Dolphin Encounter - West. Carib. ???s

[august1963]

I want to do a swim with the dolphin encounter on our trip. We are going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Nassau and Belize. Where is the best place to do this? Is there somewhere I could book on my own that's cheaper than Carnival?

 

What is the difference between the shallow water swim and the deep water swim at Atlantis? My daughter is 10 and that is the minimum age cutoff for the deep water swim.

 

I would like to go with her and watch - do I have to pay the full price also just to watch?

 

Any insight would be appreciated!

[shaneandpamela]

We took our three teenaged daughters on a Christmas cruise in 2006. We booked our own dolphin swim in Cozumel with Dolphin Discovery. We did the "Royal Swim" program and saved quite a bit of money over booking with Carnival.

 

The Dolphin Discovery is located in a national park just outside of Cozumel - an easy taxi ride from either cruise ship dock.

 

If you are only wanting to watch, you can get right up next to the swimming areas to get some great pictures. Watching is free. I don't remember if there was an entrance fee to just get into the park or not, but if there was it was small. The website should tell you that.

 

Once the swim program is over, they usher the group up into a small theater and try to sell you videos of the swim. If you aren't interested in the video, you can just leave once the swim is done.

 

They do have a snack bar and gift shop there also.

[cookc61462]

We took our three teenaged daughters on a Christmas cruise in 2006. We booked our own dolphin swim in Cozumel with Dolphin Discovery. We did the "Royal Swim" program and saved quite a bit of money over booking with Carnival.

 

The Dolphin Discovery is located in a national park just outside of Cozumel - an easy taxi ride from either cruise ship dock.

 

If you are only wanting to watch, you can get right up next to the swimming areas to get some great pictures. Watching is free. I don't remember if there was an entrance fee to just get into the park or not, but if there was it was small. The website should tell you that.

 

Once the swim program is over, they usher the group up into a small theater and try to sell you videos of the swim. If you aren't interested in the video, you can just leave once the swim is done.

 

They do have a snack bar and gift shop there also.

 

Can you tell me how long it was? From leaving the port til return?

Thanks.

[gjsmth]

Dolphin Discovery link does not work. Any other suggestions/reviews for Dolphin swim in Western cruise for we too would like to try this.

[lilpootr]

We just did this swim (again) with our kids the end of February. My husband and I had done this years ago without the kids and they really wanted to do the swim.

 

Our swim time was noon, but they like you to arrive a half an hour early. That really wasn't a problem, there is a pool and some other stuff to do at the Park while we waited. We left the ship at 10:45 that morning and returned back to the ship by 3:00. Of course the swim wasn't that whole time, we did sit through the video promo and made purchases afterwards. It doesn't take long to get to the park from the ship, only about 10 minutes or so.

 

Regarding the cost to get into the park, it's $16 pp, but our park admission and taxi ride was free because of a promotion they were running (I think it was purchase 3 or 4 swim programs).

[MamaParrotHead]

We booked Dolphin Discovery (the link came out all weird once I posted my comment??? Google it) in Cozumel. We're only doing the Dolphin Encouter, due to the ages of our kids at the time. Adults are like $80, kids are $60 (under 7 free with adult, just pay the $ park admission price). Observers are free there, but must pay the $ park admission. All of their programs are way cheaper than through the ship.

[august1963]

Does anyone know the name of the park? Is there a phone number? Is there a website? Thanks

[Julia Goolia]

If you just google Dolphin Discovery Cozumel, it will be the first thing that comes up. The website is extremely thorough and easy to navigate. It is at Chankanaab National Park.

 

We are booked for the Royal Swim on June 3rd when we are sailing on the Legend.

[Tweety1961]

We did this dolphin swim a few years ago, just after a hurricane hit cozumel and the park was a bit of a wreck, but they were working very hard to fix everything. The dolphin swim was great. The kids liked it better than Discovery Cove in Florida. They used 2 dolphins for the swim we did, and first the dolphins would pull you while you held onto their fins, then they would swim up under you and push you with their noses and raise you into the air. Then they would have you in a circle and the dolphins would swim around in the middle. I think there were 8 people in a group and it maybe lasted an hour. While you are waiting there is a beach area you can snorkle or swim. I'm sure the park is much nicer now than way we were there after the storms.

[FantasyLineAddict]

We love Chankanaab National Park in Cozumel. Haven't done the dolphin discovery, but everyone seems to come out of it very happy.

 

If you take a taxi by yourself to the park, the most recent price is $15 from the taxi lineup at the pier or $10 from outside the taxi line up. Might be cheaper to use a van if several are going there.

 

Entrance is $16 adults and $8 for kids, and there are 3 combos for entrance. Dolphin encounter fee is separate, but you can watch.

 

Combo 1: $28 adult/$20 child 3-11

• Park Entrance
  
• Snorkel Gear (costs more than $9 unless you buy at entrance)
  
• Chankanaab T-Shirt
  
• 2x1 Drink (frozen drinks are $5, so this has a value of about/up to $5)
  

Combo 2: $36 adult/$28 child 3-11

• Park Entrance
  
• 8 Tickets for national beer, rum with soda, soda
  
• Chankanaab T-Shirt
  
• (add $9 for snorkel gear)
  

Combo 2: $42 adult/$34 child 3-11

• Park Entrance
  
• 8 Tickets for national beer, rum with soda, soda
  
• Food
  
• Chankanaab T-Shirt
  
• (add $9 for snorkel gear)
  

[bikercruiser]

If you will google Cozumel Insider, you should get the Cozumel page. Usually the dolphin info. comes up at the top. We did the Royal Swim through them last October and it was awesome. The people at the website are great to work with. You can book the time you want (like 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m.) and Chakanaab is not far from the pier. A short taxi ride and you are there.

 

Enjoy. You will have a great time.

[ShedQueen77]

Does anyone know the name of the park? Is there a phone number? Is there a website? Thanks

 

Dolphin Discovery is located in Chankanaab Park.

 

http://www.**********************cozumel/cozumel-location-overview.asp

 

We were there in January and had a great experience. Just note that if you book on your own, they give you your time in local time, which is usually different than ship time. We were a bit early due to that! :)

 

I guess we're not allowed to recommend excursion sites anymore.

 

Anyway....just Google Dolphin Discovery Cozumel and it will come up.

 

Ha...just saw someone practically posted my entire post before me! LOL Sorry guys...I guess it would help to read! :D

[tinydancer2109]

I want to do a swim with the dolphin encounter on our trip. We are going to Cozumel, Costa Maya, Nassau and Belize. Where is the best place to do this? Is there somewhere I could book on my own that's cheaper than Carnival?

 

What is the difference between the shallow water swim and the deep water swim at Atlantis? My daughter is 10 and that is the minimum age cutoff for the deep water swim.

 

I would like to go with her and watch - do I have to pay the full price also just to watch?

 

Any insight would be appreciated!

 

Atlantis has a really good one. And they have a nice area with umbrella-ed tables where you can watch. No money required other than the ride there. You're not close but its nice. We did it last spring break.

[tinydancer2109]

Here's the link to that thing. and btw the deck isnt up close but I got some GREAT pictures.

http://www.atlantis.com/water/dolphincay.aspx

[august1963]

Wow, thanks for all the awesome information! I knew you guys would know! Can anyone recommend what time to set it up for? (time for breakfast, etc. and time to get back to the ship).

[bikercruiser]

Ours was set up for noon which gave us time to walk around San Miguel and then go. It last an hour so you still have time after to look around the park or go back to San Miguel before sailing. It looks like many ships are getting into Cozumel about an hour earlier now so you might try for the 11:00 time.

 

Enjoy.

[incruzcontrol2]

Wow, thanks for all the awesome information! I knew you guys would know! Can anyone recommend what time to set it up for? (time for breakfast, etc. and time to get back to the ship).

 

 

This is a great thread.. We are also going to do the dolphin encounter.. We are cruising Carnival but will be booking online ourselves as it is much cheaper..Can anyone else please comment about what time we should try to book this for? I guess I don't understand the difference between the ship time and local time? And we want to have time for breakfast on the ship.. Thanks!

[danech]

I agree that Chankanaab Park if fantastic and adds a lot to the day. We also pre-booked directly and saved some money plus had many more time options. Cozumel is an especially good place for this excursion if you've been there before, and done the beaches or shopping, as we had.

[Willbcruisin]

We have done the dolphins in both Bahamas as well as Cozumel. We loved both but prefer Cozumel. We booked through the following and had great luck. Missed our port once and they issued us a credit which we are using next month. They are a pleasure to deal with.

 

www.dtraveller.com

www.dolphindiscovery.com

Chaukanaab is beautiful and a great place to spend the day as well as do the dolphins. The park admission was included in our dolphin price which vary's depending on which activity you choose with the dolphins.

 

It was just a short cab ride from the dock. We're we'll be back there in 3 weeks...........this will be our 3rd time and we just can't wait!!

 

Hope this helps!

 

Enjoy your cruise:D

[Grits53]

Dolphin Discovery is offering a 30% discount to Carnival cruisers through the end of March. If there is no link to this special pricing on the web site, email them and ask if they will give you the 30% discount that was advertised. It is only for Carnival cruisers, and you have to email them a copy of your booking info. I got it, and with the discount, the Royal Swim was only $104 pp! :eek:

[august1963]

The dolphin discovery has a "live chat" button - i clicked on it and they made my reservations online right there and answered my questions. Awesome!

 

But she wasn't able to answer my question about ship time vs. cozumel time - anybody care to explain this?

 

Thanks so much to all of you!

[Cuizer2]

Dolphin Discovery link does not work. Any other suggestions/reviews for Dolphin swim in Western cruise for we too would like to try this.

 

For some reason CC is blocking the Dolphin Discovery links, so try these links ...

 

http://www.cozumelparks.com/

 

http://www.igougo.com/attractions-reviews-b87837-Cozumel-Chankanaab_National_Park.html

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCP/is_1_27/ai_n14796690

 

http://dolphinworld.org/dolphin-swim-cozumel-mexico.htm

 

http://www.dtraveller.com/affiliates/tour.asp?affid=1049&cve=ENCO&loc=CZ

 

http://www.cancunvista.com/cozumel_tours_shore_excursions/dolphin_swim_adventure.htm#faq2

 

http://www.partner.viator.com/en/2543/tours/Cozumel/Cozumel-Dolphin-Swim-and-Ride/d632-5037SNR

 

http://www.cancun-discounts.com/cozumel-dolphins.htm

 

The following is from August 2004 ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[incruzcontrol2]

Wow.. those are great pictures! Are those from your camera? A water disposable type, I'm assuming? Or are these from the program that you paid for? Thanks.

[ShedQueen77]

The dolphin discovery has a "live chat" button - i clicked on it and they made my reservations online right there and answered my questions. Awesome!

 

But she wasn't able to answer my question about ship time vs. cozumel time - anybody care to explain this?

 

Thanks so much to all of you!

 

When we arrived in Cozumel, the ship was on EST. Cozumel is on CST, which meant our watches (on ship time) were an hour ahead of them. Our 1:00pm swim (their time) was at 2:00pm per our watches.

[ShedQueen77]

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOL! We were all grabbing the backs of each others' jackets to keep from being pushed off the platform by the waves. My husband was wearing one of our daughters on each arm. I was trying to hold my son back while being pushed myself. I thought we were the only ones who had to be held by the "scruff"!