Western caribbean. Best port to swim with dolphins?

[Smong]

We will be going to costa maya. Cozumel. Honduras and harvest keye Belize. We swam with dolphins at Atlantis a couple years ago and are looking to do it again. Any recommendations would be appreciated 

[leaveitallbehind]

Cozumel would likely be the best IMO at Dolphin Discovery.  Google the website.  Just be advised that some of the cruise lines have a contract with them that when they are in port this can only be booked through them.

 

Edited July 14, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[Smong]

4 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Cozumel would likely be the best IMO at Dolphin Discovery.  Google the website.  Just be advised that some of the cruise lines have a contract with them that when they are in port this can only be booked through them.

 

Is that the one right in port?

[clo]

This is becoming criticized more and more.  Regent has even canceled the program.  I hope you'll reconsider.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/should-you-or-shouldnt-you-swim-with-the-dolphins

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, Smong said:

Is that the one right in port?

 

No it's a few miles south down the coast.

[AF-1]

We used Princess Cruise lines dolphin swim.  The place was called Dolphin Quest.  They are a sanctuary and raise and care for dolphins.  It is an all inclusive place; they have food and drinks, you swim with dolphins and go snorkling.  It is about three or four miles from port.  We enjoyed it

[clo]

2 hours ago, AF-1 said:

We used Princess Cruise lines dolphin swim.  The place was called Dolphin Quest.  They are a sanctuary and raise and care for dolphins.  It is an all inclusive place; they have food and drinks, you swim with dolphins and go snorkling.  It is about three or four miles from port.  We enjoyed it

Now I grant you the source has a bias but there's some good info here:

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/swim-dolphins-attractions

 

A few years ago I spent hours with elephants in Thailand.  It was magical, the best thing I've ever done.  Only later when I did a lot of research did I find out that those elephants are tortured .  True sanctuaries don't allow visitors to interact with the animals.  And the tour operator with whom we traveled no longer includes that as part of the tour.  Just my two cents.

[AF-1]

clo, maybe the place I went to was like a rehab facility; because not all the dolphins were avail to swim with.  The one in Hawaii, is actually run by the state so they treat the dolphins very well.  All the handlers are licensed by the state

[clo]

1 minute ago, AF-1 said:

clo, maybe the place I went to was like a rehab facility; because not all the dolphins were avail to swim with.  The one in Hawaii, is actually run by the state so they treat the dolphins very well.  All the handlers are licensed by the state

Good to know.  Hopefully people will do their research.  I hate it that there's a part of me that regrets the time I spent with the elephants.

[SRF]

Best one I did was in the Keys.  One or two down from Largo.

 

It was hop in and swim around, the dolphins swam with and around you.

 

Funniest thing was, about a month or so later, I saw a TV expose about this exact place.  And how horrible it was that they would not let the dolphins leave and MADE them swim with people.  

 

Obviously, the group never actually went into the place.  The fence was to keep boaters out, as they were along a water way.  Under the water, they where HUGE holes in the fence.  The dolphins could leave any time.

 

And, according to the people running the place, they did leave, and then some would come back.  Sometimes they would bring friends.  But strangely, there were always at least 2 or 3 there. One would come back, THEN one would leave.  It was like they were making sure there was ample staff. 🙂

 

They LIKED it there.  And lots of food without having to chase it was not a bar perk.

 

And when we were there, one male teen aged dolphin fell in love with one our party.  REALLY in love.  😄

 

 

[Kate P.C]

We did the dolphin swim with a Princess cruise tour in Cozumel. That was in April. We also got the chance to get in the swimming pool with the manatees, touch them and feed them with lettuce 🙂 It was a great day!

[clo]

14 minutes ago, Kate P.C said:

We did the dolphin swim with a Princess cruise tour in Cozumel. That was in April. We also got the chance to get in the swimming pool with the manatees, touch them and feed them with lettuce 🙂 It was a great day!

How do they get them out of the pool at the end of the day?  They're really huge.  You might enjoy this article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/travel/escapes/23american.html

[George C]

St Kitts had a really great dolphin encounter, dolphins are not in a pool , you walk out in waist deep water and they come to you , they also have a dolphin research center there it’s called Anthony key, I assume they also have swim with the dolphins, have done the encounter several times.

[clo]

1 hour ago, George C said:

St Kitts had a really great dolphin encounter, dolphins are not in a pool , you walk out in waist deep water and they come to you , they also have a dolphin research center there it’s called Anthony key, I assume they also have swim with the dolphins, have done the encounter several times.

That sounds lovely...and proper.  That article I linked to was awfully nice, I thought.

[c-boy]

On 7/15/2019 at 10:32 AM, clo said:

Good to know.  Hopefully people will do their research.  I hate it that there's a part of me that regrets the time I spent with the elephants.

I'm thinkin' your idea about purchasing some Rothys is a good one