We offer harbour cruises in Akaroa + dolphin swimming with the rare Hector's Dolphin
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One of Christchurch's Best Attractions and the most fun and educational cruises you will find anywhere in New Zealand. View wildlife unique to NZ, learn about this stunning area's past on a 2 hour cruise, or swim with rare Hector's Dolphins. We are proud to follow the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978 and the Marine Mammal Protection Regulations 1992. These ensure the marine mammals of New Zealand
are protected and that their conservation is a top priority. Our interactions with marine mammals adhere to all regulations and our conservation focused tours, educate and raise awareness
04/02/2025
Waitangi weekend is almost here! Whether you're planning a day trip or an overnight escape, Akaroa is the perfect place to relax and explore (and the weather is looking fab!)🐬🌊☀️
Join us for a scenic nature cruise or an unforgettable swim with dolphins experience, then make the most of your visit with our top picks of things to do - both in town and along the way!
Barrys Bay Cheese
Pōhatu Penguins/plunge
Akaroa Stargazing
Caldera Estate
Akaroa and the Bays
Ōtautahi Christchurch
14/01/2025
The fleet! 🤩 We are lucky enough to have four amazing vessels over in Akaroa to take our customers on epic adventures in and around Akaroa Harbour. Say hello to Black Cat, Cat 2, Black Knight and Black Panther ⛴🛟⚓️
📷: Photo thanks to the talented team at
03/01/2025
Swimming with dolphins can brighten any grey day 🐬☁️🥹
Kia ora 2025! 🎉 As the sun sets on 2024, we want to thank every single one of our passengers who joined us on the water this year. Whether you cruised on Akaroa Harbour, swam alongside Hector’s dolphins, travelled to Diamond Harbour, Rīpapa, and Quail Island, or discovered the magic of Lyttelton Harbour - your journey with us made this year unforgettable.
Looking ahead, 2025 marks an exciting milestone as we celebrate our 40th anniversary! We’re dedicated to delivering even more unforgettable adventures while strengthening our advocacy for Hector’s dolphin conservation, working with our conservation partners to continue to protect these incredible marine mammals and raise awareness of their unique importance to all New Zealanders.
Here’s to another year of creating memories on the water, exploring the stunning Banks Peninsula and making a difference for our oceans.
From all of us at Black Cat Cruises - Happy New Year! 🐬
akaroa, blackcatcruises, lyttelton, hectorsdolphin, nzconservation, nzmustdo, chcmustdo, purenz
30/12/2024
Make Quail Island part of your summer adventure! 🏝 ⛴
Did you know we run trips to Quail Island twice a day during summer? It’s the perfect day out! Stretch your legs on the loop walking track, discover fascinating shipwrecks, and top it all off with a refreshing swim in one of the bays.
Pack a picnic and come explore - it’s closer than you think!
Wow! 🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬🐬
This afternoon, we were delighted to come across a pod of 100+ Common and Bottlenose dolphins heading up Akaroa Harbour.
Word must be spreading that this is the place to be this summer!
We are used to seeing the much smaller Hector’s Dolphin in much smaller pods, so this was a real treat for the crew and customers alike!
24/12/2024
🎄Merry Christmas from the Black Cat crew! We can’t wait to take you on an unforgettable adventure this holiday season and into 2025! Akaroa Nature Cruises and Swimming with Dolphins are back in action from tomorrow - see you on the water! 🌊🐬⛴🥽
24/12/2024
🎅 Skipper on sleigh watch! Today our skipper took on a special mission – scanning the skies for Santa’s sleigh! We’re pretty sure he caught a glimpse of something twinkling up there... ✨ Could it be the big man himself?
23/12/2024
More babies - this time in Lyttelton!
This morning, our team in Lyttelton were excited to see the first calf on this side of the peninsula. Just in time for Christmas 🎄 🎁 🐬
23/12/2024
Creating unforgettable summer moments 🐬 Our Chief Executive, Paul Milligan, had the privilege of sharing his son’s first-ever swim with Hector’s dolphins today. These incredible creatures are such a big part of his dad’s life, and experiencing them together made for a moment they’ll never forget ✨🐬
We’ve absolutely loved hosting all of your end-of-year functions and Christmas parties on board our fleet in Lyttelton this year ❤️🎄 Our team have had a blast and we can’t wait for 2025 to do it all over again 🎄🐬🛥️
08/12/2024
🤩 WIN | Our friends at The George are giving away an epic prize pack for a lucky family to win including a family pass for our Akaroa Nature Cruise and a pass for 4 people for Escape Artists Christchurch!
View their post on Instagram and Facebook for all the details 🙌
06/12/2024
🐬 TWO baby Hector's dolphin spotted in Akaroa Harbour today! 🙌
It’s always a special time of year when we see this season’s calves arriving. Hector’s dolphins are rare and special, but spotting a new calf is truly something else and today, we were lucky enough to see two in the wild.
This is the new generation and the future of the species right here in front of our eyes and we couldn't be more over the moon about it! 🥰
Chris Lynch
New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust
28/11/2024
**Competition now closed and our lucky winner has been contacted** Thanks so much to everyone that entered! 🥰
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🥳 WIN - To celebrate the start of summer this weekend and our epic Black Cat Friday Sale, we are giving away a family pass (2 adults and up to 3 children) for an Akaroa Nature Cruise!
TO ENTER:
👉 All you need to do is let us know the simple answer to this question: How old will Black Cat Cruises be in 2025? 🎂🐬(Hint: look at our full logo)
NB. This giveaway is not endorsed by Facebook.
Beware of scammers and imitation accounts! We will only contact you directly via email if you're our winner. Black Cat Cruises will never ask for financial information or send friend requests.
*Competition closes midnight - 1 December 2024
27/11/2024
💥 We’re so grateful for our wonderful social media family, and to say thank you, we’re giving YOU early access to our Black Cat Friday Sale!
⚫️ 50% OFF Quail Island Gift Vouchers (valid for 1 year from purchase)
⚫️ 25% OFF Akaroa Nature Cruise (for cruises up to the 20 Dec 2024)
This is our way of saying thanks for following us and being part of the journey.
These exclusive deals are live now - but only for a limited time (sale ends 1 December 2024). T&Cs apply.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Black Cat Cruises posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Business
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Have you planned your summer vacay over to Akaroa yet? 👀🐬 There's still plenty of time to come on over the hill and immerse yourself in natures playground!
#akaroa_nz #purenz #blackcatcruises #akaroa #hectorsdolphin #nzfurseal #christchurchnz #nzmustdo #nzwildlife #nzconservation #c#chcmustdo
Cruise or swim with the smallest,rarest and friendliest dolphin in the world - the Hector’s dolphin! Eco-tourism pioneer Black Cat Cruises offers world-class visitor experiences including our 2-hour Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise and Swimming with the Dolphins tour. Located within the pictureque and French-inspired, seaside town of Akaroa; Only a scenic 90 minute drive from Christchurch, New Zealand.
Black Cat Cruises was established in 1985 by Ron and Durelle Bingham and grew out of their love of the harbour and its marine mammal inhabitants, particularly the Hector’s dolphin.
From Black Cat’s establishment, we have worked alongside and supported the NZ Whale and Dolphin Trust with their dolphin research in Akaroa Harbour. We continue to donate to Hector’s dolphin protection research with every ticket sold.
Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise
Your award-winning 2-hour harbour cruise is packed with stunning highlights including the endemic (only found in NZ) and playful Hector’s dolphin, as well as White-flippered Little Blue penguins, NZ Fur seals and abundant birdlife. You’ll see giant volcanic sea cliffs, view dramatic scenery and hear about Akaroa’s fascinating past. Cruises depart every day, weather permitting.
Swimming with Dolphins
Immerse yourself in a once-in-a-life experience in the only place on the planet where you can swim with the worlds smallest and rarest dolphin - the Hector’s dolphin, the beautiful sheltered setting of Akaroa Harbour in New Zealand’s South Island. Our tours are limited to only 12 swimmers per trip, so you’ll have more chances to come face to face with the dolphins. Very few experiences will be as rewarding as an encounter with wild dolphins in their natural habitat. Plus we swim with dolphins all year round!
With Black Cat Cruises enjoy an incredible nature experience out on the water, supported by experienced local crew and world-class facilities. Our experience and dedication to our local environment delivers a New Zealand ‘must do’ activity here in Akaroa.
We are proud to follow the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978 and the Marine Mammal Protection Regulations 1992. These ensure the marine mammals of New Zealand are protected and that their conservation is a top priority. Our interactions with marine mammals adhere to all regulations and our conservation focused tours, educate and raise awareness.
We offer harbour cruises in Akaroa + dolphin swimming with the rare Hector's Dolphin
