The captain gave really fun commentary and we saw some amazing dolphins on the way to Cape Brett. Good length of tour too.
Review by: mjrou, April 2018
A relaxing cruise and great photo opportunity if you get a spot by the railing! Does get very windy so hold on to your hat. So fun going through the hole in the rock. Had the unexpected surprise of stopping to watch dolphins before returning to dock. A great family outing.
Review by: David W, March 2018
This was an enjoyable and well informed cruise. The hole in the rock transit is something to remember.
Review by: Anne G, March 2018
This tour was fantastic and the ships crew and Captain first class. The trip through the hole in the rock was superb. We even saw seals and dolphins.
Review by: pat.womersley, March 2018
The scenery of the Bay of Islands was spectacular, but we found the cruise rather disappointing. The boat was packed so it was difficult to move around. There was no chance to go ashore or to swim, as mentioned in the tour information and it was barely 3 hours. We wasted time manoeuvring to pick up passengers at Russell due to the swell and a long time attempting to see dolphins, but only their fins were just visible. We were also unable to go through the much advertised hole due to the dimensions of the boat used and the weather conditions.
Review by: Stewart T, March 2018
A very rough sea could not detract from the enjoyment of this cruise which was very professionally managed and provided a very educational narrative
Review by: Eric D, March 2018
it was a great trip but were not able to go through the hole in the rock due to abnormal swells
Review by: brunnertx, March 2018
The Bay of Islands is a beautiful area and an excursion like this one was worth doing to see the area. The boat we took to the Hole in the Rock was large with many passengers. The weather was gray and the water was rough. We were not able to go through the hole due to the weather conditions. A smaller boat may have been able to go through the hole despite the weather conditions. Otherwise the captain was very informative and the boat clean and comfortable.
Review by: lorna.kate, March 2018
The cruise was well organised, and although we were unable to go through the hole because of the high swell, we did see dolphins and had a running commentary of all the islands we did see. Thoroughly enjoyable and would highly recommend.
Review by: Jason B, January 2018
Had a comfortable and relaxing cruise the day we went. A lot of boats/cruise ships out in the bay that day and we were the first to see and find the dolphins! Great staff as they were extremely respectful and friendly to all on board.
Review by: wwcindy, January 2018
We were skeptical when we saw a large crowd boarding a ferry type catamaran. However, the captain was FANTASTIC! He narrated with humor. He was sensitive to all 200 aboard and the visibility from everywhere was great! We saw 100s of Dolphins, explanations of all the islands was interesting, maps of sites were distributed, and we went through the HOLE IN THE ROCK!!!! It was VERY EXCITING!!! A trip to delight all ages! I recommend this excursion to EVERYONE who visits the Bay of Islands. We saw it all and had time to walk around Russell and Pahia. The Dolphin Seeker line gave us free ferry tickets to get back and forth that day!!! Loved it! Thank you!
Review by: Rebecca, January 2018
The boat ride out to the Hole in the Rock was fun. The captain and crew was very friendly and informative. When we reached certain islands or opening, the captain gave us a lot of information about the area as we approached. As we were making our way out to the Hole in the Rock, we saw many dolphins in the water. Every time the dolphins jumped out of the hole, all cameras were out and busy taking photos. It was tough and you had to be quick, but I got a few. Weather was great on this day. Boat ride was very enjoyable even at time when the boat speeded so we can to the Hole in the Rock even in the rough fast waters. When we finally reached our destination, I took many angles of this picturesque Hole. The captain informed that the water where the Hole was too fast moving so will not be able to go through the hole on that day. On the way back we will make a stop at Russell. We had an opportunity to walk around the waterfront , take some pictures and then walk around the town taking in some of the sites like the Church, shops, etc. and then we decided to go back to Paihia on the next ferry from Russell. Back in Paihia, we decided to take a walk around the town. Next, we saw a sign regarding an Art and Craft market that was happening there on this date. We took in the market, looked around to see the local market. There are many, many vendors selling all kinds of wares. Spent a lot time shopping for things to bring home for souvenirs. This was a lot of fun and enjoyable and the day was well spent. We had a good time shopping._br/_ Highly recommend this excursion as there were a lot of things to do.
Review by: Erol J, January 2018
The amazing cruise around the bay and through the hole in the rock was the highlight of our two week visit to NZ. The commentary was informative and succinct. We would recommend this particular boat cruise with enthusiasm. On our early December cruise we made use of sunscreen, a secure hat and a waterproof coat for the wind because we liked sitting outside. Great fun.
Review by: david.salmon, December 2017
Sadly the sea would not allow us to go through the hole but we still thoroughly enjoyed the trip . Well organised tour with informative and interesting commentary.
Review by: jeromern, December 2017
Amazing though we were not able to enter the hole in the rock due to the swell.
Review by: Kam Wing I, November 2017
The trip was really good, we saw dophins and also sailed through the Hole. The set sail time was 9 am and the cruise ship arrived and clearded at 8:20 am and then we tendered ashore for 20 min., taking the shuttle bus to the pier. We were in rush and were the last two to get on board before it sailed.
Review by: Robert N, November 2017
Wonderful tour - we had a female ship captain who was fantastic with all sorts of knowledge about the local area and even a group of dolphins that swam alongside the boat. Would recommend to anyone but you may want to consider some sort of seasickness medicine if you are highly prone to that.
Review by: carolejohnson63, November 2017
Great boat trip we saw dolphins on the way out and the skipper of the boat even managed to sail through the hole in the rock evne though the sea was quite choppy, an excellent trip.
Review by: theperds, October 2017
This was an excellent trip. We picked a day which was overcast and damp with heavy seas. Still great, well worth it.
Review by: ldwill, October 2017
A morning spent on the water in this beautiful place is a must if you are visiting the Bay of Islands. Well done to all staff. Had a great time
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