Ahoy, Regina!
Welcome aboard planDisney! What a magical memory you are about to make with your granddaughter! There’s just something extra special about sharing experiences like this together, and I have a feeling the two of you are going to be talking about your dolphin encounter long after your cruise is over.
Now, hopefully I can help put your mind at ease a little. You made a very smart choice booking your
Blue Lagoon Island Dolphin Encounter through Disney Cruise Line. While Port Adventures are operated by independent contractors, one of the biggest advantages of booking directly through Disney is that your Port Adventure guides coordinate everything to ensure Guests return to the ship before the all aboard time. As long as you follow the instructions and timing provided by your guides, you should not feel rushed trying to make it back onboard.
One thing I’ve personally noticed with Port Adventures is that the departure time listed during booking often doesn’t exactly match the actual onboard meeting time. Even though you selected a 12:30 PM departure when your booking window opened, it’s very common for the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to later show an earlier meeting time once you’re onboard. In my experience, a listed 12:30 excursion sometimes ends up with an onboard meeting time closer to 11:00 AM so the groups can be organized and transported smoothly while still giving Guests the full experience.
And honestly, Disney tends to run these Port Adventures with the kind of organization you’d expect from the crew of The Incredibles when they’re working together to save the day. They guide thousands of Guests through excursions every week, so the transportation and return timing are coordinated very well.
I hope this helps ease some of those worries as you
count down to your adventure together! Sharing a dolphin encounter with your granddaughter sounds like the kind of core memory that would make Joy very proud.
Sea ya real soon with warm air, calm seas, and a ship that always feels like home,
Dustin