swimming with the dolphins....is it worth it?

[tinkerbell15]

Has anyone done the swimming with the dolphin on Nassau? My dad thinks the money is not worth it. Is the money worth the experience? If it is, can you please tell me a way on how I can convince my dad to letting me do this. Thanks

 

[prymsu]

my friend and I decided to do Discovery Cove in Orlando for the whole day. It does cost more, but it if a full day. Your meal, and everything else such as towels, equipment and sun block is included. Pluse the time for the dolphin swim from what i understand is 45 minutes long, and most other dolphin swims are about fifteen or twenty minutes long...

 

[waggy]

Hello,

We did the Dolphin Encounter on Blue Lagoon (cheaper than the Dolphin swim). The Encounter was wonderful and I would strongly recommend this. It worked out well for our group (our kids are 3 / 6 / 8). We danced and hugged the dolphin, fed it fish, and kissed it (felt like kissing a stone wall). It was very memorable, and the pictures / videos they took will be treasured!!

 

[kfahygc]

Tink:

We will let you know after our cruise. We have booked it for our trip leaving July 28th.

Kathleen

 

[tinkerbell15]

Bump

 

[Hot4disney]

I had looked into doing the dolphin encounter last year, but my DD was only 2 and all the places I had checked required that children be at least 7 years old. Can you send me the link of the place you went to? We would LOVE to do this! Thanks so much!

 

[bambilin]

Although it was not on the Disney Cruise, I did the Dolphin Encounter a few years ago at Blue Lagoon. We booked it thrugh the Atlantis, we were actually on a RCCL ship. My agent called and booked it for me. The first time we did it, we did the encounter, where you go in on the platform, pet, feed, get kissed, etc. The second time we did the "swim" Two dolphins (mine were Jake and the Fatman) swim up behind you, each takes a foot with their nose, and they swim off pushing you almost upright in the air while they give you a ride. IT WAS GREAT!!! I would definitely do it again!!!

 

[DisneyDarwin]

We did the Dolphin Swim in Nassau. I've done other swims in Florida for less money, where we actually swam and interacted more with the dolphins. The Nassau experience is more of a photo shoot with dolphins. The whole experience is about getting you to pose with the dolphins while they do different things. You DO get to be in the water with them, touch them, get pushed across the pool by them, get jumped over by them, kissed, etc. The "trainers" divide the whole group into family units (actually, picture-buying groups) and you each take turns getting your picture taken while each of the above events happens. I have some great pictures, but the whole thing cost a fortune. I had more fun at other swims, but got less great pictures because I was busying playing with the dolphins. So, if you are dying to do it, and can part with the money, and you know what to expect, then go for it. I'd seek out other swims and let this one pass, but it's an individual call.

 

[BeanoC]

prymsu - The dolphin swim at Discovery Cove is actually 30 minutes. However, that's the total amount of time you are in the water with them - you'll actually only swim with them for a very few minutes. I am not trying to ruin it for you - it is a very unique experience. But I personally had expected more and was disappointed by how little interaction I got with the dolphin. I had visions of jumping into the water and actually swimming around with them, which just doesn't happen. The trainers are very overprotective (understandably so) of the dolphins, and they only let you touch them long enough for the photographer to get a pic of you (which they sell you for about 50 bucks!!)

That said, you will love the dolphins temperment and playful attitude, and it is truly a great experience. Just savor it - it will go by in a flash!


'Beano'

 

[prymsu]

Beano C, thanks for the heads up. I would rather know now rather than be expecting something different the day we are there. Are you able to take your own water camera with you during the dolphin swim and take your own pictures? Let me know. Thanx!

 

[reggie92762]

This is very economical and lots of fun a Don't Miss. My sons (9 & 11) loved this trip and would definitely recommend it to anyone considering a Dolphine excursion. My younger guy is skittish so I opted for the encounter. We were also allowed our own cameras and video. This trip was very educational also our team at the cove was very knowledgeable and caring.

 

[BeanoC]

prymsu - No, you cannot take your own camera in the dolphin area. They say it is because it would distract the dolphins... Ok, but I think it's because it forces you to buy their pictures!
They won't allow any jewelry in the dolphin area either - no dangling earrings, bracelets, etc. because the dolphins think they're toys and grab at them!

You can take pictures of the dolphins from the beach area, but no way can you take your own camera in the water. In the snorkeling areas, you can take all the pictures you want. I actually took an underwater video camera with me (which got me lots of strange looks!) and I got some great footage of my kids snorkeling, etc. The snorkeling area is awesome! And yes - the food is really good too!

Have a great time.


'Beano'

 

[prymsu]

thank you so much for the info. I suppose they want those bucks raking in for the photos. Did you buy any tshirts, or things like that from their shop? Just curious if you thought those kinds of things were also pricey...

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Originally posted by BeanoC
They won't allow any jewelry in the dolphin area either - no dangling earrings, bracelets, etc. because the dolphins think they're toys and grab at them!

Does that incude wedding rings?!?

 

[BeanoC]

Pixie Dust - They asked my wife to remove her wedding ring, and when she complained, they gave in. So, if you put up a fight about it, you should win! But no way will they allow anything that dangles or sparkles too much. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces, watches are all definite no-no's.

prymsu - I bought a t-shirt and a couple of drink mugs. Like Disney, the prices are as high as you'd expect. Tshirt was around 15 bucks or so. It's the pictures that really kill ya! The package that we bought was a hundred bucks! Ouch.

All in all, the day at DC was about a thousand dollars. That's for 4 of us, all doing the dolphin encounter. A bit pricey, but I am glad we went.



'Beano'

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Okay, so let's assume that the photo thing is a racket. I'm hoping that means they can keep their admission prices lower since they have this alternate revenue stream.

 

[Simba Sarah]

During my March 2002 cruise I went and swam with the Dolphins at Blue Lagoon Island. I did not do this excursion through Disney, because they only offer the encounter, so we had to go off on our own to get back and forth from the island! I thought that the experience was wonderful, and I had a great time in the water with the dolphins. We all had the opportunity to kiss a dolphin, dance with them, feed them, pet them, and get pushed along the water by them. A dophin also jumped over us out in the middle of the water. The facility itself was very animal friendly, and reputable. While we were there one of the dolphins hurt itself on a rock, and they removed my group from the area and we finshed our swim in another section with othewr dolphins. The staff said that sometimes the young dolphins that do not feel like "perfoming" will be a bit fiesty, so they do not push any of the dolphions to do anything that they do not wish to do. It is true that the whole experince went by it what seemed like a flash, and we did pose for many pictures that we could then puchase in the end(and did!!!) But, we did take a water proof camera into the water with us, so that we could get our own images of the entire experience, and they all developed wonderfully. No one said that this wasn't allowed, but I am sure that they frowned upon us doing so. But we figured we paid so much to have the experince, it was worth taking our own pics, because we did not purchase the video. I did purchase two of the professional pics, and a t-shirt ($15.00) I figured that this was most likey going to be an experince that I may never have again, or at least not do again for a long time! Overall I enjoyed it, and it actually was a highlight of my cruise. We told many people back on the ship about our experience, and many were jealous, because they did not have as great of a day in Nassau on other excursions. We brought the picture to show our waiters and family that ate dinner with us. It was defiantely an experince never to be forgotten!