Dolphin encounter and cameras

Chakanaab: I have seen pictures where people took there cameras in the water with them, and yet have heard people say you must leave all cameras in the locker. What are the odds of using your own camera at the Dolphin Encounter? Which is correct?

If another family member is only observing, can they use a camera for pictures?

Can they get close enough to get a good picture? I hate to do the dolphin encounter and get no picture to document it.

I can not justify paying the $100 and up for there picture packages.

Not sure about being able to use your own camera. Our group was told no cameras. They will sell you a waterproof disposal camera so you could take your own pictures, but I didn't find out how much they were. The encounter platforms are too far away for anything but a really good telephoto lens.

I can not justify paying the $100 and up for there picture packages.

I thought the same thing at first. It was $109 for two of us on one disc. I decided to bite the bullet and pay for it. Every time I look at those pics it's a decision I'll never regret :)

What if you bring your own waterproof disposable cameras? I've already purchased a few for our May cruise, and both of us are doing the Dolphin Encounter.

Also a related question: since we will both be doing the encounter, are their lockers (that lock) or otherwise a place to store our regular camera, beach bag, etc while doing the encounter?

Thanks!

I did read there are lockers to leave all your stuff in while on the dolphin encounter.

I also read no pictures can be taken by you or anyone else just watching. But............... I saw reviews where participants were taking pictures:confused:. I would love to use my underwater camera.

They use to allow you to take your own camera, but I'm sure with them knowing that their sales were down, they decided not to allow it anymore. I believe they stopped allowing this some time last summer. We did both of the dolphin/manatee swims when camera's were still allowed.

Yes, they do have lockers at the building directly in front of the swim. The lockers are free. You simply put your things in it and pull the key out. It is attached to a wrist band to wear while swimming.

As for taking pictures from the dock, you probably would not be able to, even with a zoom lens on a DSLR because of the way they are set up. The dock/walkway sits up really high and the swimmers go down into the water. So, it's hard to see them plus they are so far out most of the time.

As you can see in this picture just how far down in the water you are with a deck surrounding you all the way around:

This is a picture from the website, which shows just how far they go out and how far back you would be standing to take a picture:

Arial view from google earth which show the area from above and where the lockers are located:

Now I "think" I might have read once that maybe you can pay a "fee" to go out on the deck to take pictures of your family, but I can't confirm that. I'm just thinking for some reason that I might have read that from someone before. Hopefully someone that has done this can confirm since we haven't done the swims since they adopted the "no camera" rule.

We had a great time, but were also told no cameras. The price of pictures was terribly high, we did not buy any unfortunately

Participated in this tour Dec 2012 and watched family members in Dec 2011. Cameras are not allowed for participants or observers. Observers pay a small fee (I believe it was $5) just to go out on the dock to watch. Lockers are included in the price of the tour. The only thing I can say about the staff pictures is they are very good. They get several high quality shots of each activity at very close range. Buying a few individual pictures doesn't work either, they are so expensive the package price is a much better deal. If you want pictures, your only option is the expensive package.

I've done one dolphin enconter and seen a few close hand.

Its a sad state, but in general I've never seen participants with cameras, nor any area close that made photography easy. Seems to be part of the larger strategy to extract revenue! Charge a lot, do a lot of video/photographs and charge for them. At some locations if you bring your big guns and scout out the angles you can get some good shots, at other places it almost seems they built the place so you can't do it too.

Money money money.. that is what its about, seperating you from it. That being said still get a good picture once

in 2012 we were able to take our water camera down on the ledge with us and got great pictures.

2013 they were adamant NO CAMERAS, put in lockers (free use of lockers), included in price of admission. They were persistant and observant, and did not permit any picture taking.

Of course the pictures of our DD came out phenomenol and we broke down and bought one picture. Well it was on a "chip" we bought the rights and the picture.

We paid over $30 for this one picture. They had packages but they started at about $149ish.

Sea Ya

We went in April, 2012. There were 5 of us, but only 4 did the encounter. They had a special at the time where if you were on Norwegian you paid for one and the next one was $1.00. I did end buying the disc with all 4 of them on it. Wonderful pictures, especially when the dolphins were giving them a ride out of the water. Got the prerequisite kissing of the dolphins too.

I tried taking some pics, but like others have said, distance and the way it is constructed made it difficult for any good pics.

Wife and I are doing this in December. I do not know what I will do. An excurssion without my camera:eek: Will feel weird not having it in my hands or around my neck. Wife my not reconize me. :D

The Ump

John

Wife and I are doing this in December. I do not know what I will do. An excurssion without my camera:eek: Will feel weird not having it in my hands or around my neck. Wife my not reconize me. :D

 

The Ump

John

Where's the like button when you need it! :D

Where's the like button when you need it! :D

Saw you were going in December a while back and was hopeing even though we were not on the same ship might hit the same ports and possibly meet up. But saw you shipping is a little later than mine. Have fun and looiking forward to your reviews. :) We took the same cruise this year as last so wife could enjoy things after breaking her foot on last one. :( Well this year going but going to miss cave tubing. I need lower back surgery and it would not hold up. So looks like have to plan another that goes to Belieze. :) And we are doing Maya Key in Roatan.

The Ump

John

I was there in October, 2012 and was able to use my own camera. You have to be participating though and not just an observer. However, they made it almost impossible to take picture with my own camera. The ones that they took were really good, so I bought the CD. It was expensive, but if you're only doing it once, worth it!

Saw you were going in December a while back and was hopeing even though we were not on the same ship might hit the same ports and possibly meet up. But saw you shipping is a little later than mine. Have fun and looiking forward to your reviews. :) We took the same cruise this year as last so wife could enjoy things after breaking her foot on last one. :( Well this year going but going to miss cave tubing. I need lower back surgery and it would not hold up. So looks like have to plan another that goes to Belieze. :) And we are doing Maya Key in Roatan.

 

The Ump

John

You're signature line says you are going Dec 1st. Is that correct? We are not going until Dec 15th. We are headed to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel again this time. :D

In October 2010 your own cameras were absolutely allowed. Unfortunately we didn't know that until we were in the water and our cameras were in our lockers :(. I would email them directly and ask. They had their own photographers as well and we each bought a photo as the prices were reasonable ($15 for a 5x7 back then) and it was important to me to have a keepsake.

You're signature line says you are going Dec 1st. Is that correct? We are not going until Dec 15th. We are headed to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel again this time. :D

Only a week and couple days and we are headed for Galveston.:) Are doing Maya Key and Roatan and Chanaak in Coz but still not sure on Belize. Was going for cave tubing but disc in lower back say NO. :mad: Now wife had eye surgery and can see without glasses so might be able to get her to snorkel will see.

The Ump

John

Only a week and couple days and we are headed for Galveston.:) Are doing Maya Key and Roatan and Chanaak in Coz but still not sure on Belize. Was going for cave tubing but disc in lower back say NO. :mad: Now wife had eye surgery and can see without glasses so might be able to get her to snorkel will see.

 

The Ump

John

Awesome. I hope you guys have a wonderful vacation Ump! :)

I enjoyed the dolphins at Chankanaab just a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely no cameras allowed out on the docks where you meet the animals.

The photos they sell are VERY expensive as a total price, but pretty darn cheap as a per-photo price.

Their CDs/zip drives are priced by how many people are in your party. The price for four in our family was 2405 pesos, about US$185. That's a huge chunk of cash, but we had 147 photos taken of us, so that's roughly $1.25 per image. I believe a single print cost something like US$30.

Each small group is assigned a photographer. There are some specific photo op times for each person, when you are instructed to look at the camera and smile (kiss on the mouth, kiss on the cheek, holding hands, holding hand up for them to jump out of water and touch your hand, hug), and then of course when a dolphin pushes you on a boogie board and when you swim with the dolphin (if that's what your encounter includes).

For us, photos are the best souvenirs of all. Paying almost $200 for a CD definitely didn't feel good, but we simply couldn't pass it up. We knew going in it was going to be a lot, so we just resigned ourselves to the idea of paying a lot to have our memories preserved.

We've had a lot of joy as well as some sorrow in our lives. But the tightest hug I've EVER received from my 11-year-old daughter was while we were standing chest-deep on a submerged platform in the ocean just after she kissed a dolphin for the first time. Best hug ever. I know, I know, there was no photo of THAT, but the photos remind us of that special day.

I enjoyed the dolphins at Chankanaab just a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely no cameras allowed out on the docks where you meet the animals.

 

The photos they sell are VERY expensive as a total price, but pretty darn cheap as a per-photo price.

 

Their CDs/zip drives are priced by how many people are in your party. The price for four in our family was 2405 pesos, about US$185. That's a huge chunk of cash, but we had 147 photos taken of us, so that's roughly $1.25 per image. I believe a single print cost something like US$30.

 

Each small group is assigned a photographer. There are some specific photo op times for each person, when you are instructed to look at the camera and smile (kiss on the mouth, kiss on the cheek, holding hands, holding hand up for them to jump out of water and touch your hand, hug), and then of course when a dolphin pushes you on a boogie board and when you swim with the dolphin (if that's what your encounter includes).

 

For us, photos are the best souvenirs of all. Paying almost $200 for a CD definitely didn't feel good, but we simply couldn't pass it up. We knew going in it was going to be a lot, so we just resigned ourselves to the idea of paying a lot to have our memories preserved.

 

We've had a lot of joy as well as some sorrow in our lives. But the tightest hug I've EVER received from my 11-year-old daughter was while we were standing chest-deep on a submerged platform in the ocean just after she kissed a dolphin for the first time. Best hug ever. I know, I know, there was no photo of THAT, but the photos remind us of that special day.

:eek: Yikes! I shudder to think what they're going to charge my sister's family with 4 people doing dolphin, sea lion, and manatee swims...

:eek: Yikes! I shudder to think what they're going to charge my sister's family with 4 people doing dolphin, sea lion, and manatee swims...

That was a charge just for the photo CD. It has nothing to do with the activity itself. There aren't different prices for a dolphin photo package versus a dolphin/manatee/sea lion photo package.

We did the dolphin/manatee, by the way, but there were no photos with the manatees, as they stay submerged and therefore not a meaningful photo op.

That was a charge just for the photo CD. It has nothing to do with the activity itself. There aren't different prices for a dolphin photo package versus a dolphin/manatee/sea lion photo package.

 

We did the dolphin/manatee, by the way, but there were no photos with the manatees, as they stay submerged and therefore not a meaningful photo op.

Good to know! Thanks for the clarification. :)

We just got back from our Christmas cruise and I wanted add a clarification regarding the cost of the photos. The price for a family of four was $185 per CD. Each paid activity had to be on a separate CD. They gave us a predetermined almost 25% discount since we did 3 activities so my brother-in-law ended up paying $420 for the hundreds of photos of his family.

based on the "but there were no photos with the manatees, as they stay submerged and therefore not a meaningful photo op" description, I believe CleveRock's group paid for a dolphin activity and were given the short manatee extra that others have mentioned. Since we actually purchased the Dolphin Swim Adventure, the Manatee Encounter, and the Sea Lion Discovery, there were lots of photo ops during each activity, including the manatees as we fed, held, and kissed them.

We did the dolphin/manatee, by the way, but there were no photos with the manatees, as they stay submerged and therefore not a meaningful photo op.

The manatees were trained to come out of the water for pictures for the manatee encounter. They hold their head up for the kiss and handshake, and also hold their tail up for the hug.

Here is one of mine:

This was an unposed photo- they are also out of the water a bit (this was when I had papaya to give them...)

My cost was 900 pesos for the CD. It had 139 photos on it.

No, we very definitely pre-booked and pre-paid for the Manatee encounter package; we had different color wristbands from the people who booked just the dolphin portion.

Apparently, we were short changed. Luckily, my kids don't come on this website, so they won't know how disappointed they should be.