Disney Cruise Line (The Walt Disney Company subsidiary) sells onshore excursions to passengers, including closely interacting with dolphins in captive facilities around the Caribbean, Bermuda and Mexico. The company currently operates six ships, their newest to join the fleet being Disney Treasures, launched in December 2024, with a capacity of 4,000 passengers – meaning that hundreds disembark on any given day to visit the dolphins, depending on the location the ship docks. The dolphins are worked every day, all day and year-round, with little respite from the dozens of tourists paying to touch/swim or be photographed with the individual dolphin. Port excursions include visiting the dolphins at Atlantis in the Bahamas, Dolphin Quest in Bermuda and various Dolphin Discovery locations in Mexico.
Dolphin interaction/swim-with sessions have become exceptionally popular in the past decade. Unlike passengers on a cruise, who enjoy miles of open ocean, dolphins in sea pens are restricted to a few metres if they are lucky. Companies such as Virgin Holidays, Jet2holidays and British Airways have ceased ticket sales to aquariums and marine parks that exploit captive cetaceans, and Disney Cruise Line must join that list. Ironically, the company also offers passengers the experience of watching dolphins or whales in their natural habitat at some port destinations.
Disney Cruise Line earns considerable revenue by selling guaranteed tickets for dolphin interaction activities, many of which get fully booked months ahead, but enough is enough!
Marine Connection is urging Disney Cruise Line to stop taking the Mickey, cease this unethical tourism activity and offer only more natural, at-distance encounters with dolphins.
