Great experience, professionally planned. The team managed expectation of seeing whales and dolphins
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Live commentary
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Dedicated time for marine mammal viewing
- Island Stop at Rotoroa Island or Man O' War Vineyards
Excludes
- Sandwiches, snacks and drinks are available for purchase onboard.
- Hotel pick-up or drop-off
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Please check in at the Explore Kiosk (opposite the Maritime Museum) 15 mins before departure. Timetable: SUMMER (until 7 April) Mon–Fri (island stop): 9:15am–4pm Sat, Sun & Public Holidays: 9:30am (island stop) & 11:30am–5:20pm WINTER (from 8 April) Wed–Sun (island stop): 9:15am–4pm
Return
- Please check in at the Explore Kiosk (opposite the Maritime Museum) 15 mins before departure. Timetable: SUMMER (until 7 April) Mon–Fri (island stop): 9:15am–4pm Sat, Sun & Public Holidays: 9:30am (island stop) & 11:30am–5:20pm WINTER (from 8 April) Wed–Sun (island stop): 9:15am–4pm
Itinerary
Spot diverse marine wildlife in their natural habitat - the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park from onboard our premium cruise fleet purpose built for wildlife viewing. Departing from the Auckland Viaduct, cruise past several of the Hauraki Gulf Islands in search for whales, dolphins, seals, birdlife and much more! Your tour also includes a stop-over at either Rotoroa Island or Man O' War Vineyards on Waiheke Island (No Island Stop on 11:30am departure). Choose to discover 8km of walks, sheltered sandy beaches and native wildlife on Rotoroa Island or opt for a more laid-back experience at Man O' War Vineyards to enjoy their relaxed beachfront cellar door and restaurant. With large picture windows and expansive viewing decks including roof, front and rear decks there is space for everyone to get front row seats to the resident whales, dolphins, penguins and surrounding islands. Our vessels are fitted with amenities to make your cruise as comfortable as possible with fully licensed cafe onboard providing light refreshments, comfortable seating throughout the cabins, as well as onboard resources to increase your knowledge of the local wildlife.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
Saw dolphins, saw island, well planned.
A glorified ferry service. Not a whale watching cruise. No attempt was made to find whales and only a couple of dolphins spotted. Ship was run down and crew were unfriendly.
it was nice, everything was organised. .............................................................
I very well planned trip,Enjoyed the break at Rotoroa island. We were so lucky to have seen so many dolphins
I went by myself and it was so lovely. We saw two pods of common dolphins and the crew members were so knowledgeable. As an conservation biologist, it was great to hear that they acknowledged the time limit that they can spend with pods, while still offering people to see them. It was a very interesting time biologically as they follow the ganets (sea-brids) to find the marine mammals and they explain every part of that. I did the rotorua island part and the island was super nice. Very quick turn around of 1.5 hrs allowed on the island, but it's super small, so you can definitely get a good hike in and a good swim in within that time period. 10/10.
I had an absolutely amazing experience at the dolphin show! From start to finish, everything was organized perfectly and the staff were friendly and helpful. The dolphins were incredible to watch, very playful, intelligent, and well-trained. I loved seeing their acrobatics and interactions with the trainers — it was both entertaining and educational. The venue was clean and comfortable, and the atmosphere was lively and fun. I especially appreciated how the staff explained interesting facts about the dolphins, which made the experience even more memorable. I would highly recommend this dolphin show to anyone visiting — it’s a truly unforgettable experience!
It was a great day out! The weather was supreme! The organization was great with a very easy system to get each group to where they needed to be! Best of all we saw whales and dolphins! A most enjoyable day out with friends
Disappointed title tour name totally misleading 1st island drop off Rotorua was good to sea but very little commentary about scenery on way out spent approximately 3 hours in search of nothing! Then on way back became a ferry service arriving back at wharf 1 hour late Was told we could get voucher for another day still waiting but like most traveler’s we are already committed feel a refund of sorts should be given
The weather on the day was perfect and sunny as we left the harbour. Unfortunately as we came round the western side of the islands the wind came up and so it was a bit challenging being on the top deck, but still sunny. Our first stop was a drop off at an island for other day trippers, then I got off at Man-of -War Bay and winery. This was stunning! The venue was well presented and very welcoming. The staff were all very nice and the food and local wine was fantastic. It is a little on what I consider expensive but very good. After a walk along the beach and sitting in the sun for a bit, we boarded a larger vessel and headed out to search for Marine Life. This is where the wind really had an impact. We headed straight in to the wind and whist the boat handled it and I wasn't too rough due to the twin hulls, the wind was strong and uncomfortable. A good wind breaker jacket is advisable. We searched for 3 has and tried all the local knowledge tricks to fine marine creatures, but possibly due to a report of a pod or Orcas in the area or just because they didn't surface where we were, no sightings happened on Sunday. However, the company is great and gave us all a voucher for another trip, valid for the lifetime of the holder! I will definitely be going again. I loved every aspect of the trip. I thought it was worth every cent to be out on a boat on such a beautiful day. The crew were amazing. The ship was in excellent condition. The Captain was very skilful and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
While my tour ended up being a dud, I would still do this again. I had the unfortunate experience of no marine wildlife and rain. It was the only day that fir into my schedule. While I could have canceled it due to the rain, I wanted to at least try. I wasn't able to see whales or dolphins like I wanted but I did get to be on the ocean and then visit Rotoroa Island. The island was beautiful (even in the light rain). I was offered a voucher for a free return visit since we didn't see any animals. And even though I could fit the return visit in my schedule, I know I will be back this summer to use it.
We had a great day and saw plenty of dolphins (common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins) playing around the boat and three whales. The captain and the whole crew were most helpful and friendly. Thanks!
The captain and crew were great, couldn’t have been more helpful!…. Captain gave us a great insight to the local islands and history as we passed. Fantastic when it came to the whale/dolphins, everyone on board took part in looking out for sightings. We saw some Brydes whales and a whole pod of dolphins, extra special was a large bronze whaler shark that passed alongside the boat. The whole day was great, end to end!….
Unfortunately due to weather the cruise was cancelled. Communication from cruise operator was prompt and friendly. Rookie mistake though was not planning/arranging a back up activity so pretty much a precious day wasted
Disappointed. If you’re interested in a 75-90 boat ride to and from the drop off island, you’ll like this tour. Dropped up passengers at two islands and then on to our search for dolphins. We managed to find one pod of dolphins during our 2 hour hunt and that was exciting. The title of the tour is misleading. No whales here to search for. Seven hours for 30 minutes of enjoying seeing the dolphins.
A fabulous, full day (9:30am to 5:30pm out on the water. Couple of hours at Man ‘o War island (where lunch is surprisingly good at the winery!) Had a full day at our disposal before flying out late at night, so a highly recommended way to pass the time!
It was a awe-inspiring. stunning natural scenery, a thrilling adventure experience that is both beautiful and amazing.
Great trip! We weren't lucky enough to see any whales but we did see dolphins! The stop at the winery was a wonderful side excursion.
We enjoyed the boat trip and the hiking on the island. It was both relaxing and exciting. Loved seeing the dolphins!
They are giving very bad service,sending wrong places,not showing any marine mammals . Staff behavior was very unfriendly, they are talking harshly , and they were not supporting travelers . don't tarvel anyone with this . I have faced bad 👎 experiences with this travel.
Great trip! Easy to navigate to the harbour and the team gave us clear instructions on what to do. The dolphins made the team work for it but we spent a lot of time with them when we did find them. The island was brilliant and we managed to do the North route and take pictures before getting picked up! Well worth doing and a nice day out 😊
The staff is helpful and the content is great‼︎ We met two groups of dolphins. The first time we had a group of six horses, the second time we had a group of more than 12 horses, it was very friendly. We swam around the boat and we could see babies with us.
Ausflug wurde einen Tag vorher abgesagt! Da man meistens Tage voraus bucht, war woanders natürlich nix spannendes mehr frei. Schade um den Tag. Warte noch auf die Rückzahlung!
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