This is a great excursion. Our group was split among the Dolphin Encounter and Dolphin Swim.
The time (?45 mins) is spent in 3 or 4 groups of about 8 swimmers. Each group had their own trainer, dolphin and photographer. All the groups are in the very large pool and you still don't feel crowded.
The nice thing about this is you can watch other members of your party in the other groups while you are not immediately involved with your dolphin. I was able to watch my son in the Dolphin Encounter as he rode the dolphin on it's belly. Yes, even the Encounter group has a great experience. Not just petting the dolphins. They get to feed them also.
My only tip is this. If you are in a group of 8 or less, make sure you all get into the same group. When you sign in at the dolphin center, the clipboards show which color group you are in and you get a colored wristband. Just ask to be in one group and they will make it happen.
This becomes important when it comes to buying the pictures. They are pricey. For a printed image, $25. Don't get those unless the CD is not an option. They offer a special to the Disney cruisers - $99 for 10 photos on a CD. Sounds pricey now, but you will be so high after the swim that you would probably buy the CD for $200.
The images are displayed on screens and by color group. The set up is such that you can not take images from one color group and combine them on a CD with another color group. My sister's family was in a different group than mine and I could not get any images of them on my disc nor could we combine our photos and split the cost.
If you are all in the same group, you can get the 10 best images of all of you and split the cost of the CD. Copy the photos from the CD onto your computer and pass it on and everyone has pictures.
The pictures they take are basically of 4 different activities: pose with dolphin out of the water, kissing the dolphin, dolphin jumping over a bar being held overhead by you and family member, and your dolphin ride.
An added bonus is that the spectators ("Observers") are free and sit at the edge of the Dolphin Encounter group. They get to be involved also. My wife and mother were able to touch the dolphins and pose for a picture with the dolphin out of the water.
It's a very fun excursion overall. If you get one of the earlier time slots, you still have plenty of time to do other things in Cabo. Or go back to a very empty ship and relax.....
The time (?45 mins) is spent in 3 or 4 groups of about 8 swimmers. Each group had their own trainer, dolphin and photographer. All the groups are in the very large pool and you still don't feel crowded.
The nice thing about this is you can watch other members of your party in the other groups while you are not immediately involved with your dolphin. I was able to watch my son in the Dolphin Encounter as he rode the dolphin on it's belly. Yes, even the Encounter group has a great experience. Not just petting the dolphins. They get to feed them also.
My only tip is this. If you are in a group of 8 or less, make sure you all get into the same group. When you sign in at the dolphin center, the clipboards show which color group you are in and you get a colored wristband. Just ask to be in one group and they will make it happen.
This becomes important when it comes to buying the pictures. They are pricey. For a printed image, $25. Don't get those unless the CD is not an option. They offer a special to the Disney cruisers - $99 for 10 photos on a CD. Sounds pricey now, but you will be so high after the swim that you would probably buy the CD for $200.
The images are displayed on screens and by color group. The set up is such that you can not take images from one color group and combine them on a CD with another color group. My sister's family was in a different group than mine and I could not get any images of them on my disc nor could we combine our photos and split the cost.
If you are all in the same group, you can get the 10 best images of all of you and split the cost of the CD. Copy the photos from the CD onto your computer and pass it on and everyone has pictures.
The pictures they take are basically of 4 different activities: pose with dolphin out of the water, kissing the dolphin, dolphin jumping over a bar being held overhead by you and family member, and your dolphin ride.
An added bonus is that the spectators ("Observers") are free and sit at the edge of the Dolphin Encounter group. They get to be involved also. My wife and mother were able to touch the dolphins and pose for a picture with the dolphin out of the water.
It's a very fun excursion overall. If you get one of the earlier time slots, you still have plenty of time to do other things in Cabo. Or go back to a very empty ship and relax.....
