Akaroa Swimming with Dolphins | Dolphin Watching
With Black Cat Cruises you will enjoy an incredible experience, swimming with some of the world’s smallest, friendliest and rarest dolphins. Hector’s Dolphins are protected in Akaroa Harbour by a marine mammal sanctuary and our cruise gives you the chance to see these beautiful marine mammals close up.
- Black Cat’s Dolphin Swimming adventure allows only 10 swimmers per vessel, so you’ll have more chances to come face to face with the dolphins
- We operate up to 16 cruises per day November – March (Summer), up to 8 per day in April and October and 1 per day May – September (Winter)
- With only 10 swimmers allowed per vessel, cruises are frequently sold out, which makes it essential for you to book in advance
- Black Cat’s dolphin swimming cruises cost $139 per adult and $115 per child. If you don’t want to swim, you can watch from the swim boats for $72 per adult and $35 per child. All prices are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include GST (goods and service tax).
- Akaroa Harbour is the flooded crater of an extinct volcano. Apart from the huge and awe-inspiring volcanic cliffs, this also means that the harbour is very sheltered. A lot of the time, especially in summer, your dolphin swim will be inside the sheltered harbour.
- Black Cat was the first cruise boat company in the world to get the coveted Green Globe 21, an international programme to ensure best environmental practices.
Our Dolphin Swimming Guarantee
If you see dolphins but for some reason do not get to swim with them, then we give you a part refund. This might happen if the dolphins have calves with them, or are feeding or mating. In this case you get a $59 refund from your fare. In the last 12 months we saw dolphins on 98% of our cruises and had successful swims on 81%. If in the unlikely event no dolphins are spotted you will receive a 75% refund.
Months
January • February • March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November • December
Duration
Short (1-3 hours)
Vessel types
Small boat (0-50 passengers)
Times and prices
Schedule and Prices Departs Report time at 6.00am 8.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm on demand (11.30am only from May to Sep) Duration Two hours on the water(plus half an hour before and after) Adult $139 ($72 to watch) Child $115 [8 to 15 years] (watching $35) [5-15 years] Prices are in New Zealand dollars and include GST.
About our skippers and naturalist guides
Facilities
Scenic backdrop to encounters
We frequently
See leaping dolphins • Swim with them in the wild • Watch dolphins only
Ocean Dolphins
Hector's Dolphin
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