Eco-friendly Catamaran Dolphin And Whale Watching

My friend and I had an amazing time with Magic Dolphin! 🤍 Getting to see dolphins and pilot whales in their natural habitat was such a beautiful experience, and the whole crew made it even better! Everyone was so welcoming, friendly and attentive throughout the trip. I do have to give a special mention to Tiago, though! He was absolutely lovely, explaining everything in both Portuguese and English with so much enthusiasm and always making sure everyone was having a good time. Such a genuinely kind person, with the sweetest energy and a great sense of humour! It’s funny how sometimes it’s not just the experience itself, but also the people who make it unforgettable…☺️ Definitely the highlight of my trip to Madeira. A big thank you to the whole crew, and an extra one to Tiago ☺️

Thus is a responsibile operation with spotters on the hills. Nice catamaran. Friendly well-informed crew. We saw spotted dolphins and pilot whales. There is a swim stop!

If you are in Madeira, take this tour! You are most likely only going to see dolphins but the best part is just seeing the coastline from the water. It's a really enjoyable time just being on the boat and the the staff are very friendly. We were really thankful that we included this in our Madeira stay!

Excellent from beginning to end. Saw pilot whales and bottle nose dolphins. Excellent information on both. To top it all toilets were very clean. Better than most hotels and bars.

I enjoyed the trip, saw dolphins and learned a lot, but the staff’s behaviour towards me tainted what would otherwise have been a great boat ride. Both when boarding and when leaving the boat, the staff greeted the white woman I was travelling with but ignored me, even though I greeted them directly. As the only Black man on board, this difference in treatment felt prejudiced and left me feeling unwelcome. Maybe the experience is different if you’re not travelling as a mixed-race group—it’s hard to tell. But standing together and seeing her acknowledged while I was ignored was hard to overlook. Every guest deserves the same courtesy and respect. Based on my experience, I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending this company to other people of colour.

It's not guarateed you'll see anything of much, we got some activity with dolphins and had an opportunity of a sperm whale which decides to dive when we apprpoached. The eco boat is large with plenty of sitting space and crew friendly. They did their best but we mostly had a long boat ride which wasn't unpleasant

We really enjoyed our mini-cruise and did see some dolphins after quite a while searching. The boat was very clean and comfortable and staff very friendly and informative. It was very good that they could switch to the electric motors when near the animals so as no to disturb them.

The first whale and dolphin trip I’ve been on that actually saw whales and dolphins. The boat is very spacious with 360 degree views from both decks. Staff very knowledgeable and friendly. We saw a Cuvier beaked whale, pod of pilot whales and large pod of bottled nose dolphins. Would highly recommend

Really great morning trip on the catamaran. Nice comfortable boat . The crew were great very friendly and informative. We saw dolphins and pilot whales which was wonderful. I highly recommend this trip!

My partner and I went on the 10am trip on 24/09 and from start to finish it was incredible. I have a mobility issue and the crew priority boarded me and ensured I had help moving to see the pilot whales which we saw on the trip. No dolphins on this trip but what a completely awesome experience to see the pilot whales so close but completely in their own habitat. I cannot recommend this company enough , the commentary and crew wildlife descriptions were so interesting. Next visit to Maderia i would absolutely do this again as it the one experience I would love to do again on return to Maderia

Great! Cannot recommend this enough. Saw plenty of dolphins and a few wales the guides and spotters were brilliant if I had more time on the island I would have probably done this again but will next time I visit.

Simply a fantastic experience! The catamaran is excellent—very comfortable, spacious, and extremely well maintained. The crew was incredibly friendly, professional, and attentive throughout the entire trip. The atmosphere was amazing, with beautiful scenery and unforgettable moments

Had an absolute blast, the crew was very helpful and we saw some pilot whales and even went for a swim. Would do that again 10/10 times

Guides were so knowledgeable, friendly and made us really welcome. We saw families of bottle noses dolphins which was an amazing experience. The guides were so respectful of the animals, it really was a lovely trip.

Excellent trip great staff lots of information on dolphins and the area we were travellin lovely boat would highly recomend this trip

Excellent trip, dolphins, a whale and flying fish! The vessel was very comfortable and the waters were smooth.

Great experience. Crew were very good with natural history and area knowledge.

A good trip but as there are no guarantees that you will see either whales or dolphins, to catch a glimpse off a small pod was exciting but a little under whelming and the fact we could only follow the pod for 10 minutes, we saw nothing else after that. Still we had a nice morning on the boat.

I really enjoyed, the staff is very nice and gave priority to my pregnant wife. They also gave information about the dolphins and whale that we've seen. They also explained some historical facts about Madeira island, very interesting. Would definitely recommend !!!

Saw 3 different types of dolphins today on our whale watch: rough tooth dolphins, bottlenose, dolphins, and pilot whales. The rough tooth dolphins were my favorite -they swim in pods, bow surfing- swimming right in front of the boat! I was basically looking straight down on top of them! It was really cool to see three different kinds of dolphins, including a baby dolphin. So I'm trying not to be disappointed we didn’t see actual whales…unless pilot whales count…even though they’re actually dolphins… whoever named them thought they were whales so I guess that counts. Guides were helpful and gave us a lot of interesting info about dolphins. Fun bonus that I did not expect- sitting on the front of the boat and getting splashed with the waves!

I understand that it’s important not to get too close to the whales, and I appreciate that the crew respected the animals and didn’t want to stress them. However, the experience wasn’t enjoyable for me. The boat made so many fast turns and sudden maneuvers while searching for the whales that I became extremely seasick and felt like I was going to throw up. If you’re prone to motion sickness, this is definitely something to keep in mind before booking. While I respect the company’s approach to wildlife, the boat ride itself made the experience uncomfortable for me. The whales we watched was from 200 meters so I definitely didn’t watch a whale

Absolutely outstanding customer service by the crew mobility friendly and a breath taking experience

Informative trip. We saw 2 whales and lots of dolphins. The spotter had an excellent eye. Diago was especially impressive. He was very knowledgeable about the marine life, answered many questions and was very charming. Great trip! Great birthday!

Very pleasant trip, saw 2 Whales and the views of the coastline on the return leg of the trip are spectacular!

Was a phenomenal experience!! We saw 4 different species of wales and dolphins and the marine biologist was extremely passionate and knowledgeable, an unforgettable morning 🤩

There was an opportunity to swim in the sea, off the front of the boat which we weren’t aware of. - Take swimming costume & towel! General announcement were clear on top deck & doe stores but lack of microphone & p.a. staff upstairs prevented good information aharing.

Our catamaran trip was fantastic from start to finish! The entire experience was well-organized, making for a completely stress-free day on the water for the whole family. The boat itself was a highlight—spacious, modern, and clean, with plenty of room to move around comfortably. We also really appreciated the crew’s focus on eco-friendly practices, respecting the marine life and the ocean environment. Speaking of marine life: we were lucky enough to see several different dolphin species! The crew was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating facts and spotting the animals with ease. The staff and crew were warm, welcoming, and friendly throughout the entire journey. Everyone in the family left with a smile on their face. If you are visiting Madeira, this eco-friendly catamaran trip is an absolute must-do!

Second trip on this fantastic vessel. Loads of space to move around on deck, especially if you stay on the lower deck. This boat rides absolutely flat and steady as it is a catamaran so no problems if you are concerned about sea sickness. The day we went was a record for the crew, 2 dolphin pods and 4 whale pods, amazing. Highly recommended, great value.

Very good trip. Great to see a large pod of dolphins. Guys on the ship were very good and provided valuable information on the animals. Highly recommended

Absolutely worth it! Saw a ton of dolphins and even about three Sperm whales on the trip I took. The crew are friendly and knowledgeable and help sighting what your there to see. Everything is done ethically the crew know when to move on from the stop but typically Dolphins will still follow you.

We had an absolutely amazing time dolphin watching — seeing the dolphins and even a sperm whale was unforgettable! The staff were incredibly knowledgeable about the dolphins, whales, and the surrounding coastline, which made the whole experience even more interesting and enjoyable. The trip is definitely suitable for all ages, making it a great activity for families, couples, or groups. The only downside was that the boat felt a little crowded at times, so fewer people onboard would have made viewing easier and more comfortable. Overall, a fantastic experience and one we’d highly recommend!

This excursion was incredible! The crew was great giving feedback when they had a sighting, and shared info on the whale/calf and dolphins we saw. Couldn’t have been better!

It was the 4th time we went for dolphin and whale watching with captain Franciso and his crew. Every time we saw dolphins and 2 out of 4 times, we even saw whales. Each time, we have chosen the morning trip and although there are a lot of people on the boat, it only gets to crowdy when everyone rushes to the same side, when the whales or dolphins appear. It is also a great experience for kids. The boat crew is very friendly. We once had an issue with a booking which needed to be corrected, which was done without any discussion. I can only recommend these guys.

Boarding was difficult as it is a big step down to tve boat, despite crew helping, not ideal for small children or people with mobility issues. The boat is open to the wind and despite being a sunny day, the wind howls through, making it very cold. There are only 2 toilets and with one passenger being so sick they locked themselves in the toilet for the whole trip, ended up with queues for the remaining toilet. I felt there was no effort to locate the dolphins, just sailing around hoping to see dolphins, which we did twice. The last hour was spent sailing along the shoreline, in an effort to use up the time, pointing out various landmarks and hotels. Having done several of these trips in various countries, this was easily the worst. Cold, no effort to find where dolphins are and the last hour as I mention felt like wasting time until time to moor the boat. The crew were friendly, but the trip simply wasn't worth the money.

Sorry, but i was really disapointed with this trip. Spent 3hrs on the trip with 15mins dolphin spotting. If you easily sea sick then avoid.

Great size boat with a friendly crew. We saw a large pod of common dolphins and stayed the allowed 10 minutes and then ventured west and was shown some beautiful views on the coast on the way back to Funchal. Having been on whale watching trip in differnt parts of the world, this felt more like a sightseeing cruise than a dolphin and whale watching trip. Nice all the same.

Great afternoon out at sea. The boat was great, lots of room for everyone. It took about 2.5 hrs. The crew were excellent. There was 2 bathrooms and a small bar for refreshments. Would recommend to bring a jacket and snacks. We got to see Dolphins which was fabulous but no whales. Probably too early in the season. Beautifil views of tge coastline on the way back to the harbour. Would recommend and would certainly do it again.

Fantastic tour. Excellent spotters and commentary . A must in Madeira

An amazing trip. We found a school of approximately 7/8 Pilot Whales and the electric motor allowed us to get really close, without disturbing them. They swam slowly along for our 10 minute visit to their kingdom, before we left them in peace ( this is a rule of the area, that only 2 boats can approach at a time and must move on after 10 minutes). Amazingly, we then came across 6 Sperm Whales and again we were able to approach in near silence and enjoy the privilege of being tolerated by them. The crew were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and seemed committed to the well being of the whales. A great experience!!

An absolutely amazing experience. The staff was very friendly and incredibly knowledgeable when it came to the different dolphins/whales we've seen. It felt they were very respectful to the animals as well, from spotting the pods to approaching them with the catamaran without shying them away. We went in February and you definitely need a jumper and ideally another layer even when the sun is out (it was 18 degrees that day) as it's quite breezy when you're sat aboard a cruising vessel for 3 hours. There were some families with kids at the front of the bottom deck who got splashed early on and it looked they didn't have any dry clothes with them, i felt a bit sorry for them. Price is absolutely worth it hands down. We saw some resting whales and 3 types of dolphin species. At one point we raced a pod of 30-40 dolphins into the setting sun, they were jumping and racing right next to our ship. The whole family had tears in their eyes, it felt so special.

Wonderful three hour trip to view dolphins and whales. We had no expectations of actually finding these animals but were amazed to see bottle nosed dolphins and also pilot whales! The crew were courteous and informative and the catamaran was spacious and clean. We loved this trip and would recommend it.

We had a great time the staff were brilliant the cattermaran was clean and well looked after. We would do this again.

Crew Great, lovely trip, saw whales and dolphins, very informative. 8 year old grandchild loved the morning trip. We all really enjoyed!

INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE. What an experience! One of the best of my life. We were ao extremely lucky to see 4 species of dolphins/ whales. Such a buzz from the tour. 3 hours flew by. Feel very fortunate to have done this activity. First time doing anything like this and want to do it again already. Staff were just amazing, so knowledgeable and friendly. I could not fault it. Don't hesitate to book this excursion. Jade and Rob, UK.

Lovely boat & friendly crew. Saw 2 pods of whales & dolphins. Opportunity to swim in lovely bay. Definitely go again Would highly recommend

My partner and I booked onto the Eco-Friendly Dolphin and Whale Watching tour with Magic Dolphin. We did see whales. Which was awesome. But overall, the excursion was a disappointment. The boat was very busy with people cramped into seating areas that did not feel like they had sufficient space for the volume of people in them. We saw the whales early, thanks to arriving at a spot where other boats were already experiencing a sighting. After approximately 45mins, we had had two sightings and we left to go East. There were no tannoy announcements as to what we were doing, and we never got one subsequently. There were some assumptions that we may have been looking for dolphin, no such announcement was made, and none were seen. Then we thought maybe we were going to a swimming spot (it was a sunny day), but we never stopped to swim, nor were offered the opportunity. It felt very much just like we were being 'held at sea' until we reached the required time advertised for the trip. We didn't explore the coastline, we just went straight out from the marina, saw the whales, then took a slow loop back home (that made up 75% of the trip). There was no atmosphere on the boat and once the whales had been seen the staff disappeared (they may have been tending to the multiple people vomiting, but as we weren't one of them, I could not comment). We were excited for this trip, and we were grateful to see whales (through a crowd of shoulders on a packed boat), but I don't think it was value for money, particularly 'eco-friendly' and did not match the expectations or description of what I thought we would experience.

This tour was amazing! After a short while heading out to sea a large pod of Pilot Whales were spotted. Then soon after another pod... just being able to observe these whales doing their thing was indeed magical... while they have no clue that their presence is so calming :)

Amazing trip. Whales galore ! Great staff. Don’t miss it. Timing was perfect, found loads of sperm whales and pilot whales. Would recommend but I think we were lucky !

Superb trip; we saw 2 different species of dolphin and some sperm whales, one a baby. The boat was comfortable and clean; nicest toilets I’ve ever experienced on a boat! The trip was full, but there were enough seats for everyone to sit down. The swim stop was only 10 minutes, probably because we had quite a long time watching the 3 different groups of animals, which was the main point of the trip. Would recommend for everyone, including families with small children for whom life jackets were provided. The crew were very helpful and knowledgeable and all spoke English.