Dolphin Watching from Palma de Mallorca

Overall, we had a good experience on the Palma Cruise dolphin trip. We were picked up by a luxury coach right outside our hotel, which made everything really easy. It was about a 20-minute journey to the marina, where we were greeted by Miguel, who was genuinely lovely. Friendly and welcoming, he got everyone checked in and pointed us in the right direction. Once on board, we were free to sit wherever we wanted, which was nice as it didn’t feel too regimented. Food and drinks are available to buy on board, although they are on the expensive side. We’d anticipated that, so we’d brought our own drinks and sandwiches, which worked well for us. The main attraction, of course, was seeing the dolphins, and thankfully we weren’t disappointed as we saw quite a few, The only disappointment was the snorkelling stop. This was actually a part we were actually looking forward to, but unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to expectations. Because the boat is so large, it created quite a bit of swell around it, making the water surprisingly choppy. As a family with young teenagers, it didn’t feel relaxing and felt rather unsafe. We couldn’t help thinking that providing pool noodles, floating mats or some other flotation equipment would have made a huge difference and given people a bit more confidence in the water. For the price of the excursion, it feels like something that could easily be included. In the end, we stayed in the water for less than five minutes before getting back on board. That said, we still enjoyed the trip overall. The dolphin sightings made it worthwhile, the transfer was seamless and the staff, especially Miguel, were excellent. With a few small improvements to the snorkelling experience, this could easily become a five-star excursion.

This was not a 3 hour excursion- it was 4.5 hours. Luckily we had time to get back to our cruise ship though I did book it based on the description and time because it fit into my schedule. It was a huge group of people and if you want a seat on top of the boat get there early and bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. We did get seats on top of the boat and were fortunate to see a few dolphins, though the crowds of people were obstructing views. We stopped for a swim/snorkel stop and you could rent a mask/snorkel for 20 euros though at our stop the water was very deep and we did not see much. It was also very chaotic getting in and out of the water- an avoidable issue if staff made one way to get out and one way in. I would have appreciated a “no smoking and no vaping” policy on this tour but unfortunately was subject to continuous second had smoke and vapors.

It was a nice boat trip and when we got out to the place where the dolphins stayed, we immediately saw many of them. The staff on the boat was kind and helpful. There was only one stop where you could jump in the water from the boat. The trip took about 4 hours and there was rapidly filled up on top, outside the boat and inside there was uncomfortable warm to sit. So in the high season you have to consider whether it is too hot, because you can’t be sure to get an outdoor space. The trip was a bit boring, at least when you just sat inside without wind and sun.

This trip was value for money and "did what it said on the tin" .Clear explanations were given as to what to expect. Dolphins were indeed located and were a joy to watch. I had a cold drink but did not try any of the food- it looked OK though. Pre recorded messages told us about the sights we were passing from time to time and in several languages so that was helpful. The swimming/snorkelling experience was not great- I hate to be negative but perhaps negative comments might allow changes to be made . I realise the operators can't control which passengers take to the water. Lots of people did go in who I felt were not perhaps confident enough swimmers to enjoy this experience and were trying to scramble back on board very quickly, looking quite distressed in some instances. Their purpose in going in was perhaps to have their photo taken? I'm a confident enough swimmer to have enjoyed the swim but the all in one snorkel mask did not fit (even with adjustment) and leaked. - and ended up inhibiting my swim because I had to just hold it. I'm not sure what could be done to ensure that swimmers were up to the conditions and I DON'T meant to suggest it amounted to being dangerous as crew members were watchful , just a bit miserable. Overall I'm glad I went on the trip as seeing the dolphins was a treat and I think it was reasonable value for money. I don't know what could be done to ensure people make sensible choices about whether to take to the water.