Anthony's Key Resort

[boostedz06]

Hi, my girlfriend and I are going on a 7 day cruise coming up this Sunday to: Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel aboard the Carnival Valor.

I see the dolphin dive with AKR is $200 if you book with the ship and $137 according to the AKR web site.

I called AKR and they said I cannot book directly through them and must book through the cruise. I find this is bullshxt because I normally try to book separate to avoid the crazy surcharges.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips?

Anyone else going to be on our cruise?

 

[RTBDiver]

If you stay at AKR or elswhere on the Island you can do the dolphin thing at their advertised cost, do not blame them that the cruise ship folks who you paid a large amount of money need their commission and will pull places off their itinerary if they undercut them. If AKR undercuts the price for ship passengers then they will lose a bunch of money when the cruise lines pull them from the options, if anything be upset the cruise folks are not happy providing a great service for their guests without absorbing some of the cost themselves, Afterall Carnival did profit almost 3 billion dollars last year. It would cost them zero out of pocket to accept less profit per AKR visitor but they want to make as much as they can. Why would you think AKR should absorb this and not the cruise industry?
Now, If you want to pretend your not on the cruise, pay for a rental car and take a chance they will have a spot for you then you too can get the homeboy price but if they are booked up its back to Mahogany bay

 

[Doc]

Any tips?

Other than enjoying the bullshxt? (Hey, you're on a cruise~ that's what they serve) Seriously, though. Everything they sell is inflated. Why worry about this minor blip in terms of the percentage of the whole? Look at it as a containerized package deal... what RTBDiver was alluding to.

The best tip I can give is at AKR: skip the Dolphin Dive and do the Dolphin Encounter. It is lots cheaper and has much more interaction with Flipper in terms of time as well as actual, direct contact.

Search here on SB for the many previous threads and posts that will back that up.

... but if they are booked up its back to Mahogany bay

Which is quite a show, in and of itself.

 

[boostedz06]

If you stay at AKR or elswhere on the Island you can do the dolphin thing at their advertised cost, do not blame them that the cruise ship folks who you paid a large amount of money need their commission and will pull places off their itinerary if they undercut them. If AKR undercuts the price for ship passengers then they will lose a bunch of money when the cruise lines pull them from the options, if anything be upset the cruise folks are not happy providing a great service for their guests without absorbing some of the cost themselves, Afterall Carnival did profit almost 3 billion dollars last year. It would cost them zero out of pocket to accept less profit per AKR visitor but they want to make as much as they can. Why would you think AKR should absorb this and not the cruise industry?
Now, If you want to pretend your not on the cruise, pay for a rental car and take a chance they will have a spot for you then you too can get the homeboy price but if they are booked up its back to Mahogany bay

Their advertised cost is $110 for guest, $137 for VISITORS...key word here VISITORS. That is in fact their advertised price. I would gladly get my own transportation to and from them. I guess that is the best option, to just tell them flat out that I am not with any cruise line..

I think we might opt for the Shark Dive instead. A lot less $. Its just that Ive already done plenty of them, but she hasnt.

 

[boostedz06]

Other than enjoying the bullshxt? (Hey, you're on a cruise~ that's what they serve) Seriously, though. Everything they sell is inflated. Why worry about this minor blip in terms of the percentage of the whole? Look at it as a containerized package deal... what RTBDiver was alluding to.

The best tip I can give is at AKR: skip the Dolphin Dive and do the Dolphin Encounter. It is lots cheaper and has much more interaction with Flipper in terms of time as well as actual, direct contact.

Search here on SB for the many previous threads and posts that will back that up.



Which is quite a show, in and of itself.

Yeah while searching I did find more people said to do the encounter. I'll have to check into that... but was really looking fwd to getting some good underwater shots of the dolphins.

 

[boostedz06]

Afterall Carnival did profit almost 3 billion dollars last year.

Exactly why I dont want to contribute anything more to Carnival.

 

[RTBDiver]

The best tip I can give is at AKR: skip the Dolphin Dive and do the Dolphin Encounter. It is lots cheaper and has much more interaction with Flipper in terms of time as well as actual, direct contact.

Or, you could skip the dolphin thing and just do some O/W dives and enjoy Roatan naturally and leave the dolphin thing for your next trip to Epcot Center

 

[weaponeer]

Welcome to Scubaboard and congratulations on your first post, boostedz06.

Look at it this way - You've already paid for an overpriced cruise. What's another $63 to the cruise line so you can get off the ship and play with some dolphins?

 

[boostedz06]

Welcome to Scubaboard and congratulations on your first post, boostedz06.

Look at it this way - You've already paid for an overpriced cruise. What's another $63 to the cruise line so you can get off the ship and play with some dolphins?

$63x2 = $126
- $20-30 cab fare = $90 to spend on other stuff

Sorry guys but this is how one thinks when saving for a down payment on his first home. I used to spend $ carelessly, but not anymore. Especially in times like this.

 

[RTBDiver]

Sorry guys but this is how one thinks when saving for a down payment on his first home. I used to spend $ carelessly, but not anymore. Especially in times like this.

If your home savings are an isue and you can't really afford it then why do the trip? And if dolphin dive encounters were really the priority then maybe you should have skipped the 5 star cruise ship accomodations with only hours in each destination and stayed someplace that offered what you really wanted. Like i and others mentioned, You spend the big bucks on a cruise and then complain about locals, Just ain't gonna cut it bubba