The Dolphin Study Eco-Tour and Cruise

Learned a lot while at the same enjoying the experience of seeing dolphins.

This was our second trip since the kids loved it so much the first time. This was their favorite activity for our entire visit. It's great for all ages and walking ability. I also had my mother who cannot walk long distances with us. The trip was all about the dolphins and we got a photo to take home with us of one of the dolphins we saw. It's nice to know that it's part of a research project and the kids feel like they are contributing to helping keep the dolphins healthy. The naturalist we had this time knew his stuff and was great when we asked questions. I would have liked a little more spontaneously provided by him, but I'm really picky. The captain was great about letting everyone see the dolphins. The shelling on Keywadin really is so much nicer than beaches you can drive to. I'd love to be able to spend more time on the island but we spent a lot of time watching the dolphins. There is only so much you can do with a 3 hour tour. The kids are already talking about next year...

Definitely the highlight of our trip. The marine biologist on board (Chris?) was very knowledgeable and kept everyone's interest. We saw 11 dolphins up close. The captain never hesitated to wheel around and get close. My 1st and 3rd grade kids learned alot and had a great time. My 3rd grader even spotted a dolphin from a bridge two days later when we were heading home, all thanks to the crew that showed her what to look for. We'll definitely be doing this again the next time we're in Marco Island.

We took our children ages 5 and 8 as well as grandma and everyone had a great time! Saw many dolphins and the kids loved watching them jump in and out of our wake only a few feet from them! The beach we stopped at for shelling was the best we've seen, much better than Sanibel. The only complaint was we wished we had a little more time on the beach. Very informative and well worth the price!

The captain of the boat and the naturalist Mike were very friendly and knowledgeable. The trip is described on the website exactly as we experienced it - with one caveat: we saw about 3 pairs of dolphin over the 3 hour period (maybe 6 dolphins?). Based on the boat binder of possible sightings and previous online reviews, I had expected a lot more sightings and activity. Nonetheless, what was a very positive surprise was that we were given very high quality photos to take home of the dolphin we observed(which were taken by Mike), as well as a few other birds and local points of interest. The kids also got a woven patch with the firm's logo, and a color two-sided card on which they could check the box for sightings of dolphin, and a variety of birds, sea life, shells, etc. They did an excellent job in the areas that they could control - too bad we saw so few dolphins!

A great trip...worth price! Pictures were priceless.

I brought a friend for her birthday since she loves dolphins. It was a great experience; not only for dolphin watching but for learning. Chris and Kent were wonderful guides. My only (personal) disappointment was that Chris brought a dog along. Not everyone is a dog lover. I have severe allergies and even being outdoors it affected me. The dog roamed the deck and licked my leg--it has taken three days for the rash to disappear. I wouldn't hold it against the tour and still recommend it highly to everyone we talk to.

Our family really enjoyed this tour and would highly recommend it. We saw lots of dolphins, learned a lot from the onboard naturalist and enjoyed the opportunity to visit an island for swimming and shelling. The children (age 7 and 10) were very engaged in the search for the dolphins and there was an activity for the children that reviewed what they had learned. Well worth it!

My husband and I were visiting from Boston and decided to try the Sea Excursions Dolphin Study Eco-Tour and had a great time. The naturalist on board was extremely knowledable and provided a ton of information on the animals. We saw many, many dolphins with several that played in our wake jumping at least 10 feet in the air. Stopped at one of the outer barrier islands to enjoy the beautiful beach and collect shells. We where presented with several great photos of our day to take home with us. A really nice afternoon and highy recommended.

We bought tickets for the Dolphin Study as Christmas presents for our 2 kids and their 3 cousins. They ranged in ages from 12-21. Everyone enjoyed the excursion. We were able to observe dolphins during at least three separate sightings. We took lots of pictures plus got beautiful souvenir photos.The two crew members were very knowledgeable and patient with everyone's questions. We loved seeing the dolphins, but just as much fun was walking along the beach of the barrier island and looking for shells. It was the best place for finding shells that we've have seen in the area! It was awesome! My only cautions would be if you're planning to take kids then wait until they are old enough to appreciate the experience. I would say at least school age. There was a family on our excursion with two very small children who were restless and fussy. This is an educational trip and I think they should have a minimum age limit so that everyone can enjoy the experience. Also, since we took the trip during the last week of December, the air was very chilly especially when the boat was going faster. Layers of warm clothes are highly recommended! The kids all loved the experience and we would happily do it again.