Dolphin Swim: PV Adventures "Signature" or "Experience"?

[brielove]

Hi,

 

we will be on Carnival Pride over Thanksgiving Break & want to do a swim w/ dolphins. We want to make sure we are able to be in the water & actually swim so I understand we don't want to do the "Encounter".

 

I emailed the company Vallarta Adventures for the difference between the "SIGNATURE DOLPHIN SWIM" for $142 & the "DOLPHIN SWIM EXPERIENCE" for $101.

 

I was told the Signature you are in deep water the entire time vs the Experience you are in 4ft deep water til the end when you get to go for a swim in the deep end w/ a dolphin.

 

I am thinking the Swim Experiece may be the best for us. We have 6 yr olds & the one being in the deep water may be too scary for one of them vs warming up in the 4ft deep area for awhile he would be able to feel safer.

 

Has anyone done the " Swim Experience" at this one & were you disappointed w/ the type of interaction? We will probably only be doing this once in our lives so want to not miss out & regret it!

 

Thanks for any help!

[ZonaGuy]

Brielove.....

 

I was at the dolphin pools last year and had a great time.

I did the 'deep pool' thing but honestly it looked like the folks in the shallow pool had more fun.

I think you get a much more personal, up-close connection with your dolphin, during the shallow encounter. I would definately do this next time.

 

Be selective at the end of your encounter during the 'photo selection' process.

 

The staff takes MANY pictures during your time there, and offers these for sale at the end. You are able to preview all of the shots on a screen and either select a few or alot, and also 'burn a disc' (they gave us the disc for free, but it would have been extra.) I think I spent close to 90 bucks for about 15 pics plus a disc.

 

I would suggest not getting too wrapped up in the 'this is a once in a life-time' mentality, and either get the whole disc if its reasonable, or better (and infinately cheaper) yet, just select 5 or 6 of the VERY BEST PICS, and buy only those... You can always have those prints digitized and copied at the drugstore when you get back home.

[sunshine40]

I did the signature with my 8 yo. Yes, he was in deep water the whole time. He couldn't even really touch the ledge we stood on so his dad would hold him by the vest whenever they did the dolphin activities on the ledge at the edge of the pool. We also did a thing where we held the dolphin in the water and so he did that with his dad as well. But the swimming with the dolphin experience was probably the most amazing for him out of all of us. Part of the experience is the foot push. That is the part you would miss out on if you don't do the deep pool. The child has to be a confident enough swimmer to swim out independently in the pool, lay in the water and wait for the two dolphins to come from behind and then push them through the water by their feet. They pushed my 8 yo so high he came completely out of the water. It was amazing! Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. But you have to be a confident enough swimmer to go out there in the pool and let the dolphins swim, push you through the water. At 6 my son might have done it, but we have a pool in the backyard. If your boys are hesitant in the water at all I don't think I would try it. I watched the two different experiences before us and everyone was having so much fun interacting with the dolphins, nobody would've noticed what was happening in the other areas of the pool and there were smiles and satisfied customers in both. A kid swimming in a pool and playing with a dolphin...life just doesn't get a whole lot better than that!