Dolphin-Watching Cruise: Spot Wild Bottlenose Dolphins

Enjoy a 1.5-hour afternoon dolphin-watching cruise that takes you directly to the best spots for sightings of wild bottlenose dolphins. Learn about the playful creatures from your onboard guide and enjoy fantastic views of the Tomaree and Yacaaba headlands as well. Bring your swim gear as there are opportunities to take a dip or ride in the boom net.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Moonshadow-TQC Cruises Boarding - Please present your ticket, which was emailed and texted to you directly by Moonshadow-TQC, upon arrival at our vessel, Moonshadow V. Our welcoming crew will be ready to greet you and help with the boarding process.

Enjoy our 1.5-hour Dolphin Discovery Cruise, and return to the same dock from which you departed.

What's Included
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Boom-net Rides
What's Not Included
  • The listed price does not include parking fee applicable along with waterfront
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Towels & swimming costume for use in the boom-net
  • Lunch
Additional Information
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
  • Please note we do not run on…
Location
Moonshadow-TQC Cruises Boarding
Boarding commences 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure time. To avoid the risk of missing the cruise during peak times; please allow extra time to find parking etc, we do suggest that you aim at arriving to the marina 30 - 45 minutes prior to boarding time of your cruise.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(415 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Gareth_w
Mar 29, 2026
Large multi-deck vessel... - Large multi-deck vessel with plenty of space to sit and stand. Vessel also has a lower deck where you can buy food and drinks (including hot food and licenced bar). Saw plenty of dolphins! Helpful and informative captain and crew. Really lovely afternoon activity!
Review provided by Viator
Compass08869498431
Mar 24, 2026
Highly recommended for seeing dolphins - Great trip out in the bay and we were lucky enough to see a number of dolphins. Good value for money and a friendly crew
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U9199ymmonicac
Mar 23, 2026
Dolphin Discovery Cruise with Moonshadow was amazing - Amazing experience, staff and crew were amazing and accommodating, helping with my elderly mum. My teens lived the net and slide to cool down in the ocean water. We saw only a handful of dolphins but the experience was amazing
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brette862
Mar 16, 2026
Dolphin viewing - Great trip saw a few dolphin's 🐬
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Juliei180
Feb 25, 2026
Enchanting dolphins in Port Stephens - Perfect sunny day for a harbour cruise. Definitely need sunglasses, sunscreen and hat! Friendly staff. Emerald sparking water. Delight to see pod of Dolphins swimming and exploring the reef.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariefw1231gb
Feb 23, 2026
Beautiful experience - We spent a lovely 90 minutes on Moonshadow and seeing the dolphins was a beautiful experience. We appreciated the captain's expertise in locating them and sharing his knowledge with us. The cruise felt very well organised and safe.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Giuseppeme5573hu
Feb 11, 2026
Superb experience with dolphins - Beautiful cruise with dolphin watching. Absolutely to do! We saw the dolphins from a very close location and the staff contributed to the success of the excursion. I highly recommend it
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Teasha
Mar 14, 2026
Nice experience - Nice, great service and a bubble lady telling us where to see the dolphins. The boat was clean and well timed
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Destination611294
Mar 15, 2026
Too Loud music and not much info - We went thinking that we will get some information about surroundings, where we are going, some interesting stories or information- but instead after giving us safety info and rules what we should and shouldn’t do he just started loud music and after about 20/30 minutes even other passengers on board were complaining about the very loud music so when I requested to put down the volume they did bit still was very annoying as most of the passengers wanted to listen to the natures sound And were of different nationalities Were not there to party but the captain when politely asked to stop the music so we can talk with friends or listen to the birds or surrounding water sounds, he simply refused and stared talking to his colleague. People who want to listen to loud English music of captain’s choice only those should board Moonlight cruise. Though asked one crew member about where we are going she did explained to us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Arth_s
Mar 22, 2026
Disappointing, Poorly Managed, and Completely Lacking Empathy - ★☆☆☆☆ — Extremely Disappointing Experience We were really looking forward to this cruise, especially since my dad had traveled from overseas just for this activity. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a huge letdown. We barely saw any dolphins at all. While I understand wildlife sightings aren’t guaranteed, the bigger issue was the complete mismanagement of the bounce net activity — one of the main highlights advertised. The net was only open for about 5–10 minutes, which felt pointless and frustrating. There was absolutely no announcement about how long it would be open or when it would close, so no one could plan accordingly. My dad, who is a senior in his 60s, was especially excited to try the net. When we realized time was running out, we explained our situation to the staff and politely asked if he could just go in briefly — even for 10 seconds — since people were still getting out of the net at that time. The staff showed zero empathy and refused outright, without any attempt to help. My dad couldn’t even try the net. The lack of communication, transparency, and compassion was shocking. What was supposed to be a precious memory with my dad turned into a stressful and upsetting experience. We left feeling unwelcome, disappointed, and honestly insulted. I would not recommend this cruise, especially if you’re traveling far or celebrating something special.
Review provided by Viator
From $33
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).