Dolphin Encounter at Chankanaab National Park

Hello,

I'm cruising to Cozumel and decided to do the Dolphin Encounter at Chankanaab National Park. I tried booking from this site

http://cozumel-tours.com/dolphin-encounter.htm since they have discount and its only $59 vs Ship price of $89.

Has anyone used this site before?

Also..when I tried to book..during the check out site...I would choose the Cruise line Carnival..and it would tell me that I cant book. I would need to book thru Carnival's site?

Has anyone had this problem before?

Thanks!!!

Have seen this before on the boards. Seems if you tell them you are off a cruise ship you have to book through the ship.

This place also might serve your needs

http://www.dolphinaris.com/locations/cozumel.aspx

After taking a taxi to Chankanaab and doing discover scuba at the beach, we walked to the Dolphin Encounter area and watched everyone take their turn with the dophins - very neat.

I have booked the Dolphin Royal swim independently twice through this site:

www dot dolphindiscovery dot com slash cozumel

That was a few years ago, so their policy may have changed, but from what I recall, they only ask about ship info so they know whether to expect you or not (in other words, they know if a ship doesn't make it).

I'm about to book a manatee swim with them... that is, once I get confirmation that they've made it through the storm that's bearing down on them. :(

I have found the park to be easy to deal with and above board about everything. And park admission is free if you book a swim.

It's an easy cab ride from port to Chankanaab.

If you can afford to do the Royal Swim, I highly recommend it. There's nothing quite like being pushed out of the water on the nose of 2 dolphins!

it seems that all other providers mentioned here will cost more than cozumel-tour, that makes me worrying about booking with cozumel-tour. anybody use this online service before? Please kindly share your experience. Thanks.

I have booked the Dolphin Royal swim independently twice through this site:

 

www dot dolphindiscovery dot com slash cozumel

 

That was a few years ago, so their policy may have changed, but from what I recall, they only ask about ship info so they know whether to expect you or not (in other words, they know if a ship doesn't make it).

 

I'm about to book a manatee swim with them... that is, once I get confirmation that they've made it through the storm that's bearing down on them. :(

 

I have found the park to be easy to deal with and above board about everything. And park admission is free if you book a swim.

 

It's an easy cab ride from port to Chankanaab.

 

If you can afford to do the Royal Swim, I highly recommend it. There's nothing quite like being pushed out of the water on the nose of 2 dolphins!

We are leaving Sunday and will be in Cozumel one week from today :)

My question is: At Chankanaab Park, do you tip the Dolphin Swim people and if so how much is reasonable?:confused:

it seems that all other providers mentioned here will cost more than cozumel-tour, that makes me worrying about booking with cozumel-tour. anybody use this online service before? Please kindly share your experience. Thanks.

I booked an independent tour of the Royal Dolphin Swim because you can stay all day if you want. There seems to be a lot to do at Chankanaab Park so you may want to go before your encounter and stay afterward hiking, snorkeling or relaxing. Or if you are pooped you can take the taxi back whenever you want. If the taxi is $10 each way, as they say, that is cheap for the flexibility. I also don't like the big bus herding effect.

Who did you book the Royal Dolphin Swim through? I've got 27 days until cruise time & scrambling to find our family of 4 an excursion. :) Thanks!

We are interested in this park and in the dolphin swim. However, not everyone in our group will do the dolphin swim. So, can you just take a cab over there and everyone do what they would like? However, I would want to book the dolphin part ahead of time and sounds like you have to do that through Carnival....but then that would include transportation as well...but only for the part of our group that wants the dolphin swim...ugh! So, any way around this??

We are interested in this park and in the dolphin swim. However, not everyone in our group will do the dolphin swim. So, can you just take a cab over there and everyone do what they would like? However, I would want to book the dolphin part ahead of time and sounds like you have to do that through Carnival....but then that would include transportation as well...but only for the part of our group that wants the dolphin swim...ugh! So, any way around this??

Yes you can. And if the others in your party have a camera with a good lens, they can get pics of you with the dolphins from the bank.:) Just use C's transportation over and come back in a cab with your group-no problems, just tell the tour driver thats what you are doing when you get off the bus at Chankanab.

2csons - You can book through this web site:

www dot dolphindiscovery dot com slash cozumel

I agree completely with cruizer101 --- it's a wonderful place to spend a day. Beach, snorkeling, pool, food & drink, and DOLPHINS! Even if you don't swim with them, you can watch them as they interact with the trainers or the other visitors. It's a special place.

Not sure how well the park made it through Hurricane Rina this week. I'll find out when we're there next week.

When we did this 2 years ago we booked direct with dolphin discovery. If you go to their website and look for the coupon or specials they have a buy 1 at regular price get one for $1. I belive it was $129 for two of us for the Royal Swim. This included transportion. For the transportion we were told to just grap a cab to the park. Once you get there you let them know you are there for the dolpins. A dolphin discovery employee will pay for the cab. For the trip back they give you a vocher worth $15 for cab fare. ( They give you the vocher so you can do other things in the park before going back ) we use the vocher to take us out to Nachi for the rest of the day, and then used cash for a taxi back to the dock. There were two ships in port that day. The Liberty ( ours ) and the Valor.

When we got their we were early by about an hour. We were the only ones there from the Liberty. Shortly after we got there a group came from the Valor. ( about 6 people ) Their reservation time was not the same as ours. I can not remeber is it was later or earlier, but we all went together. They paid around $100 per person and had to pay their own cab fare. But beings they put us together they got to do the Royal Swim instead of the dolphin encouter that carnival offered. ( The dolphin encouter does not include the foot push )

I have planned to book the royal swim through the dolphin discovery website independently for next April. We are a four person group, and through their website it would be less than $400 for all four of us. (There is an early booking discount that gets one ticket for free) The same excursion through Carnival would be $756! That is $350 more to go through the ship.

My dilemma is this: apparently they have a non compete clause that doesn't allow cruise ship passengers (on certain lines, all the lines owned by Carnival included in clause) to book independently. In order to book it, you have to lie. Great. Not sure how to handle it, and keep hoping that someone will pipe in who has done it recently, as this appears to be a new change in policy.

I have two 15 year olds with me, one of whom has never traveled before, and I really want to do this. I'm not crazy about lying, and would prefer not to have to do that, but $350 price difference is pretty big. If we were talking a $100 difference, I could swallow that, but...

So, what to do? Has anyone done this recently? Can I get away with saying I'm at a hotel? Honestly, it would be cheaper to book a room for a day than to pay the Carnival price.

We spend so much money on the ship (last year our S&S bill came in at $1600) that I do not have guilt about not booking through the ship. I (and the girls) have my heart set on being able to do a dorsal swim...

I have planned to book the royal swim through the dolphin discovery website independently for next April. We are a four person group, and through their website it would be less than $400 for all four of us. (There is an early booking discount that gets one ticket for free) The same excursion through Carnival would be $756! That is $350 more to go through the ship.

 

My dilemma is this: apparently they have a non compete clause that doesn't allow cruise ship passengers (on certain lines, all the lines owned by Carnival included in clause) to book independently. In order to book it, you have to lie. Great. Not sure how to handle it, and keep hoping that someone will pipe in who has done it recently, as this appears to be a new change in policy.

 

I have two 15 year olds with me, one of whom has never traveled before, and I really want to do this. I'm not crazy about lying, and would prefer not to have to do that, but $350 price difference is pretty big. If we were talking a $100 difference, I could swallow that, but...

 

So, what to do? Has anyone done this recently? Can I get away with saying I'm at a hotel? Honestly, it would be cheaper to book a room for a day than to pay the Carnival price.

 

We spend so much money on the ship (last year our S&S bill came in at $1600) that I do not have guilt about not booking through the ship. I (and the girls) have my heart set on being able to do a dorsal swim...

Hi Julie. My family of 5 are booked on Carnival Dream to cruise over Christmas and I was having the same dilemma as you. I noticed on the dolphin discovery website that they are having a tremendous sale thru October 31. To book thru Carnival, it would of cost $289 more for 5 of us to do the Royal Swim. I am not a big fan of lying, even to get the deal so I decided to call the number directly, speak to a representative and see what happened. Honestly, I was praying the whole time that I wouldn't even be asked the "what cruise line are you on" question. And honestly, I wasn't even asked. The rep. I spoke with is Javier and he never even asked how we were getting to Cozumel or if we were staying there or anything. I have read a couple of other posts saying the same thing - they weren't asked. I would maybe try calling and see what happens. The other thing I've read is that when you are going thru the booking process on the dolphin discovery website, when asked what cruiseline, hit the "ecommerce" button and the order goes thru. Good luck!! You'll have to let us know what happens.

Jodi

Hi Julie. My family of 5 are booked on Carnival Dream to cruise over Christmas and I was having the same dilemma as you. I noticed on the dolphin discovery website that they are having a tremendous sale thru October 31. To book thru Carnival, it would of cost $289 more for 5 of us to do the Royal Swim. I am not a big fan of lying, even to get the deal so I decided to call the number directly, speak to a representative and see what happened. Honestly, I was praying the whole time that I wouldn't even be asked the "what cruise line are you on" question. And honestly, I wasn't even asked. The rep. I spoke with is Javier and he never even asked how we were getting to Cozumel or if we were staying there or anything. I have read a couple of other posts saying the same thing - they weren't asked. I would maybe try calling and see what happens. The other thing I've read is that when you are going thru the booking process on the dolphin discovery website, when asked what cruiseline, hit the "ecommerce" button and the order goes thru. Good luck!! You'll have to let us know what happens.

Jodi

Thank you, Jodi! I can't wait to hear how it goes for your family. I think I am going to follow your advice, call, and book. I think if we go with the attitude that it will be super cool if it happens, but not devastating if it doesn't, then it will be worth the risk.

I don't understand why this situation would even occur. I get companies doing the contract with the cruise line, but I don't get why the cruise line has to jack their price up so high that you end up with this kind of price difference.

Honestly, if we were talking $100 or so, I would just go with the cruise line!

I decided to call the number directly, speak to a representative and see what happened. Honestly, I was praying the whole time that I wouldn't even be asked the "what cruise line are you on" question. And honestly, I wasn't even asked. The rep. I spoke with is Javier and he never even asked how we were getting to Cozumel or if we were staying there or anything. I have read a couple of other posts saying the same thing - they weren't asked. I would maybe try calling and see what happens. Jodi

:( I just called, and she asked if I was coming by cruise ship. I told her Carnival, and she said I'd have to book directly with them. I was thinking of calling back to see if someone different would let me book it, but I'd be so upset if it were cancelled when I got there. I guess this is why their rates are so low, at least for the hotel tourists. When I did the royal swim a year ago and booked directly, it was $150 for just me, now I could have done 2 of us for $130. I wonder how much Carnival gives them per booking.

I emailed the Cozumel tours website, and she said that I could book through them. I was totally honest in my question, and told her how we were getting to the island. I am going to call and book through them!

I emailed the Cozumel tours website, and she said that I could book through them. I was totally honest in my question, and told her how we were getting to the island. I am going to call and book through them!

Let me know how that goes. I put in my info to book online, but when I put in my cruise ship, it told me to book through the cruise line. I'm just wondering if they'll find out if I give them a hotel name instead of carnival?? I'm sure someone out there has had this issue.....

Let me know how that goes. I put in my info to book online, but when I put in my cruise ship, it told me to book through the cruise line. I'm just wondering if they'll find out if I give them a hotel name instead of carnival?? I'm sure someone out there has had this issue.....

Did you figure out how to book ?

Nope, not yet. I was bummed that I missed out on the $1 deal for the 2nd royal swim. I tried several times through several different sites, but they all rejected my booking when I told them Carnival. I'm hoping someone will help us out on this one before another deal comes up. I know a few people have been able to book it without them asking, but I'm wondering if they'll ask at check in if they are from a cruise ship. And, do they ask for any type of proof of how you got to Cozumel? If I say I'm from another cruise ship that allows direct bookings, will they ask for my S & S card? What about a hotel? :confused: This is for an early January cruise, so hopefully someone will have some answers soon.

blakeamy email me kittyhawk at live.ca tell u how to do it

You can book directly with Jorge 866-393-5158 ext 123...he is great. There is also a $159 per person special to do the Dolphin Royal Swim, and swim with the sea lions and swim with the manatees....all for $159 if you book through him (his is with Dolphin Discovery). The regular price is $249. Great deal and they will take you from one to the other.!

Just wondering if anyone has any problems with booking directly and avoiding the whole "carnival" conversation. I was planning to book...then the little pop up happened that said I couldn't. I have found another operator to book with on the phone and they said that Dolphin Discovery would not know. So for those booked independent any problems lately?

Ok,I booked thru cozumel tours and got the discount and listed "ecommerce" and have my confirmation in hand. We will leave the "Carnival" towls behind and rent or buy towls there. We will see how that goes.