park, depending on which program you sign up for. If you are worried about them being confused, take a print out with you of the place you are going to to show them.

 

Also don't want to be there all day as I'm sure we'd like to get in a little "local culture", shopping & of course, a frozen rita!

 

You would not want the Dolphin Trainer program then as I believe it's 6 or 7 hours and would take up the majority of your time in Cozumel.

 

Thanks for any help & insight!

 

Considering everything you want/are looking for, I'd think that the Royal Dolphin Swim at Dolphin Discovery/Chankanaab Park would be your best bet. Your daughter will love it!

[cheeseheads1]

Dolphinaris DOES ALLOW CAMERAS just not in the pool areas. Actually depending on which pool you are in you can get some pretty good photos from the viewing areas at Dolphinaris. A basic point and shoot will not get very good photos but you do not need a superzoom to take the pictures. I did take pics of the area with my underwater camera unfortunately that gave me a wide angle look. If I had taken my bigger camera (not knowing the facilities wasn't about to do that) I would have gotten great photos. The viewing areas are above the swim areas which helps to see what is going on. My only complaint at Dolphinaris was that I could not take my underwater camera down to the pool. I should have just took it down and hopped out to take photos. We did the dorsal swim but not the foot push. That is at Chankanaab in one of their pricier offerings.