Before an outing

Before booking a trip WITH cetacean entry:

This trip is for you if you meet all these requirements: You know how to swim. You are truly comfortable in the water with fins, mask, and snorkel. You are in good physical health and able to swim at least 100 meters in the "big blue" with waves and currents without touching the bottom or seeing the bottom with your mask. You are able to independently return to the boat, either along the tubes on a Zodiac or via a ladder on the catamaran. You believe that going in search of wild animals to observe them depends on their willingness, their behavior, and the environmental conditions, which can be difficult in the Indian Ocean. You are responsive and able to follow precise instructions. You are over 12 years old (between 8 and 12 years old, contact us).

This trip is not for you if any of these statements apply: You cannot swim. You are not comfortable snorkeling or you only use a full-face mask. You are not physically able to swim 100 meters in open water with fins or to frequently climb back onto a rope or stainless steel ladder. You have known health problems or are pregnant (see Terms and Conditions). You are under 8 years old. You have a physical, mental, or psychological disability; please contact us before booking.

The instructors reserve the right to refuse to board or launch anyone who does not respect these conditions and the instructions given. No discount will be offered in this case.

Booking a Duocean outing:

Book a few days in advance and suggest a date to your friends and family. If you are in a group, it is best to pay per person. During peak season, which is the whale-watching season, it is recommended to book at least three to four weeks in advance.

Places can only be reserved online with credit card payment. For the Zodiac, payment is made in full online. For the catamaran, partial payment is required, and the balance is payable directly to the partner on the day of the trip by credit card or cash.

Please note: If there is no drop-down menu on the page where you enter your name and email address to select the number of participants, there is only one place available. Your reservation is confirmed by an automatic email once payment is validated. You will receive a reminder email the day before your trip. If you do not hear from us before the trip, it means the trip is still on.

We do not maintain a waiting list. Any cancellations are announced on the Duocean Facebook page.

Please be careful when selecting your place; there will be no changes or refunds if you make an error. If you have any questions, we are available BEFORE your reservation for any inquiries.

Please provide your actual contact phone number and email address when booking before the trip.

On the day of the trip:

Please arrive at the time indicated on your reservation and at the meeting point on the chosen boat. To respect the timing of the trip and the other participants, we will not wait for latecomers. No postponements or discounts will be made in the event of delays. In addition, the partner fee for the catamaran, payable directly to the boat, remains due by all participants.

To avoid seasickness, do not arrive hungry or very tired.

A swimsuit "worn on your body" is essential.

On the Zodiac, avoid carrying dry items (bag, towel, cell phone, clothes, shoes, camera, etc.), which greatly impede our navigation on board. Leave them in your car or in the Duocean vehicle. Sunglasses are recommended for your visual comfort during active search phases. In the southern winter, you may want to bring a windbreaker. The rest of the year, a rash guard or long-sleeved T-shirt and a hat are recommended.

Whale watching excursions with entry into the water are therefore not suitable for you. For all these excursions, you must be comfortable with a mask and snorkel and master the finning motion without hitting the surface of the water with your fins. You also need to be fit enough to return to the boat independently. Full-face masks are not suitable for the Indian Ocean.

The initial launch or the first few minutes of snorkeling around the boat will allow you to assess your abilities. If it turns out to be too challenging for you, you will be encouraged to come back on board and enjoy the excursion from the boat (no discount will be given).

If you have never snorkeled before, choose either a place on a "catamaran WITHOUT swim" where you stay on board to enjoy the excursion from the boat.

Note that you will always have the choice of going into the water or staying on the boat depending on your abilities and desires.

Cetaceans taste the water in order to know their environment, to identify their health and readiness for mating with their peers (...) It's like the sense of smell in humans. We will therefore avoid disturbing them as much as possible with particles of sunscreen all around them. The marine environment will also be better off without it ;-)

Sunscreen on your face causes your mask to fog up, which can interfere with viewing.

Also note that the duration of effectiveness of these products in Reunion is very short, less than an hour.

To protect you from the sun, Duocean has installed a roof on the zodiac and the partner catamaran also has areas protected from direct rays. The wetsuit worn during the outing is a much more effective barrier against UV rays. Also, don't hesitate to take a hat, a lycra/long-sleeved T-shirt and sunglasses on board.

This is the "game" of cetacean outings... sightings are never guaranteed in the wild, just as on land safaris.

We know the areas frequented and the times the animals are there, but it's not an exact science. The ocean isn't a zoo; these are wild animals who choose whether or not to show themselves. Despite our experience, launches can fail: it's possible that the animals aren't ready to receive us and that they avoid us in the water. In this case, we don't insist. The animals' comfort is our priority and always prioritized.

No discount is made if the animals are not at the meeting.

During the outing, the Duocean guide will provide you with information on the marine environment, cetaceans, the marine reserve, birds, etc.

The time spent in the water with the animals varies greatly from one outing to another: from a few seconds to several minutes sometimes. This depends both on the availability of the animals at that moment and also on the correct application of the rules for approaching cetaceans by the participants. It is a question of implementing the instructions given by the instructor during the briefing to optimize the chances that the animals choose to do the last few meters.

In addition, Reunion Island legislation determines a maximum time in the water depending on the conditions of human presence. This is in order to disturb the whales and dolphins as little as possible. (see question on legislation)

Nature is impermanent and it also happens that no cetaceans are observed during the excursion. They can also be seen only from the boat if they are not available for an aquatic encounter.

In order to preserve the peace and quiet of cetaceans, Réunion has implemented a prefectural decree which governs their approaches: when, how, duration, with whom, what diploma is necessary to supervise cetacean outings (annex 1)...

Duocean is committed to the authorities for its application, to the public for awareness, and to Nature for respect for animals. Passive observation allows the animal to choose whether or not to come and meet humans. No interaction is offered by humans; the animals use their time for their own needs.

It is a sporting activity aimed more at dynamic adults.

Current regulations, however, allow underwater snorkeling for children aged 8 and over*. Please contact us before booking if your children are between 8 and 12 years old.

Beyond the age of 12, even if your child knows how to "swim", it is therefore essential to ensure your child's real snorkeling abilities in order to guarantee a great outing for everyone:

- Is my child able to swim 100 meters with fins in the open sea without being able to see the bottom?

- Is he able to look into the water even if there are waves offshore?

- Can he manage his mask and snorkel in the open sea without getting sick? (no full face mask)

- Is he able to act quickly like an adult to equip himself, get into the water in sync with all the other participants, and swim without slowing down the group?

- Is he able to stay calm in the water and not get agitated?

Please present the ID of each minor registered for the trip. The instructor and captain may refuse to allow a child on board if their age cannot be verified. In this case, no discount will be offered and the trip will be due in full.

Your children over 8 years old will always have the choice of going into the water or staying on the boat according to their abilities and desires. To be able to remain alone on board, your child must be independent. The captain, busy navigating and guiding people in the water, cannot under any circumstances take care of them. If your child is sick during the outing or is not independent, an adult must remain on board with them. No discount will be granted.

Zodiac outings are not suitable for children under 8 years old and they take up a place on the boat according to the law. Only the catamaran can accommodate them, but they will pay an adult place from 2 years old. We do not charge a child rate because there is no "half place" on a boat... In addition, one of the parents must remain on board at all times with the child. Please therefore book two places on the "catamaran ride" schedule without launching if you have a child between 2 and 8 years old. Under 2 years old, the child's place is free on the catamaran but we strongly advise against their presence on board.

The outings include periods of physical activity: snorkeling, going back on the boat, etc.

You must therefore be in good shape, and in particular not have cardiovascular problems, back pain, severe asthma or be pregnant (see our T&Cs for more information).

If you have a physical, mental, or psychological disability, please contact us before booking. A medical certificate may be required depending on the situation.

There is no upper age limit. It all depends on the participant's physical condition.

In the event of a participant's health problem, it must be reported to the instructors before booking and before the outing.

The instructors reserve the right not to board or launch anyone who does not comply with these conditions and the instructions given. No discount will be given.

The Indian Ocean is rarely completely calm. At times, the boat must stop during approach, which can lead to seasickness. The activity itself makes about 2 out of 10 people seasick.

We advise sensitive participants to bring anti-seasickness medication for a pleasant outing (mercalme, cocculine, etc.) and to follow our advice to avoid it, such as not overdoing it the day before (alcohol and food), not coming on an empty stomach, and participating in the active search for animals.

We will tell you about it at the briefing, but only three sharks have been observed during cetacean outings since our creation. They were not at all interested in us... Probably because a shark does not approach a group of swimmers as big as it! These animals are wary and observe for a long time before approaching humans. The accidents concern people who isolate themselves in poor visibility.

Our procedures implemented with regard to this risk:

- moving in a tight group, the main factor for your safety

- the instructor always goes into the water first and then authorizes the group to enter the water

- he watches over the group throughout the presence in the water

- he goes back on the boat last

- the captain, also very experienced, watches over the water from the boat

- short launches, which do not give the sharks time to take an interest in the group

- calm participants, who do not attract sharks from afar by tapping the surface of the water

At each outing, our participants tell us that they felt safe in this new environment.

Whales are generally present from June to October, but everything depends on the number and the migration which can change greatly depending on the year: In 2018, the first whales arrived in June, and they left at the end of October! In 2019 and 2020, they were present from July to the end of August. In 2022 and 2023 some stayed from June until the beginning of November. In 2024 the whales were in Reunion waters from June to September.

The 3 species of dolphins are present ALL YEAR ROUND, without any particular period.

If you encounter cetaceans in the water, the guide will film your outing and post it within 48 hours on one of Duocean's social networks: Facebook OR Instagram . You can save the real footage to your profile so you can come back to it whenever you want.

We don't keep the movies; it would be too much data to store. We therefore cannot personally send you the movie or the rushes after your release.

By default, you cannot bring your own photo/video equipment into the water. Indeed, when filming, participants are less focused on the approach instructions and sometimes even turn into "image hunters" rather than passive and benevolent observers.

We therefore invite you to take advantage of the moment with your eyes to fully experience these unique moments of encounter with cetaceans. Especially since the guide films if you see animals in the water and posts it for free on Duocean's social networks following the outing (see previous question).

However, the dive director remains free to accept or not the carriage of your camera on board.

Those who wish to take photos from the boat will only choose the "catamaran ride" excursion without launching where dry gear can be taken on board.

The red zodiac belongs to DUOCEAN, seats must be paid in full online by credit card.

The catamaran is a partner boat whose service is to be paid partly online to DUOCEAN and the other part directly on the day of the trip either by credit card or in cash. Invoices for both services are available from both entities.

DUOCEAN reserves the right to modify prices at any time and without notice in order to adapt them to changes in its operations.

We do not accept holiday vouchers.

Cancellation / modification of an outing by a customer:

To cancel or modify your reservation, please contact us as soon as possible and during our opening hours by email at duocean.reunion@gmail.com or by phone/text at 06 92 44 30 11, specifying the boat, the date and time of the planned departure, your first and last name and your reservation number.

Changing the date of your reservation is possible more than 7 days before the scheduled outing and subject to availability. Cancellation of your reservation is possible more than 7 days before the scheduled outing and the requested refund will be effective on your bank account within a few business days. A cancellation fee of 30% of the amount paid online for the reservation applies for each cancellation more than 7 days before the scheduled appointment, starting from the confirmation of your reservation.

No refunds or changes are possible within 7 days of the scheduled appointment, regardless of the reason for cancellation. In addition, the partner fee payable directly to the catamaran remains due by all participants.

DUOCEAN does not cover delays, booking errors, appointment location errors, family issues, or last-minute medical problems, even with a medical certificate. The same applies to delayed flights, car breakdowns, etc. For this, you can contact your travel insurance or your credit card. A certificate of non-refund can be sent to you upon request at duocean.reunion@gmail.com.

By booking, you agree to bring a number of people corresponding to the number of places you have reserved. For group bookings, we encourage you to make one reservation per person to facilitate possible changes or cancellations by one of the participants.

Cancellation of an outing by DUOCEAN:

We may cancel a trip if there are not enough participants, in the event of poor weather conditions (wind, swell), boat breakdown, or the absence of an instructor. Payments will then be fully refunded if there is no possibility of rescheduling.

In the event of a direct cancellation on our part, participants wishing to reschedule their seats can do so on the website www.duocean.com. No priority is given, and we do not maintain a waiting list.

Please provide the telephone number and email address where you can be reached before departure when making your reservation.