Has anyone done the snorkel with sea lions in Puerto Madryn?

[Grandmaanne7]

We are looking at snorkeling with sea lions with Madryn Buceo.  Has anyone done this?  Do you recommend it?  I loved snorkeling in Alaska and with stingrays in Grand Cayman.  I feel that this would be a similarly exciting adventure.  Madryn Buceo says their office is located about 1500 metres from the cruise port.  This is certainly walkable.  I'd love some information from anyone who has done it.  Thanks in advance.

[Born2go]

I believe we are on the same sailing (Infinity, January 14). I booked the snorkeling with the sea lions so I haven’t gone yet but this is the response I got from them:

 

Hello Debra, my name is Mauro from MadrynBuceo. We have just booked you for 25Th January! For those who come in Cruiseship, we ask them that once they get off the ship they have to come to our divecentre as soon as possible. Once you arrive, we will get you on the next excursion trip. This is our location: https://g.page/Nadarconlobos?share
And this our Whatsapp number (we prefer to talk through said medium): +5492804564422
If your cruiseship is unable to dock or the weather conditions do not allows to do excursions, we will refund you!
If you have any more doubts, please contact us again! 

Reply

We love snorkeling too! Hope it’s not cold:) 

[Shella73]

My family is scheduled to do a sea lions snorkeling there with NCL and they provide wet suits. 

[Grandmaanne7]

On 10/28/2022 at 2:41 PM, Born2go said:

I believe we are on the same sailing (Infinity, January 14). I booked the snorkeling with the sea lions so I haven’t gone yet but this is the response I got from them:

 

Hello Debra, my name is Mauro from MadrynBuceo. We have just booked you for 25Th January! For those who come in Cruiseship, we ask them that once they get off the ship they have to come to our divecentre as soon as possible. Once you arrive, we will get you on the next excursion trip. This is our location: https://g.page/Nadarconlobos?share
And this our Whatsapp number (we prefer to talk through said medium): +5492804564422
If your cruiseship is unable to dock or the weather conditions do not allows to do excursions, we will refund you!
If you have any more doubts, please contact us again! 

Reply

We love snorkeling too! Hope it’s not cold:) 

Hi Debra,

So glad to see this.  I had almost given up hope when nobody responded to my post on the roll call.  We were given the option to pay cash in person rather than pre pay a higher amount.  This is what we will do.  Glad we will be able to share this amazing adventure with others on our cruise.

Anne

[Born2go]

On 11/5/2022 at 12:43 PM, Grandmaanne7 said:

to my post on the roll call.  We were given the option to pay cash in person rather than pre pay a higher amount.  This is what we will do.  Glad we will be able to share this amazing adventure with others on our cruise.

Anne

Hi Anne…we booked through Viator. Didn’t think about booking direct😕. Looking forward to this, hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Debbie

ps we are a tiny bit concerned we will be cold even with wetsuits but not concerned enough to not go!

[Grandmaanne7]

37 minutes ago, Born2go said:

Hi Anne…we booked through Viator. Didn’t think about booking direct😕. Looking forward to this, hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Debbie

ps we are a tiny bit concerned we will be cold even with wetsuits but not concerned enough to not go!

Hi Debbie, 

We ended up booking through GetYourGuide. We should try to meet up and travel to the office together. BTW, I have snorkeled in Alaska and was not overly cold. My concern is what change of clothes to take? What will the temperature be when we get out of the water? Still need to do some research but so very excited to be doing this!!

[Born2go]

On 11/14/2022 at 8:59 PM, Grandmaanne7 said:

e ended up booking through GetYourGuide. We should try to meet up and travel to the office together. BTW, I have snorkeled in Alaska and was not overly cold. My concern is what change of clothes to take? What will the temperature be when we get out of the water? Still need to do some research but so very excited to be doing this!!

Yes, we should meet up and travel to the office together!  (We are in 3100) i think we will need to take a taxi. I will wear a bathing suit under my clothes and wear jeans and a fleece with up underclothes in my bag. Presumably there will be SOMEWHERE to change after? We haven’t snorkeled in any cold water places before but we did jump into the Baltic Sea in Helsinki after heating up in a Finnish Spa. I know, not quite the same😁, but I have the same concerns. 

[Grandmaanne7]

28 minutes ago, Born2go said:

Yes, we should meet up and travel to the office together!  (We are in 3100) i think we will need to take a taxi. I will wear a bathing suit under my clothes and wear jeans and a fleece with up underclothes in my bag. Presumably there will be SOMEWHERE to change after? We haven’t snorkeled in any cold water places before but we did jump into the Baltic Sea in Helsinki after heating up in a Finnish Spa. I know, not quite the same😁, but I have the same concerns. 

Perfect!  We're in cabin 7084.  Looking forward to meeting you onboard!  I've made a note to give you a call in case we don't meet up ahead of time.

[circee]

The Celebrity Eclipse will make this stop on our cruise in March 2024. Would you please post an update after your trip to let us know how this excursion went? 

[Grandmaanne7]

9 hours ago, circee said:

The Celebrity Eclipse will make this stop on our cruise in March 2024. Would you please post an update after your trip to let us know how this excursion went? 

Will do. 

[circee]

11 hours ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

Will do. 

Thanks!

 

[mahdnc]

@Grandmaanne7,

 

Hi, I am sorry that I didn't see your post until now (embarkation day for you!).  Anyway I will just say that we went diving with sea lions during our stop (Infinity) at Puerto Madryn in Jan 2017 with a private outfitter.  The water was pretty cold and we ended up wearing drysuits that the outfitter provided.  The air temperature was not too bad during the boat ride out there. The young sea pups are very curious and they enjoyed playing.  Anyway, I hope you have fun time on your cruise.

Our son and daughter frolicking with the sea lions at Puerto Madryn (Jan 2017)

 

 

[Grandmaanne7]

On 1/14/2023 at 6:58 PM, mahdnc said:

@Grandmaanne7,

 

Hi, I am sorry that I didn't see your post until now (embarkation day for you!).  Anyway I will just say that we went diving with sea lions during our stop (Infinity) at Puerto Madryn in Jan 2017 with a private outfitter.  The water was pretty cold and we ended up wearing drysuits that the outfitter provided.  The air temperature was not too bad during the boat ride out there. The young sea pups are very curious and they enjoyed playing.  Anyway, I hope you have fun time on your cruise.

Our son and daughter frolicking with the sea lions at Puerto Madryn (Jan 2017)

 

 

Thanks David!  I remember seeing these pictures years ago, perhaps before our cruise together. 

[Grandmaanne7]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:03 PM, circee said:

The Celebrity Eclipse will make this stop on our cruise in March 2024. Would you please post an update after your trip to let us know how this excursion went? 

I did this excursion and would definitely recommend it even though my experience wasn't the best.  I will try to explain.

 

The office is a lovely 40 minute walk from the pier along the beach.  They are in Bajada 5.  The staff are incredibly great!  They very patiently get each participant into their wetsuits and explain things fully.  The seals are a short boat ride from the office.  We saw dozens of seals, several of which decided to come swim around us.  It was lovely being so close to these wild animals that were so graceful in the water.  There were also penguins, which I am told are sometimes, but not always there.  The water is cold upon entry but not enough to take away from the experience.  I was not even aware of the temperature of the water until after it was almost over and realized that I was not cold at all.

 

Unfortunately, I had my first ever panic attack in the water.  The guide was excellent and talked me through it but I was unable to relax in the water.  I could not manouver or make my body go where I wanted it to go so I just clung to the life saver ring that the guide towed around and enjoyed the experience as best as I could.  I am really glad I did it and everyone else seemed to have no issues at all so it must have been me although my husband, who did not get in the water but stayed in the boat, said that as soon as I entered the water, my wetsuit ballooned out much more than anyone else's in the water and perhaps that was why I had no control and couldn't propel myself.  I am not complaining.  I am an experienced snorkeler and am usually very comfortable in water.  I'm attributing the diminished experience to a mouth full of water when I entered which sparked the attack.  I was extremely pleased with how well it was handled and the care I received.

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

I did this excursion and would definitely recommend it even though my experience wasn't the best.  I will try to explain.

 

The office is a lovely 40 minute walk from the pier along the beach.  They are in Bajada 5.  The staff are incredibly great!  They very patiently get each participant into their wetsuits and explain things fully.  The seals are a short boat ride from the office.  We saw dozens of seals, several of which decided to come swim around us.  It was lovely being so close to these wild animals that were so graceful in the water.  There were also penguins, which I am told are sometimes, but not always there.  The water is cold upon entry but not enough to take away from the experience.  I was not even aware of the temperature of the water until after it was almost over and realized that I was not cold at all.

 

Unfortunately, I had my first ever panic attack in the water.  The guide was excellent and talked me through it but I was unable to relax in the water.  I could not manouver or make my body go where I wanted it to go so I just clung to the life saver ring that the guide towed around and enjoyed the experience as best as I could.  I am really glad I did it and everyone else seemed to have no issues at all so it must have been me although my husband, who did not get in the water but stayed in the boat, said that as soon as I entered the water, my wetsuit ballooned out much more than anyone else's in the water and perhaps that was why I had no control and couldn't propel myself.  I am not complaining.  I am an experienced snorkeler and am usually very comfortable in water.  I'm attributing the diminished experience to a mouth full of water when I entered which sparked the attack.  I was extremely pleased with how well it was handled and the care I received.

 

Except for the panic attack, I am glad you got to snorkel with the sea lions.

[Born2go]

23 hours ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

I did this excursion and would definitely recommend it even though my experience wasn't the best.  I will try to explain.

 

The office is a lovely 40 minute walk from the pier along the beach.  They are in Bajada 5.  The staff are incredibly great!  They very patiently get each participant into their wetsuits and explain things fully.  The seals are a short boat ride from the office.  We saw dozens of seals, several of which decided to come swim around us.  It was lovely being so close to these wild animals that were so graceful in the water.  There were also penguins, which I am told are sometimes, but not always there.  The water is cold upon entry but not enough to take away from the experience.  I was not even aware of the temperature of the water until after it was almost over and realized that I was not cold at all.

 

Unfortunately, I had my first ever panic attack in the water.  The guide was excellent and talked me through it but I was unable to relax in the water.  I could not manouver or make my body go where I wanted it to go so I just clung to the life saver ring that the guide towed around and enjoyed the experience as best as I could.  I am really glad I did it and everyone else seemed to have no issues at all so it must have been me although my husband, who did not get in the water but stayed in the boat, said that as soon as I entered the water, my wetsuit ballooned out much more than anyone else's in the water and perhaps that was why I had no control and couldn't propel myself.  I am not complaining.  I am an experienced snorkeler and am usually very comfortable in water.  I'm attributing the diminished experience to a mouth full of water when I entered which sparked the attack.  I was extremely pleased with how well it was handled and the care I received.

I was booked with the same operator, Madryn Bueco. I had asked them (way back in October, what would happen if we were late? Answer was “no problem, we will put you on the next boat”. Our start time was 8:30am. We elected to take a taxi. We got off the ship at 7:25am…walked the LONG length of the pier (lines for the shuttle), got a taxi who took us way past Sara Beach (yes, we should have just walked) subsequently we were 25 minutes late. We were in contact with the operator this whole time.

Other boats were all full, they sent us over to another operator but they refused to take us because we were over 65. (We are 67].  The other operator said it would be refunded because of “Heath reasons “ Rats, we were looking forward to this and are both certified divers to boot!  
 

Madryn Buceo refused to refund because “we were late”. Despite their assurances to the contrary, they will not put you on the next boat. When Viator got involved, the operator told Viator that WE had refused the other operator so Viator closed the refund request and we are out $200.🙁

 

No wonder people stick to ship’s tours. If you do book, make sure they put you on a later boat as Grandmaanne7 (who was on the 10AM boat) and if you are older than 65, clarify before you give them any money.

BTW,  Anne, you SHOULD have complained about the wet suit. It ballooned because it  was not a proper fit for your body type. 

Debbie

 

 
 

 

[Grandmaanne7]

54 minutes ago, Born2go said:

I was booked with the same operator, Madryn Bueco. I had asked them (way back in October, what would happen if we were late? Answer was “no problem, we will put you on the next boat”. Our start time was 8:30am. We elected to take a taxi. We got off the ship at 7:25am…walked the LONG length of the pier (lines for the shuttle), got a taxi who took us way past Sara Beach (yes, we should have just walked) subsequently we were 25 minutes late. We were in contact with the operator this whole time.

Other boats were all full, they sent us over to another operator but they refused to take us because we were over 65. (We are 67].  The other operator said it would be refunded because of “Heath reasons “ Rats, we were looking forward to this and are both certified divers to boot!  
 

Madryn Buceo refused to refund because “we were late”. Despite their assurances to the contrary, they will not put you on the next boat. When Viator got involved, the operator told Viator that WE had refused the other operator so Viator closed the refund request and we are out $200.🙁

 

No wonder people stick to ship’s tours. If you do book, make sure they put you on a later boat as Grandmaanne7 (who was on the 10AM boat) and if you are older than 65, clarify before you give them any money.

BTW,  Anne, you SHOULD have complained about the wet suit. It ballooned because it  was not a proper fit for your body type. 

Debbie

 

 
 

 

Debbie,

 

I'm so sorry you missed the excursion and the runaround you experienced.  It seems very unfair.   I would have been very upset if that had happened to us, too.  I hope the rest of the cruise was far more enjoyable.

 

Anne

[Born2go]

On 1/30/2023 at 5:54 PM, Grandmaanne7 said:

Debbie,

 

I'm so sorry you missed the excursion and the runaround you experienced.  It seems very unfair.   I would have been very upset if that had happened to us, too.  I hope the rest of the cruise was far more enjoyable.

 

Anne

Thanks Anne. That was just one small bump…we had a really good cruise otherwise. We ended up having a really wonderful lunch with a couple of beers near the pier.🙂