We booked the Freeport excursion and LOVED it!!! The Nassau one is much more expensive and includes a day at a beach. In any case, my DD5 and 12 both came with me (DH took pictures of us). I booked through
DCL so it included the bus ride over to the excursion place and then from there you take a ferry to the sanctuary. The trainers have you sit on a square deck with your feet dangling in the water. The dolphins come right up underneath your legs and pop out of the water so they are inside the "square". Then the trainers have the dolphins swim really fast right past your legs(you can feel them brush by you) and then they splash everyone on each side of the square. The trainers will then tell you what you need to do when you get in the water like what to do with your hands, and then they take groups of 5 or 6 into the water. Two people stand facing each other on a platform in the water. I'm 5'2" and the water was up to my bust, so I held DD5 on my waist. For the next group of two, they have one of them stand back to back with someone from the first group and so on. They have a dolphin come over to you (we had Lucaya who just had a baby the month before) and you get to rub and pat the dolphin. You can ask questions during this time and the trainers will have them do different things. For instance, my DD5 asked about the "hole in it's head" and the trainer had the dolphin blow air through it and make a big noise. Then after a while, Lucaya flipped over and we could rub her belly. It was just a really cool experience!! Then after a while we each got a kiss from the dolphin. The dolphin comes up to you and puts it's snout on your cheek, or tries to get as close to your cheek as possible. We didn't feel rushed at all. We felt we had enough time with the dolphin and then after us, the other groups went in and we just stayed on the deck where we sat originally. After each group, they have the dolphins go out and do flips and stuff---it's just great!! The people who did the swim were actually done before us, so we definitely had enough time. Our pictures and video (that DH took) are awesome, as well. Sorry this is so long, but I just can't say enough about this excursion, and no, I don't work for them and I'm not related to the owner! LOL
Eskimo: Is the Freeport excursion the one referred to as "Sanctuary Bay"? I am also looking for a dolphin swim or encounter for my 12 yo son but don't want to waste alot of time or $$ getting to and fro. Thanks for any info.
