Whale Watch Kaikoura
Whale Watch Kaikoura
Reviews
Whale Watch Kaikoura has selected this customer review to be pinned to the top of this page.
This review was selected by Lisa of Whale Watch Kaikoura on Mon 04 Apr, 2016.
paulmiles
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional setup, safety paramount. Short coach trip to south harbour then 2+ hours at sea. Very knowledgeable staff. We were probably very lucky in that we saw a whale almost straight away, followed by a pod of 200 or more dusky dolphins who performed fantastic acrobatics for at least 30 mins. Also saw petrels, albatross and a couple of sharks. Not a cheap trip but how often can you see whales? And the dolphns were magical.
Jean
Ranking: 10/10
Amazing morning could not have been better! Friendly informative staff saw sperm whales, 2 blue whales(staff very excited about that) fur seals, dolphins, albatross and petrol. Thank you. Jean
Penny Mackay
Ranking: 10/10
Over the years we have done several commercial boat trips and are boaties ourselves. Have also done a whale watch trip in Australia which was good but have never done as good and professional a trip as this before. The crew are all very professional and have a fun, passion and enthusiasm you don’t normally see in a tourist activity. We saw a sperm whale, a Right Whale, hectors dolphins, decal types of albatross/Molly mask and giant petrel plus Huttons Shearwater. Thanks to the organisation and especially Jamie, Josh and Jagen (don’t know the spelling sorry but an amazing and passionate speaker) and the Captain whose name I don’t recall. It was a great trip.
Derek Green
Ranking: 8/10
Very enjoyable trip. disappointed that the whales were too far offshore to see many but grateful the team were able to locate a single sperm whale that they knew was nearby tot he shore. God trip very professional
Troels Karlsen
Ranking: 3/10
Would not recommend. Not worth either the time or the money. The whales are nice, but you spend soo much time in order to get to them, and then they are there for 2 minutes, after which you spend a lot of time looking for the next one. Too commercialized also, with three boats basically hunting the whales around, after planes or helicopters had spotted them. The crew created a massive hype, which really did not materialize. One of the engines of the boat broke down on the way back, which also extended our trip by around 40 minutes. Did see seals and a few albatros, which were nice, but those can easily be spotted from the shore elsewhere.
The boat and the crew were nice, but it was just such a waste of time and money anyways. Also I do not see why everyone has to gather in the city, in order to take a bus to the jetty, when most people have a car anyways. Probably just so that people will buy stuff from their souvenir shop.
Wilhelm Wiechel
Ranking: 9/10
We did whale watching with Whale Watch Kaikoura - it was great.
Lizzie Edmonds
Ranking: 9/10
Unfortunately we did not see any whales on our trip - however we did see dusky dolphins, seals and albatross. The boat was nice and the crew was great. Would recommend.
Richard
Ranking: 10/10
Friendly staff, amazing experience, good value.
Michael Holm
Ranking: 9/10
Despite the sea sickness, it was an amazing experience to see the Albatross, seal and the sperm whale for 10 minutes. Great, fun and informative guide and staff.
David
Ranking: 10/10
Fantastic information, great close up action with sperm whales. Incredible location.
Wendy
Ranking: 10/10
An absolutely beautiful experience.
Jack Halligan
Ranking: 8/10
Very cool experience. Two bucket list items ticked off. Got to see sperm whales which is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Tomas Kotul
Ranking: 9/10
Very special view from the top of sperm whales and dolphins.
Felicity Hughes
Ranking: 10/10
We thoroughly enjoyed this activity - amazing experience, very knowledgeable crew and we saw 2 whales!!
Sandra Reynders
Ranking: 9/10
Very professional service and a beautiful trip. We saw 2 Sperm whales and many, many dolphins.
Peter Beeloo
Ranking: 8/10
Was not planning to do this but i am glad i did. Amazing whale watch and orca,s as a bonus.
Lucie Colpin
Ranking: 9/10
Incredible experience. Professional staff. Just a little bit too short.
Niall Regan
Ranking: 9/10
Getting to see whales was amazing, the boat and crew were both fantastic. We saw Hector dolphins as well as Albatross and seals - an amazing day!
Guilhem
Ranking: 7/10
We saw some dolphins and two whales. It was beautiful but you do not really see much of the whales. I liked it but it does not deserve to be $150 per person.
Laura Leoekloek
Ranking: 10/10
Awesome! Saw 2 whales, a few dolphins and a lot of birds. People are very nice and give you a lot of information.
Lena
Ranking: 8/10
Just one whale, but a lot of dolphins.
Alice Frater
Ranking: 8/10
Great experience - saw 2 sperm whales, dolphins and seals. Staff were very informative and professional. A little overpriced.
John Edwards
Ranking: 9/10
Brilliant to see the whales and dolphins in Kaikoura and very exciting. Only objection is it is a little expensive.
Maayke Reidsma
Ranking: 9/10
We have seen three sperm whales during the tour and a lot of dolphins. The money was worth it!
Leonie
Ranking: 9/10
Amazing (a word Dutch do not use very often!) tour, well trained and enthusiastic guides!! Lots of information, 98% chance of seeing a whale, saw dolphins as well.
Wendy van Boom
Ranking: 9/10
Another great thing to do in Kaikoura. We got a lot of information about sperm whales and the staff looked out for them with echo location. We saw two. A marvellous moment when they went down.
Olivier Anciaux
Ranking: 10/10
Great trip, great information, great wildlife. Many people (big group), but this organisation handles it pretty good. Thumbs up!!
Ann Teeters
Ranking: 10/10
We did this trip with Whale Watch Kaikoura in early March 2017. Of our 3 week trip to the South Island, this was probably our favorite day! We saw sperm whales and orcas, HUNDREDS of flipping dusty dolphins that were nothing short of magical! In addition, a couple of sharks and some albatross came by. The staff was very nice, informative, and friendly. We had a beautiful day and I definitely recommend this tour.
Alan Brown
Ranking: 10/10
Extremely professional, well run, friendly business. The commentary on the boat was informative and fun. The boat was great, getting you quickly to where the whales were sufacing. We saw 3 whales on the half-day trip. Booking in advance essential - there were people waiting for no-shows when we went. Do advise taking sea-sickness medication...
Olivier Reculeau
Ranking: 8/10
Very good trip, the atmosphere was friendly and fun with the crew but boat driver drove too fast, the whale viewing was too short.
Sarah Dial
Ranking: 9/10
We saw 2 sperm whales. albatross and a pod of 100+ dolphins jumping and somersaulting by the boat!! WiFi at the cafe. Take sea sickness medicate even if the forecast is for flat seas.
Leonie Kaufmann
Ranking: 9/10
Really nice tour, nice crew, saw 4 sperm whales and many dolphins.
Benedikt Maus
Ranking: 8/10
Trip got cancelled two times due to bad weather conditions. But then we saw 4 sperm whales, an albatross and lots of dolphins.
Susanna Daaike
Ranking: 10/10
Awesome, whales, dolphins and much more!!
Sophia and Karen
Ranking: 6/10
Very nice but too expensive.
Michael Miehling
Ranking: 6/10
Very expensive @$145NZD, the sea was very rough, many passengers sick.
Alexes D
Ranking: 8/10
Really nice experience and wonderful view over the whales and dolphins.
Lisa Haedrich
Ranking: 9/10
Very nice tour, saw two whales and other marine life. Would prefer only focussing on whales, cause people often saw other marine animals (especially birds).
Sarah Boettcher
Ranking: 2/10
Weather was okay, but the wind was very strong - crew was nice and trip was informative, too expensive, we just saw one albatross and no whales. People were vomiting, kind of a horrible trip and I did not get all of our money back. Tried the trip again two days later but the whales were too far away so lost 20% of our money.
Livia and Dave
Ranking: 7/10
Saw three whales or more and we understand that we were lucky - too much money for what you see.
Philip
Ranking: 6/10
Well organised, good information but we hoped to see a group of whales at one or two spots rather than only one at a time so it felt a little like whale chasing rather watching. Also, the helicopters above us were annoying.
Chloe Guerillot
Ranking: 8/10
Beautiful wildlife. Really nice to see dolphins, seals, albatross and whales. The boat got close to the whales, magic moment.
Marcus and Claudia
Ranking: 10/10
Very friendly staff, good information and a top boat.
Stefan Siegmund
Ranking: 7/10
It is a bit expensive, but there is nearly a 100% guarantee that you will see whales and dolphins. A great experience.
Carl
Ranking: 6/10
Whale watching from a speed boat. After going to the whale spot for 15 minutes, we saw three breathing whales. Felt more like a whale hunt though. Although, like that you are guaranteed to see them.
Dennis Xuereb
Ranking: 8/10
Good organisation for the trip. Health and safety was very good and staff too were very informative. Great marine life.
Judith
Ranking: 9/10
Quite expensive ($145) but worth it. No guarantee to see whales but high chance, if no whales can be found they return 80% of the paid price. I was lucky enough to see four whales.
Tabea
Ranking: 6/10
Do not do this when the water is wavy. Could not really enjoy it because of sea sickness. Trip itself was actually ok but found it too crowded (3 vessels and 1 helicopter to see 1 whale).
Herman Lubben
Ranking: 10/10
Seeing these animals on TV is great - but in real life it is awesome. We saw whales and lots of sea birds.
Anna Stoehr
Ranking: 9/10
It was awesome to see a whale and the boat was really fun. We saw two whales and the tour is about 2 hours. It is not worth it, if you get sea sick.
Michelle Hoffman
Ranking: 9/10
Even if it is quite expensive, I would do it again. We saw three whales, and that was amazing.
Iker Peeters
Ranking: 9/10
A bit expensive but it was worth it, once in a lifetime experience. Seeing a whale was not as spectacular as we thought (you just get to see her back as she comes at the surface and her tail as she plunges). But we saw much wildlife as well, orca, dolphins, albatross.
Florian Bellark
Ranking: 7/10
They know their jobs. Very professional and lots of whales and dolphins.
Lisa
Ranking: 7/10
We saw three sperm whales (one of them twice), some dolphins and albatross. We had a really good time, nice photos to show friends and heaps of information about the whales.
Marlene Goecke
Ranking: 7/10
It was amazing to see these animals from the boat, which was very close. Also, the team gave a lot of information about the species.
Louise Boje
Ranking: 10/10
Amazing experience, saw five whales, dolphins, albatross and a seal. Very well organised.
Tamara
Ranking: 6/10
Really expensive and boring (the captain was awesome!).
paulmiles
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional setup, safety paramount. Short coach trip to south harbour then 2+ hours at sea. Very knowledgeable staff. We were probably very lucky in that we saw a whale almost straight away, followed by a pod of 200 or more dusky dolphins who performed fantastic acrobatics for at least 30 mins. Also saw petrels, albatross and a couple of sharks. Not a cheap trip but how often can you see whales? And the dolphns were magical.
Corrie Medinea
Ranking: 6/10
Got very seasick! Only for those who really want to see a whale.
Roman and Liz
Ranking: 8/10
We saw one Sperm Whale, a few Albatross and hundreds of Dolphins. Although we did it for the whale watch, the dolphins were what made it worth the money.
Georgia Coleman
Ranking: 8/10
Company seemed really organised, friendly and switched on. Kept you entertained throughout. Even better that we saw a whale but you get refunded if you do not. Was pretty expensive though for what you get!
Julie
Ranking: 10/10
First time that I have seen whales! Impressive - love dolphins and seals. The crew is very sympathetic. A great dynamic trip.
Madita and Lisann
Ranking: 5/10
Maybe we had a bad day but only two little whales which was less than we expected for the price, although it was a great experience to watch them.
Sophie James
Ranking: 7/10
Excellent at finding whales to view.
Frank Wijnands
Ranking: 8/10
Great! It was well worth the fee, as we got lucky and were able to see five whales - normally the average is one to two whales per tour. It was a comfortable boat with lovely, informative staff.
Hubert Schmid
Ranking: 9/10
A fantastic tour.
Fides
Ranking: 10/10
Magnificent trip, 2 1/2 hours for $145. You see seals, sperm whales, dolphins, albatross. In comparison to prices for dolphin viewing, kayak hire, bird watching...... absolutely worth it.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora, thank you for taking the time to come and visit with us in Kaikoura. We are so glad to hear that your time with us was so memorable. We hope the rest of your travels around New Zealand were just as memorable.
Jiri Benda
Ranking: 10/10
Unbelievable experience to watch whales and dolphins, excellent staff with knowledge.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for taking the time in your travels to come whale watching, it is wonderful to know that your tour was such a fantastic experience.
Lenka Korinkova
Ranking: 10/10
Nice experience, we saw three whales and one group of dolphins.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Seeing three whales on your tour is fantastic:)
Chris Hindley
Ranking: 9/10
A well organised tour with a professional company who know how to deliver a good experience. We took an early morning trip and enjoyed a flat sea and great views of sperm whale, dusky dolphin, seal, albatros and other seabirds. The tour guide was a delight, we were thoroughly entertained and educated throughout the trip. Hint - if the sea is rough, don't do this trip. Even if you don't get seasick, the chances of seeing anything are greatly diminished.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for sharing about your time with us, it really does sound like you managed to see a wide variety of marine life. Hope you got some great photos.
Saskia
Ranking: 5/10
Went on a tour on a stormy day. Company warned us and offered the possibility to cancel which was nice. We still went and it was really tough. Two of us were throwing up and the whale was sleeping. Bad luck, would not go again.
Bill
Ranking: 7/10
Well organised, too fast with speed boats and many get seasick because of that.
Jonas Hessel
Ranking: 8/10
Good tour!
Lilli Erni
Ranking: 9/10
Well organised, saw one whale, which was nice. Also spotted lots of dolphins on the way back.
Becky Davis
Ranking: 10/10
An extremely well organised and run tour company. The staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgable - particularly the lady (cannot remember her name!), who narrated our journey. Saw a total of 6 whales and the boat took us very close to them. Even got a 10% discount with Top10 card!
Wayne Schist
Ranking: 8/10
Professional and well run - recommended.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for taking the time to share about your time with us, sounds like you had a great time.
Danni Turnbull
Ranking: 9/10
We saw a whale so it was great, when not watching they also kept us entertained and informed.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
So glad you had a great time on your tour, we are blessed to be able to see such beautiful marine life off our coastline.
James Turnbull
Ranking: 9/10
Saw a whale and the rest was fun and learnt a lot.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora James, thanks for your feedback, glad to hear that your time was fun with us.
Mike Majnik
Ranking: 10/10
Absolutely great experience! We have seen three big whales. Great crew - totally friendly.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi Mike, three whales is awesome. Thanks for the great feedback.
Claudia de Winter
Ranking: 9/10
This was a boat trip with bad weather on our way. So we had not a big explanation. We have seen two orca who were attacking a shark and two big sperm whales. The guides were also friendly.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Wow it sounds like you had an adventurous time with us, hope you managed to get some great photos.
David Krasner
Ranking: 10/10
The service at reception was great. The sail was started just on time and you get refund if you do not see a whale. The boat was great, fast, new and comfortable and they were professional in finding whales.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi David, thanks for your kind words it is always great to hear how our passengers experience has gone. Hope the rest of your travels were just as successful.
Sarah
Ranking: 10/10
Tour guide was very friendly and knows a lot. Great tour.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share about your experience with us.
Sanne Sprogoe Borgaa
Ranking: 8/10
Nice and beautiful experience to see the whales and hear the comments about the seabirds. A lot of luxury but a bit expensive for the whole family to go, so only one of us went.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Sanne, glad you were able to join with us and view these beautiful creatures that live off the Kaikoura coastline.
Karine Scheers
Ranking: 8/10
The whales were disappointing but the dolphins made up for it.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi Karine, thanks for your feedback. It is a shame that the whales didn't live up to your expectations. We count it a real privilege to be able to see such gentle giants off our coastline all year round. Glad to hear that you enjoyed seeing the dolphins, they sure do know how to make people smile.
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Gerard Berote
Ranking: 7/10
Good service but not much to see. Dolphins were more exciting.
Jennifer Garner
Ranking: 10/10
A wow experience! I had never seen a sperm whale before. Saw three at close range and two from a distance. Customer service was excellent.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi Jennifer, it sounds like you had a whale of a time on your tour. Thanks for taking the time to share about your experience.
Matt Hyland
Ranking: 10/10
Great experience, we were very lucky, saw 5 sperm whales, average on a trip is 1 or 2!! Also saw some sea birds including Albatross. Good knowledgable staff.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Matt, thank you for your feedback, it sounds like your tour was full of much to see. Hope you managed to get some great photos!
Paul Wallace
Ranking: 7/10
Quite well organised, although only spent a few minutes looking for the whale on he 2nd phase of the tour before we had to head back.
Johanna Bak
Ranking: 7/10
We did get to see two whales! Good tour, just slightly unorganised.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Joahanna, thanks for your feedback, sorry you felt like your experience was slightly unorganised. I hope that seeing these beautiful creatures in their natural environment made up for it. Thanks again.
Bex Hyland
Ranking: 10/10
Easy to book, staff all very friendly and helpful. Lots of information on the boat, which was spacious. To top it off we saw five sperm whales!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Bex, Thanks for your review, it really does sound like your time out at sea was memorable with some fantastic photo opportunities.
Sue Eastwood
Ranking: 8/10
One of the highlights of our New Zealand trip. If anyone can find whales it is these guys. We saw two whales and a pod dolphins. All in all a great half day experience.
Would have been better if the coach hadn't driven off without us on the way back but we were rescued by a tour group of Danish deaf/blind tourists and Whale Watch were (mostly) suitable apologetic.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi Sue, thanks for your feedback, we are sorry to hear about the mis-understanding with our bus at the end of your tour. It is great to hear that your time out at sea was fantastic with some great sightings.
Yasmin Anweiler
Ranking: 10/10
Not cheap, but worth the money! Modern ship, friendly crew, many usefull informations about the whales and dolphins during the trip. We saw two sperm whales, many dusky dolphins and Hector's dolphins, albatrosses.
Despite of good weather and only 1 metre waves some passengers got seasick. In advance there was a seasick warning at the office. Passengers should take these warnings seriously.
All around a wonderful experience for us we don't like to miss!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for the great feedback Yasmin, and the tip in regards to seasickness warnings that are given at the time of check in. We hope the rest of your travels were just as successful.
Evyatar Karni
Ranking: 7/10
Expensive, the narrator speaks too much! ok at the end, better when the sea is calm.
Vicki Radford-Bray
Ranking: 10/10
What an amazing experience! Within a few minutes out at sea we were lucky enough to see a blue whale!! I never in my life thought I would see one of these and feel very privilged, it's something I will never forget. Not only that, we saw sperm whale, dolphins, amazing scenery and lots of bird life! Even being sea sick didn't diminish the experience (all staff were very helpful and understanding with that too!). All in all, wonderful! An experience of a life time!!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
HI Vicki, wow it is not everyday that we are about to see a blue whale on our tours how fantastic that you and the rest of our passengers that day were able to. Hope you got some great photos :)
Steve Warren
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional operation with great boats. Did not feel crowded. Saw sperm whale on the surface for 15-20 mins, Also saw albatross, minke whale, Hector's dolphins and seals. Just the view of the bay and mountains from the water is breathtaking.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Steve, it sounds like you had a great time out on your trip. We are so blessed by the diversity of marine life we can see off the Kaikoura coastline. Thanks again :)
David Restell
Ranking: 10/10
We decided to go whale watching for my birthday and we in awe for the entire trip.
+ Really helpful, informative and fried oh staff throughout our experience. From receptionist to bus driver to boat crew and captain,
+ We were very lucky and saw 8 Giant sperm whales (usual sighting 1-2)
+ 200-300 dusky dolphins playing around doing somersaults and playing in the waves off the boat were mesmerising.Absolutely awesome experience!!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora David - how awesome that you spent your birthday with us. It sounds like you had a wonderful time with some fantastic sightings. We are so blessed to be able to view such incredible marine life in their natural environment. Thanks again David :-)
Lorraine Walker
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised, informative and we saw whales close up plus dolphins, seals and albatross in natural habitat.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Lorraine, it sounds like you had a wonderful time with us, hope you managed to get some great photos :)
Michael Walker
Ranking: 9/10
Enjoyable to be close up to these creatures is breath taking. A bit too much talking on microphone from crew guy.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
I agree it is such an enjoyable experience to view these majestic creatures in their natural environment. Sorry to hear that there was too much talking during your tour, your feedback is much appreciated. Thanks for taking time to give us your feedback Michael.
hendrik king
Ranking: 8/10
Great experience.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Hendrik, it is wonderful to hear that you had a good experience with us. We hope the rest of your time in New Zealand was just as wonderful.
Mark Wiggington
Ranking: 8/10
Did not see any whales but made up for it via interesting presentations via TV screens and seeing a pod of Dusky Dolphins swimming around the boat.
Christofer Tonn
Ranking: 7/10
They fulfilled what they promised but for me, whale watching is not so exciting.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Christofer, thank you for your feedback, sorry that you found whale watching not that exciting. Hopefully you were able to take in the beauty of these majestic creatures in their natural environment and still walk away with some new knowledge and appreciation of just how amazing these creatures are.
Michal Sturma
Ranking: 7/10
It was a good experience, we have seen 2 sperm whales, some seals and that is it. No dolphins but some other people been more lucky and seen much more animals and fish another day.
Jitka Krejcova
Ranking: 7/10
It was a great experience with lovely and very friendly staff on the boat but unluckily I saw only two whales and few seals. No dolphins and no albatross.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Jitka, thanks for your feedback. As I am sure you can appreciate when working with marine life you never really know what to expect from day to day. Seeing 2 sperm whales in their natural environment is awesome, our average sight rate per tour is around 1-2 whales, any other marine life we get to see is always an added bonus. Thanks for taking the time to share about your experience with us.
Neil Beckett
Ranking: 9/10
Great Experience. Very professionally run.
Our whale watch tour was cancelled, but replaced by a wildlife trip.
We saw loads, and I mean loads, of Dolphins, some seals, albatrosses.
It is a little expensive, but you get what you pay for. Good quality.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Neil, glad to hear that you were still able to enjoy some of the amazing marine life we have off our coastline even though your whale watching tour was cancelled. Hope you got some great photos.
Jonathan Meun
Ranking: 9/10
Very good.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Jonthan, glad you enjoyed your time with us.
Francois Marchar
Ranking: 5/10
Didn't see any whales.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Francois, it is shame you didn't get to see whales when you were with us, working with marine life in their natural environment can be challenging at times. We hope you still enjoyed your time in Kaikoura and the rest of your travels around NZ.
battum 80
Ranking: 8/10
Professional organization and a very good tour. Bit expensive compared to other whale watching around the globe (USA and Argentina). But NZ is pricy.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora, thanks for your comments, glad to hear that you had a good tour with us. We hope your time in New Zealand was rewarding with many great memories made.
Lars Schulz
Ranking: 9/10
Very good organisation. Almost too process-orientated.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Lars, thanks for taking the time to share. We hope your time in New Zealand was full of great adventure and wonderful memories.
susan savage
Ranking: 9/10
very professional and friendly crew. rather a misty day and sea pretty rough but forgot my sea sickness when a large group of pilot whales with their young spotted + 1 bottle nose dolphin and couple of orcas - quite a show. Hard to get decent photos but that doesn't matter it was the emotion of the moment that we will always remember seeing whales so near. Went on afterwards to look for sperm whale but not today! However, I think most passengers were surprised when announced we would receive 80% refund due to fact we didn't spot sperm whale. Thank you to all the team.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Susan, thanks for sharing about your experience with us. While it is unfortunate that you were unable to sight a sperm whale on your tour what a blessing to be able to view pilot whales, orca and bottlenose dolphins instead... We hope the rest of your travels have been full of wonderful memories.
Cherlyn Chong
Ranking: 10/10
One of the best tours I've been on so far in NZ! We saw two different types of sperm whale and got up close to some very playful dusky dolphins. The presentations were such a lovely surprise, very high in quality with a LOT of useful info. Safety and customer satisfaction were very important to them, you could tell. Highly recommended!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Cherlyn, thanks so much for your feedback, it sounds like you had a great time on your tour which is wonderful. Isn't it such a treat to be able to view so much diversity of marine life in such a short period of time - Kaikoura truly is a special place! Thanks again.
Steve Douthwaite
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent trip, we saw three sperm whales and lots of rare seabirds. Great staff, lots of information provided and superb presentations whilst tracking the whales down.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks Steve, it sounds like you had a fantastic time on your tour - 3 sperm whale sightings is fantastic. Aren't the birds we get to see out at sea beautiful? We hope the rest of your travels are proving to be just as memorable as your time with us.
Sasha and Sandra Bonavia
Ranking: 9/10
Unnecessary waiting in briefing room, we had to be there at 1245 but actually we started at 1330.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Sasha and Sandra, thanks for your feedback. All tours time quoted at the time of booking whether over the internet, by email or phone are quoted as our check in times, sorry if this was not made clear to you when you made your booking. We allow 30-40 minutes to check in 48 passengers and then show what we feel is an important safety video before departure. Again sorry that you were not informed of the check in process, I hope that your time out at sea however was successful with some great sightings.
Alexander Klein
Ranking: 9/10
Best tour we have had so far. Excellent organisation! Excellent boat! Our host on the boat was very, very, very good. So much useful information. We saw sperm whales, dolphins and albatross. Worth the money!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Alexander, thanks so much for your feedback it really does sound like you had a wonderful time out at sea with some fantastic sightings - we hope you managed to get some beautiful photos...
Sandra and Thomas
Ranking: 10/10
Typical tourist thing to do.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
:-) Hope you enjoyed your time out at sea and managed to walk away with some wonderful memories!
Ramon Keller
Ranking: 9/10
Professionally organised, also easy to book (at the i-Site), competent information provided.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks Ramon, glad you enjoyed your time with us, we truly are blessed to have such beautiful marine life in Kaikoura
Jackie and Brian
Ranking: 8/10
Very efficient, fast comfortable boat. Informative steward, but all felt a little impersonal - quite expensive (despite the Top10 discount). Saw whales, dolphins, seals, albatross so all expected and more.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Jackie and Brian, thanks for your feedback, sorry you felt it a little impersonal that is not our intention at all. We count it a real privilege to be able to go out and see such beautiful marine life off our coastline and our hope is that is portrayed during your time out at sea. We hope you were able to take some great photos of the marine life you were able to see on your tour.
Brian Howe
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent and professional staff. Saw three whales and several dolphins.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Brian - how wonderful to be able to see 3 sperm whales and dolphins out on your tour, aren't they incredible creatures? We hope the rest of your travels have been just as successful.
David and Sally Wallis
Ranking: 6/10
Saw plenty of wildlife. Although the captain did seem to chase after them.
Ton Franke
Ranking: 7/10
If you are vunerable to sea sickness, you will probably get sea sick. The amount of information on board of the vesssel is a bit overkill. We did see a whale though :-)
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
We have sea sickness preventatives available at our office and provide sea sickness warnings if deemed necessary but our captains, it is unfortunate that some people do get sea sick however we do our best to help prevent this from happening. Hope you managed to get some great photos on your trip! Thanks again
roos wubben
Ranking: 9/10
If you do not see a whale you get a refund, we think that is good! Good guidelines beforem during and after the trip. During the trip there is a lot of information, in words and on screen, there is enough time to take pictures. Friendly staff.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks so much for taking the time share feedbac on your whale watching experience, it is wonderful to hear your time with us was good. We are truly blessed to be able to view such beautiful marine life off our coastline, I hope you were able to get some great photos!
Innes Martin
Ranking: 4/10
Staff obsessed with seeking a whale - ignored other wildlife (eg dolphins).
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for your feedback. Our main focus on the tour is in fact to locate whales as we are a whale watching experience, if and when the captain feels like a good whale watching tour has been had we will then take time (again if time is available) to view other marine life. Sorry you felt we were obsessed, we would hope you would see it more as doing what we do best - locating and sightings whales!
Mr and Mrs White
Ranking: 7/10
Very good, would recommend.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for taking the time share some feedback, we hope the rest of your travels were just as memorable as your time in Kaikoura.
Erik Funk
Ranking: 7/10
Excellent guiding. Quite short tour but at least the whale spotting is a 99% guarantee.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
You are right we do have a high success rate in sightings whales - 95% chance in fact! Hope the rest of your travel around NZ was successful.
Reinhard Stahl
Ranking: 10/10
We were very lucky to see three whales, so we did not resent the very high costs.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Reinhard, three whales is awesome, we hope you were able to get some good photos and take away some wonderful memories.
Reinhard Stahl
Ranking: 10/10
We were very lucky to see three whales, so we did not resent the very high costs.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
We are glad you had a wonderful time out there, three whale sightings is fantastic!
lavonc
Ranking: 1/10
No whales, rough seas, not worth it. We were the 2nd boat out and they didn't admit they hadn't seen any whales on the previous boat. It was VERY rough, everyone got sick and we didn't see one whale. Not worth it in my opinion but then we live near the ocean and see whales all the time so I may be too critical (but my friends from England felt the same way).
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora, we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us. We are sorry to hear that your time with us did not meet up to your expectations, when dealing with nature I am sure you can appreciate that we are at their discretion. On all our tours we inform passengers at check in of the tour status and am sorry if this was not presented to you at the time. We have an average sight rate of 95% and if we do not sight a whale we do refund our customers 80% of their fare back. Again sorry your time with us was not enjoyable, we do hope however that the rest of your time in NZ was successful with many lasting memories.
Jenben
Ranking: 8/10
Despite the fact that we didnt see any whales and the sea was very rough, the staff were very informative, helpful and friendly.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for taking the time to share about your whale watch experience, it is a real shame that you were unable to sight a whale when with us. When dealing with nature it is hard to predict what we are going to see from one day to the next both sightings & weather wise... We hope the rest of your travels have been successful, thanks again.
Stephanie Kohlmann
Ranking: 9/10
Good price, perfect service, well organised, friendly people - and a whale found!
Richard Brijs
Ranking: 9/10
We have seen sperm whales, seals, dolphins, the whole lot. We have even seen blue whale which is very unusual.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Hi Richard, thanks for sharing about your time with us. How fantastic to not only see sperm whales, seals and dolphins but also a blue whale - what a rear treat indeed. Hope the rest of your travels have been just as memorable as your time in Kaikoura.
gareth williams
Ranking: 10/10
this was our second visit with whale watch, we went on a trip in march 2009 but failed to see anything. we managed to see one whale on this visit and it was worth the wait. The crew are very informative and helpful as well as the booking staff. The sea was quite rough on our visit but it didn't effect the trip in any way. well done guy's keep up the good work
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Gareth and Lara, thanks for taking the time to share about your times with us, as you know first hand when working with marine life you can never really predict what is going to happen. Thanks for trying again and being rewarded with the fantastic time you had with us. All the best.
Agnes McMillan
Ranking: 10/10
Very efficient, well organised. Very nice boat, good sea safety instructions. Saw whales (well 1 whale - 2 fifteen minute sightings of sperm whale.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Agnes, thanks for your kind words it sounds like you had a fantastic time out with us. We are truly blessed to have such beautiful marine life off our coastline.
Robin Sable
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent - great weather, a tad choppy but saw five sperm whales and an albatross.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks so much for your feedback - 5 sperm whale sightings is fantastic. Hope you managed to get some great photos!
Daniel Patricia
Ranking: 4/10
Too expensive $NZ145, small viewing platform, bad boats.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thank you for your feedback Daniel, sorry your time with us did not meet up to your expectations. We believe our pricing is fair and reflects similar pricing within the Tourism Industry.. Our vessels are designed specially for whale watching, equipped with engines that minimise underwater noise and toilets that never pollute the sea. There is also plenty of room on the outside platform and upper deck for photo opportunities.
James Huntzinger
Ranking: 9/10
2.5 hours. The equipment (bus, vessel) are excellent. Crew (skipper, information officer, safety officers) superlative/knowledgeable/skilled. There was one whale, Charlie, snoozing on the surface. We enjoyed many dusky dolphin, albatross, petrels etc.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thank you for such great feedback. It is always hard to determine what we are going to see from one tour to the next (which is what makes working with nature such a treat), not everyday can say you saw a 18 metre / 50 tonne whale sleeping :-)
Sander Heike
Ranking: 10/10
Eco friendly, Maori operated company, qualified guides, excellent tour.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Always great to hear feedback, we are glad you enjoyed your time with us!
J Jmal
Ranking: 10/10
Awesome. Saw three sperm whales, boats are great and captain and crew were very entertaining and informative.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
The team at Whale Watch Kaikoura appreciate your feedback. Hope you managed to get some great photos and that the rest of your time in New Zealand was just as memorable.
Marc Schmiedily
Ranking: 1/10
Very expensive, the tour speaker always talking via microphone. It was very bad, totally organised for increase of profit.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora March, we appreciate your feedback. We pride ourselves on delivering a quality experience to all our guests. We are sorry that you time with us did not meet up with your expectations.
Johannes OBerlin
Ranking: 7/10
2 and a half hours standard whale watch tour for $145, tour day had a high risk of sea sickness, recommen taking medicine in advance. Saw five whales, most of the whale is under water, so don't expect too much, friendly staff.
Clausen
Ranking: 2/10
Very expensive and I had the feeling they just want to show one whale diving and then return to the harbour.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Here at Whale Watch Kaikoura we pride ourselves on delivering a quality experience to all our guests. I can assure you that our aim is not to just show one whale and then return to the harbour, when dealing with nature we cannot predict what is going to happen day by day let alone tour by tour, our captains do their best to show what they can in the time available. I am very sorry that on this occasion it fell below what you would expect from a leading tourism operator and that your expectations were not met.
Fiona Finke
Ranking: 8/10
Nice crew, information abou whales provided on the trip. We only saw one whale and that was thanks to the captain who was very good in listening to the whale and its position.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thanks for your feedback Fiona, it is always great to hear how our passengers time with us went. Hope your time in New Zealand was truly memorable.
Denise & Maciej Holzer
Ranking: 9/10
Great experience!! Good organisation of the tour, but compared with whale watching tours in other countries a little bit expensive.
Martin Beuker
Ranking: 9/10
Nice presentation on board a comfortable catamaran. Good in finding whales and providing customers with lots of extra information. Friendly staff.
Filsack
Ranking: 7/10
No whales so they refunded us 80% of the ticket, useful information on board but disappointed we did not see any whales.
Wil de Kubber
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised, 80% refund.
Fritschi
Ranking: 8/10
NO whales were seen, but well organised and 80% refund of tour experience.
Dominique
Ranking: 9/10
Flexible to rescheduling our trip when we had a problem with our schedule due to a cancelled ferry. Very punctual.
Brasier
Ranking: 9/10
First class for ticketing, support and performance on the ship.
Robert
Ranking: 9/10
Their prediction of the weather and sea state also that we would see a sperm whale and all were spot on. A safety concious, professional outift,
Jim Addicott
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent, very organised and responsive to last minute bookings.
Janse
Ranking: 9/10
Good orgnisation, a nice trip, a lot of good information.
Alan Findlay
Ranking: 9/10
Great staff, very knowledgable, great variety of sealife seen.
Astrid Boon
Ranking: 8/10
We have seen a whale, dolphins, seals and albatross. They really take their time to make sure you actually see some animals.
Siegfried Krueger
Ranking: 10/10
Perfect but expensive.
Kolen
Ranking: 8/10
Saw a whale and dolphins, lots of information.
Peter Wall
Ranking: 10/10
100% care and attention from start to finish. Far exceeds our expectations.
Preben vil Helmsen
Ranking: 10/10
Rather expensive - but very professional and we saw one whale two times and we saw the sperm whales tail.
Sabine
Ranking: 9/10
Even I was seasick - a good tour with good guides!
Gabriele Wendt
Ranking: 7/10
We really (finally) spotted two whales; the sea very rough; danger of getting seasick. Far too expensive!!! Is it worth spending $130 per person???
Peter Aertssen
Ranking: 8/10
Value for money, professional, during the trip lots of information. Many dolphins and a whale.
Christian Apfel
Ranking: 8/10
Some what expensive for 3 hours, overall a good experience.
Rikke & Trine Bundgaard
Ranking: 9/10
Well the sea was high, a lot of passengers got seasick and the whales evaded us. Thus a disappointing whale watch. However, the company was very professional, with great information, knowledge and we got 80% ticket refund.
Schertenleib
Ranking: 8/10
Very expensive, very interesting - a must!!!
Aled
Ranking: 8/10
Fun ride out to see amazing animals. Not recommended if you are easily sea sick!!!
Elizabeth Gardner
Ranking: 9/10
Amazing to see three sperm whales in natural environment. It is overpriced for what it is - and the amount of time you get watching whales. Don't buy travel sickness tablets at gift shop - it does not work!!
Andreas Kristiansen
Ranking: 8/10
Got to see three whales, great guides and service, super experience and got a lot of knowledge while sailing between whales.
Stephanie Wirthlin
Ranking: 8/10
Boat ride very funny.
Frank Waskikowski
Ranking: 10/10
Just perfect!! Safe, well organised, good explanations!
Peter Putz
Ranking: 10/10
There is only one company doing it. The catamaran boat is very stable. Seasickness is rare. We saw seven sperm whales - they have a money back guarantee.
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Brian Frost
Ranking: 10/10
Great experience.
Jessica Lane
Ranking: 5/10
Pretty overpriced and a lot of time spent just looking for the whales. Then you get about 10 minutes of a sperm whale until it dives. Great experience but feel a bit ripped off afterwards. Not for seasickness sufferers!
Sandra Andersen
Ranking: 7/10
Takes about three hours, we saw sperm whales and even blue whale which only comes about five times per year. Since there is no guarantee and no food or beverages we think it was a bit expensive at $145 PP. But of course if you have sightings it is great!
Rick Moth
Ranking: 10/10
Again a well run operation. Although the weather was a bit rough on the day we felt safe on the boat and they managed to guide us to sight six whales. An unforgettable experience.
Inge & Erik
Ranking: 10/10
Friendly staff, nice boat, we saw orca, dolphins and sperm whale.
Orlando
Ranking: 9/10
Great experience! Good entertainment on board, expensive but it is worth it.
Johanna & Catrin
Ranking: 10/10
Love it.
Gerrit & Martina
Ranking: 8/10
Just one whale, but that is nature.
Lyn Deavin
Ranking: 8/10
Excellent trip - saw lots of sperm whales and albatross.
Jeltje
Ranking: 8/10
Did not get to see any whales because of the bad weather. Good organisation, got a 100% refund. Responsible to go back to harbour, honest seasickness warning.
Marie
Ranking: 7/10
Well organised, great equipment to find location of whales. Caution: take seriously their sea sickness warning.
Barbara
Ranking: 3/10
Whale watching trips are much too expensive for what you get to see - you are in a boat with dozens of tourists and there are about five boats swimming around the whale - we though it was much too commercial!
John Brand
Ranking: 9/10
Very informative, very safety conscious, saw three whales on our trip. Refunds given if you fail to see whales.
Josef & Christine Evers
Ranking: 9/10
We have seen whales!
Eveline Mestrom
Ranking: 7/10
The weather was not too good and we saw one whale. The staff were very friendly.
Cick Pouw
Ranking: 7/10
We did not see a tail therefore we got a partial refund. Staff were nice and knowledgable.
Dugald McCallum
Ranking: 9/10
Staff were great and very informative and very attentive to customers who were seasick.
Monika & Roger
Ranking: 9/10
We spent longer on the water till we saw a sperm whale. Return way was very fast, because a lot of passengers need the 'white bag' (sea sick).
Thomas Behy
Ranking: 8/10
We did not see a whale, but we got our money back, we were late but we could go the next day.
Hugo ten Brink
Ranking: 7/10
One whale, but beautiful, too expensive.
Frank & Julia
Ranking: 10/10
Exciting boat trip (be aware of sea sickness) with dolphins, albatross and a whale watch guarantee.
Colin Jenkins
Ranking: 7/10
By boat disappointed no whales but 80% refund. By helicopter disappointed no whales but no refund.
Barsch, Arwed & Gertrud
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent organisation and information about marine life, just one whale.
Berry
Ranking: 10/10
Great trip, weather dependant but good service and we saw a whale!! Good info, attention to safety and comfort.
Steve & Maggie
Ranking: 8/10
Excellent guides, great experience, although a little pricey.
Dorthe
Ranking: 8/10
They did everything to locate the whales. We did see killer whales and sperm whales.
deJong
Ranking: 8/10
Nice service.
Peter, Noelle & Susanne
Ranking: 7/10
Very professional, good information, rough sea and only saw a whale for 5 minutes in 3 hours. Pity but not the company's fault.
Les and Carole Savins
Ranking: 8/10
A very good tour. Well managed, very enjoyable and informative. Customer services was very good. However, relatively expensive.
Kai
Ranking: 10/10
Went out with the boat. Saw no whales due to heavy water conditions. Had to go back earlier than expected. Money refund: 100% - that is fair! But they tried the best they could - therefore 10!!
Tamara
Ranking: 6/10
Very expensive, but worthwhile if never seen a whale. Wouldn't take children under 5 - long and can be bumpy. Sea sickness a definite possibility.
Bernhard & Brigitte Gosch
Ranking: 9/10
With aircraft (very good aircraft, excellent views!!!)
Edward Marhi
Ranking: 5/10
1 1/4 hr boat ride. Only 3 minutes whale watching and then back 1 1/4 hr. The Maori guide gives a lot of information about whales.
FlyKiwiFly
Ranking: 9/10
Saw four sperm whales and dolphins. Nice but not cheap. Unfortunately I became seasick but the sperm whales were stunning! Nice staff and informative presentation.
Steve Eley
Ranking: 9/10
We saw four sperm whale - very professional, maybe could be a little warmer spirited. One of us were mal de mer!
Jory Singer
Ranking: 4/10
Good and friendly guides, but expensive and very less to see - only got 10% back, even though the weather so bad, that the trip nearly couldn't start.
David & Audrey
Ranking: 9/10
Pleasant staff, very safety conscious, went out of their way to please. Shame the microphone was not working.
littlebear
Ranking: 10/10
Our experience was awesome! Our female captain and crew were very professional. Damion's presentation throughout the trip was very informative. We saw two sperm whales,dolphins and seals.fab experience!
travelbunnyadventures
Ranking: 7/10
Our experience was fairly disappointing. We only managed to see one whale towards the end of the trip. Probably we had set too high an expectation but after waiting that long to see one whale flip its tail, it was rather anti-climax.
Otherwise, the tour was well run, very informative and you can tell that the crew really made every effort to make it a memorable experience.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora, thank you for taking the time to share about your time with us we value your feedback. We are sorry that your time with us did not meet your expectations, as I am sure you can appreciate when working with nature we cannot really predict what is going to happen from one day to the next, we do however have an average of 1-2 sightings per tour, this is due to the nature of the whales that we view most commonly on our tours which is the sperm whale. Thanks for the kind words about your crew on the day I am sure they will be happy to know they are doing a great job.
elise1987
Ranking: 5/10
Nice crew and good that they give a 80 percent refund, because we didn't see a thing beside some albatrosses. There were no dolphins and of course, no whales. First they went to several places where probably could be whales, but unfortunately there were none. They went very fast and we were going up and down the waves, which was not very pleasant. Why they did this, we really don't know, because afterwards they went nice and slow. I would highly recommend that you that anti sea sickness pills (the real deal, no natural things, that doesn't work good enough) before you go with this trip. About 10% of the passengers was puking all the time and if there would have been any whales, I'm sure they could not enjoy that.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Elise, thank you for taking the time to share about your experience with us. It is unfortuante that you were unable to see whales on your tour. I can assure our captains work hard to deliver the best possible tour when we are out there - however as I am sure you can appreciate when working with nature we can not predict what is going to happen from one day to the next both with the sea conditions and whale sightings. We hope the rest of your travels have been successful with many lasting memories.
MaggieYChaChi
Ranking: 9/10
While it seems a bit wasteful to take a boat on a 2-hour round trip journey to see 1 whale, it was still awesome! It's not everyday you get to see a sperm whale after all.
I would like to say thank you to the staff at the whale watching base for keeping us safe. When 2 of the other tourists followed us around taking pictures of us, we informed the staff, and they gave us a safe place to sit while the men waited for us outside. They also offered us rides to wherever we needed to go. I hope the staff there knows how AWESOME their little bit of help was in keeping us safe on our journey. Thank you!
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Maggie, thank you for your kind words. We are so glad to hear that you had a great time viewing a sperm whale (aren't they a magnificent creature?), and that you were well looked after during you time with us. We hope your time in NZ was memorable and that you managed to get some great photos to show the family back home. Thanks again.
Andreas Heyer
Ranking: 10/10
Good service, money back guarantee (when no whales).
Ken Jones
Ranking: 9/10
Very professionally run.
Jill
Ranking: 9/10
Very professionally run, comfortable boat, knowledgeable staff.
Petra
Ranking: 10/10
Just perfect.
Jasmin Loeffler
Ranking: 10/10
It was awesome.
Sebastian Wiesinger
Ranking: 7/10
Many whales and dolphins. Very nice crew. Boat very big and many passengers.
GenH
Ranking: 8/10
Fantasic experience (if you manage not to get seasick). Everything is organised perfect. However they misuse their monopoly to ask very high prices.
We spotted 3 spermwhales and a colony of dusky and common dolfins
dnigolian
Ranking: 9/10
Saw 6 sperm whale, a school of dolphins numbering around 200, 2 sea lions mixed in, and some bird life. Even with such a great experience, I did think the price could have been a tad less and I'm told that many sightings isn't the norm. I'd recommend it highly.
Candyfloss
Ranking: 10/10
absolutely brilliant, we saw three whales and hundreds of dolphins. One of the highlights of our NZ holiday.
cruisysue
Ranking: 5/10
A little disappointing, maybe our expectations were too high! The two whale sightings were great.
Jon_and_Family
Ranking: 9/10
Eye wateringly expensive but an essential experience when on holiday in NZ.
Superb and informative crew.
One whale seen and a massive pod of dusky dolphins.
Katherine Forward
Ranking: 9/10
Well run and organised trip.
Robin Smith
Ranking: 10/10
Good commentary, interest in passengers questions. Clean boat, good facilities, interesting visual presentation.
A Dekker
Ranking: 8/10
Also very good and a good crew!!
Aln
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent organisation and information.
Nathalie Verzeletti
Ranking: 3/10
Too expensive and nothing to see, $145/adult.
RonRon
Ranking: 9/10
We were lucky and had amazing weather and saw 7 whales!! We arrived early and were asked if we wanted an earlier tour, which was great. Knowledgable guides. Good boats. Fantastic ability to find whales! Tad overpriced, but still we did see 7 whales!
Zoe Nash
Ranking: 8/10
Great fun, but we didn't see any whales dive unfortunately. We did see a lot of them - just sleeping on the surface. Not good for friends who get seasick!
Charlie
Ranking: 10/10
A really fun trip seeing 2 whales and dolphins playing in the water.
Kornelia Kirf
Ranking: 7/10
The guidance of the tour was very interesting and entertaining. Be aware you only will see a whole whale by talking a plane! If unsure about sea sickness you definitely should take some medicine BEFORE tour starts.
Beth and Daisy
Ranking: 7/10
Watch for sea-sickness.
Berger
Ranking: 10/10
Great experience!
Marianne Swauger
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised.
Adi Leheucel
Ranking: 6/10
For animal lovers only!! If you don't see a whale you get an 80% refund.
Barnhoorh
Ranking: 7/10
Overpriced.
Bette Eh
Ranking: 10/10
Absolutley fantastic, worth every cent. Very good information presented via power boat and amenities during the trip to and from the whale and dolphin areas. Excellent manipulation of the boat to see these creatures up close and present. Three whales, an island of seals and at least 100 dolphins.
Julia
Ranking: 8/10
Lots of fun. Saw one Sperm whale and hundreds of dolphins! Two fur seals even waved at us - no kidding!
Tim
Ranking: 9/10
Saw four whales - terrific.
Richard Dudfield
Ranking: 9/10
Was exactly as described - excellent commentary about whales and birds we saw. Ensured we safely observed the whales. Looked after passengers needs.
Judith
Ranking: 8/10
It is a good thing to do the Whale Watch trip in the morning, because usually the sea is calmer. The team has a high knowledge about what they are doing and the whales are just fascinating.
Karin Kueng
Ranking: 9/10
If you are not seasick and it is good weather, this is a boat trip for whale watching in Kaikoura we recommend! If you are lucky you see maybe many dolphins as well!
Pfleidere
Ranking: 9/10
Very good but very expensive for a family.
Chris & Anne Pearson
Ranking: 8/10
Expensive but very well done. No waiting around, quite easy going and relaxed.
John Cullin
Ranking: 10/10
Another simply amazing experience! Once again skilled people who know what they are doing to keep their customers safe. The knowledge which you receive is outstanding ie history, animal behavious, instincts etc.
Michael Long
Ranking: 9/10
Great experience, friendly staff, very informative. Small boat was good and it was not full!
Stefanie
Ranking: 1/10
Just one whale seen for $145. That is a lot of money.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Stefanie - thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about your time with us. As I am sure you can appreciate when dealing with nature we can never really predict from one tour to the next what we are going to see. We do have a 95% success rate with an average of 1-2 sightings per tour. We count it a real priviledge to be able to enter into the whales world and see them in their natural environment.
As a company we are committed to providing our customers with a high quality of service that is value for money. We believe our pricing is fair and reflects similar pricing within the Tourism Industry. The price of the tour is set to cover running costs of the vessels and keeping them up to peak performance, as a company we have invested a lot in infrastructure such as the marina area, research and also development such as the animation on the vessels.
Once again thank you for sharing your thoughts, we appreicate all customer feedback. We hope the rest of your time in NZ was successful with many lasting memories.
K Wallis
Ranking: 7/10
Professional tour, well organised.
Susan Herd
Ranking: 10/10
Very well organised modern gear, excellent people on the boat itself - fantastic trip.
Leanne Shepherd
Ranking: 9/10
Well organised, very educational, very much enjoyed, expensive for families.
Bartl
Ranking: 10/10
Friendly tour guides, good information about whales and dolphins.
Pein van Nosrt
Ranking: 9/10
Exspensive but worth the money. Depends on what you see. Our tour was really good. Refund with no spotting is good service.
Michael Assfalg
Ranking: 10/10
Good explanations, good organisation (briefing, shuttle), open minded, welcoming crew.
Simon Vickers
Ranking: 8/10
Difficult to review as sadly didn't see any whales the trip we went! However staff apologetic and did give us a 80% refund. Professional service and knowledgable staff.
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Schweisshelm
Ranking: 7/10
Saw whales, but a bit overpriced for short trip.
Graham Jones
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent.
Cheryl & Ged Knight
Ranking: 9/10
Pricey, but we certainly got to see some sperm whales - laying on surface then diving. Boat very roomy and well designed for job. Guides/staff knowledgable.
Gerhard
Ranking: 9/10
Well organised and successful.
Hartwig
Ranking: 8/10
Knowledgable staff, reasonable price, refund if no whales are found/seen.
Kip
Ranking: 10/10
We saw 12 sperm whales. Excellent interpretative talk, great experience.
Ebi & Beate
Ranking: 9/10
Good structure, good explanation.
Marcus
Ranking: 6/10
Business as usual.
David Parli
Ranking: 8/10
Did the tour twice, first time aborted because of bad weather. Second time perfect, whales, over 200 dolphins, perfect.
Gert Vogelaers
Ranking: 8/10
Very commercial, we got lucky and saw a whale.
Ini & Cees
Ranking: 7/10
Very well organised, friendly crew and staff.
Ross Salisbury
Ranking: 9/10
Well organised experience, guides gave interesting and amusing information and seemed genuinely concerned that we would all go home having had a great time and spotted some whales.
Derek Puplett
Ranking: 9/10
Overall a fantastic experience, friendly knowledgable boat crew and welcoming check in staff, unbelievable views of whales and dolphins.
Julie Pasquignon
Ranking: 9/10
Absolutely fantastic. The first tour was cancelled due to sea conditions, but we are rebooked free of charge on the first available one. The sea was still rough and many people were sick, but were taken care of. Still saw four whales and a few dolphins. Very good explainantions and great view.
English_Mark
Ranking: 9/10
Very professional tour company, well run with plenty of information about the wildlife. Saw one whale, plenty of dolphin and a wandering albatross. Very pleased we done it, if a bit expensive. My wife loved it and would do it again even though she was seasick for most of the trip!
Kasia Robshaw
Ranking: 9/10
Informative tour, run very well. Great team - enthusiastic, organised. We saw 2 whales and the atmosphere on board was fantastic.
Kay and Colin Yendole
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent boat and tour commentry. Very professional company. Lots of photo opportunities. Crew made certain we got maximum sightings of whales and dolphins, so no time was wasted. Well worth the money.
John Shaw
Ranking: 9/10
This is an excellent boat tour. I could not decide between the plane, the chopper or the boat but in the end very pleased I chose the boat. Reason: It has very informative commentary.
Leontien Holster
Ranking: 8/10
We were able to see two whales, many dolphins and seals. Very well organised.
Hvid
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent ship, very professional staff.
Danny and Loreen Way
Ranking: 6/10
The tour is overpriced but since they are the only whale watch company in Kaikoura, they can charge the price they want. Did see whales and dolphins, but poor value for dollar.
Dennis & Claudia
Ranking: 9/10
Fortunately we have seen quite a lot of different species. For those who won't see a whale.....there is a refund of 80% given.
Robert Smith
Ranking: 10/10
A must do - a bit dependant on the weather but 80% refund if you don't see any whales or dolphins. If you do see them it is worth the possible seasickness. Brilliant!
Jansen
Ranking: 7/10
Expensive for seeing 1 whale.
Philippa Waters
Ranking: 9/10
Great opportunity for viewing some rare animals. We were lucky enough to see killer whales, hectors dolphins and sperm whales. Lots of clear information to watch while the boats going. Don't do it if you get sea sick!
Nicole
Ranking: 8/10
After one trip with a day of lots of wind and therefore too high waves, we got 100% refund. Did another trip the next day. Saw sperm whales, killer whales, perguins and dolphins on tour.
Cheryl
Ranking: 7/10
It is a little bit expensive but I always wanted to see whales and we saw two so we were lucky. If you don't see them you will get 80% (or more) of your money back.
Kiefer Osterrieder
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised.
Martin Current
Ranking: 7/10
We were kept waiting - unnecessary hanging around until moving off. They were good at what they did but the actual wildlife experience was more limited than publicity led us to expect.
Mark Aarts
Ranking: 9/10
Good information, we got what we came for: 6 whales.
Karo Janke
Ranking: 9/10
Saw a whale, friendly, lots of information, nice trip on boat.
Emma Edis-Bates
Ranking: 7/10
Very well organised. Unfortunate that the weather was awful - bad sea sickness. Saw lots, great guide and staff.
Hartmut Vogt
Ranking: 6/10
Well organised, whale watching experience rather inferior (if compared to other locations e.g. Sth America), expensive , IF you get to see dolphins, highlight of the tour.
Claus Olsen
Ranking: 10/10
Top! Great guides, child friendly and plenty of whales, dolphins and seals.
Wallet
Ranking: 9/10
10 whales in a day - perfect.
Friedli Manuela
Ranking: 8/10
Nice staff, good information, saw whales and dolphins. Too expensive $145PP.
Jason Hernandez
Ranking: 8/10
Good day out. Knowledgable staff. Was not sure what to expect but thought I would see more but what I did see was cool.
Dave and Lin Mungham
Ranking: 10/10
Professional in every aspect.
Belony
Ranking: 9/10
Good experience, nice crew!!! Good organisation (bus, boat....)
James Jackson
Ranking: 10/10
This tour turned out to be a great trip. The boat and crew were excellent. We saw three Sperm Whales close-up and two other further away. Also Dusky Dolphins and seals.
Roy Seymour
Ranking: 10/10
Very good commentary and plenty of space on the boat. All staff (on and off boat) very helpful. Dusky dolphins and 3 types of Albatross seen in addition to Sperm whales - backed by 80% refund policy if no whale spotted.
Rolf Homeyer
Ranking: 10/10
Booking via internet easy and certain. Explanation by tour guides was detailed, informative and friendly.
Alan & Gill Geach
Ranking: 8/10
Very well organised trip. Not too happy when we paid full price + i-site was offering one ct 1/2 price. This information was not given to us at the i-site although they gave us whale watching info.
Helen Gilbertson
Ranking: 6/10
Enjoyed this but for what we saw it was very expensive.
Dyson
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent experience,very professional and informative trip. A tad commercial,but only to be expected in the age we live.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about your time with us, it is always great to hear that people have had a great experience with us. We hope that you got many great photo as well as many great memories to go with them. Thanks again...
Johan
Ranking: 6/10
The trip is nice, but at $145 rather overpriced.
Colin Daniels
Ranking: 10/10
Well run, efficiently organised. Memorable experience.
Stefan Scheiterlein
Ranking: 10/10
We have seen Sperm Whale, 1000-1500 dusky dolphins. Tour was organised very well.
Matthias & Ceristiane
Ranking: 10/10
80% refund because of bad weather on first tour. 10% off 2nd tour. Great guide with good videos and explanation. Great views and almost 100% guarantee of whale and dolphin sightings.
Stephen & Emma
Ranking: 8/10
Very good, saw whale (asleep). Unfortunately we got hit by storm half way through but got refund of 20%.
allesca
Ranking: 10/10
We were lucky and saw 2 sperm whales on the surface for 5+ minutes each, then the spectacular dive, and just caught the dive of a third; whale sightings had been rarer in the previous few days. The trip is a must-do in Kaikoura. Very well run: comfortable vessels, very professional crew, expert whale spotters and commentary as well as lot of information en route about other marine life and whales in general. Friendly and helpful staff at the visitor centre and on board all clearly enjoy what they do.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora - so great to hear that you had an memorable time with us. We are truly blessed to have such beautiful marine life live off this coastline. Feedback from our customers is always appreciated, we hope that you are able to sail with us again one day. Thanks again
Lisa - Marketing & Communications
Andrew Hammond
Ranking: 9/10
We had a great trip. Saw 2 whales and got some wonderful pictures; which simply don't do the experience justice. Very good infromation given during the cruise to help us understand these amazing creatures.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Andrew - we very much appreciate your feedback - I agree sometimes our pictures do not do justice to the beauty of the experience when seeing these whales in their natural environment... Thanks again for taking to the time to share about your experience.
Lisa - Marketing & Communications
Mary Van
Ranking: 10/10
This company was busy and professional. The boats were well mantained and comfortable with lots of entertaining infomation. Plenty of organised staff all working to make sure you have a good experience. We saw whales, dolphins and seals and would highly recommend the trip. thanks for a great time!!
JimBradshaw
Ranking: 6/10
Second time we have been, after a gap of 7 years. First time was superb, with crew making sure we had plenty of time to check out seals, albatrosses etc. but this time the whole deal felt hurried, disengaged and 'plastic.' Maybe it was just the team this time, but we were quite disappointed having waited all this time to go see these magnificent creatures.
The boats are, however, well equipped, comfortable and speedy and you should manage to get some spectacular shots of sperm whales since WWK are very good at locating them.
Next time I'll try a different operator.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Jim
Thank you for taking the time to share about your experience with us. Here at Whale Watch Kaikoura we pride ourselves on delivering a quality tour to all our customers, I am sorry that your experience with us this time round felt hurried and 'plastic'. I have passed a copy of your comments on to your crew on the day for their information. Please know we take your comments seriously and appreciate your feedback.
Jon van Hanten
Ranking: 7/10
Dolphins awesome. Saw only one whale. Commentary sound too soft too hear. Quite expensive! Children under 3 yrs not allowed.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Jon
Thank you for sharing about your time with us. It is a shame that your experience with us did not meet your expectations. When working with nature you never really know what you are going to see from one tour to the next. We do have an average sight rate of 1-2 whales per tour and count it a real priviledge to view these magnificent creatures in their natural environment.It is true that we do not take children under the age of 3 for a variety of safety reasons, the nature of the experience. the speed & ride of our vessels, and the changeable conditions off our coastline. Management set this in place in conjunction with our Skippers.
Thank you once again Jon for sharing about your time with us, we hope that the rest of your time in NZ was enjoyable with many lasting memories.
Gunther
Ranking: 9/10
Very impressive. We saw whales, dolphins, albatross and seals. Made some nice pictures, unfortunately rather expensive.
Stephan Imartina
Ranking: 5/10
Expensive, a lot of transport via air and sea. Threatens the whales? Very touristic.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Stephan
Thank you for your comments, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978 the Department of Conservation is able to issue permits to watch whales by sea and air. Whale Watch has been issued with the 4 permits that are available by boat, with the other whale viewing permits being issued to the tour operators who view whales from the air. This is montiored by DoC and reviewed often to make sure the whales are not threatened. We assist DoC in their research and abide by the many rules that are set in place by DoC for the whales protection. We know the importance of protecting these beautiful creatures and work hard at our sustainability and conservation practises.
Thank you again Stephan for your comments, we hope you have a great time in NZ.
Kevin & Chris
Ranking: 8/10
Very well run professional organisation.
Haley & Jason
Ranking: 9/10
Very smooth and professional. Great info and commentary. Saw two whales - Humpback feeding - oh my god! Not disappointed.
Jane and Dave
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent service, knowledgable and informative. A bit expensive for families.
rinusm
Ranking: 9/10
There is no guarantee of seeing a whale. We saw them twice and also dolphins.
koster
Ranking: 7/10
Very nice to see the whales and very organised. Maybe a little too well organised. Worth it though. Check the info-board in the shop to see how many whales have recently been seen.
Norbert Hainz
Ranking: 9/10
No chance to get a tour - but there is a waitlist! very professional.
Ian Walks
Ranking: 9/10
An excellent experience
OMPA
Ranking: 10/10
Wonderful, super, excellent.
Paul Frew
Ranking: 8/10
Very friendly & informative staff who offer full refund if no whales are sighted. Boats are well equipped although due to large numbers of tourists can feel very commercial.
Annemiek and Rianne
Ranking: 6/10
Didn't see much of the whales. They made an effort to search for the animals.
Mr & Mrs Sage
Ranking: 10/10
Well worth the trip.
Lynette Sal
Ranking: 7/10
We didn't see any whales, so we got our money back, which was really fair.
Marian Demients-deJongh
Ranking: 7/10
OK, we've seen a few whales, weather very cold! Rather expensive, lots of waves, people all around.
Tim Smith
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent. Small numbers per boat. Good commentary. Good viewing + photo opportunities for everyone.
Wyss A
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent quality and few options in care of unpredictable sea-conditions
Helen T
Ranking: 6/10
Overpriced - even though we did get to see the whale at the 11th hour + 55th minute. Vessel (although purpose built) not well designed or a good ride. Had better experiences in a fishing boat at Iona in Scotland!
P.C Kool
Ranking: 6/10
To bad weather - no whales
David Morton
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised. Good experience.
Hans and Astrid
Ranking: 10/10
Good organization, safety precautions excellent.
David B
Ranking: 9/10
Great trip - saw 2 whales side by side - good facilities + well informed as to where to spot whales.
Victoria Slater
Ranking: 7/10
Brilliant, very commercial - the bus drops you off so you're forced to walk through the gift shop, extremely expensive.
stutterheim
Ranking: 10/10
Organisation was perfect. Very good information.
Angela
Ranking: 10/10
Clever management, a little bit expensive.
Tony Geens
Ranking: 8/10
Very knowledgeable. They know where to wait for a whale to surface. The boat was very comfortable.
Dietmar Gans
Ranking: 6/10
Friendly staff, there were no whales at our time, tours were cancelled, obviously there are much better places in the world to see whales than in Kaikoura (e.g. Acores), quite expensive to see just one or two whales per tour
dave_farmer
Ranking: 9/10
Our first booking was canceled due to high winds, but we re-routed later in our trip to try again and are so glad we did. Saw a sperm whale and amazing Dusky dolphins. The boat was really comfortable, and the staff were very knowledgeable with a very good audio visual on the way out. Well worth the money.
Bart Kok
Ranking: 9/10
Good service & boat, fun en enthousiast crew. Price is pretty high, probably because there is no direct competition...
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Michael Maddams
Ranking: 7/10
Trip was nice but staff didn't seem very enthusiastic. Could have been because of lack of whales recently.
Christian Moll
Ranking: 9/10
The company risks nothing to earn money (when the sea is too rough than the tour will be cancelled) -> 2 or maybe 3 days time GREAT when you need to do the tour, we've seem 1 sperm whales and many dolphins.
Switz
Ranking: 4/10
Probability of watching whales is not calculated fairly or correct, (we haven't seen whales)They do not count the cancelled trips.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thank you for feedback Switz. Yes, we have an average sight rate of 1-2 whales per tour, this is made well known in all our advertising. If for some reason a whale is not sighted on the tour we give 80% of our customers money back. Our sight rate is taken from average sightings of whales throughout the year on tours that have sailed. Cancelled trips do not in any way influence our sight rate.
I hope that this helps clarify things for you Switz and that the rest of your travels around NZ were successful.
th schuermann
Ranking: 10/10
Well organised and moderated
Faurack
Ranking: 9/10
Best tour guide I've ever had. (Experienced, Humourous, professional)
Krause
Ranking: 10/10
It was so awesome! We saw so many whales and dusky dolphins. It was a great adventure.
Denecke Thorsten
Ranking: 5/10
The people are very kind and professional but before the booking no one told us that there are only 2 sperm whales in the region at the moment. With luck it's possible to see a whale for maximum 5 minutes.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thank you for taking the time to share you comments Denecke. When working with nature we cannot predict from one day to the next what is going to happen out on our tours. One day there maybe 2 whales and the next there maybe 5, everyday is different which is what makes this job so interesting. I am sorry that you were not informed at the time of booking that there were on 2 whales in the area. When the whales come to the surface they are there for anywhere from 5 - 15 minutes re-oxygenating, digesting food, and getting rid of waste product. Totally up to them how long they take to do this process, we count it a priviledge to be able to view these beautiful creatures in their our natural environment during this time. As with all marine based activities we are totally at the discretion of nature in all aspects of our operation, the weather & the whales. The team at Whale Watch hopes that the rest of your travels around NZ go well. Thanks again for your response
Sheila Morgan
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent - well organised, informative & we saw six whales as well as lots of dusky dolphins.
Susanne Strassmann
Ranking: 8/10
WEll organised and friendly employees.
jongejan
Ranking: 8/10
Whale watching was perfect.
Marco
Ranking: 9/10
Saw 3 whales with small ones, was great.
Cyriel Schacken
Ranking: 9/10
Great! good organisation. very god and reliable information.
X Vogel
Ranking: 9/10
good organisation and crew.
Thorben Thede
Ranking: 7/10
We saw what we paid for, but staff did not seem to be very motivated and the tour is not very familiar and is laid of just rushing tourists through. Well organised though.
Pia
Ranking: 6/10
OK, but a little bit touristic.
Christine Van Den Berg Michele Imbach
Ranking: 10/10
A cool tour where you can see spermwhales and dolphines on our tour we have seen 4 whales and a lot of dolphines.
Henk
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent vessel, professional organization.
Philip Ryott
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent time with this company. Worth every penny (cent).
Faller
Ranking: 2/10
From a whale, you don't see much. It's too touristic and no personal touch.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Kia Ora Faller - thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on your time with us. I am sorry that you did not enjoy your time with us. Here at Whale Watch Kaikoura we aim to deliver you with the best possible service in all areas of our operation, I am sorry that you did not occur while you were with us. In regards to not seeing much of the whale, we do have many rules and regulations that we adhere to while whale watching these are called the Marine Mammal Protection Regulations. One of them to stay 50m away from the whale when watching them, these are rules put in for our safety and the whales. We count it a real priviledge to be able to view the whales in their natural environment. We hope that the rest of your travels are successful with many lasting memories.
Brenda Brelinski
Ranking: 9/10
Great tour, but quite expensive
Bouwma
Ranking: 9/10
We saw a lot of sperm whales, dolphins, albatrosses and seals. The staff keep you informed of a lot of things. But luck is important during the trip, not everybody sees that much. We wer lucky!
Marie Jack
Ranking: 9/10
Loved it. Great presentations. Saw 3 sperm whales (no dolphins)
John Helle
Ranking: 9/10
Very good at finding whale and positioning the boat to get a good look.
Johan Norregaard
Ranking: 8/10
No Whale guarantee! but quite fun. p.s got pretty sea sick.
Karsten
Ranking: 10/10
The trip was the money worth. We saw three whales, orcas and dolphins as well. Great experience! But sometimes there are no whales to see!
Vincente Garrido
Ranking: 8/10
Lovely to see show 5 whales and a big family of dolphins.
Nigel Armstrong
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent experience with comfortable boat knowledgable guide and whales and dolphins as well!
EA Anders
Ranking: 7/10
It is very exensive so choose the time of year where your are able to see more than just sperm whatles. We saw a lot of dolphins, therefore we think it was good anyway.
Primavesi
Ranking: 10/10
Very good, organised, nice guides, interestingcomments. Perfect weather.
Marcel Schleinkcfer
Ranking: 10/10
Expensive, but worth the price. Given background information very well. Experience is really exciting.
Ton Buil
Ranking: 7/10
Small group, good information about the whales, good equipment. Expensive.
J Keimel
Ranking: 7/10
Staff were very helpful. Saw 2 whales. The actual whale watching is not really exciting.
Olly
Ranking: 9/10
Very good boat, excellent skilled crew.
Kimberly Skyes
Ranking: 6/10
Large scale + impersonal, but get to see whales close-up (tail flips)
Laura McDaniel
Ranking: 9/10
It is clear why this company has a monopoly on whale watching by boat they do a great job with the entire experience
Sabrina Bazin
Ranking: 8/10
I got sea sick but did see 3 spermwhales
Sara Reekmans
Ranking: 9/10
Fantastic to see a spermwhale in such a short distance. The crew of our boat was also very friendly and amusing.
Dermot Bryne
Ranking: 7/10
Well organised, great boats. I was not as impressed by the whales as expected. The views of the mountains were more impressive.
Han Disveld
Ranking: 7/10
Almost a must-do in NZ. But I was a bit disappointed by the whale! you don't see much of their bodies. But a still a nice trip, though its quite expensive.
Cat Payne
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent day, good staff, saw 4!
Kirsty McGrath
Ranking: 7/10
Informative, well run operation,does what it sayes on the tin
Michelle Kraemer
Ranking: 10/10
Great explanations about the sperm whales. Very well informed staff - was a very interesting tour!!
cees juffermans
Ranking: 9/10
Fantastic. Only the weather was dutch!
Honeymooners
Ranking: 9/10
Great experience with friendly, helpful staff who had an amazing knowledge of all the wildlife we saw (not just the whales).
This operator really looks after its clients with warnings on seasickness prior to departure, comfortable buses and boats and plenty of staff on board to answer questions and educate you on the marine environment.
The skipper made great use of the time we spent at sea with 2 sightings of the same whale and a quick trip to see a seal colony (located in calmer waters) in between whilst the whale was diving.
frederike
Ranking: 8/10
Friendly, safe and good care for seasick people.
aniekenm
Ranking: 8/10
Nice guides and we saw alot.
joem
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional outfit.
bertramf
Ranking: 8/10
Friendly people, we have seen 2 whales, good information about whales but more business than protection.
nigelwaterhouse
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised with a knowledgeable captain who found us a pod of dusky dolphins, a sperm whale (saw him surface twice), lots of seals and plenty of seabirds.
richelle
Ranking: 8/10
The organisation was good. The group wasn't too big. We saw alot of sealife (dolphins, whales, seals). The guide explains alot.
ingeh
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised and the captain knows where to go, we also saw dolphins and fur seals.
gereldineb
Ranking: 8/10
The owners are nice and they refund you 80% if you don't see whales - which could happen - depending on the weather....
CassUK
Ranking: 10/10
We booked a Whale Watch Kaikoura trip on 28 December 2009, the day before my birthday and what a present it was. We saw 4 Sperm Whales, a pod of Dusky Dolphins and several seabirds including the Wandering Albatros and the Northern Giant Petrel. What an awesome experience seeing these great mammals slowly wandering in the Ocean and witnessing that majestic moment when they dive and the tail comes up out of the water. To see 4 on the day was just fabulous. The Dusky Dolphins were hilarious - so fast and seemingly happy to leap out of the water as if doing tricks for the tourists ! The people at Whale Watch Kaikoura are professional and committed to the environment and they give an informed and balanced commentary during the cruise. The weather on the day wasn't too good, misty and overcast which sadly prevented the mountain backdrop to the land being seen, and with a sea swell of 1.5 metres, so we opted for the seasick pills just in case. A great and memorable experience which was well worth the cost in our opinion. Do it and you'll have some wonderful memories and photographs to look back upon : )
barts
Ranking: 8/10
Great boat and alot of interesting information on board - and of course whales! Quite expensive though...
Andrew Purdam
Ranking: 9/10
Giant Sperm Whales are worth seeing, but once you've seen them, you realise they don't do much at the surface (not breaching like humpbacks, for instance). Still, there is a real majesty to the raising of the tail as they dive, knowing that they are descending to a lung-crushing depth. We were very happy to see so many dives on our trip (two whales diving twice, I think), and the commentary was very informative. A great trip, though in rough weather be prepared for folks around you to be sea-sick!
Gracieb
Ranking: 8/10
We had a really cold grey day but we got what we came for- most amazing experience. WOW
joannaw
Ranking: 7/10
Definitely take sea sick tablets before you go out if there as it gets choppy. The whale was good, but the pod of 300+ dusky dolphins was amazing. Totally took our breath away.
Gary Brown
Ranking: 10/10
Everything that they advertized was realized. The people running the tours were courteous, friendly and helpful. The vessel was clean & well run & you felt like you received your money's worth.
Whale Watch Kaikoura responds:
Thank you for your kind words Gary - the team at Whale Watch Kaikoura are glad that you enjoyed your time with us. All the best with the rest of your travels
hellami
Ranking: 10/10
The whole trip was very good organised. We have received a lot of information during the trip and had the luck to see 4 whales and a lot of dolphins that day. We were on the early trip 07:45 - I recommend that to the ones, who don´t feel very well on fast boats on the open ocean!!! I had the luck, that I had no time for breakfast, even I normally don´t get ill on such trips, the captain needed to drive fast from whale to whale, so that we catch them, before they dive under.
familytravellers
Ranking: 9/10
Very well organised, a lot of information on the tour, but very expensive too! (Unfortunately we didn't see any whale, only orcas - so we got 80% money back - that I appreciate very much!!)
Cathy
Ranking: 8/10
Saw 3 sperm whales which was great. Also saw seals and albatross. Commentary interesting and informative. Word of advise- take the sea sickness tablets! Staff looked after those who were sick really well. Sperm whales not as entertaining as humpbacks but are still majestic creatures
LucyT
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent tour + professionally run company, great staff and well reccommend! Just wish the time at sea was longer to spot more whales.. Quite expensive.
StijnH
Ranking: 8/10
Time enough, well informed, friendly.
AnjaChrist
Ranking: 9/10
Lots of information, great guides, great comfort. Great deal (80% money back if no whales seen)
MikeS
Ranking: 10/10
Profesional, safety conscious, operation which delivered the goods.
James O'Neil
Ranking: 7/10
Commentary and experience of seeing whales was fantastic and well organised. very expensive though.
bondd
Ranking: 7/10
Interesting tour. Dolphins and Whale spotted.
brianp
Ranking: 10/10
Very organised with lots of information about whales which makes you very aware of their predicament!
RonB
Ranking: 8/10
Top marks for finding the whales - impressed by the community between the boats to insure max sightings. Little dissapointed on return to jetty, had to wait for the return bus to Kaikoura.
TessaW
Ranking: 7/10
It was a nice boat trip to go to the whales. Nice people on board, also the crew were nice people. We only saw 3 whales, that was a dissapointment.
JeremyE
Ranking: 8/10
Very good, saw 5 sperm whales. Excellent tour, very expensive.
Clem
Ranking: 7/10
Saw whales on the second try. Good refund policy and good experience. Quite commercial.
StijmH
Ranking: 8/10
Enough time, well informed. Friendly.
elisabethk
Ranking: 10/10
You must do ! We saw 4 sperm whales nearby (only 15 - 20metres from the boat). The crew did everything to give us many possibilities to take photos.
Lars Haf
Ranking: 10/10
Comfy seats, great presentations. Guess a lot of background information, a bit exepnsive for backpackers.
lorah
Ranking: 10/10
Brilliant, saw 5 whales, excellent information and friendly crew.
AnjaC
Ranking: 9/10
Lots of information, great guides. Comfortable, great deal.
JolondaR
Ranking: 6/10
The first was canceled because of the weather, so we booked the next one. I got really seasick, and we only saw 3 whales. So I was a bit dissapointed, but the staff was really nice. We just had bad luck.
VenesJ
Ranking: 9/10
Saw 4 whales, really enjoyed.
Kitty
Ranking: 9/10
The first tour was cancelled, we were put up at once for the other day. Then we didn't see whales and got 80% of our moneyu back. When we wont to try again - extra 10% off.
ToddUK
Ranking: 9/10
I went out twice - the first time a 9/10 simply due to the enthusiasm & care displayed by our commentator. Bonus extra time viewing orca too.
Sarah_rae
Ranking: 10/10
Video was amazing - great graphics. Answered all our questions - Very informative.
CharlotteC
Ranking: 10/10
An informative boat trip out of the Kaikoura canyon where the whales are found. Great for photos and a good way to get up close to whales and dolphins.
MattEngland
Ranking: 7/10
Company makes every effort to reschedule trips cancelled due to bad weather, but perhaps thinks resident dolphins could be used to make up time on trip that is soposed to be for watching whales.
Congratulations Whale Watch Kaikoura
NikolaGermany
Ranking: 5/10
You can only see the tail and the small parts of the whales body when they come up to breathe, not worth the money.
RolandV
Ranking: 3/10
A nice trip, saw whales and dolphins, but very unmotivated staff on board. Get the feeling to be only interested in money.
CarstenU
Ranking: 8/10
Very satisfied - a bit pricey.
LindaV
Ranking: 8/10
Very friendly staff. Comfortable seats. Educating.
AnnickH
Ranking: 6/10
Good guides, whale watching itself was a bit dissapointing. But the dolphins were loverly.
MiepS
Ranking: 8/10
Great experience unfortantly the anti-motion sickness didnt work for the entire trip. Good information during the boat trip. Good service. If you don't see any whales you get a full refund.
BeckieM
Ranking: 9/10
80% refund if you don't see a sperm whale then discount for your next trip. Very good! Informative and amazing ginger cookies to help combat sea - sickness.
ElleGermany
Ranking: 8/10
Only seen one whale.
Kaye
Ranking: 10/10
Great boat, very clean. Excellent staff.
JanL
Ranking: 10/10
Very well done, informative. Great boats and excellent result. Saw sperm whale and pod of approx 100 dolphins.
Russ C
Ranking: 7/10
On our trip all we saw was an albatross, despite the captain making several attempts to locate whales using his 'microphone on a stick'. Howeer the tour was well organised, the on board commentary was interesting, well presented and informative, and the refund policy is very reasonable - we got 80% of our money back.
CeesVanW
Ranking: 6/10
Quite commercial attitude, whales were outside operating area (Was that not known before we left for the boat trip??) Received part of the money back.
AndreaT
Ranking: 10/10
(Done last year)
Incredible experience, well organised.
straw64
Ranking: 6/10
Hmmmm ... maybe a bit overated ... actually, it is overated, too expensive and "commercialised", one thing though, if you don't see a whale, at least you get your money back pronto!
SamR1
Ranking: 8/10
Flexible staff who were helpful + friendly.
StephC
Ranking: 7/10
Flexible service - friendly staff.
SebastianGermany1
Ranking: 6/10
Nice trip but very expensive.
JoanneM
Ranking: 7/10
It wasn't as spectacular as we thought it would be. We would have liked to get closer to the whales. Price was too high.
FlorianB
Ranking: 9/10
Expensive, but we were lucky and saw alot of marine life.
David
Ranking: 10/10
It was just wonderful to see those big animals in their natural habitat. saw one giant sperm whale, lots of albatross and lots of dusky dolphins plus there were a lot of explanations---everything was very professional.
Decided to do another trip on the same day which was even better (another 2 whales and lots of jumping dolphins) and they give you a 10% discount for the second trip...Great day !
Sharon
Ranking: 4/10
The tide was horrible, and I became too sick to do anything. And it was too expensive for seeing only one whale's tail. Over rated, maybe not for every tour, but definitely for our tour. It was my most disappointed experience.
SueB
Ranking: 3/10
Processed! Dis interested staff. Poor value - whales were great. Guide had his head in a novel!! Way over priced.
Nicole Grischott
Ranking: 9/10
Well organised and planed. Very good equipment.
kymberlyw
Ranking: 9/10
A brilliant company. Although we were in the 2% that didn't get to see whales, it was still a great trip and they were very prompt with our refunds.
b_van_reenan
Ranking: 8/10
Well planed and good service. Nice boat trip. Would be a tip to inform visitors that you only get to see a small part of the whale.
AlbertF
Ranking: 8/10
Good but free travelsickness tablets would be nice.
HanT
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised. Good equipment.
Richard
Ranking: 10/10
Very good. Warned of weather condition, found whales and dolphins. Well organised.
Pat
Ranking: 7/10
Good sighting of sperm whales. Shame we didn't see more variety of birds & whales/dolphins etc.
Mike
Ranking: 2/10
Much over rated, expensive way of seeing one sperm whale - very commercial & disappointing.
Mary
Ranking: 9/10
Bad weather again but the trip was great.
Krapels
Ranking: 8/10
Saw 3 sperm whales & like 200 dolphins doing somersaults! Great explanation & a wonderful experience.
Ulli
Ranking: 9/10
Great, excellent organisation.
Robert
Ranking: 7/10
Saw 3 whales & lots of dolphins! But were both sea sick & got little help of staff - bit of a shame. Nice presentation though.
Brian
Ranking: 10/10
Great trip, great service. Sperm whales & dusky dolphins, knowledgeable staff.
Jan
Ranking: 8/10
Most activities are based on actions, maybe think more family....
Hanna
Ranking: 9/10
Very well organised company. Superb facilities / boats. Interpretative guide on boat wasn't very people friendly / enthusiastic or approachable.
Heather
Ranking: 7/10
Slick operation but quite impersonal. Could be cheaper.
Manfred
Ranking: 7/10
Very expensive.
Christina
Ranking: 6/10
Too expensive. Boring guide.
Franz
Ranking: 10/10
We saw 8 whales. Very qualified guides who gave us a lot of useful information.
John
Ranking: 9/10
Too much waiting before trip.
Valerie
Ranking: 9/10
All aspects well organised & successful.
Emma Louise
Ranking: 7/10
Well worth it. Didn't feel too touristy somehow.
lenam
Ranking: 6/10
The dolphins were great but quite expensive and the guide seemed bored.
Marianne
Ranking: 5/10
Everybody was sea sick & we saw only 1 whale. You had to sit inside the boat all the time.
Michelle
Ranking: 7/10
Well organised trip but only saw one whale. Did also see dolphins though which was a highlight of the trip.
Ralf
Ranking: 5/10
Expensive, so-so.
Christopher Gallaga
Ranking: 5/10
Did meet their guarantee of finding one whale. Shame was 2/3'ds of the boats tourists had been sea sick for some time by then. I think whale watching by boat is probably a bad idea.
markus
Ranking: 8/10
A bit expensive, good information about whales.
Jan
Ranking: 9/10
Was operated very well.
Carla
Ranking: 8/10
A bit expensive but we liked the trip.
Nienhaus
Ranking: 7/10
Cancelled because they couldn't find whales. Good management of expectations.
Torben
Ranking: 8/10
Good tour with explanantion in general about whales.
Patricia
Ranking: 7/10
Very interesting - rough seas made it more exciting.
Rory
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised - good - quite expensive.
Mike
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional.
Karen
Ranking: 8/10
interesting information while the boat was on the move. If the whales are under the surface, they try to find other marine life (albatross, dolphins).
Ducolq
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional, very informative but expensive.
Rebekka
Ranking: 7/10
Very expensive. Improvement - translator for dvd's & films shown on vessel. Great - shown dolphins as well.
Ludolph
Ranking: 6/10
We paid $140 and we have seen 2 whales.
Bernd
Ranking: 3/10
Too expensive for what we saw! Seems to be a money making business.
johanna
Ranking: 7/10
Pretty expensive but the only way to see whales. You have to be lucky but they really try.
Kathrin
Ranking: 7/10
Pretty expensive but the only way to see whales! You have to be lucky but they really try.
Rob
Ranking: 8/10
Well organised & planned. Good information given on board. Well stocked with sick bags (used!)
Prentner
Ranking: 7/10
Really cool whales but too touristic from the beginning to end. Everything is planned and I felt like I was in the zoo. Big boats.
Tony Butcher
Ranking: 10/10
We were blessed with good weather and managed to have over 20 sightings plus Albatrosses and seals. The crew were considerate and the service well organised.
Very good but it does depend on nature and the weather.
Tony B.
Grace
Ranking: 10/10
Brilliant! Go and see (or try to see!) these amazing creatures. Good service and they keep a distance from the whales, so you are close, but not too close as to threaten them.
Peter
Ranking: 9/10
We also saw dolphins and seals.
Chris Willsher
Ranking: 8/10
If you want to get reasonably close to these monsters of the deep then this trip is a "must". Very professionally organised. Impressive boats but not for queezy stomachs. Seeing a Sperm Whale for oneself is always going to be better than any TV documentary and the memory will linger. There are also wonderful sightings of a wide range of sea birds and the boat staff are very knowledgeable to help you identify them but perhaps not enough trouble is taken to help you enjoy this aspect of the trip. Yes, I know that it is a whale watching trip but the birds add tremendously to the overall experience. I am sure that most of our fellow passengers did not realise the range of albatross/mollymawks and petrels to be seen. (Trip made March 2005)
Sofie
Ranking: 9/10
Saw one lazy whale and 300-500 dusky dolphins. A bit expensive but worth the money.
Julia
Ranking: 8/10
Did the whale watch in Kaikoura. Was great but we have just seen 2 whales.
Theresa
Ranking: 7/10
Nice to see the whales but un-spectacular if they only lie in the water.
Mary
Ranking: 8/10
Very good. Commentary (it was a learner) was not bad. We saw only 2 whales. I thought there would be more. No dolphins. Lots of seals, however you can see them on the side of the coastal road.
new_zealand
Ranking: 10/10
I have read the mixed reviews. We had a brilliant time,one of the highlights of our holiday.
Saw 4 whales close up. Loads of dolphins. Fur seals and an albatross.
The sea was a bit "lumpy" and several people were sea sick.
The staff were professional and enthusiastic.
Maybe its the luck of the draw.
Stephanie Schikora
Ranking: 10/10
saw two spermwhales, it was amazing. and we've seen dolphins ans seals as well
Hanna
Ranking: 7/10
It was impressive to see the whales but they were always quite a distance away.
nsmith
Ranking: 10/10
Love their emphasis on whale conservation and care to avoid hassling whales. They also have a great emphasis on sustainability. They also educate as well as entertain !
Lorna
Ranking: 8/10
Whales were really close. Really nice experience.
Helen
Ranking: 8/10
Pro - You get quite close to the whales.
Con - You only see the surface and the tail - so quite expensive for what you see.
Paul
Ranking: 9/10
Excellent boat trip and guides with informative info and onboard graphic projections.
Celina
Ranking: 8/10
Really enjoyed it and we saw 2 whales.
Emilie
Ranking: 10/10
Great experience.
Robin
Ranking: 10/10
Very professional operation in all aspects, friendly.
Whale Watch Kaikoura is open for business… Visit Website …now's your chance to take a closer look.
Rebecca Smith
Ranking: 10/10
Staff were very helpful & knowledgeable. A great experience.
Marie
Ranking: 7/10
It's a bit disappointing when you see sperm whales it's only the top of the back and the tail. I felt it was very experience just to see this, but the fact that we saw lots of dusky dolphins saved it!
dani smith
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent, saw many whales and very good service.
Lisette Snippe
Ranking: 6/10
It was great to see the whales but the boats were very crowded and too busy.
Wilf Smith
Ranking: 10/10
Can't understand some of these comments! We thought our trip in May was wonderful even in rough seas! Saw three wales and so many Dolphins you couldn't even start to count them, as well as some lovely sea birds Very well organised trip and extreemly professional staff We even enjoyed an impromptu guitar session with the Son of one them while having coffee afterwards Thoroughly recomended
Sue Stewart
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent trip. They design their equipment for the job and you feel well catered for.
Tim
Ranking: 9/10
We did the early cruise which was hard to get out of bed for but definitely worth it. We saw dolphins as well as whales. Would be a 10 if we had a little more time out there.
Rhys Howell
Ranking: 8/10
Very professional and informative, great boats. We saw 3 whales, about 500 dolphins, seals and albatross. Go early in the morning for calmer seas and less boats.
Helen
Ranking: 4/10
Saw one whale twice. Didn't see as many whales as I had expected. Very commercial, informative video.
Anke
Ranking: 3/10
Only seen two whales. 3 boats going around 2 whales, too commercial.
Toni Keown
Ranking: 8/10
i loved how we went along the coast and saw the dolphins and seals that was my favorite the whales were a bit boring
Ben
Ranking: 9/10
Good. Masses of dolphins. Shame we couldn't get closer to the whale.
Franz
Ranking: 10/10
Lots of life: albatross, dolphins and whales!
Camilla
Ranking: 10/10
Absolutely fantastic.
John
Ranking: 10/10
Brilliant!
Chris
Ranking: 9/10
Very well organised, a smooth operation....
Rob Poels
Ranking: 8/10
We both got seasick, but saw four whales and dolphins too.
Daniel
Ranking: 10/10
Great! My wife was seasick, but otherwise it was great!
Yayami Kimura
Ranking: 10/10
Very awesome.
Mariah
Ranking: 5/10
Bit too expensive.
Richard
Ranking: 8/10
They do a good job for tourism in NZ. I'm unsure about the impact they have on the environment.
Sam
Ranking: 8/10
Really professionally done. Good customer service. Quality tour though very expensive.
Ben Ackland
Ranking: 10/10
Absolutely awesome! Pretty much perfect. 3 sperm whales, a huge number of dolphins - we were out there for ages. Loads of info, comfy boat.
River
Ranking: 7/10
Very professional and friendly. Whales OK if you aren't sea sick! Dolphins fantastic. Note that sperm whales don't actually DO much!
Maria Fahlander
Ranking: 10/10
Very good! Saw four whales, dolphins, seals and albatrosses. Professional.
Jo and Tony
Ranking: 9/10
Couldn't really done a better job. Really caring about the whales and the background information they provided was very helpful.
Phil Connelly
Ranking: 8/10
Very professional, if a bit commercial. Well organised though - they had to come in early so we got a 60% refund, even though we'd already seen everything by then.
Volders
Ranking: 9/10
Very professional and the assistance with our less mobile son was great.
Aharon
Ranking: 10/10
Fantastic. Super.
Carola
Ranking: 5/10
Very expensive and shorter than we were told it would be.
David Buckley
Ranking: 9/10
Very good, but the whale wasn't as big as I'd thought it would be!
Claire Masling
Ranking: 7/10
Expensive, especially as large numbers.
Sally and David Wallis
Ranking: 5/10
They use fast boats and several people were sick, which seems counterproductive. It was a bit like toys for boys in a way. Though I guess they need the speed to move around between the whales.
Christian Schwerdt
Ranking: 9/10
Really good, perfect day, great guide. Saw whales and dolphins.
Lisa Tame
Ranking: 7/10
Saw whales and loads of dolphins. Really informative, wasn't cheap but pretty much guaranteed to see something.
Sabine Feiner
Ranking: 10/10
A bit bumpy.
Erwin de Kleijn
Ranking: 5/10
A lot of money for one sleeping whale and one dive (with tail flip though).
Vaclaf
Ranking: 5/10
Overrated, experience was too short for the money.
Katharina
Ranking: 6/10
Would recommend the earliest boat (6.15am), because later when we returned there were 5 boats surrounding 1 whale, and two helicopters too! Get to see the sunrise too.
Carla
Ranking: 8/10
Saw dolphins too, well organised how they did it. Only actually on the water for two hours.
Jim Curley
Ranking: 10/10
Absolutely wonderful - really organised, really friendly, really professional. The dolphins were great too.
Claas
Ranking: 7/10
1st tour was cancelled due to technical problems. Had to wait another day to go out again. When we did it was good though - We saw 2 whales.
Thomas
Ranking: 9/10
Not cheap but really impressive to see the whales. Saw just 1 but still amazing.
Reina Lohaye
Ranking: 8/10
Was nice, but not very personal. Didn't really explain much.
John Howlett
Ranking: 10/10
Informative and educational.
paulonline
Ranking: 8/10
Looked after us well, got us up really close to about whales.
Hey, if you might get seasick, take some pills before leaving it'll be better for everyone, especially you!
Vicki Cook
Ranking: 9/10
Great atmosphere, enthusiastic about sightings.
Bex
Ranking: 6/10
Only saw one whale for about five mins and waited an hour for that. You need patience! Sea was rough and loads of people were sick on the boat... Apart from that it was great to see the whale and saw loads of dusky dolphins on the way back. Bit expensive for one whale!
Rebekah Holbrook
Ranking: 10/10
Amazing day out. Real value for money. The staff were very knowledgeable and passionate about what they did.
Simon Chettleburgh
Ranking: 9/10
Very professional. Informative guides.
Carola Haaparinne
Ranking: 10/10
A dream come through to see 2 real whales. Bad thing - got seasick and threw up (nobody's fault). Seeing the dolphins, a lot of them, fun and beautiful.
sandy
Ranking: 5/10
The whales were amazing.....not much of a personal touch tho..and was hard understanding the guide!
Van Hoof
Ranking: 8/10
Saw 3 whales and really enjoyed the excursion. Bad bus from office to wharf. Bit expensive.
Stephanie Jones
Ranking: 8/10
It was good, saw 3 whales but it got a bit boring after a while. It did what it was supposed to.
Sandra Gustafson
Ranking: 5/10
Was quite stormy and a bit boring! But the guides were great and the company seemed really good.
Alex
Ranking: 4/10
Saw whales for a short time only. Quite expensive, and I thought it might have been more interesting.
Maruja
Ranking: 7/10
Not as overwhelming as I expected.
Rob
Ranking: 8/10
Expensive. Better than I thought.
Julian Kleyn
Ranking: 9/10
Saw a seal catch an octopus - was great! Long trip - 2 and a half hours.
Patrick
Ranking: 9/10
Was just whale watching but we saw dolphins and seals - they explained everything.
Martin Wright
Ranking: 6/10
Bad weather, rough sea. Not the company's fault, but not great.
Janina
Ranking: 10/10
Very customer orientated
Margaret
Ranking: 10/10
Great business, ensured we had a good time.
Frida
Ranking: 7/10
Quite rushy and a lot of people. Saw 4 or 5 different whales.e were lucky.
Ed van Dael
Ranking: 5/10
Film on board was good, but it is not what you expected. Heard about 'Wings over Whales' - you see a lot of whales in a flight.
Killerblow
Ranking: 9/10
Quality. Great boat with all the latest in hi-tech screens, informative guides and classic Kiwi commentary. Saw plenty of whales and albatross.
Julie
Ranking: 9/10
But expensive!!
Sophie
Ranking: 6/10
I got sick...
Magnus
Ranking: 7/10
Nice, but quite expensive.
Kathryn
Ranking: 9/10
Very friendly, saw 2 sperm whales and hundreds of dusky dolphins.
Janneke
Ranking: 10/10
Excellent
Sue Robertson
Ranking: 10/10
They made absolutely sure that we saw whales - racing form place to place, and dusky dolphins and seals. Very informative too.
Denise Nick
Ranking: 9/10
Good tour - sells sea sickness pills for rough sea - recommended...
Michael
Ranking: 4/10
Too expensive and a little boring.
Delgroot
Ranking: 8/10
Saw Whales, Dolphins and Albatross.
Danyel
Ranking: 8/10
Nice people, professional - bit expensive.
Lucy
Ranking: 7/10
$130 is alot of money but it was worth it. Learn't alot through the good audio presentation.
Jossy
Ranking: 8/10
Excellent experience.
Jensen
Ranking: 8/10
Delivered on what they promised and a bit more.
Gordon
Ranking: 7/10
Expensive.
Deirdre
Ranking: 8/10
Bit pricey but a good trip all the same. The best part was the pod of dolphins jumping all over.
Sue
Ranking: 9/10
Great trip and good knowledge of the local whales. They pretty much guarantee a sighting.
Kate&Steve Jones
Ranking: 10/10
Professional outfit - almost guaranteed sightings of whales and lots of other wildlife - great boat trip - guide not easy to understand though.
Ian
Ranking: 8/10
Managed expectations well. Good marketing. Guide on trip was very knowledgeable.