Black Cat Cruises — Attraction in Banks Peninsula Community

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

We have been lucky enough to do a few different wildlife tours/encounters across numerous parts of NZ over the course of the last years and this was the worst experience.

We booked the swimming with dolphins tour, unfortunately we were not able to swim with dolphins as they were not interested in the boat that day - that’s ok - they are wild animals and with any wildlife tour you need some luck and of course they can be unpredictable.

Our main issues were the following:

The crew consisted of 3 persons - and all offered very little knowledge throughout on these dolphins. One crew member had been there 2 months, he seemed to know about as much as the dolphins everyone else on the boat and the one other person was still in training.

The crew were playing music onboard - I think that’s a nice idea when driving to potential sightings but music was also playing when we saw the dolphins closer up and when the boat slowed right down - not exactly a relaxing nature experience.

We had seen some dolphins that day (maybe around 20 over 2 and a half hours on the water these dolphins were often spotted by the tour group rather than the crew).

Aftersales/customer service:

After the tour had finished we went to collect our card we left at reception and was met by a person who didn’t seem to care about our experience and immediately called for her manager, Pip.

For compensation we were offered a nature re-cruise tour. This was a different experience to what we had booked to go on originally - they don’t offer any re swims opportunities.

Or we could have a discount on a future swim but as we didn’t book through their website the discount would have been minimal as the tickets are more expensive when booking directly through them. If you compare that to Kaikoura where you get an 80% refund if you don’t get to see what you paid for.

We asked if we could do the nature cruise later that day instead but there isn’t any more boats so would need to come back on a different day - not ideal for people who aren’t living local and for an experience that which is a different experience to what we had originally paid for.

Save your 400 dollars which is how much it would cost if you booked direct through them only to see 20 dolphins and book a different...

We went on the ‘Swimming with Dolphins’ experience in March 2025. Would like to start with the positives… our skipper Will and our Nature Guide Charlotte were both excellent. Friendly, knowledgeable and very much tried to give us a great experience. I completely support the company’s mission - allowing these interactions to occur naturally and on the dolphin’s terms. We understood this.

On our cruise, we did see a few Hector Dolphins. This was lucky in that the other boat that afternoon did not see any. We did briefly get into the water at one point but the dolphins in that pod did not come close. Again, wild animals - I get it! I did ask our guide how often it happens that you don’t actually get to swim with them, and the response was ‘it comes and goes’.

I guess our frustration was in the communication. We had a long (interesting!) debriefing before getting on the boat. Lots of talk about ‘we may not get in the water with the first pod we see’ and ‘we wait for a positive interaction and then hop in’. Not once did anyone say ‘you may not get to swim with dolphins today’.

This was the most expensive thing we booked on our month long trip to NZ, at $200 per person. Had we known, at this time of year, there was a good chance we wouldn’t be able to swim with dolphins, of course we would have spent the money on one of NZ’s other incredible opportunities!

Upon return to the wharf, we did ask if the company offered a partial refund. As an example, Whale Watching Kaikoura (which we did a few days previous) offers an 80% refund if you don’t see a whale. We were offered the chance to come back another time, which was appreciated, but like most people on vacation we were not able to stay an extra day in the area. I did note when coming online to write this review, they are currently offering 20% off bookings. It would have been a nice gesture to be offered that 20% back, since we paid full price for 7 people.

Wish we had a better experience, just wanting others to book understanding you may not have the experience you are...

I had the most incredible experience swimming with dolphins through Black Cat Cruises, and I can't recommend it highly enough! From the moment we boarded the boat, Skipper Will and Nature Guide Harry made the trip unforgettable. Will's expertise at the helm of the boat created a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere, while Harry's deep knowledge of marine life and the local environment brought the whole experience to life.

Will and Harry were personable, enthusiastic, and funny, engaging with the group and sharing fascinating facts about the incredibly rare Hector's dolphins, other wildlife, and the natural surroundings. Their passion for nature was evident, and it made the swim even more magical knowing how much care they have for these creatures.

We were fortunate enough to see dolphins right off the bat, and it was a surreal experience. Being surrounded by playful dolphins in their natural habitat was simply unforgettable. Harry and Will also took us to a bay to observe New Zealand Fur Seals lounging on the rocky coastline and they pointed out a rare White Flippered Penguin in the water along the way. The entire time I felt safe, supported, and truly immersed in the experience, thanks to Will and Harry’s attention to detail and their genuine love for what they do.

If you're looking for an authentic, well-organized, and awe-inspiring adventure, do not miss out on Black Cat Cruises' Dolphin Swim Experience. Skipper Will and Nature Guide Harry are the perfect duo to show you the wonders...