Trying this post a different way....Constellation Excursion question

[zinnia56]

On my excursion page of my Constellation cruise, there is listed a swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove. It looks like this:

 

Dolphin Cove Swim - GC96

The highlight of a visit to Dolphin Cove will be the rare opportunity to swim and play with a beautiful bottlenose dolphin. The dolphin swim experience begins with a brief orientation and then guests enter the water. Be introduced to these friendly dolphins for an experience of a “lifetime”. Feel the thrill of “riding” the dolphin belly to belly and enjoy a kiss or two. Discover how Dolphin Cove’s trainers use hand signals and positive reinforcement to communicate with the dolphins.

Port/City: George Town, Grand Cayman

Dates Offered: 25-Feb-2009

Approx. Duration: 4 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

*Current Price: Starting from

149.00 Adult (USD)

149.00 Child (USD)

0.00 Infant (USD)

Activity Type: Snorkel & SCUBA Tours | Adventure Tours | Wilderness & Wildlife Tours | Beach and/or Water-Related Activities

Activity Level: Moderate

Advisements:

Restrictions: N/A

 

My question is...when I posted this earlier, someone told me there was no Dolphin Swim in the Caymans. I emailed Century trying to find out why they would have this listed if it wasn't a possibility, but have received no response yet. Does anyone (other than the guy who is opposing Dolphin Swims for eco reasons) know whether this is an excursion or not? I saw this same excursion option on the RCCL excursion page.

[jean-lynd]

We spent a week in the Cayman's in July and they did not have a Dolphin Cove at that time. I can only guess that there is one in development that is expected to be available by the time of your cruise - but - I think I would have a plan "B" just in case.

 

I hope this helps!

[drew sailbum]

You can search back through the archives of the Cayman Compass and Cayman Net News online newspaper and find articles indicating various facilities' intention to open in 2006. Didn't happen.

 

The proposed facility must get the necessary business licenses, veterinary permits, building permits, wastewater discharge permits, and who knows what other regulations they need to comply with. Meanwhile the Mexican government has changed its rules regarding export of dolphins and that may change where some of the proposed Cayman dolphin programs could get their dolphins from.

 

Everything takes MUCH longer than expected in the Caribbean. It is called Island Time.

 

You seem to doubt the facts on the ground, but yet the cruise line promoting the program hasn't returned your email!?! The only other replies to your queries on this board have said the same thing. Not open for business.

 

Don't believe that? Simple. Go to the Cayman Islands online telephone book at http://www.caymanislandsyp.com/ and search for Dolphin Cove. They are not in the phone book because they are not yet open for business.

 

You asked why a cruise line would offer an excursion if the business is not open. The answer is simple. Money. They have little to lose and much to gain. Similarly the Dolpin Cove folks want to be fully booked from the very first day they are open. So they will take bookings and cancel later if they won't yet be open.

 

That said, the proposed site of the various dolphin programs are in West Bay. From looking at them on the ground, I do not think any will be ready in February. Not by a long shot.

 

If I take my camera by there anytime soon, I'll try to remember to snap a couple photos. After all, I live here in Cayman. And that is why I contribute to this board and try to tell the truth about what is happening here which is not necessarily what you might want to hear. Just keep in mind that it is not on the way to anywhere I might normally go.

 

Finally, if and when such a program opens in Cayman, I have no doubt that reviews will appear on this website. Until such a facility is actually open for business I would advise cruisers to definitely have a plan B.

[bookbabe]

My question is...when I posted this earlier, someone told me there was no Dolphin Swim in the Caymans.

 

That "someone" was drew_sailbum, who has replied again in this thread. I'm not sure why you would ask a second time when you'd already been told the answer once. :rolleyes: Ah, well...I'm sure you must have a good reason...

 

However, to back Drew up, I'll second his comments. There is currently no Dolphin Cove attraction on Cayman, although one has been in the supposed works for some time now. They're going to build a huge cruise ship dock, too. :D Personally, I wouldn't bet on either of those things suddenly being done for a February cruise.

[zinnia56]

Received a reply from Celebrity Cruiseline webpage:

 

Please kindly note that after checking with our Account Manager in reference to your below inquiry we were advised that Grand Cayman has a brand new Dolphin facility for the Dolphin Swim Cove tour.

 

We hope this will assist with your inquiry.

 

 

 

 

Thank You and Enjoy Your Cruise

Shore Excursions & Explorations! Department

 

Note: In order to better serve you, please include the booking #, ship and sail date in the subject line of your email. We appreciate if you send us your reply with the full history of our correspondence. Shore excursions can be purchased on-line up to 10 days prior to your sail date. If you are sailing in less than 10 days, you can purchase excursions on board the ship.

[bookbabe]

Their answer makes me very confident that I will never cruise Celebrity.

:confused:

[zinnia56]

I am certainly not trying to be mean or anything else. I just asked a legitimate question regarding an excursion as that is what these boards are for. I don't have a specific agenda with the eco groups or anything else. Maybe now you will know why I have posted this twice, as many people have to do before getting an answser. I was mostly interested from other people who were planning to book this excursion or those who have been on it before (not knowing that it didn't exist before)

 

I find some of the remarks I received uncalled for as this is what this forum is about. Posting questions regarding excursions. I know that Drew has an agenda with the eco groups to keep dolphins out of the caymans and that is fine, but I was afraid he was not being totally honest with me either, as I had heard from RCCL that this excursion is a go! So, unfortunately you will not be able to sail RCCL or Celebrity in the near future.

 

I'm not saying that it is still not a ploy with the cruiselines because like I said before, I cannot find anything online that shows that this exists. I have decided to simply go to 7 mile beach and enjoy the day rather than take the chance.

[bookbabe]

Hmmm...I'm not Caymanian, although my family does own property on Cayman. I have no personal agendas of any kind, if that reassures you. I've done dolphin swims in various places over the years, so I'd be a hypocrite if I tried to speak out against them now. I'm also not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to share the knowledge I've gained through three or four lengthy trips to Cayman each year.

 

I think you're making the right decision by picking another excursion. The dolphin facility doesn't exist yet, and knowing "island time" if it's not started yet there's very little likelihood that it will be up and running in February. (From buying the lot until move in, our house took over 2.5 years to design and build...and people we've talked to are amazed at how fast our builders moved. Nothing seems to happen very quickly there.) And, since there is opposition to the facility (which isn't a secret if you read the local papers) things will likely move even slower than usual. That's just the way it is... :)

 

If it's helpful, I'll be back on the island over the Christmas holidays, so remind me in late December, and I'll go over and see how progress on the facility is going. Then I can post an update here for you. If by some chance it's near completion then, you could always change excursions.

 

(BTW, I've never found Drew's advice wrong or biased in any way, other than having the usual "local's view" of things. He's been very helpful to a lot of people over the years. IMO, you could do worse than follow his recommendations. After all, he does live there.)