Taking camera and/or gopro to Dolpinaris or Dolphin Discovery in Cozumel?

[jplee3]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to see if anyone has recently gone on a Dolphin excursion in Cozumel and if either or both places (Dolphinaris or Dolphin Discovery) allowed you to bring in your waterproof cameras, gopros, etc... My wife really wants to do this and I thought it would be awesome if she could bring in a gopro or something. I might just do the observer thing and take pictures of her though. Are there good photo ops to be had without having to depend on their photographers and overpriced photo cds that they sell you?

Also, between the two places, which would you guys recommend more? And why?

Thanks!

BTW: I did come across this youtube vid someone took with their gopro at the Dolphin Discovery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO07bGfz9ss
- pretty cool. I couldn't find any of Dolphinaris, which makes me think they are pretty strict about that stuff (at least bringing it with you in the water)

 

[1025cruise]

Observers will definitely not be allowed to have cameras. At Chakanaab, we were allowed water proof cameras, but that was it. Observers were definitely not allowed cameras.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to see if anyone has recently gone on a Dolphin excursion in Cozumel and if either or both places (Dolphinaris or Dolphin Discovery) allowed you to bring in your waterproof cameras, gopros, etc... My wife really wants to do this and I thought it would be awesome if she could bring in a gopro or something. I might just do the observer thing and take pictures of her though. Are there good photo ops to be had without having to depend on their photographers and overpriced photo cds that they sell you?

Also, between the two places, which would you guys recommend more? And why?

Thanks!

BTW: I did come across this youtube vid someone took with their gopro at the Dolphin Discovery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO07bGfz9ss
- pretty cool. I couldn't find any of Dolphinaris, which makes me think they are pretty strict about that stuff (at least bringing it with you in the water)

I found this on the dolphin discovery website:
5.- Can I bring my own underwater camera to take some pictures?


For safety reasons and our policies, we do not allow cameras in the water nor in the programs’ area.
http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/reservation-support/

and this on the dolphinarius/dolphin swim website:
•No cameras or other personal objects such as jewerly are allowed in the water and swim areas
http://www.dolphinaris.com/swim%20programs/cozumel/dolphin%20swim%20ride.aspx

 

[jplee3]

I found this on the dolphin discovery website:
5.- Can I bring my own underwater camera to take some pictures?


For safety reasons and our policies, we do not allow cameras in the water nor in the programs’ area.
http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/reservation-support/

and this on the dolphinarius/dolphin swim website:
•No cameras or other personal objects such as jewerly are allowed in the water and swim areas
http://www.dolphinaris.com/swim%20programs/cozumel/dolphin%20swim%20ride.aspx

Thanks guys! Yea I just saw that as well...

What's confusing is this: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/shore-excursions/excursion/101

Several people say you can't bring cameras but there are reviews where others say they brought their cameras (and that you can bring yours too) no problem. What I noticed, though, is that the reviews stating they weren't allowed to bring cameras, are dated late 2012 (Nov and Dec) whereas all the reviews prior like July 2012 and earlier seem to all indicate that bringing a camera was totally fine (the date of the Youtube video is also 3/12). I wonder if the Dolphin Discovery place changed their minds/policy sometime in late 2012 to no longer allow cameras... that really stinks if so.

 

[jplee3]

Observers will definitely not be allowed to have cameras. At Chakanaab, we were allowed water proof cameras, but that was it. Observers were definitely not allowed cameras.

Chankanaab is the Dolphin Discovery right? When did you go? Was it in the first half of 2012 or earlier? I noticed this on their site:

"6.- Can my friends and relatives that go as observers, take me some pictures?
Yes, but only from the distance, from the designated area for observers and companions."

Have they changed their policy perhaps?

 

[jplee3]

Does anyone have feedback on the Dolphinaris Observer area and how far away (or within lens' reach) it is from the swimming area with the dolphins. I'm starting to think I'm gonna have to lug my telephoto lens (good thing it's a "travel" lens) and bulky Nikon D200 with me so I can get some decent shots of my wife... Dolphinaris really seems to be the only place where any cameras are allowed

It really seems to me that they changed their policy on cameras in the water area (at least for Dolphin Discovery) back in 2012. I wonder why though - they say it's for "safety reasons" but I find that difficult to believe. It has to be mostly to increase profit margins, but that's a flat out shameless way of doing it. C'mon now, am I really going to be able to do a selfie with a Dolphin? It's not like most waterproof cameras are going to produce a better picture than the DSLRs they're probably shooting with for the photo ops.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I think the mean they safety of the dolphins when they talk of "safety reasons" they don't want the pools full of cameras, jewelry, sunglasses, etc. that the dolphins can swallow.

We did Dolphinaris in Cozumel May 2012 and there was nothing allowed in the pool area other than the towel and shoes that we placed in a trunk before we got into the pool. We didn't have anyone in the observer area so I can't comment on that.

We did Dolphin Discovery near Playa del Carmen in 2007 and the rules were very similar there as well.

 

[1025cruise]

Chankanaab is the Dolphin Discovery right? When did you go? Was it in the first half of 2012 or earlier? I noticed this on their site:

"6.- Can my friends and relatives that go as observers, take me some pictures?
Yes, but only from the distance, from the designated area for observers and companions."

Have they changed their policy perhaps?

I'm not sure if they are the same or not. We did it on another cruise line. We were there in November 2010. I actually saw staff running to the observer area the second someone pulled a camera out to tell them to put it away.

Unfortunately, I felt the whole interaction with the dolphin thing was solely for them to take and sell you pictures. They had people repeating activities if they didn't get the picture. They also weren't happy when my wife and I were unable to complete all of the activities because the water was stronger than either of us could handle. We couldn't swim out very far.

 

[yvettewillson]

Has anyone done the Dolphin Trainer for a Day program? Was it worth the extra money? What more do you do than the dolphin swim program?

 

[wiigirl]

Has anyone done the Dolphin Trainer for a Day program? Was it worth the extra money? What more do you do than the dolphin swim program?

My sister did that and she loved it. I am not sure all she did though.

 

[cypressmom]

I was not allowed to use my waterproof camera at Chakanaab in Oct 2012.

 

[jplee3]

Thanks all for your replies. I discussed with my wife last night and I think we're going to pass this up.... not really worth it in our eyes especially if you can't record the memories yourself and have to depend on them to do it for you. We actually did a "Dolphin Experience" in Tahiti for our honeymoon a while back but it was just meeting, petting and playing with a dolphin (as opposed to swimming with one). My wife enjoyed it but the pictures I got had random other people in them, and despite the pictures being pretty decent, my wife especially didn't like the ones of her kissing the dolphin with another participant's bosoms right behind her LOL!

Anyway, I was looking at the Grand Cayman Dolphin Encounter and they seem much more relaxed about bringing waterproof cameras in and what not. Only thing is, we'll be jet skiing while in the Grand Cayman so no time for dolphins... I'm sure there will be another time for dolphins though. I don't know if I could pay money for any place that is so stringent about taking pictures though.

 

[cypressmom]

I will say that the photographer at Chankanaab did a wonderful job. Our photos were worth every penny. Every photo we have is the individual and the dolphin. You cannot see the other members of our group. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. We loved every minute of it.

 

[mschaber]

Thanks for posting this...I guess I thought I would be able to have a camera in the observer area. Bummer.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I will say that the photographer at Chankanaab did a wonderful job. Our photos were worth every penny. Every photo we have is the individual and the dolphin. You cannot see the other members of our group. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. We loved every minute of it.

I feel the same way about the pictures we got from the Dolphinaris in Cozumel. All the pictures are perfect and they are individual. Nobody else in them. I guess I did the excursion more for the experience than for the pictures myself. It was a fantastic experience for myself and my family. I was happy to have the pictures to remember it by though and I am happy that they were professionally done very nicely even if they were pricier than they should have been but that's no different than the ones sold from DCL or through Photopass at WDW! It's tourism!

 

[RemysMom]

We did Dolphin Discovery (which yes, is at Chankanaab park) and was well worth the experience. Didn't care to have any pictures, which they REALLY try to get you to buy. My family was watching from the pier (I guess you would call it). It was a bit of a distance, but they could see what we were doing. With a nice zoom, they were able to get some nice pictures.

We also booked this direct through Dophin Discovery and avoided the cruise excursion.