Terms & Conditions

Please make sure you and your entire group are familiar with these terms and conditions.

Bookings

Bookings can be made via phone, e-mail, online or through booking agents. Full payment will be taken upon booking.

Cancellation

You may cancel your trip for a full refund 48 hours prior to your scheduled tour. Any customer who fails to comply with this cancellation policy will not be entitled to a refund.

Risk

As with all open water and boating activities, there is an element of risk. Dolphin Seafaris cannot be held responsible for passengers failing to follow instructions from the skipper and crew, or any damage to or loss of belongings.

Minimum Numbers

All trips require a minimum equivalent number of 15 full fare adults to cover minimum operating costs.

Weather

Trips may be cancelled due to poor weather conditions. If the skipper feels the weather is not conducive to our operation and a trip is cancelled before the scheduled departure time you will receive the option to rebook or receive a full refund. 

Check-In

On the day of your tour you must report to Tauranga Bridge Marina located at 101 Te Awanui Drive, Tauranga, NZ at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled departure time. Please allow extra travel time as the traffic can get quite congested in Tauranga.

Trip Duration

Our Dolphin Encounters last between 5 and 6 hours depending on how quickly we can find the dolphins and how far out in to the Bay they are that day.

Our Dolphin Guarantee

Our encounters are totally wild, we never know where the dolphins might be from one day to the next. We do however offer a dolphin guarantee. If we do not manage to locate any dolphin species on our tour, you will be given a return for another tour that same season.

Medical Conditions

You must be fit and healthy, both mentally and physically to take part in the swimming portion of our tour. Swimming involves contact with cold water (average temperature in the Bay of Plenty during the summer is 22C) which can trigger certain conditions and cause heightened stress. It is your personal responsibility to inform the crew or the skipper of any medical conditions.

Please know your physical limitation. If you are unable to pull your own body weight out of the water by climbing up a vertical pool ladder, for safety reasons we cannot allow you to get into the ocean.

Feel free to call us or send us and e-mail beforehand to discuss any medical conditions if you are unsure whether you would be considered eligible. Those considered not medically able to be safely involved in a strenuous activity will be deemed ineligible for this activity. This is a legal requirement under New Zealand Maritime law.

Limited Mobility and Wheelchairs

Due to the layout and access to our vessel, if you are unable to walk onto the boat without aid, then unfortunately we are not able to take you on our tour. However, if you have limited mobility and arrange for your own assistance to accompany you on and off the vessel, you are more than welcome to join us on our tour. Feel free to e-mail or call us if you have any questions concerning limited mobility or wheelchair access.

Age Requirements

Dolphin Seafaris welcomes passengers of any age on our tours. We only ask that children 7 years and under are supervised at all times. The minimum age for swimming is 7 years old, depending on the confidence and snorkelling ability of the child. The skipper reserves the right to raise the minimum age limit if sea conditions are adverse.