Booking through Dolphin Excursions (Blue Lagoon) directly

[irishdancemomma]

Has anyone ever tried to book the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Encounter through Blue Lagoon directly?

Was it through their website or at the port?

Did they ask what ship you were on?

Did you tell them it was disney?

Did they allow you to book?

When did your experience happen?

I would really like to take my almost 2 year old in this excursion. Disney will not allow it as he is not yet 3 but Blue Lagoon will (no min age). I know some of you may not think taking such a young child is a good idea, but I have watched many videos of the experience and I really don't see the big problem with taking him. If he gets freaked out I can sit out with him, but I don't see that happening as he is not afraid of water or animals.

Eta: Title should say Dolphin Encounters

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

They will not let you book directly if they know you are on Disney cruise line due to contract obligations. I have emailed them directly once and was told I had to book with the cruise line.

Sent from iPhone

 

[Lauriejl2]

I have not but I read that if u book with them directly you just can not tell them you are on a ship. But I believe u then need to take a taxi over to the ferry yourself you wouldn't get to go with the disney cruise line group. I have not tried it myself only going by what I read. Seems to risky to me.

 

[lbgraves]

They will have a booth at the pier where you can book if they have spots available. We have always seen the booths set up in each port when we get off the ship.

 

[Disney Dreams]

All of the above is true. They have a contractual agreement with DCL and will not book you if they learn that you are with the cruise --- they are legally not allowed to do so.

- Dreams

 

[irishdancemomma]

Okay, that's what I had read. If I wait to see if they have room and then book at the port do I still need to not say I'm with disney? Does anyone know if they ask with either booking method? I don't know that I would be able to straight up lie, but if I wasn't asked I could keep my mouth shut. Lol! Where would I need to get a taxi to? Does anyone know?

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Okay, that's what I had read. If I wait to see if they have room and then book at the port do I still need to not say I'm with disney? Does anyone know if they ask with either booking method? I don't know that I would be able to straight up lie, but if I wasn't asked I could keep my mouth shut. Lol! Where would I need to get a taxi to? Does anyone know?

I tried several different tour companies who badly wanted to sell me encounters and even took my credit card down. They could not get us on a reservation. Like DC bought them all up or something. They had the regular beach days for us so it wasn't that we were on the ship. They just only have a few encounters a day and the cruise lines seem to reserve most of them. In the end, we did the sea lions thru DCL and had a great time. At least they had 3 available to sell.

BTW u don't take a taxi. The ferry is right by the cruise terminal. But whether you have to take a different time, I don't know. DCs was at 9:30 and so we were the first encounters of the day and got to enjoy the beach all day! The other tour companies were after 10:30. So unsure if you would have to wait for a later ferry or not. There are a few downsides to not going the DC way. But I did my research and I tried! But it would have been impossible without DC. Thank Goodness! It was a great day!

 

[neg58]

The boat that takes you to Blue Lagoon is right at the pier, so I don't think there is any 'taxi' involved. We walked down the pier and then just got on the boat that takes you across the harbor. On the way back, anyone at Blue Lagoon could get on any boat back, and it returned us to the same place.

Nancy

 

[irishdancemomma]

I thought the ferry that is at the pier was for dcl guests only though. I wish I could just book through dcl, I would even pay the little bit extra that they charge. Unfortunately they will not allow my son to go because of his age. I find this very frustrating as I have seen plenty of toddlers enjoying the experience in videos and while I can see how this could be a bit dangerous, I don't see it being any more dangerous than a petting zoo nor do I see it being any less dangerous when he is a year or even two years older. I will probably end up skipping the experience if it doesn't seem easy enough to book outside of dcl which is a shame because I don't know when my family will get another opportunity to pet and play with a dolphin. I would still love to hear from someone who has had personal experience and success booking through blue lagoon. Thank you all for your advice so far!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I thought the ferry that is at the pier was for dcl guests only though. I wish I could just book through dcl, I would even pay the little bit extra that they charge. Unfortunately they will not allow my son to go because of his age. I find this very frustrating as I have seen plenty of toddlers enjoying the experience in videos and while I can see how this could be a bit dangerous, I don't see it being any more dangerous than a petting zoo nor do I see it being any less dangerous when he is a year or even two years older. I will probably end up skipping the experience if it doesn't seem easy enough to book outside of dcl which is a shame because I don't know when my family will get another opportunity to pet and play with a dolphin. I would still love to hear from someone who has had personal experience and success booking through blue lagoon. Thank you all for your advice so far!

Have you contacted Dolphin Encounters and explained your concerns? You can email them any time. I just emailed them today..maybe they can sell you the Jr ticket since if DC refuses to, it might let them out of their exclusivity contract for him, and then you buy the remaining ones yourself with DC? As long as you have a reservation confirmation number, you should be able to get on the ferry at the pier. This is conjecture since your situation is unusual, but its a possibility?

The ferry is for blue lagoon and operated by Dolphin Encounter but is not exclusive to DC. We purchased a seahorse sail and snorkel last cruise. They checked our printout and we loaded up with all the other cruisers and guests at that same pier when we bought ours on priceline not with the cruise, so I doubt they have exclusive rights to the ferry if its like that. especially if the rest of your party is booked with DC. Then it's a no brainer to get on the ferry together.

 

[irishdancemomma]

Have you contacted Dolphin Encounters and explained your concerns? You can email them any time. I just emailed them today..maybe they can sell you the Jr ticket since if DC refuses to, it might let them out of their exclusivity contract for him, and then you buy the remaining ones yourself with DC? As long as you have a reservation confirmation number, you should be able to get on the ferry at the pier. This is conjecture since your situation is unusual, but its a possibility?

The ferry is for blue lagoon and operated by Dolphin Encounter but is not exclusive to DC. We purchased a seahorse sail and snorkel last cruise. They checked our printout and we loaded up with all the other cruisers and guests at that same pier when we bought ours on priceline not with the cruise, so I doubt they have exclusive rights to the ferry if its like that. especially if the rest of your party is booked with DC. Then it's a no brainer to get on the ferry together.

Hmm... That's a thought. They don't really sell Jr Tix though I don't think. I will check! Thanks for the idea!

 

[lbgraves]

Okay, that's what I had read. If I wait to see if they have room and then book at the port do I still need to not say I'm with disney? Does anyone know if they ask with either booking method? I don't know that I would be able to straight up lie, but if I wasn't asked I could keep my mouth shut. Lol! Where would I need to get a taxi to? Does anyone know?

Once you are at the port they don't have the same restrictions. Their contract only prevents them from prebooking the excursions with cruise line guests. The booths are right outside the gates of the pier, so they know that you have gotten off one of the cruise ships.

 

[irishdancemomma]

Once you are at the port they don't have the same restrictions. Their contract only prevents them from prebooking the excursions with cruise line guests. The booths are right outside the gates of the pier, so they know that you have gotten off one of the cruise ships.

This is what I wanted to know about booking the day of. Thanks! Anyone ever have any luck booking so late?

 

[ChristineandLiv]

We went on the Dream in May 2011. We booked that cruise through an online cruise website, and my mother in law actually booked the excursion through them as well....I remember when we got off the ship, we had to take a water taxi to the part of the island where Atlantis is. From there, we took a ferry to the blue lagoon. We definitely did not book the excursion through Disney, as it was a lot more expensive.

 

[irishdancemomma]

We went on the Dream in May 2011. We booked that cruise through an online cruise website, and my mother in law actually booked the excursion through them as well....I remember when we got off the ship, we had to take a water taxi to the part of the island where Atlantis is. From there, we took a ferry to the blue lagoon. We definitely did not book the excursion through Disney, as it was a lot more expensive.

Do you remember what website?

 

[ChristineandLiv]

Do you remember what website?

I am almost positive she went through cruises.com.

 

[neg58]

I thought the ferry that is at the pier was for dcl guests only though. I wish I could just book through dcl, I would even pay the little bit extra that they charge. Unfortunately they will not allow my son to go because of his age. I find this very frustrating as I have seen plenty of toddlers enjoying the experience in videos and while I can see how this could be a bit dangerous, I don't see it being any more dangerous than a petting zoo nor do I see it being any less dangerous when he is a year or even two years older. I will probably end up skipping the experience if it doesn't seem easy enough to book outside of dcl which is a shame because I don't know when my family will get another opportunity to pet and play with a dolphin. I would still love to hear from someone who has had personal experience and success booking through blue lagoon. Thank you all for your advice so far!

I'm sure it isn't that DCL doesn't want your money, but they don't want the liability of a child under 5 or 6 to be near an an animal (and their insurer might set some limits too). You can take responsibility for your child, they cannot, and they know that even if you sign a waiver, you could still sue them so they don't allow waivers for age.

They allow children on the beach day tour, just not near the animals. The same holds true for some of the horseback riding excursions, some of the sailing or snorkeling things.

You have to realize that many of the tour operators outside the USA don't have the same safety standards was a deep pocket like Disney. If something happens at Blue Lagoon and you need to sue them, you are going to have to navigate the Bahamian legal system. Accident in Mexico? Collecting is going to be difficult.

Nancy

 

[irishdancemomma]

I am almost positive she went through cruises.com.

Thanks so much!

 

[irishdancemomma]

I'm sure it isn't that DCL doesn't want your money, but they don't want the liability of a child under 5 or 6 to be near an an animal (and their insurer might set some limits too). You can take responsibility for your child, they cannot, and they know that even if you sign a waiver, you could still sue them so they don't allow waivers for age.

They allow children on the beach day tour, just not near the animals. The same holds true for some of the horseback riding excursions, some of the sailing or snorkeling things.

You have to realize that many of the tour operators outside the USA don't have the same safety standards was a deep pocket like Disney. If something happens at Blue Lagoon and you need to sue them, you are going to have to navigate the Bahamian legal system. Accident in Mexico? Collecting is going to be difficult.

Nancy

I do understand why the age requirement is in place. It doesn't change the fact that it is frustrating that we live in a world where people sue so often and for so many things that companies feel the need to over protect themselves. It is even more frustrating that I am not allowed to book the excursion outside of DCL. I love Disney and all, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it would hurt them to lose a few bucks from those who choose to book outside of the cruise line. Most wouldn't choose to do that anyway and Disney has more money than they could ever need.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I do understand why the age requirement is in place. It doesn't change the fact that it is frustrating that we live in a world where people sue so often and for so many things that companies feel the need to over protect themselves. It is even more frustrating that I am not allowed to book the excursion outside of DCL. I love Disney and all, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it would hurt them to lose a few bucks from those who choose to book outside of the cruise line. Most wouldn't choose to do that anyway and Disney has more money than they could ever need.

BTW we had to sign a liability waiver that included DEATH before going to the Sea Lions! Haha. Death by sea lion.... On a serious note, they are big strong animals. I thought it was a bit humorous tho..