Dolphin Quest
Royal Naval Dockyard
My kids were already jealous enough that I was headed to Bermuda without them for a few nights, but it pushed them over the edge when they found out I was going to also be swimming with dolphins while I was there. They even told me I might as well change my blog’s name to “My NOT Traveling Kids!” Sorry kiddos…this was one experience I couldn’t pass up.
Our experience
We took a car to the Royal Naval Dockyard on the tip of the island and made our way into Dolphin Quest. The Royal Naval Dockyard is a converted 200-year-old fort built by the British Royal Navy.
The location is a really unique place to get this experience since the stone walls the surround the pools remind you of being in an old fortress.
We heard dolphins playing in the water and we got so excited we wanted to jump right in!
We were given lockers, life jackets, and goggles and were given instructions about what our time with the dolphins would be like. The staff was knowledgeable, and you could see they love all their dolphins. They way the talk about them is the same way people talk about their pets. They really care about their safety and told us they would not make any dolphin do anything they didn’t feel like doing, so this experience was all on their terms.
We had so much fun from the second we got in. We splashed the dolphins and they splashed back. Then we each took a turn going into the middle of the tank and we got to give them a kiss, hold their chin up,
And pose for a picture. It was nice to have some one-on-one time with our own dolphin.
We then moved into a different ocean-fed lagoon and it was time to put our goggles on and float around as they swam around us in the water. I loved having the opportunity to see them under water since in a dolphin swim you usually don’t. You get to see them gracefully using their powerful tail to move around and they swim right up to you, which is a cool moment you get to share under water.
We didn’t want to say goodbye to them, but our time was up. We learned so many interesting facts about their lives, bodies, and environment. My girls would have come away with so much more knowledge. When we were leaving we saw them throwing a bunch of balls into the lagoon and the dolphins all went crazy swimming around and stealing them from each other. They looked like a bunch of puppies!
What’s included in the experience?
The 45-minute experience includes 30 minutes with the dolphins. Since there are no more than 6 people in your group, you get plenty of interaction with them.
You also get free admission to the National Museum of Bermuda.
Is it good for the dolphins?
I absolutely love dolphins so I would never swim with them if I thought there was the slightest possibility they were being harmed. I did lots of research and found that they are presented with mental and physical stimulation each day. They get physical exercise, environmental enrichment, and training. They never make a dolphin do anything they don’t want to do and they only have the best intentions for all their dolphins. When you watch them interact with their trainers you can see the love between them. It’s a beautiful thing to see.
Some people have concerns about having dolphins in human care, and not all facilities are the same. That’s why it is important to choose locations like Dolphin Quest that are Humane Certified by American Humane and accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. This way, you can be sure the animals are receiving the absolute best care.
Cost: The cost of our dolphin encounter was $259.
There are many different packages you could have. Click HERE to see the full menu.
Hours: Weekday hours are 9:00 am-5:00pm.
Weekend and public holidays are 9:30 am-5:00 pm.
Can you buy pictures?
Since this is such a memorable experience, you’ll want to capture the moments. You are going to want to purchase some of the beautiful pictures that the professional photographers take. There are several ways to buy your pictures:
Pick them up for up to 5 days directly from the Dolphin Quest gift shop.
You could also purchase them online for up to 14 days from your program.
Tips for a perfect day
Check in 30 minutes prior to your dolphin encounter.
Don’t forget to bring your own towel!
Check the ages of participants.
It did not include the dolphin pulling you through the water like they do in some other dolphin experiences. We didn’t miss that part at all since there’s so much interaction with them, but just be aware.
During busy seasons, this fills up fast and it is popular among cruise ships since they dock right at the Dockyard. Book far in advance!
Don’t want to swim with them but want to see their adorable little faces? Perfect! Seeing the dolphins is included in your entrance fee at the Dockyard. You can’t get too close, but you can see them swimming and interacting with trainers.
There are free wetsuits for visits from November to April.
They also have an outer habitat dolphin sanctuary accessible through a tunnel from the inner dolphin habitat where we were. These combined areas make this environment one of the largest of its kind for dolphins in professional human care. They offer additional programs in this section.
Address: 15 The Keep, Sandy’s Bermuda
Phone number: 800-248-3316
Want more info? Give them a follow:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DolphinQuest
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Dolphin_Quest/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dolphin_Quest
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/dqvideos1?sub_confirmation=1
Thank you so much to Dolphin Quest for having us as your guests. This has been a truly memorable experience and I can’t wait to bring my kids along next time. As always, all experiences and opinions are 100% of Mytravelingkids.