Auckland Eco-Marine Safari: Dolphins & Whales Up-Close Cruise

Would have been nice to see the whales as well as the dolphins but ot be on that day. Good trip anyway and the crew were great.

These whale watching cruises are a little like a politician during an election campaign. They promise alot and only sometimes deliver. But it comes with the territory, you are no guarantee to see whales, at least lots of them. You will see dolphins but whales can be elusive animals. That said, the crew were great and very knowledgeable. If you really like boats, then go for it. Just don't expect to see a ton of whales. In defence to the tour, it's probably a seasonal thing and they can't control a wild animal's behaviour.

The whale and dolphin tour happened on a perfect day. The water was calm and we were introduced to many different sea birds and a tiny black penguin. The stars for the day were the common dolphins we saw. The swam with us along the boat and out in the open sea. Although we did not see any whales, it was a fabulous outing. The trip ended with us seeing a fur seal as we pulled into port.

Excellent day out. It lasts around 4.5 hours and is well worth it. Half the crew are scientists doing research, so it is very informative. We saw pods of dolphins and saw 2 or 3 Bryce’s whales, which was the first whales to be seen by the crew for two weeks.

What an incredible day and tour led by actual marine biologists with a passion and care for the life that surrounds them. We got lucky with weather and what was nearby — legit seeing HUNDREDS of dolphins during our stay out in the bay. Sure on quieter days too that the team is agile enough to adjust the program and still provide an amazing and educational experience. They are masters!

I took the safari on 25 October and was very fortunate to see Dolphins. One of the main selling points of this tour for me, was the onboard experienced marina biologists, however unfortunately there was an issue with the amp on board meaning that in over 50% of the boat you couldn't hear what was being said. This significantly impacted my experience, as I didn't get to hear what species of dolphins / birds we were seeing. To sell a premium priced product based on customers being able to gain specialist knowledge is a bit of a joke if the tech isn't working to allow that knowledge to be shared!

Was a lovely day unfortunately did not see as many whales and dolphins as I would have liked. Completely understand this is out of the hands of the tour operators. Thanks for trying to get us the best view of the ones we did manage to see. I hope I can come back in the future and use the voucher and see some more.

The crew was very knowledgeable and helpful. Unfortunately, only the dolphins showed up, no whales or blue penguins.

We had an all girl crew of master level marine biologist. They were all amazing, informative and accomodating! Saw several pods of dolphins and 1 brief whale encounter

Friendly and knowledgeable crew, marine biologists who clearly care about the marine life and want to share their knowledge.