Dolphin Experience in Jamaica

[Mark's Girl]

Has anyone done this? Thoughts? worth it for the money?

[Deleted]

Not in Jamaica, but we did a DEEP water dolphin swim in Nassau. It was expensive (about $200pp) but it was worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Something to look into is what it entails. When we were looking into them dolphin 'experiences' involved standing on a platform to kiss/shake hands with them. We paid extra to do the swim because there was more interactions and just seemed more exciting.

[MissusTexas]

Every time my mom talks about her honeymoon there 12 years ago she goes on and on about her dolphin experience. Obviously it is a special and lasting memory for her so I feel confident that she would say it's definitely worth it!

[basilosaurus]

I have not been, and I would not go. Please look into the issues surrounding dolphins in captivity.

I say this as someone who had her 9th birthday party at an aquarium with awesome memories of being part of the dolphin show. I would never do that as a knowledgeable adult.

[babygirlpriest]

Ditto sibil.

DH and I spent a couple weeks in Hawaii last year and a Dolphin swim was on my "must do" list until I started researching this. Being totally honest, it's something I really, really still wanted to do - just didn't feel quite right about it.

It's a personal decision, of course. But I'd encourage you to make an educated decision or at least research the specific company you'd be working with and make sure you're comfortable with their practices.

[atouchofklasse]

Please rent The Cove.

[Deleted]

Aww I didn't even think about all that, now I feel bad

[katieh]

I've done this twice....once was in Honduras, where the dolphins are kept in a HUGE sectioned off part of the bay and you swim with them freely. They'd have one dolphin come over for the interactive part but the others you could only interact with if they came up to you. They said each dolphin only did an encounter every other day and it was limited to 15 minutes. They also said they often let them out so people can do dives with them in the open water and if the dolphins don't come back to their area that day, they always come back the next day. I don't know if I'd do this again, but I'd say as far as dolphin experiences go, it's one I'd feel the least bad about.

The other was in Hawaii and while my friend loved it, I would not do it again. The dolphins are kept in a tiny, shallow enclosure and you basically just stand there while the dolphins put on a show. I felt really bad about the conditions.

[Deleted]

Jul 24, 2012 2:56:07 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I have not been, and I would not go. Please look into the issues surrounding dolphins in captivity.

I say this as someone who had her 9th birthday party at an aquarium with awesome memories of being part of the dolphin show. I would never do that as a knowledgeable adult.

This 1000xs

[ESquared423]

Jul 24, 2012 2:56:07 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I have not been, and I would not go. Please look into the issues surrounding dolphins in captivity.

I say this as someone who had her 9th birthday party at an aquarium with awesome memories of being part of the dolphin show. I would never do that as a knowledgeable adult.

Agreed. I would never swim with dolphins in captivity knowing what I know now. I swam with them in the wild a few months ago, and that's the only way I would do it again.