Holding onto the front handrail for grim death, tears pouring out of my eyes & across my face, laughing my head off while the captain floors the throttle to get to where a sperm whale is surfacing...BEST FUN we've had in ages!! Throw into the mix dolphins bow surfing the boat, an amazing commentary from Eleanor (an absolute star) & the rest of the crew for being a brilliant team of professionals, keeping us safe an informed all the time... totally worth every penny!!
Top trip, seemed to go on for ages😎👍👍
We had our 3.5yr old with us and she loved it! It was a great family adventure. We were able to see a sperm whale surfacing and then diving again with a good shot of the tail coming up and going under, and got to spend a good amount of time around the Hector's dolphins, plus a couple of albatross on the way back.
The communication from the team both on and off the vessel was really good, they showed us what wildlife they were able to, it was made clear and we were prepped for whale surfacing etc. to ensure cameras were at the ready. The vessel itself was in good condition, good safety briefing on the transfer and on vessel, good provision of knowledge on some of the whales/dolphins we might encounter.
The crew and the boat were really impressive. The ride was really smooth and quiet even though we moved 65kph in high waves. We managed to see 2 separate sperm whales 3 times in total and a playful school of dolphins consisting of hundreds(!) of specimens.
It was an excellent tour, guaranteed to see a whale or 80% refunded. Great staff and boat ride was very comfortable. We did take sea sickness pills as they had indicated rough seas with high likelihood of getting sea sick. We saw a whale 🐋 , seals and dolphins. Well worth the money.
Great way to see whales. Got to see 2 sperm whales. Also saw a bunch of albatrosses. Crew very helpful. Gave some great information. Plus a great view of the coast. I recommend going on second boat or later cause they haven’t located any whales yet for the first boat and you spend a lot of time trying to find them.
We had perfect weather and were able to make the “tail-pic” of a spermwhale so that makes it the perfect tour! You need a bit of luck when you’re on the tour, but than it’s unforgettable. On top of the whale we also saw lots of dolphins while heading back to the harbor.
What’s good to know: the time in your confirmation is the start of the check in. The time you are actually on the boat is just over 2 hours. And you need to make a reservation at least 3 days prior to when you want to go.
This was my first whale watching experience and it was amazing! The staff and crew were very helpful, friendly and informative. It took a while to locate a sperm whale but it was worth the wait! We got to see a variety of dolphins and other marine species. Such a thrilling experience- would definitely recommend. The place is located right on Kaikoura railway station.
Does exactly what promised.
We saw 2x whales and over 2-3 dozen playful dolphin.
What a great trip.
NB: it is extremely expensive at $165 each, and there is no cafe at the centre anymore (A HUGE LOSS) ... so come prepared. And if they say it will be rough, it WILL BE. 10ft / 3m high waves for us.
A great well run cruise. We saw albatross, dolphins and were very lucky to see a sperm whale fluking. Knowledgeable crew giving explanations of the wild life that you would encounter. Crew went out of their way to take care of my little girl that was sea sick. Overall a pleasant and unique experience.
Very informative commentary, comfortable seats with plenty of space and opportunity for viewing. Especially respectful of the wildlife and mindful re conservation was beautiful. Made effort to see as much a spossible. We were lucky with whale, lots of Dolphins, seals, albatross, petrels....
