Dolphinaris or Chakanaab in Cozumel?

[southlake]

Hi friends!

We did the Dolphinaris excursion on DCL in 2014 when our daughter was 5. She loved it and we loved it. We're going to be cruising RCCL next year and we now have another daughter who will be 2 at the time of sailing.

Dolphinaris' limitations are 5 and above, while Chakanaab says 2 & above can at least do a Dolphin Encounter (not available at Dolphinaris for 2 year olds). So, obviously Chakanaab will work best for us, but I thought I remember reading on here a few years ago that it wasn't as good as Dolphinaris. Any tips from anyone who's been to both, or been to just Chakanaab??

 

[Angie_Ohio]

Hi friends!

We did the Dolphinaris excursion on DCL in 2014 when our daughter was 5. She loved it and we loved it. We're going to be cruising RCCL next year and we now have another daughter who will be 2 at the time of sailing.

Dolphinaris' limitations are 5 and above, while Chakanaab says 2 & above can at least do a Dolphin Encounter (not available at Dolphinaris for 2 year olds). So, obviously Chakanaab will work best for us, but I thought I remember reading on here a few years ago that it wasn't as good as Dolphinaris. Any tips from anyone who's been to both, or been to just Chakanaab??

My husband and I were in Chankanaab when on a RCCL cruise. We enjoyed the dolphin experience and park. I didn't see any very small children for this. We stood on a platform in the water which would not work for a toddler. The dolphin area is in the ocean surrounded by decking and walkways. They must have different types of experiences if they accommodate a little one. The park is extensive and beautiful otherwise.

 

[princessmommyx3]

We did the dolphin encounter at Chankanaab when my girls were 8, 6 and 3. The the PP said, it is in open ocean water that has been fenced off. None of my kids were tall enough to stand on the platform on their own. I have heard that the water depth changes with the tide so perhaps we were there at high tide. Your kids will have to be held by an adult.

 

[nlflores]

We did Chankanaab in January of 2016 and my family LOVED it. In addition to the dolphin encounter (which was very well run), we did the zip lines and spent time at the beach. The entire park was very nice. The dolphin encounter area is "open water", which was nice since you didn't feel like you were in a "dirty fish tank" with the dolphins. But, that means the waves and tide can be a bit more forceful than in a tank. We did see families with very small children (< 5 yo) doing the dolphin encounter and the mom or dad would hold the children while standing on the platform. The folks running the encounter were very accommodating and really wanted to make sure everyone had a good time and had a chance to interact with the dolphins. Of course, the price of the photos at the end is a bit shocking, so just be ready for that.

 

[havaneselover]

We did Chankanaab in 2013. While I liked it, the water was deep and I would not really recommend it for families with young children. My kids were 8 (very tall for his age) and 9 and strong swimmers but it was a bit scary for them.

 

[southlake]

Thanks everyone!