Port Stephens Dolphin Discovery Cruise: Boom-Net Swim

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/7

Duration1h 30m

GroupUp to 250

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Watch wild dolphins from the deck, then float in the boom net between sightings

A 1.5-hour afternoon dolphin-watching cruise in Port Stephens puts you on the water with a live guide to spot wild bottlenose dolphins and learn about their behavior. The boat stays in the best sighting areas and passes the Tomaree and Yacaaba headlands. Boom-net rides are included — you can take a dip or float in the net while the crew watches for dolphins. Bring swim gear if you want to use it; the experience works just as well from the deck.

1h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Dolphin Discovery Cruise Experience

Show ticket at vessel boarding
Board Moonshadow V vessel
Join 1.5-hour dolphin cruise
Learn about bottlenose dolphins
Enjoy views of headlands
Swim or ride boom net
Return to departure dock

The Experience

You show your ticket at the dock and board the Moonshadow V, a vessel built for small groups. The 1.5-hour cruise heads straight to the spots where bottlenose dolphins feed and play in Port Stephens. Your guide talks through what you're seeing — how the dolphins move, what they're doing, why they're here — so the sightings make sense instead of just happening. The boat holds position when dolphins surface nearby, giving you time to watch instead of chasing them.

The Tomaree and Yacaaba headlands frame the water as you cruise, and the guide points out what's worth noticing about the landscape too. If you've brought swim gear, you can climb into the boom net — a rope net that hangs over the water — and float there between sightings. It's included in the ticket, and the crew handles the logistics; you just decide whether you want to use it. Some people stay on deck the whole time and that's fine. The boat returns to the same dock you left from, so there's no second pickup or transfer to arrange.

The cruise runs in all weather, so dress for the conditions — warmer layers in winter, sunscreen and a hat in summer. If you're prone to seasickness, the operator recommends consulting a pharmacist before you go; the water in Port Stephens can move. Children must have an adult with them, and collapsible strollers are allowed in the main cabin if you're traveling with a baby, though they can't go to other areas of the vessel.

What’s included

All taxes, fees and handling charges.
boom-net rides and the option to swim or float in the net between sightings.
a live guide in English who explains the dolphins and the headlands as you cruise.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Moonshadow - TQC Cruises

Is this one for you?The 1.5-hour afternoon slot works for a free afternoon or a first visit to Port Stephens — you're on the water watching wild dolphins instead of planning a longer day trip, and the boom net is there if you want to cool off, but you can skip it and stay dry the whole time.