Chankanaab without dolphins- still worth visiting?

[mitsugirly]

I was wondering this myself. I saw that photo package on their site, but Carnival didn't offer that. I was also interested in adding the manatee experience, but Carnival doesn't offer that, either, AND the manatees are only available at three time slots during the day. With Carnival suggesting a 3.5 hour window for this excursion, and no guarantee as to what time we'll start or be done within that window, I am left unsure as to whether we will even have time for snorkeling!

 

I booked through Carnival not only for cancellation/refund peace of mind (we are sailing in hurricane season!), but because I heard that the ship groups got to get off of the boat first. If our boat gets to the port at 10 and the first swim starts at 10:30, what if I am not even off of the boat at that point? Or still waiting for a taxi? Mitsugirly, I looked at the map of the port and all and you're right- it looks easy to navigate on my own. I would TOTALLY book this on my own, saving money and getting the photo package, but now I am confused and wondering if I can even get to the park in time for our slot if we were to do this on our own.

 

The first swim probably starts at 10:30 for your Carnival booking. But when you book online with them, you have options of several different times usually every hour or so. They do have a lot of swim pens, but it all depends on the type of swim you book for the location. If you booked on your own, you would have the option of what time you wanted to do the swim and not obligated to do only 1 time that Carnival had picked out for you.

 

Dolphin Discovery runs A LOT of good specials, but you just have to watch for them. Each time we have booked we got the buy 1 swim get the 2nd for only $1.00 or free. They were just running a special about a month ago for anyone with kids under 10 years old could swim free with a paying adult. So lots of money to be saved if you watch. I also know you get a discount for booking early on as well.

[mitsugirly]

It looks like you have done a lot of research NOLA and I didn't realize there was a page 2 when I posted last. LOL

 

As for the pictures, everyone has always complained about the pricing and what a rip off. If you buy just a few pictures picked out, yes, they are going to charge you per picture (like you said $30 or $40 each). It's much more cost effective to purchase them all on CD. They "usually" go by how many you have in your party. The photographer will take several pictures of everyone in your party individually doing each category in the swim. They take pictures during all the interactions and even of the dolphins themselves doing tricks in the water and the air. Some of the pictures will be group pictures as well with everyone in the entire group in it. When you purchase the entire CD, they will included every single picture they can find of you/your party on the CD. When WE did it, they had taken 89 pictures of us and it was offered to us for $139. We were lucky both times we went because they allowed us to take our water cameras with us on the swim and take all the pictures we wanted. So, we didn't purchase them.

 

They seem to come up with whatever their little heart desires for the price of pictures according to most on these boards. They quote one person $89 for everything and another person $189. We've tried to figure this out for years. We thought maybe it had to do with how many people are in your party (which it suppose to...of course the price goes up with the amount of people you have), but we have yet to find a rhyme or reason as to why the same amount of people in a party get quoted differently. :eek: People have also reported (all the time) that you can haggle with them on the price. I can tell you that was not the case for us. They were pretty darn firm when we went and would not come down at all. They are there to make money and I assume their bargaining days depends on how much they have made for that day. :p

 

A LOT of people on here claim it's worth "every penny we spent" and "they quality of the photos are awesome". I don't know what they are like now, but I dabble in photography (and I don't think I'm "too bad" at it) and what they presented to me was not what I would even consider to be "ok" photography. However, those that can't take pictures, didn't have a water camera (back then) I guess I could see where it was worth it for the memories. If I was to do it again, of course I would be forced to buy the pictures "for the memory" at their outrageous prices...since you can't take your own now. :( I knew at the times we did it, it was inevitable that they would stop allowing you to take your own cameras. After all, they weren't making money by allowing people to do that.

[NOLAbebe]

NOLAbebe: you are amazing! I wish I was on your sailing so I could meet you and thank you personally for all your great tips and help but we are sailing 8/2/2015. I just finished booking the dolphin swim, buffet lunch at Chankanaab Park through Carnival. I ultimately decided peace of mind has a dollar value too. Now on to researching the other ports...have a fabulous cruise if I don't talk to you before then.

 

Haha! I am just thorough! My hubby calls it OCD, but I like 'detail-oriented'. ;)

 

Hope you have a wonderful time! I think we might be doing the same itinerary, so I am eager to hear what you have to say! Save all the daily fliers and Fun Times! I will have questions. :rolleyes:

Edited March 24, 2015 by NOLAbebe

[Roberta Rader]

That is the least I could do. You bet!

[NOLAbebe]

As for the pictures, everyone has always complained about the pricing and what a rip off.

 

Mitsu, this is *exactly* why I do pre-trip research! I already know they are expensive, and won't let the sudden shock of that ruin my trip. I am always surprised at those who don't investigate a little before a trip. That is so foreign to me, I can barely imagine it! It might be a little distrust on my end- I see those photoshopped pictures and immediately want to know what it REALLY looks like. I want to have a good time in spite of all those marketing directors!

 

(This is partly the reason I was so blown away by our stops in the Bahamas, because for once, the official photos were nearly dead-on, and frankly the Sandals Royal Bahamian was even PRETTIER, which I could barely believe.)

 

I have learned so much here! I almost feel sorry for those who don't find it. ;)

[singlerail]

I was on the march 15th conquest, my daughter ( 11) and I went here, it was her best part of the trip :)

 

the beach was great, but the water gets deep fast from the stairs entering the water..

 

the inside buffet, was small, but we left full :)

 

the outside pool was great also, my daughter loved the different levels, and alot of people were enjoying the swim up bar..

 

we booked direct with dolphin discovery website, it was 1/2 the price of carnivals

 

they don't allow you to go early, your set time is the time, and it gets busy, they are very well organzied though.

 

pictures...umm well, thats a cash grab, they wanted $140 for all the pics, or $40 -1, $70 -2

 

we took a cab from the port, $13 each way

 

was a great place, and great day at the park :)

[singlerail]

I wanted to add, people getting pics on cd, then what, dont you print them at home?

[Cruznjuly]

How's the food at DD?

 

 

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