Dolphinaris Cancun
Dolphinaris Cancun
4
About
Worlds' best dolphinariums !Dolphinaris . . . A place for you. A place for them. If you’re looking for the best place to swim with dolphins in Cancun this is the right place for you!At Dolphinaris, we provide people of all ages the opportunity to make their dreams come true. We see the evidence of this every day as we watch the faces of our guests when they meet one of our dolphins for the very first time.Located next to, but not part of the water park Wet ´n Wild and easy to get to with public transportation Dolphinaris is the best attraction for swimming with dolphins in Cancun! * We are a multimillion-dollar investment and the most advanced dolphinariums in Mexico, only in some places in the U.S.A. have the same technology we have, providing you the best quality in all aspects unlike other dolphinariums that only use a simple fishing net at the sea beach, where in addition to swimming with dolphins, you swim with algae, waves, ocean currents, ship oil and gas, you also swims with the dolphins waste, exposing you to severe skin or vital organs infections. Avoid all that... next time choose dolphinaris!
Duration: 2-3 hours
Does not meet animal welfare guidelines
Tripadvisor does not provide bookings for this experience because it does not meet our animal welfare guidelines.
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  • dave s
    37 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    good but make sure photos download to phone before you leave
    We have been to two other dolphin experience in cancun area over the past 20 years and this one is about the same. Have been to the one in xcaret and Isla Mujeres in past. Easy to get to from Hotel zone and admission to Ventura water park is a plus. Did Fintastic package with dolphin foot push or fin ride. Group size is about 8 or less. Everyone in our group did Fin ride ( have done foot push in past and it is difficult if you have leg or knee problems or young kids) Great for 20 to 40 somethings though. Trainer/guide was good and dolphins were friendly. Despite how some feel about the whole kept animal deal the dolphins appear well cared for. If the whole seaworld/FreeWilly thing bothers you just don't go. My only caution is the whole photo package deal, yes expensive but worth it for the photos (someone not swimming can record or photo from upper deck but it is a little distance away and photos will not be as good) Make sure you can download the photos to your phone or tablet before you leave. The link to site opened up, showed photos, but would not let me download, kept saying could not download at this time. Tried with various internet connection but no go. Luckily I did download to phone so just had to share photos one at a time off phone later.
    Thank you very much for your comments, we are glad that your experience in Dolphinaris Cáncun has been to your liking, if you still have problems with your photos contact us and we will be glad to help you!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 16, 2023
  • colleen m
    11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dolphin experience
    Amazing interaction with the dolphins. Abraham was our guide and our dolphins were Lucas and Flex. You get to pack the dolphins do a belly ride get a kiss and all that good stuff. The only thing I will let you know is that the pictures at the end are a little pricey, but really good. Anderson helped us download our pictures and was very nice!Also bring towels and swim shirts because the water is cold. Definitely a must do!
    Thank you very much for your comments, we are glad that your experience at Dolphinaris Cáncun was what you expected. We passed your comments to Abraham and Anderson, come back soon to say hello to Flex and Lucas!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written December 20, 2023
  • Elena R
    43 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best decision of our trip!
    Amazing! Worth the $500 to have the experience. The $360 for photos was unexpected, but how do you walk away from the photo memories?! If you go prepare to spend the money. I googled a coupon and found one to reduce the ticket price. This is a once in a lifetime experience. Enjoy it! Spend the money to do the full package supreme.
    We are glad you enjoyed your experience with our dolphin family, we hope you can visit us again at Dolphinaris Cancun!!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 4, 2024
  • Passenger02415544289
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing dolphin experience. Support a conservational site and feel good about spending your money here.
    This was an amazing time. To be that close to a dolphin is a once in a lifetime experience. The trainers are knowledgeable and kind. Our trainer has worked with his dolphin Solomon for over ten years. They form special bonds with the animals. It is important to note that this isn’t a money factory. They are a conservationist site that aids in teaching others about the conservation of dolphins and their habitat. The dolphins are in captivity however they are well cared for and have been reared in this environment. The dolphins we saw were rescue dolphins from Australia. If you come to Cancun with your family and want a fun excursion that supports a conservation site I highly recommend this for you.
    Hi, we are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your time at dolphinaris cancun, without a doubt, it is a unique experience where our main purpose is to take the best care of our dolphin family. We hope you can visit us again!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 10, 2024
  • John B
    Mesa, Arizona40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dolphin kisses
    Took the family to have an interactive experience with dolphins. Our dolphin, Diego, was fun and playful. Holding 'hands' and dolphin kisses were fun. Cannot take any photos yourselves within the dolphin area and photo package pricing for the pictures they take are quite expensive so be aware. Wasn't aware until we got there that our dolphin experience also covered admission to the larger water park, so we went down the water slides and did the lazy river. Lunch buffet included as well was quite crowded with many items not labeled or were simply not replaced when the pans were empty. Eat at your hotel, skip the buffet. Lockers are $15 to rent for the day, kinda pricey but worth it.
    Thank you very much for your comments! without a doubt a unique experience! we hope to have you back at Dolphinaris Cancun!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 20, 2024
  • melisacnp
    Powell, Ohio109 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Daphnee was awesome
    Daphnee was awesome. This was the second time we visited, as it was included as a tour with our stay at Moon Palace … the last visit was two years ago and I can slowly see this place going downhill in the maintenance, but the price of pictures skyrocketed! The kids had a great time and enjoyed the experience. Our tour guide, Daphnee was awesome and definitely the highlight of the visit.
    Hi Melisa thank you for visiting Dolphinaris Cancun, we will certainly tell Daphne your comments, we hope you can visit us again soon!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 28, 2024
  • 525dmc
    Grand Rapids, Michigan8 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don’t go here.
    We received this experience “free” with our Moon Palace Membership. Though the dolphins and trainers were great, they try to rob you to purchase any photos at the end. They missed capturing my daughter’s dolphin swim and still tried to charge us over $300 to get digital copies of the photos. This was their discounted rate. What an absolute racket.
    Hi 525DMC, we will try to improve on the points you mention, thank you for visiting Dolpinaris Cáncun.
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 1, 2024
  • Stephanie G
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dafne <3 dolphins
    We had so much fun with dafne and her dolphin buddy Lucas! She was so funny and kind and our whole group had an amazing time. Very kid friendly and there are showers you can use before/after, a gift shop and photographer. Very knowledgeable and fun for the whole family.
    Dafne and Lucas look forward to seeing you back, thank you for visiting Dolphinaris Cancun. See you soon!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 4, 2024
  • Sona Abraham
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Diego and Lucas Dolphins
    We had an amazing time at this excursion. We booked through our stay at the Grand Moon Palace. Everything ran on time. The dolphins, Lucas and Diego, were absolutely stunning. Their trainer Daphne was so sweet and very informative. You could tell she cared every much for the dolphins. They do require some swimming experience for the belly rides since the pool water can be deep. You need to bring your own towel, and you'll need to pay for a locker secure your items.
    Hi Maluswarnum, we are glad you enjoyed the experience. Come back soon to visit Lucas and Diego at Dolphinaris Cancun! Thanks for your visit!!
    Written May 8, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 17, 2024
  • DANA R
    1 contribution
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing work experience. But photo scams
    We had an amazing experience with our trainer Daphne who was passionate and informative. Our dolphins were amazing to work with and the overall experience was great. The kids of all ages enjoyed the time in the water with the dolphins. The photos however are extremely overpriced and you aren’t allowed to take any yourself. The price is entirely to high to be told you can’t take your own or the be required to miss out on these amazing memories because $35 per photo for one person and one pose is insane. Also to pay over $500 just for photos on top of what we paid was a scam. Glad the memories will forever be left in all of our heads .
    Hello Danar we appreciate your comments, it is certainly a once in a lifetime experience, we will work on your comments to improve our service. Thank you for visiting Dolphinaris Cancun, we hope to see you again soon!
    Written June 27, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 22, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles3,624 reviews
Excellent
1,999
Very good
937
Average
378
Poor
134
Terrible
176

EKMon
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021 • Family
Pros: decent facility, didn’t have to wait long to get into pool with dolphins

Cons: unprofessional trainers. Booked our trip through Moon Palace Cancun. Was offered three packages. 1. Educational experience 2. Swim with one dolphin 3. Swim with two dolphins. Choose package #2 for $109/person, assuming we would also get a basic educational experience before swimming. Nope, just hop into water, no introductions to trainer, dolphins, or anybody else in our group. Trainer basically told us to hold our hands a certain way or look a certain way but not explain exactly what we were doing with the dolphin. Trainer wore a face shield, had a really heavy accent, and spoke softly. Was incredibly difficult to hear much of what he said. After 1 hour our experience was done. (Paid the same price for an all-day excursion for a different activity that also included lunch, towels, and transportation 1.5 hours away).

As others have previously mentioned we were not allowed to bring cameras anywhere near the pool. Therefore having to rely solely upon their photographer for the experience. Was $219 for all of our digital pictures, or $35 for one digital picture. We also used their transportation which was $10/person round-trip. We paid $60 for our family to travel 10 minutes away from our resort.

Overall: tourist trap and price gouging at its finest, total cost for our family of 6 including pictures and transportation =$933. But if you are wanting a quick easy experience to say you swam with dolphins then this may be just the right fit for you. As a mom with young kids I was hoping for a more educational experience especially for the price we paid.
Written March 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Monique A
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020 • Friends
My friends and I booked a dolphin swim with this company. Fully expecting to have pictures of what we felt would be an amazing experience, we were told “no phones, but we have a photographer” fine. The photographer took pictures the entire time and at the end as we inquired about viewing and purchasing our pictures, we were given an email address and told the system was broken, so email to request our pictures. The email address didn’t work. I then called their “cust service” number and was given a different email address. A rep the emailed me back and told me that there was no way for us to view the pictures, so we could not choses any individual shots. We either had to pay $149 for all of the pictures WITHOUT seeing them, or we could not have any of the memories we already paid $100+ per person to create. This is unfair and seems like a scam. Please do not use this company. The dolphins were awesome but everything else seemed extremely sketchy and dishonest.
Written December 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Travis K
Kauai, HI9 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
Rodrigo is supposedly the manager of this place and treated me so poorly. We paid for a group of 33 people and we as told we could add one more no problem. When the time came, he said we couldn’t so we had to leave out one of our group who was crushed. He displayed no understanding or care and when we asked to speak to his supervisor he said to call the government. He was smug and genuine jerk.
Written June 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

604fional
Forest Hills, New York9 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
My family did the fintastic swim program last Thursday. The program itself was not bad. Although we were in the water for 40 minutes, the interaction with the dolphin was limited due to the size of our group. My family also enjoyed the free admission to Ventura park. However, customer service was poor for purchasing the photo. We were told that we could pay for our pictures with discounted price as mentioned by the representative over the phone when I call to inquire about the program. When I was told to purchase the photo at a higher price right before we catch the shuttle back to the hotel. The staff told me to email the company directly that they could honor the discounted price for me. So I emailed them the next day. I exchanged email with them back and forth . The rep told me they cannot offer me the discounted price after two days of the event. I explained to them I emailed them the next day of the event but then they didn't reply me on the following day. So now they are not even responding to my email.
Written April 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Dolphinaris. We are sorry to hear that your experience was not up to par and appreciate your honesty in sharing your feedback with us. Your comments will be used to make improvements to the park and ensure that our guests have a more enjoyable experience in the future. We hope you will consider giving us another chance to show you the changes we have made.
Written January 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

CamCHy
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
Absolutely awful experience for the money. We spent 5 minutes in the water with the dolphins, and those were a really fun 5 minutes. But I paid $250 for 2 of us to have the experience. There was no verbage, signage, or warning that we wouldn't be able to use our own cameras at any time. I'm also fluent in spanish, and so there was no vocal miscommunication. They only told us after we made the payment. Then they charged us $120 for them to send us the pictures that they took (no videos). After all of this, they failed to send all the pictures like they said they would. This is an absolutely dishonest, cheap operation. Stay clear, go somewhere else.
Written January 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Toby B
Arlington, WA60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
We booked through BD Experience which included the waterpark. The one draw back was: During booking, we were asked when we wanted to arrive and we opted for the 9:30am time. It turned out, we arrived at 9:30am yet our dolphin experience wasn't till 4pm so we had to kill time at the waterpark. We've been to many waterparks over the years so it wasn't as thrilling as it used to be so knowing that we'd opted for a 12pm arrival time.

Moving on.

Once our time arrived, we were donned life jackets, not sure what one reviewer is talking about as everyone wore one, and headed to our respective area based on package. We purchased the everything which allowed us a choice between the dolphin push or the dorsal fin pull. Our group split between the two. I did, and do, feel bad for the dolphin's noses.

It was mixed emotions between swimming with and seeing in captivity though the trainers/staff seemed to really care about the animals. If you don't want to see animals in captivity then do not go, spare yourself. However, if you'd like a great experience then go and enjoy it.
Written July 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fran S
4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We paid for the Fintastic experience for my 12 year old daughter and her 13 year old friend. We had previously benefited from a dolphin experience and due to the cost - my husband and I attended as spectators. The team overlooked and did not call my daughter forward to take photos for the one on one dolphin experience - kiss, hand shake etc. I raised this with a member of staff when the experience had finished, they offered for my daughter to get back in for the photos to be taken. Being 12 and shy I did speak to her initially about speaking up to ensure she had the experience in the first place, however she did not feel safe to do so. She asked if her friend could go with her if she re-entered for photos as offered (only to accompany not to have a further dolphin experience) they refused. My daughter not feeling safe going on her own therefore said "no". When reviewing to purchase photos we chose a one person package for my daughter's friend and added a picture they had taken of her with my daughter. They refused to add this photo to the one person package even knowing they had failed on providing my daughter the experience we had paid for by not taking photos of my daughter and told me I had to buy a 2 person package. I encountered truly awful and soul destroying customer service from the team. In particular a young gentleman who said his name was Frank - he eye rolled, sneered and laughed with colleagues as I complained. He was rude, passive aggressive and degrading. I felt humiliated and pure discrimination for being a tourist. Little did he know I can understand the local language.....Members at the front desk said the photo team are a separate company so could not help (even though you pay for photos at the gift shop indicating they are all one company) I asked to speak to a manager and encountered further poor service from management, a lady called Polly who was ineffective with no customer service skills she simply did not care and dismissed me. An upsetting experience due to the people that are employed here - the dolphins were amazing. Customer service is fundamental to a positive experience for all visitors and even if the staff do not like it (as expressed), visitors are mostly tourists who allow the company to exist and the people to have jobs. Unfortunately the sheer lack of skill, compassion, consideration together with the discriminative and xenophobic attitude of the staff will be the down fall of this company. I travel to a lot of lovely places and always treat staff with respect and tip to show appreciation. I do not have unrealistic standards. Please do not book.
Written August 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, we are sorry for the inconvenience and experience you may have had. Our staff is trained every day to provide the best service and to give you an unforgettable experience, your comments help us to improve our service.
Written September 8, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Venture40509332788
2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023
Dolphin experience was amazing. Kids loved it. Packages are priced high and they will try to upsale your package (offcourse to make money) but worth it in our opinion. The videos and photos are amazing to capture the emotions and natural smile while interacting with the dolphins. Kids loved it, we loved it too. Be ready to spend arm and a leg on photos and videos, we went there mentally prepared to spend that kind of money, otherwise it will be a shocker. It's a once in a life time opportunity. Suggestions for the company would be to charge less for the photos as these photos and videos will be use to advertise for you guys on all social media platforms and more people will come visit..it's win win for both
Written April 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello good afternoon we are very grateful for your comments. We are very pleased that you enjoyed your swim, our staff strives to provide you with the best service for you to have the best time while you are with us; as you mention it´s lifetime opportunity. We will take into consideration your suggestions in order to provide better service in the future. Thank you very much for your visit and we hope you come back soon!
Written April 4, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

1980LM
London, UK296 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Family
We booked this trip via the grand moon palace.

When we arrived it was clear it was a money trap; $15 to rent a locker to keep your valuables (you’re asked to remove jewellery) and very expensive photo packages. You’re not allowed to be anywhere near the dolphin pools with your phone (to prevent photos) and they expect you to wait in the toilet area until they’re ready for you. It’s not particularly friendly.

The moments with the dolphins and the photos, such as the kiss and holding fins, are definitely very special and it’s amazing to be so close up to these beautiful animals. We got a decent amount of time in the water and never felt rushed. However, as part of our package we held onto a dolphins fin and were pulled along for the “swim shot”. It was shocking to see a number of people holding the end of the dolphins fins, which resulted in them being bent back in what looked like an unnatural position. There were no instructions from the trainer as to where to place your hands and it was very uncomfortable to watch.

The experience was amazing for the kids as they got to learn a bit about dolphins and the photos are a cherished memory, but the experience left us feeling guilty and awful and I wish we’d considered it more carefully before booking.
Written October 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Dolphinaris. We are sorry to hear that your experience was not up to par and appreciate your honesty in sharing your feedback with us. Your comments will be used to make improvements to the park and ensure that our guests have a more enjoyable experience in the future. We hope you will consider giving us another chance to show you the changes we have made.
Written January 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

NorthStar38645124894
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
The actual dolphin experience was pretty cool, albeit short.
We rode with a dolphin, got a dolphin kiss, and shook hands with the dolphin. His name was Apollo and he was very friendly and seemed excited to participate.

The marine expert was personable and cool as well.
The entire experience lasted maybe 25 minutes and they were very strict about no recording.

Afterwards you can review the pics the photographers took and buy them. It was basically $55 per person which is expensive but I was willing to pay. I just wanted to buy the pics of my daughter but because I posed in one pic with her they wanted me to pay $70 for just the one pic. Literally one picture because two people were in it.

Previously they were going to give me 40 pictures of her for $55 but wifey said the only pic she really wanted was the one picture with me and my daughter.

I talked to the “supervisor” and she was not wavering so I left with none because I can’t justify that price.
Written June 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello NorthStar thank you for leaving your comments about your experience at Dolphinaris Cancun, we will definitely follow up, so it doesn't happen again in the future, if you are still interested in your photos please contact us. Hopefully we will see you again at Dolphinaris Cancun.
Written June 27, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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