Dolphin discovery/Chakanaab direct booking question

[augusta78]

Has anyone booked online directly with Chakanaab Park in Cozumel? I was just online via their "chat" on the dolphin encounter. The chat representative is offering me a 40% discount off the adult and children prices. The cost of the dolphin encounter will include buffet, drinks, park admission beach etc.

Is booking directly online via the Chat legit? Wondering if anyone else has booked this way

[tipsy]

We booked online/chat few mos. ago and we got a 2 for 1 deal. Had no problems and got a confirmation right away. When re-checked confirmation, realized wouldn't be able to make the morning session, called the rep. right away and she change to early afternoon immediately. I spoke with Blanca Gonzales ext 109.

 

We plan on getting there soon as we get off ship and grab a taxi, spend the time wandering/swimming/snorkeling then the GKs swim w/Dolphins. We've done it before.

 

Hope this helps.

[scsagh]

We also booked their Royal Swim through the chat before. No problems! Enjoy!

[mitsugirly]

We have booked twice over the last couple of years using that feature. No worries at all. :)

[jenboyd29]

I don't see the chat feature on their website. We are wanting to do this excursion in November and book the dolphin swim.

 

A discount is always welcomed :)

[gigem_aggies]

I found this groupon: https://www.groupon.com/deals/dolphin-discovery

 

But, I'm wondering if a Chat deal would be even better? Where do you find the "chat"?

[scsagh]

I don't see the chat feature on their website. We are wanting to do this excursion in November and book the dolphin swim.

 

A discount is always welcomed :)

 

When you go to their website, at the top near the center, click on the "Deals" button. It will show you discounted offers based on your dates. If I remember correctly, sometimes if you are on a page for a while, a chat offer will pop up. They used to have a phone number too

[abs711]

Does anyone know if there is a huge difference between the Dolphin encounter or Dolphin Swim? My daughter is only 7 not sure if she would appreciate the swim. I did check heights and she is tall enough for it. Just not sure it's worth the extra money.

[augusta78]

When I go to the website a little chat button pops up. I chatted and got info then called and spoke with the same person and booked over the phone. It was $99/adult and I got 40% off. It was $89/child and I got 40% off. Included the dolphin encounter, sea lion show, beach, pool, snorkeling, buffet lunch and an open bar

[hou757]

What is the webpage for this?

[augusta78]

http://www.**********************cozumel/chankanaab-national-park.asp

[ICF]

What's the best way to get to Chankanaab from the ship? Do they have buses waiting for you or do you need to take a taxi?

[c-leg5]

What's the best way to get to Chankanaab from the ship? Do they have buses waiting for you or do you need to take a taxi?

 

double post

[c-leg5]

What's the best way to get to Chankanaab from the ship? Do they have buses waiting for you or do you need to take a taxi?

Sorry post keeps cutting off. Only taxis, lots of them!

[augusta78]

What is the webpage for this?

 

My link won't copy

Google dolphin discovery Cozumel Chakanaab

[augusta78]

Does anyone know if there is a huge difference between the Dolphin encounter or Dolphin Swim? My daughter is only 7 not sure if she would appreciate the swim. I did check heights and she is tall enough for it. Just not sure it's worth the extra money.

 

They told me the encounter is a handshake and kiss etc. the swim you hold on the fin and they pull you around and also push your feet as you swim.

My 7 year old didn't want to be out in the water with a dolphin like that. Seemed scary to her so we chose the encounter

[abs711]

Thanks Augusta78 - good point.

 

I was just reading there paperwork and it if we miss the port it seems like a lot of hoops to jump through. Also, if the weather is bad we can't cancel. Does anyone have any experience with this? Can I book at the port? Is it more $$?

[augusta78]

Thanks Augusta78 - good point.

 

I was just reading there paperwork and it if we miss the port it seems like a lot of hoops to jump through. Also, if the weather is bad we can't cancel. Does anyone have any experience with this? Can I book at the port? Is it more $$?

 

I didn't book thru the ship so I was told by the company that the cancellation policy is as follows:

If you cancel 4 days prior you get a 90% refund

If you cancel in less time then you don't get a refund but you get a credit

If your boat doesn't dock the day of the excursion then get a letter from the cruise line saying that it didn't dock and you will get a 90% refund

[meab]

we just did dolphin discovery on our cruise last week.

 

originally i was enticed by the groupon offer, but when i was on their site directly, i felt the rates were better. there are 3 options - the encounter, the swim adventure, and the royal swim. our ship shore excursions (and i think the groupon too) offered either the encounter or the royal swim.

 

on the dolphin discovery website, there was a promo for the swim adventure, making it only a few dollars more for us than the encounter....the jump up to royal swim was $$$ when i was pricing it. i felt the swim adventure was a good middle ground. via the chat, we also got a 15 min encounter with a manatee in the water. and part of the park admission is the sea lion show, which was very cute. (btw, my kids are 7, 9, 12, and 15)

 

our ship docked at 11am, and our reservation was for 1pm. we leisurely got off (at puerta maya) and got a cab to Chankanaab. They specifically asked if we already had Chankanaab admission - not sure if they were trying to sell us tickets also or what. It was a short ride. We needed a big taxi for 6 people. It cost $24. (On the way back we shared with 3 additional people, and still, we were $24 and they were $12)

 

When we got to Chankanaab, we checked in at the entrance and got a wristband. Then we proceeded inside the gates and checked in again at the Dolphin Discovery. It was about 12:15, they said to watch the sea lion show at 12:30 and then come back to the benches to meet up at 1:10 for the dolphin swim.

 

Sea Lion show was about 15-20 minutes, and very entertaining. Then we went over to where the lockers were - they are free to use. They will not let you take any cameras or phones or anything with you. Just put everything in the locker except your shoes and towel (I also kept my rx sunglasses).

 

orientation is brief. everyone gets a life jacket, and then you split into your groups. Again, we were 6 people so it was just us in our group. The dolphin and the trainer we got were really nice. For the swim adventure, we swam part way out into the pool, the dolphin came up behind you, and then you grabbed on to the fins and the dolphin pulled you back to the wall. Then you'd go out on a boogie board, and again the dolphin came from behind you and pushed your foot. We also did the encounter things, like the kiss, handshake, etc. We actually spent quite a bit of time in the water with the dolphin and it was really neat. I think for the Royal Swim there are some fancier moves that we were watching other people do, but we didn't feel like we missed out on anything.

 

As soon as you get out of the water, they take you inside to see your photos and put on the hard-sell. I was not thrilled with this. The pictures are either $35 each or $50pp for all of them on a CD. Well, we had 6 people and i did not want to spend $300 on that!! We did negotiate down a bit, but they didn't budge too much. I hated to spend that kind of money, but they also put the pressure on that you only have 15 minutes or something and then the photos go away (probably not true).

 

The "included buffet" was nothing that excited us. We had lunch on the ship before we left for Chankanaab, so we just snacked on some fruit and chips from the buffet. Two non-alcoholic beverages were included too. I would not have paid for that otherwise, but we just checked it out since it was included.

 

Other than the photos, my only warning is that if you pay in American Express, they say they will charge your card in pesos. It turned out that after the charge was made, the dollar equivalent was higher than the US dollar amount I thought I was being charged. It happened when I bought the excursion, as well as with the photos that I got suckered into. I would say it worked out to about $20-30 on each transaction more than I was expecting.

 

We had a really good experience, and I feel like we can check off the dolphin-swimming from our family bucket list now. Overall a pleasant time there, and I'd recommend it to other people as well (even though I don't have anything to compare it to!)

 

Sorry this was long, but I hope it helps answer your questions!

[abs711]

Thank you Meab!

[abs711]

Meab - My apologies, just reread everything and have a couple questions.

 

My daughter will also be a couple days shy of 7. She is 50" tall. Was your 7 year old able to do everything?

 

Could you pay cash if you chose to do so? Or did they charge your credit card before arriving?

 

Thanks!

[meab]

during the online chat i noticed also the minimum age was 8. my 7 year old is either 48 or 49", and they told me that his height was just fine. i think the "minimum age 8" is just a blanket statement just in case. our cruise line's excursion for a swim adventure had a minimum age of 8.... so that was another reason we booked on our own.

 

on the dolphin discovery website, there is a box "click to chat" and you can ask the representatives any questions before booking. The rep I spoke with answered all my questions (including the height/age issue).

 

she took all our booking info, and then sent me a secure link in my email. From there, i clicked the link and put in my credit card information to pay. i'm pretty sure you have to pay online with a credit card if you book ahead. i guess you could also pay cash on arrival but maybe there's no guarantee that the space will be available? as far as the payment issue goes, i would definitely "click to chat" and see what they say.

[abs711]

Thanks again!

[DarkJedi]

Booked through their chat and got a 2 for 1 special for the diving with dolphins encounter. Turned out we were the only 2 booked so we got plenty of direct time not only with the divemaster as this was DW's first dive but tons of 1 on 1 time with the dolphins.

[gigem_aggies]

We will have my husband, myself, 10 year old daughter, 6 year old daughter, and 4 year old daughter. Their website says "children 8 and under must swim with a paying adult" and "infants swim free with a paying adult". Above that it says "1-5 year old infants please do not include them in your reservation but be sure to add them on the comments section of your reservation".

I guess here in the US we don't consider a 4-year-old an infant, but doesn't it read like they do? So, I would pay for the 4 of us to swim and my 4-year-old would be able to swim for free with me (and, my 6 year old with my husband, but at the child rate)?