Dolphin Swim not booked with cruise line in Cabo

[SandS204ever]

So the wife and I want to swim with the dolphins in Cabo, the price thru the ship is not "to bad" but I would rather book on my own and save some money (I hear the picture package is like $150 :eek: )

 

Does anyone have experiance booking this in Cabo (from my understanding its right at the tender dock). I thought I read someplace that they company sends the list to the ship and will kick anyone out that is a cruise passanger ... is this true?

[CWcruisers]

 

Does anyone have experiance booking this in Cabo (from my understanding its right at the tender dock). I thought I read someplace that they company sends the list to the ship and will kick anyone out that is a cruise passanger ... is this true?

 

Yes, it's true, so if you really want to do it, book it through the ship or wait until you do a land trip to Cabo.

[SandS204ever]

Yes, it's true, so if you really want to do it, book it through the ship or wait until you do a land trip to Cabo.

 

Ok i budgeted the ship price into my budget so its all good.

[LAdad]

You can purchase on your own the non-cruiseship dolphin excursion in San Jose del Cabo that has the dolphins in the new Marina in San Jose (ocean water and setting) instead of the cruiseship dolphin excursion in Cabo San Lucas (pool water and setting). Its cheaper and the transportation cost is minimal.

[SandS204ever]

You can purchase on your own the non-cruiseship dolphin excursion in San Jose del Cabo that has the dolphins in the new Marina in San Jose (ocean water and setting) instead of the cruiseship dolphin excursion in Cabo San Lucas (pool water and setting). Its cheaper and the transportation cost is minimal.

 

Do you have a link to this?

[downsized]

So the wife and I want to swim with the dolphins in Cabo, the price thru the ship is not "to bad" but I would rather book on my own and save some money (I hear the picture package is like $150 :eek: )

 

Does anyone have experiance booking this in Cabo (from my understanding its right at the tender dock). I thought I read someplace that they company sends the list to the ship and will kick anyone out that is a cruise passanger ... is this true?

 

Our experience is that you cannot book the experience at the site if you are on a cruise ship. This is a very popular excursion, and typically, all of the slots are booked by the ships.

One thing to keep in mind is although it might be a bit more through the ship, Cabo is a tendered port. That means that 2400 passengers are standing in line to board the tenders, and that can take up to 2 hours (of standing in line!)

If you book the excursion through the ship, you (and your entire family) will be afforded VIP tendering. They will escourt you to the front of the line.

[LAdad]

wwwdotdolphindiscoverydotcom

[chipq]

The dolphin swim company in Cabo has contracts with cruise lines which prohibits them from booking someone they know is from one of the cruise lines. Greed. One of the reasons I have not taken a cruise line shorex in years.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[downsized]

The dolphin swim company in Cabo has contracts with cruise lines which prohibits them from booking someone they know is from one of the cruise lines. Greed. One of the reasons I have not taken a cruise line shorex in years.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

 

:rolleyes: I suspect that it has little to do with greed, but a great deal to do with "capacity". When a cruise ship hits Cabo, there are 2000-3000 passengers hitting the docks within a few hours.

Cabo has only one dolphin swim, but thousands of boat/parasail/fishing/taxi drivers.

The popular activities fill up first.

If you want to swim with the dolphins in Cabo, you really should book through the shipline.

[CWcruisers]

The dolphin swim company in Cabo has contracts with cruise lines which prohibits them from booking someone they know is from one of the cruise lines. Greed. One of the reasons I have not taken a cruise line shorex in years.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

 

 

Many cruise lines are doing this now and not only on the Mexican Riviera, but also in the Caribbean.

 

It's really no greedier than the airlines charging to check luggage. Everyone's got to make a buck where they can.

[downsized]

The dolphin swim company in Cabo has contracts with cruise lines which prohibits them from booking someone they know is from one of the cruise lines. Greed. One of the reasons I have not taken a cruise line shorex in years.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

 

I'm sorry, but I just have to revisit this.

My bride and I can fly per person to Cabo in late September for about $400rt...hotter than Hades then. It would cost us nearly $900 per person during Spring Break, when there are tens of thousands of college aged students wanting to fly there.

(Just as an aside....I bet that you could buy a $100 Christmas tree on December 26 for about a buck.) Don't know why I added that, it just felt good.

Suck up, chip. It's called Capitalism!

But....back to the topic....the walk-in price for the Dolphins in Cabo is only about $25pp less. With the ship, you get priority boarding on the tenders, not only for those that are swimming, but for everyone in your party.

Stay aboard ship, 2399 other passengers will disembark that much faster!

[CWcruisers]

Hey Downsized, not sure where in Oregon you are, but do you know Spirit Airlines is starting service to San Diego and from San Diego to Cabo in November? I'm hoping it will force Alaska to lower their prices and have a little competition.

[downsized]

Hey Downsized, not sure where in Oregon you are, but do you know Spirit Airlines is starting service to San Diego and from San Diego to Cabo in November? I'm hoping it will force Alaska to lower their prices and have a little competition.

 

That's good news! We're booked 10/27 on Alaska, but are already looking forward to March 2013!

We've used Delta, US Airlines (never, ever, again!), and Alaska.

No non-stops from PDX to Cabo, but at least with Alaska, although we have to stop in San Jose, we do not have to change planes.

[karoo]

There will be spots for non cruise people. The cruise lines basically threaten the operators, telling them if they take cruise passengers (at a much cheaper rate) the cruise line won't give them business. We were taken on a private tour and our driver on asking if they had spots available was told if his passengers were from the cruise they couldn't do the dolphin swim. He then gave us the name of a hotel-we walked up, when asked if we were off the cruise ship, we told them we weren't off the cruise ship we were staying at a hotel and got the dolphin swim for a quarter of the price the shore ex people got the dolphin swim for.

[SandS204ever]

There will be spots for non cruise people. The cruise lines basically threaten the operators, telling them if they take cruise passengers (at a much cheaper rate) the cruise line won't give them business. We were taken on a private tour and our driver on asking if they had spots available was told if his passengers were from the cruise they couldn't do the dolphin swim. He then gave us the name of a hotel-we walked up, when asked if we were off the cruise ship, we told them we weren't off the cruise ship we were staying at a hotel and got the dolphin swim for a quarter of the price the shore ex people got the dolphin swim for.

 

Thats great, however I do not want to wait and walk up and hope there are open spots. I would want to make a reservation, and if the company hands the list off to the cruise line and I get booted well thats not a chance I am willing to take. My wife has wanted to do this for 20+ years and never got to. I dont want to take the chance that she will miss out again.

[CWcruisers]

Thats great, however I do not want to wait and walk up and hope there are open spots. I would want to make a reservation, and if the company hands the list off to the cruise line and I get booted well thats not a chance I am willing to take. My wife has wanted to do this for 20+ years and never got to. I dont want to take the chance that she will miss out again.

 

 

That's right, you definitely don't want to miss out if it's something you really want to do. Some folks will pay very high prices to eat at a restaurant they have always wanted to eat at, it's the same difference.

 

Little know fact about the Cabo dolphins is that you can watch for free if you do not wish to do the swim.

[SandS204ever]

That's right, you definitely don't want to miss out if it's something you really want to do. Some folks will pay very high prices to eat at a restaurant they have always wanted to eat at, it's the same difference.

 

Little know fact about the Cabo dolphins is that you can watch for free if you do not wish to do the swim.

 

Thats a good tidbit of info, I may opt to not swim ... I dont care on way or the other, but I am sure the wife will want me too.

[downsized]

There will be spots for non cruise people. The cruise lines basically threaten the operators, telling them if they take cruise passengers (at a much cheaper rate) the cruise line won't give them business. We were taken on a private tour and our driver on asking if they had spots available was told if his passengers were from the cruise they couldn't do the dolphin swim. He then gave us the name of a hotel-we walked up, when asked if we were off the cruise ship, we told them we weren't off the cruise ship we were staying at a hotel and got the dolphin swim for a quarter of the price the shore ex people got the dolphin swim for.

 

A quarter of the price????

Sorry, but I simply cannot accept that.

We fly to Cabo three times a year, spending 9-10 days at a time.

The walk-in price is no where near 1/4 the ship's price.

It is a bit less, yes, but in our experience, during the high seasons, it is more like $25 less.

I suspect that you've eaten way too many shrimp off the barbee, mate.

 

Just my $0.02Pesos worth.

[SandS204ever]

A quarter of the price????

Sorry, but I simply cannot accept that.

We fly to Cabo three times a year, spending 9-10 days at a time.

The walk-in price is no where near 1/4 the ship's price.

It is a bit less, yes, but in our experience, during the high seasons, it is more like $25 less.

I suspect that you've eaten way too many shrimp off the barbee, mate.

 

Just my $0.02Pesos worth.

 

I know the ship price was inline with the price in Hawaii that I found, so to me its not to bad. Even at $50 less its not worth the risk, its the one thing the wife was excited about (other then the cruise itself lol )

[downsized]

I know the ship price was inline with the price in Hawaii that I found, so to me its not to bad. Even at $50 less its not worth the risk, its the one thing the wife was excited about (other then the cruise itself lol )

 

CWCruisers is correct. We were a family of nine, and only 2 chose to swim with the Dolphins. The rest of us were issued wristbands, and were allowed upstairs to a covered observation area where we could watch not only our two, but all of the folks that swam. We were served ice cold beverages for $2us each, and at the end of the swim everyone in the observation area was invited into ankle deep water to "pet" the dolphins. I nice opportunity. They also have a really nice Cantina there. Shaded, quiet, and inexpensive.

One thing, though. You will not be allowed to take any pictures, but will be afforded the opportunity to purchase a disc with pictures on it (you'll get to pick the pictures!) You can expect to pay about $100us for the disc, but it makes a good keepsake.

[SandS204ever]

CWCruisers is correct. We were a family of nine, and only 2 chose to swim with the Dolphins. The rest of us were issued wristbands, and were allowed upstairs to a covered observation area where we could watch not only our two, but all of the folks that swam. We were served ice cold beverages for $2us each, and at the end of the swim everyone in the observation area was invited into ankle deep water to "pet" the dolphins. I nice opportunity. They also have a really nice Cantina there. Shaded, quiet, and inexpensive.

One thing, though. You will not be allowed to take any pictures, but will be afforded the opportunity to purchase a disc with pictures on it (you'll get to pick the pictures!) You can expect to pay about $100us for the disc, but it makes a good keepsake.

 

Thank you for that info, I talked with the wife at lunch and she said I was going with her lol. $100 for the CD is high but less then I budgeted so I guess its all good lol.