It is a really fun experience if you want to see life at the sea. I would recommend taking a sea sickness medicine. A waterproof jacket, a hat, and sunscreen are a must. Their staff is really friendly and nice.

Marine Mammals are quite a sight 🐬 we got to see a few dolphins playing around the boat which was a wonder! We also learned about plankton and the role they play in the ecosystem, how their density is measured and saw some in a sample taken during the commentary 😆 Being *WILD*life, we were a bit unlucky with sightings, but that is to be expected from time to time and I'm determined to try again, who knows how much we might see next time?!

This was the second time I've gone on this, which says something in itself! The staff (Captain Ben, First Mate George, and Marine Biologists/Crew Laurie and Dani this time) are wonderful and knowledgeable. It's a research vessel so our fares support the research and conservation work they are doing. On both occasions we had up-close encounters with two pods of dolphins (3 common, 1 bottlenosed) who played happily all around the boat, probably only a metre or so away from us (just the distance from the deck to the water) for many minutes. I got some amazing photos of my own and the researchers also take photos that I bought copies of. Take seriously the advice to dress warmly and in layers. It is cold and windy out on the water, and if you are in the bow you are likely to get wet. Also take seriously the recommendations to use plenty of sunscreen - the reflections off the water make the sun even more intense than usual in NZ. I only have one negative comment: they do let more people on the boat than would be ideal. We had a full sailing today, which made this more obvious. Of course they keep to safe numbers, but when you've paid 200NZD for an experience, it doesn't feel very fair to be asked to take turns so that everyone can get a good view. It would be much better if there were few enough people on the boat that we could all enjoy the full time we've paid for. Obviously this is not the fault of the crew - they don't control the numbers and are only trying to ensure that everyone has a good experience.

Good crew and the education information is excellent. Outstanding experience with Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari. It is highly recommended.

Nice boat. Some cool science experiments the kids enjoyed. Didn't see any whales unfortunately but did see tons of dolphins super up close. Best place to hear anything over there speakers is inside the boat. You can't really make out the audio when on back of boat.

Amazing experience! Because of weather conditions, they wrote to me offering a new slot or a total refund. We rescheduled for the next week and the experience was truly amazing! We was lucky enough to see dolphins, whales and penguins during the cruise. Also, the great value of this cruise is the crew members who are very engaged regarding the protection of the sea and the marine animals, bringing awareness and educate about the marine life. Recommended 1000%

Fantastic crew, fabulous trip, wonderful dolphin and seabird experience.Unfortunately we didn't see a whale, but it didn't matter, everyone's breath was taken away by all the dolphins. I would definitely rebook

jaw droppingly good! Sailing in a modern catamaran in the green waters of Hauraki bay with a friendly and professional crew is worth the price of the safari. If you are lucky enough to enjoy hundreds of playful dolphins, your visit will be unforgettable and unsurpassed. If you are near Auckland this excursion is a must.

Eco tourism host that doubles as a research vessel monitoring climate change, whale and dolphin numbers. If you don’t get to see any dolphins they provide a guarantee on another visit for free. Sadly dwindling whale numbers means only a 1 in 3 chance of seeing a whale. We were lucky on this trip to see dolphin calfs up close. For those who might not fare well on boats, our time out on the water was very calm.

Can't rate any higher. Beautiful day on the water, heaps of knowledge and information about Hauraki gulf and all the wildlife animals we share it with. Must have seen 50+ dolphins and many other birds. The crew (George & Zala + the guys upstairs) where amazing and where very attentive to all the people on the boat, answered so many questions and had some really amazing things to talk about. And thank you guys for your efforts to carrying out daily research to make our waters even better for us and all the marine life in it. Will see yous again.

Loved the experience! We were very lucky to see a lot of dolphins right beside the boat, including a nursery pod with babies. The highlight of the trip was following the whale and watching it come to the surface every few minutes. We also learnt alot about plankton and seen seals and birds. The staff were lovely and very friendly made it an enjoyable experience.

George is awesome and amazing and my mum and I had the best day!! We saw multiple pods of common dolphins, 2 bottle nose dolphins and a Bryde’s Whale. The skipper and crew were so lovely. Especially George he is a superstar 🤩🐋🐋🐋

Best day out! We had the perfect weather and were spoiled with so many dolphins and two (maybe three!) Whales. The crew were so informative and friendly and we had the best day out on the boat. Would highly recommend!

Thank you Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari for a truly wonderful experience! The entire crew were so welcoming and friendly, (Thank you Captain George!) and their knowledge and passion for conservation and the wildlife really shone through! There is a 5 minute stop in the middle of the tour, where the crew collect plankton data, where I discovered that this wasn't just a tourist boat, but was a scientific expedition as well! Sadly no whales, but saw Common and the rarer Bottlenose Dolphins. It is such a privilege to see these majestic animals in their natural habitats and I really appreciated that at all times the concern was for the safety of the animals and not disturbing them from their normal activities. Word of advice, bring warm and waterproof clothing; they weren't kidding when they said the bow of the boat gets wet!

Had a great time and I loved that they were willing to take extra time to give us an amazing experience. Having them lower a. Microphone into the water so we could hear the dolphins was very cool. Also appreciated the sunscreen provided as mine was already packed to go home the next day.

Fun trip, engaging crew. Very informative and educational, supporting low impact on animals during the cruise and putting the environment over passengers' eagerness to watch wildlife - a very good balance! We saw dolphins and lots of birds and the crew explained about their habits. We were able to watch some research for the wildlife and water quality which the crew also explained very well. Commentaries were fun and entertaining. Highly recommend!

Our family really enjoyed the safari. We were lucky to see both dolphins and a whale along with many other interesting things. The crew was very friendly and engaging. The boat was a good size and even with almost 100 passengers, didn't feel too crowded. Highly recommended!

A very interesting and educational safari experience. The operator and the crew on boat are very professional. Glad to learn that this trip is not run by an operator purely from commercial viewpoint; but rather on an educational and conservation perspective. My wife and I are very pleased to have close encounter with the wild life. It is good that we watch, but with respect and keep a distance. Thank you Aaron

I am genuinely interested in experiencing dolphins and whales, as they bring me great joy and fascination. I am eager to learn about any opportunities or experiences your company offers in this regard.

Great day out and we were lucky how clear it was. Only gripe is the seat availability is limited inside and some groups spread out. Crew could have asked them to consolidate.

What an absolutely incredible trip! I enjoyed every second! The guides did an amazing job and kept going until we were able to find and see some animals! We saw dolphins, whales and orcas! The absolute joy and passion of the guides made the experience even more special! It was the perfect mixture of being able to watch the animals, get some information about them and get insights into the everyday scientific research the Safari does! Highly recommended!

Whatever the crew is getting paid, it is'nt enough. We set out, and they explained how each day they work to find whatever they can in the vast bay of plenty. These ecological stewards do not tag or track any of the wildlife in the area to ensure they have free movement and are never harrased. Never the less they worked tirelessly and with a beautiful energy to ensure we saw something on our trip. And did we ever! We came apon a "work up" with two Brydes whales, countless dolphins and an entire pod of Orcas, and hundreds of seabirds.Truely a ones in a lifetime experience. Everyone on board was kind, courteous, and able to answer any of our questions. Their enthusiasm was wonderful!! Cant recommend it enough.

Had a great day on board. Staff were excellent and super friendly. Saw a whale within a few minutes of leaving port (this was unusual but very exciting) along with a tonne of inquisitive dolphins further out and another sighting of one or possibly two more whales. Plenty of blue penguins and other sea birds as well. Highly recommend for anyone interested.

Had a great day on the Gulf. Were lucky to see a large group of dolphins outside the Harbour before we headed home. Cool to hear the conservation and projects that this boat is involved in during these trips too! Funny crew

Jo, Sunna, George and John were a great crew! Very informative and professional. Really enjoyed learning about the conservation of New Zealands waters and the dolphins we saw. Loved getting to see actual research being done as well as protecting the waters since we stopped to grab a balloon from littering. Lots of babies in the pods today, and an extremely playful bunch. Dolphins stayed with us the entire boat ride. 10/10 recommend and would definitely go again.

Just magical, we had some great weather & could not have been better, crew were very professional & happy to help, saw dolphin’s & whales living their best life, time just flew by, but overall a truly fantastic experience, added our favorite pics 😊

The most Amazing experience with Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari. So much to see I will book again. Once in a lifetime experience!

Best atmosphere on this boat! The crew are awesome, knowledgeable, friendly and know how to make a good toasted sammy! We had the best day, full of dolphins and site seeing. The boat are also involved some really interesting science projects where the data is used far and wide - which you get to be a part of as day trippers. Would highly reccomend this tour and not just for tourists but kiwis as well!

Fantastic experience with a crew that have plenty of interesting information on all things marine biolgy and local knowledge to share.

Good crew and great facilities. Very comfortable trip. We encountered a pod of dolphins who were friendly and interested. The trip was really let down by how many guests they loaded on to the vessel, so overcrowded that many couldn't see.

We had an awesome experience with the crew today! They took great care of us, making everything fun and interesting. John, Jo, George (aka Bradley), and Sana were an excellent team. Captain John did his best to spot and track the animals, while Jo and George kept us up to date with loads of information. They also did a great job of keeping us involved in the safari and search for the animals. And while we didn't see any whales on our trip, we did get loads of up-close encounters with the dolphins and genets, which was lovely. Even saw some blue penguins from a distance! The two things I would say that could make it better would be: 1) Less people on the boat. It was very crowded, and if there had been about half the group, it would have been way better and more comfortable. 2) The pre-purchased food wasn't great. I wish we hadn't gotten that one and just bought one of the items they had on board. But overall it was a GREAT trip. We would do it again in a heartbeat and definitely recommend it!

Amazing experience!!! Managed to see dolphins swimming right next to us, the team was very friendly and this made my day. Thank you for providing the vouchers after missing the dolphins at my first trip.

Note: not guaranteed to see things Crew are great, super informed and friendly Boat is very comfortable We saw 'Common Dolphins', for at least 20 minutes they swam along the boat and we learned a lot about them and what they eat. Tasty toasties were available in the shop on board as well as coffee and snacks (bring a keep cup for your hot drinks for a good discount!).

Great tour in Auckland. Got to see the beautiful scenery. Terrific crew as well. We didn't get to see many marine mammals so they gave us vouchers that never expire. Pretty cool!

We saw lots of common dolphins which I have never seen (I'm from the south island) . It was super cool. We witnessed a feeding frenzy and a nursy pod. The tram was really friendly and super knowledgeable. They were friendly and easy to chat to or ask any of your questions. I found being on the boat very relaxing and on the trip back had a nap. Unfortunately, we didn't see a whale of another aquatic animal. We, of course , saw birds, and we were informed of how they were part of the food chain and how they helped us find the dolphins we were there to see.

We had a great trip and seen so many dolphins I lost count, loads of different pods, lots of baby ones and they came so close to the boat you could see them all so clearly it was breathtaking, definitely made up for that fact we didn’t see any whales. We also seen a fur seal, penguins, lots of birds and a great commentary, the team explained everything very well and it was a beautiful day for it so we enjoyed ourselves!

The whole experience was well organized, totally enjoyed. Emails were sent prior with all the details needed. Staff was friendly, knowledgeable and provided lots of info as we saw the wildlife. I had ordered a lunch and the chicken sandwich was very good. Muffin, cookie, and orange was also included. Saw plenty of dolphins, birds, little blue penguins, but no whales. The boat was put in idle and we floated amongst the dolphins. Lots of time for pictures. One of the dolphins said goodbye to us and did 3 jumps in a row along the boat.

Absolutely amazing time! The highlight of my trip to Auckland! Dani, Zara, Rachel and the captain were all so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about what they do! Coolest experience of my life, seeing the whales and dolphins! I learned a lot too, and I love that each ticket goes towards education and conservation! A must-do!!

Totally recommend this experience for everyone both in Auckland or New Zealand and who are coming here from abroad. We saw dozens of dolphins playing around, at least 3 whales and quite close, few sharks and lots of birds! Unforgettable experience and the crew is very accommodating and friendly, doing everything for us to enjoy the trip. Will come again!!!

Fantastic tour that’s well worth the money. We saw dolphins, whales, penguins, and even a hammerhead shark. The crew are clearly very passionate about preservation and wildlife, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Unfortunately, I couldn't see dolphins and whales but I really enjoy the fantastic ocean view. All crews do their best for us, I think. thanks for your effort!

If I could leave a 6-star rating, I would! I thoroughly enjoyed myself during this boat tour! We were very blessed to be able to see bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and a pair of Bryde’s whales (likely because it was the skipper’s birthday that day)! The online booking and check-in process was very smooth. The crew were also very helpful and provided sunscreen and towels to those who needed them. I particularly enjoyed the educational aspect of this tour as the crew shared that our daily tours actually allows them to collect marine life data which contributes to scientific research. Big shout out to the crew for this amazing trip! Keep up the good work! :)

Such a fantastic trip, and experience, got to see dolphins and whales even in winter! Crew are friendly and knowledgeable, they actively take part in research and data collection (you can take part too!) And do everything to protect the cool animals in this cool harbour. 🐬🐳

Amazing! Wonderful crew, friendly and full of knowledge. They animated the tour very well even showing some citizens science! We had the luck to see many many dolphins with respect to their behavior but still amazingly close: they were playing with the front of the boat Definitely recommend, amazing company with amazing values for the conservation of the ocean and it treasures