Swim With Wild Dolphins And Seals Mornington Peninsula

Amazing experience! Very good value for money.. Very kind and considerate staff! Light lunch and lamingtons included!

Based on what is on the booking site, the company met everything they promised. We had an awesome time and were able to see many dolphins swimming underneath us and from afar. Absolutely loved the seals, they are really chilled and swam around us. We were lucky that the water was really clear on the day we went, but cold!! If you choose this trip, be sure you are chilled and flexible. There is nothing the tour operator can do but unfortunately, there are always ignorant pushy tourists and they certainly messed the toilets. I would also suggest accepting a pool noodle when swimming with the seals. I am a competent swimmer and have snorkeled before however I found having the noodle allowed me to enjoy the wonder of the seals without worrying about swimming. Also take 2 towels and warm clothes as the water was freezing so was good to warm up afterwards. We had a lovely young girl Tilley explain everything and she was amazing and very clear and concise with instructions. Again, we had a great time and were lucky with dolphins. Don't hold it against the company if there are none, bad weather etc, go with an open mind. We loved it and will go again.

I would not recommend this company. Firstly the crew hadnt received any info about my daughter and I requesting plant based meals while on board, so the young guy had to scrounge around trying to find something for us. Secondly there was no team leader amongst the crew so communication wasnt great in regards to what was happening during the tour. Thirdly we were lucky to be out there for 2 and a half hours, defs not 3, maybe the staff couldnt be bothered as this would have been the 2nd tour for the day. If youre after something professionally run I would look elsewhere. I thought the owner Tori would have contacted me to apologise for overlooking our meals, but no nothing!

The staff were so amazing and friendly! Best part was swimming with the seals! Visibility and process of swimming with the dolphins was not the best but you get to see the dolphins better when they’re swimming with the boat. Would definitely recommend! :)

Once we got past the confusion about my booking due to poor communication, it was good. Moonraker had canceled the 2-hour afternoon swim with seals tour for Saturday, which was supposed to start at 3:30pm and upgraded me to the 3-hour dolphin and seals swim that same day at 1pm. Unfortunately, this change was not clearly communicated to me, with an email showing 2 different start times. When I called them that morning to sort it out, I realized we would not be able to make the 2-hour drive in time for the 1pm tour. They offered the Sunday tour for me, which worked out. The diving suit was challenging to get on, and I felt very constricted, but I was told it should loosen up once in the water, which it did. They also brought an extra suit on board the boat just in case. The boat was comfortable and well-equipped. The staff was friendly and provided clear instructions. We attempted to slide in the water with the dolphins on 5 different instances and I never managed to see the dolphins. I did however manage to swallow much of the seawater. Visibility wasn't too good, which I think may have played a factor. I did see the dolphins a few times while sightseeing on the boat. I had a more positive experience with the seals swim. Although after being advised by the crew that we shouldn't get too close to the structure that the seals were lounging on as they have been known to go potty over the side, I didn't get close enough to see much for the first half of the swim. I did get to see the graceful stingray gliding across the sea floor. Then, I found my spot, near where the seals were diving into the water and I just stayed floating, allowing them to swim up and around me. They were so curious! It was a wonderful experience. The sandwiches and banana bread that were served for lunch were very good. I had seconds of banana bread. They also have a hot shower and a nicely appointed washroom available for guests. You can also purchase photos and videos that the crew takes in the water for a nominal fee. I recommend this tour.

That was fantastic tour with excellent service! A lot if dolphins and seals played around in the water. Nice cake and drinks for breaks. Safe and professional!

This was a really cool trip with super nice employees that are willing to answer questions. Sadly I couldn't swim with Dolphins because they were too shy that day but we still saw a few. They also have really good new looking wet suits they keep you really warm.

This was one of the most amazing experiences I had so far! Even though our close up encounter with the dolphins was only like 5 seconds - we saw a lot of them from afar, but they seemed to be hunting for fish and not interested in us. However, we went to a little island with seals and they swam with us and got super close! There was even a baby seal. The water was pretty chilly (~13°C in October) - the wetsuits keep you warm underwater but we were freezing afterwards. Totally worth it though!

So many dolphins and the seals were incredible The boat was roomy with different levels to sit on Staff were great

I was able to swim with dolphins, seals and a weedy sea dragon, so the crew (and the animals) absolutely delivered! I could see that the crew had to balance a number of variables; tracking down dolphins and seals, respecting distance and safety of the animals, and of course making sure swimmers were OK. The staff were very knowledgeable about the creatures, and told us many facts about their behaviour which added to the day. I think it is important to remember, as we are told, that these are wild animals, and they will move around the bay and not always 'perform'. Having said that, I feel grateful that I was able to go out on this cruise and have an unforgettable experience. Dolphins swam right beneath us at one stage, and we swam very close to seals in another location.

Second time and it was still amazing. I surprised my partner and her/our children and it was as good as the first time. I have done the activity before so wanted to share it with my family for a summer holiday day out. It was just as good if not better! The staff were so incredibly helpful and made sure the kids got to see the animals plus gave them lots of snorkeling lessons. I cant say enough about how good this tour was, food, drinks and friendly staff it was money well spent. See you in a few years!

I have been with them the second time. The first time was really nice. We were able to see some dolphins (a little away though) and the seal swim was amazing. The second time it was very unpleasant!!! After 10min at the seal station we had to come back and we didn’t see any sea dragons at the second part or any dolphins at the third. We were still fully charged and the staff didn’t reply when I asked for discount.

Staff were so friendly and helpful. Carl helped me past my fears of the ocean and got me in the water and feeling comfortable. They even gave a special shout out to my daughter for her birthday. 10/10

Tori and her wonderful staff went above and beyond for my family today. They literally saved the day! My 10 year old got a private escort and tour with the seals. He says that the Moonraker is a must for anyone who loves sea animals.

Have to say, it is a real opportunity to explore some of the incredible wildlife on our back door. All the staff were friendly, especially Lou and the tour was well organised and professionally operated. Admittedly we did not see dolphins but totally accept that we are playing in their backyard and this happens. Their 30 day free return trip if you don’t see dolphins is generous but gives you a chance to see the dolphins. Regardless did get a chance to get up close to the incredible fur seals and the gannets on the first snorkel was so good. Unfortunately the water for me was a bit cold for me to stay out as long as I would have liked but I will be back when our fickle weather warms up the water. Really want to go back and see the dolphins and sea dragons (perhaps when the water is warmer for me). For those who prefer to keep dry you do still get a good view of the wildlife from the comfort of the boat. The vessel is well equipped with warm drinks available as well as snacks to purchase. Thanks again Lou to keep me supplied with the warm towels to get my circulation back :). Highly recommend.

The day didn’t start too positively because Viator told us to be there at 7:40am for an 8am start. Sadly, we were supposed to be there at 9:30am. We finally got onto the boat at 9:55am so we were pretty over it by then. The actual Moonraker tour was good fun and their staff ran a professional operation. I would recommend this tour but not Viator. I recommend going to the moonraker website for your booking and keep your eye on the weather.

There is no better experience than this! We have done the experience three - times and rest assured we will be back again next season. The staff are absolutely incredible, knowledgeable and so very friendly. Karl is one of the best operators we have every had! He looked after each one of us like we were family. I highly recommend this company, this tour and this group! Simply AMAZING!

Best part - having the dolphins repeatedly swim around the boat and playing in the wake. Everyone was having the 'time of their lives' and it was something they will never forget. I might also add that the staff were welcoming and helpful. Kudos to the captain who successfully 'located' the dolphins near Portsea during the latter part of the trip. The first hour or so was also a great experience also - swimming with the seals at Chinaman's Hat. If you are holding off on doing this trip because you are not a strong swimmer, just bite the bullet and book as you don't need to be that competent- for the most part you are very close to the boat, and for the dolphin part you are holding onto a rope strung behind the boat.

Don't call it a dolphin swim and charge the full price for a dolphin swim when it is not guaranteed. No locks on the toilets and claim on the website that there are warm showers inboard when that was false. Staff were very friendly

I want to start by saying the crew was EXCELLENT with a special mention for Lou (snorkelling/diving instructor) and Gemma (? Snorkelling/diving instructor.) The other crew members include Torie (ship’s captain), Karl (? Snorkelling/diving instructor), Kai (apprentice) and Sam (cafeteria hand.) Lou and Gemma in particular stand out for their role in assisting me in so many ways between coping with feeling anxious, awkwardness of fitting me with the right wetsuit (am a big person) and sea sickness. The latter is the reason for my choice of review title: if you’re prone to really bad sea sickness or motion sickness, I’m hesitant to recommend this experience. It’s NOT by any means a reflection of Moonraker Cruises, how the experience is run or any of the staff; rather, I found my tendency to motion sickness significantly diminished my enjoyment of the experience. From the moment you step on the boat, you’re subjected to the pitching and rocking while it’s docked. This is something I hadn’t expected having been on vessels of a similar if not smaller size (think those tall harbour ships at Sydney Harbour or Williamstown!) and not had that problem. Unfortunately I copped the worst bout of sea sickness in my life and spent more than half the trip throwing up. The one part I enjoyed was seeing the seal colonies. We got to swim out toward what I’ll dub the seal hut (formerly a lighthouse now occupied by a fur seal colony) and I got close enough that I could’ve reached out and patted the seals! I thought the prospect of seeing dolphins would cheer me up. Unfortunately they’re not guaranteed and while we saw the dorsal fins and even the nose of one, it wasn’t like the ‘I’m the king of the world’ scene in Titanic where they frolick alongside the boat. I want to be able to rave about how wonderful an experience it was and to want to do it again zillions of times over; I’ve been keen to do this experience for the last 5 years! And yes, it was my choice to do the experience so I’m not criticising Moonraker Cruises. Unfortunately it was what it was and wanted to give an honest account so others (especially those prone to horrible bouts of sea sickness) know what they’re getting into.

This was such an amazing experience! When booking they were super helpful and sent an email with all the information you needed including where to park and make extra time to find parking etc. When we get there (it was super easy to find from the instructions they had given us) we were greeted and given wet suits etc. Staff were super friendly and knowledgeable. Seeing the dolphins (from the boat and also whilst in the water) was amazing, they did such a good job at finding them and attracting the dolphins over. Loved it!!!

We had a wonderful time with Moonraker - twice. The first time they couldn't find dolphins, but we had an amazing swim with the fur seals and got buzzed be a few of the gigantic local smooth stingrays! The seals were amazing and playful and cute, and the stingrays were intense and beautiful. The boat is very comfortable and well-equipped, the staff are friendly and know what they're doing, and provided equipment was of a high standard (I'm a big guy, and had no problem getting fitted for a wetsuit and fins). Snacks and refreshments were welcome. Because we didn't see dolphins, we took a second tour for free - this time we found them! We went in the water a few times, hoping for a close encounter (they have to just position the boat ahead of the dolphins, jump in the water, and hope that they're in the mood to investigate us). They came close once or twice, but we never actually saw them underwater or interacted with them. It's a shame, but we still had an amazing experience. All in all, highly recommended!

Waste of money, on the website it states that you can come back for free if you don’t see the dolphins on my trip we saw 3 dolphin fins sticking up not actual dolphins didnt get to swim with them the dragged out the seal swim for most of the session and when emailing them in regards to coming back they stated we saw dolphins fins so we got to see them and not able to come back for free we’re paying $350 + Cafe food on the boat travelled 3 hours and paid accommodation for a whole weekend to be two people to go “SWIM WITH THE DOLPHINS” and given that they can’t help naturally where the dolphins will be understandable but I could of stood at the beach on the other side and saw what I saw saved myself $350 plus $300 accommodation $400 spending money on the trip which was for my birthday and it was very very very disappointing considering these people get $150 a head 20-30+ people twice a day thats $3000-4500 two sessions a DAY. DONT waste your money

All the staff on the boat were amazing - encouraging, knowledgeable, caring and very helpful. The boat itself was fantastic, and the equipment provided was of very good quality. Just such a pity all the dolphins dispersed after the first batch of swimmers got back on the boat, so sadly there was no opportunity to actually be in the water with the dolphins. The experience was a lot more physical than I thought, so I would recommend the swim part for confident and strong swimmers only, and go along for the experience and sight-seeing opportunity if you are not keen on climbing in a washing machine on the spin cycle! The highlight was the curious seal who eyed me from a distance of about 40cm - they really are like Labradors of the sea. Oh, and the rays were magnificent!

These guys are the BEST!!!!!!! They made our proposal amazing. Torie and the crew are just awesome! The dolphins were so beautiful. We will be back soon. Thank you team!!!!!!!

The cruise was fantastic - excellent staff & equipment provided, light refreshments were lovely. Seeing the dolphins & seals was amazing, & the crew went above & beyond to make sure everyone was looked after & that everyone got a chance to see the dolphins. I was with my two kids who, unfortunately, found the water too cold & had to return to the boat, but the staff insisted on looking after them for me so that I could stay out longer & enjoy myself!! When I came back, both boys were wrapped in towels with a hot chocolate!! Amazing customer service!

We are a family of 2 adults and 3 kids aged 8, 10 and 12. We had a fantastic time on this cruise even though, unfortunately, we didn’t see any dolphins. This was largely due to the professionalism and friendliness of the staff, and the cleanliness and excellent facilities of the cruise boat. My kids all swam out to see the seals, the staff swimming with them were very attentive and made sure that my kids were safe & feeling OK on the slightly choppy sea waters. I highly recommend this cruise for a great day out. We are looking forward to joining another cruise because of the dolphin guarantee! Thank you, Moonraker.

Very accurately advertised. Me and my new wife had a truly amazing time. Very friendly staff. Highly reccomend

Great friendly crew, very accommodating and helpful Relaxing sail around the bay Water was calm and very clear

Absolutely great day. From the moment we arrived the staff were helpful and professional with their efforts to ensure everyone was looked after, happy and ready to get in the water for the dolphin and seal experience. Moonraker got us to the locations where we could see the dolphins even when the dolphins made ever effort to make the viewing a challenge. The seals were great too, putting on a show for the swimmers. Although my wife was a weak swimmer she was looked after with additional flotation devices and a dedicated staff member to ensure her safety. Tori and her dedicated team were fantastic, well done, we will be back. We will ensure all our visitors to the area know about this experience.

We had a fantastic experience, we were lucky to see a few different dolphins just not while we were in the water too and the seals were so wonderful and playful. Karl was so helpful with our 11 year old daughter in the water aswell. Totally will be going again and 100% recommend

This experience was one of the best in my life! We had such a fun time and the crew made it even more enjoyable by being so friendly and knowledgeable. The beautiful seals and dolphins in Port Phillip are amazing!

Very well organised, we were kitted out with wet suits, flippers and snorkels and set off in search of dolphins. The crew were young, super friendly and exremely attentive.. Probably 30 oustomers on this boat and the crew made sure eveyone was looked after. As promised we swam with dolphins and seals. A great experience.

Squeeze into your wetsuits( supplied in your fare) on the pier then board the moon raker and have some fun! This family fun ship will make you feel safe in Port Phillip and the whore experience is very informative and professional. Remember to leave extra time to park your car (paid parking to local council for 4 hrs at a time) and if you have one BRING YOUR GO PRO with water proof case for great memories.Please note: great value for money and you will have a lot of FUN!!!

We spent a wonderful afternoon on Moonraker's yacht. The equipment provided came in all sizes and the group on the boat was not too large which made it very comfortable. The staff were very friendly and approachable, they gave good instructions and always directed us to where the dolphins and seals were currently swimming. We first went swimming with the dolphins, we spotted a lot of them around the boat. The dolphin experience itself was rather short for each person, the dolphins just quickly swam underneath us - but this is nothing that the company would have control over. The staff made a huge effort to make sure that every person aboard saw the dolphins while it was their turn, even when they had to change the location several times. We really appreciated it. The seals experience, however, was truly amazing. They curiously approached us while we were swimming in the water and came so close that you could almost touch them. They were very friendly and appeared to feel comfortable around humans. We spent quite some time at the site where they rested which was great. Unlike with the dolphin experience where people would go into the water in smaller groups and hold on to a rope, during the seals experience everybody went into the water at a time and could swim and snorkel freely at their own pace and spread around the seals to have a good view. After that, we had another stop where we could watch different sorts of fish and underwater flora. We could not recommend this trip more, it is definitely an experience one will not forget.

After contacting this company on December and booking in January with a couple of options they stated by email that there would be no issue with the date I selected even though I was flying out in the afternoon I would not be able to reschedule. In email I said I would be available the previous day if any issues. The company then rang late in the afternoon prior to the next morning trip to cancel with no explanation. I am guessing it was because of numbers as they did the afternoon session. After I explained my situation they were not sympathetic and did not even respond to my email of concern. I would avoid.

Friendly crew and good weather greeted our 3 hour tour on Moonraker dolphin and seal swim tour. Good wetsuits, fins and masks were supplied and we saw plenty of wildlife. Beware that the seals are rather smelly... come prepared with your bathers on and budget considerable time to find a carpark.

My husband and I absolutely loved the experience. We were supplied with all the gear necessary. The staff were awesome. We got to see lots of dolphins from the boat, and when in the water we got to see a dolphin swim right under us and put on a show. For the dolphins, you slip out of the boat in groups of 10 to see them and hang on to a rope. Then you drive out further to see the seals. Seeing the seals was awesome. You get to swim out on your own for this part. There was also a stingray hovering down below which was awesome to see. Apparently it's been there the last couple seasons. We went back to shore and they gave us some fresh fruit too. There were some cheap small bites of food available on board if necessary. Loved the experience!! Thank you Moonraker Dolphin Swims and staff!

Excellent trip, very well organised and fun. Crew were informative and friendly. Be there early in summer to find free parking.

This was a trip we had wanted to take for a number of years. Finally we got to experience swimming with dolphins! I really enjoyed watching them from the boat.I found it difficult to see them in the water while swimming but seeing them jumping. nearby while in the water with them was an amazing feeling. The eco snorkelling and seal swims were fantastic experiences my daughter really enjoyed. The crew were switched on, efficient and caring yet friendly and relaxed in manner. Exceptionally good! We had the perfect weather: warm (28degrees) with calm seas. This was a birthday outing and a fantastic experience that will be long remembered. Do take sunscreen, towel, hat, sunglasses, water bottle and a camera/phone.

I don't know if it is typically as cold as it was the day we went, and I wasn't prepared. The crew did a great job of seeking out some sea life for us...first sea dragons, then dolphins. The dolphins didn't cooperate despite our crew's best efforts, but we still managed to see a few. Even with the wet suits, the water was breath-taking cold to me, and too cold for my wife and kids, so even though I got some good time with a giant ray and spinning among the seals (absolutely awesome), the rest of my family stayed on the boat avoiding the cold. I still recommend doing it, even without much time in the water, my family had a great time and saw some sea life.

Very nice trip and super friendly staff. The chance that you can actually swim with the dolphins is rather limited, but it is also cool to see them from the boat. The seals are always there and it was great fun to be in the water with them. They swam around and among us.

It wasn't "swimming" with dolphins! The crew members are all very friendly and helpful and made sure everyone was safe. However, I had a lot of trouble with the fact that we all had to hold on to the swimming lines behind the boat and couldn't swim freely. The two guides in the water swam and dived around with the dolphins. Pretty frustrating and incomprehensible! I had read all the rave reviews and maybe my expectations were unrealistic, which is why I decided to write this review. On their website it says that only 10 swimmers are allowed in the water near the dolphins at any one time, but there were definitely more of us and you had to be careful in the water not to have too many of the other swimmers' hands and feet in your face. We were always rushed into the water, then the dolphins swam through and then we were pushed out of the water again. Our tour was booked a year in advance for 1:00 p.m. The day before, they called us and said that because of the bad weather in the afternoon, the tour had to take place in the morning. Well, it rained all morning and in the afternoon the weather was beautiful. The wind was the same all day. We later found out that there shouldn't have been a tour in the afternoon. We would have been the only ones... In our opinion, the trip was a complete flop! The effort and the cost were definitely not worth it to spend a few minutes in the water of the 3-hour trip to see a dolphin swim past in a flash. Afternoon tea consisted of a plate of Madeleines (max. one for each) and just tea or coffee. We've definitely had better tours!