Quick Details
Adult (Age 13 & up)
Instant discount applied at checkout
$100
$ 82.68
Child (Age 0-12)
Free with paid adult
$70
Free
Additional Child (Age 0-12)
Without a paid adult
$70
$ 57.88
Join Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari for a special Eco-Hero Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari, offered in celebration of the 55th Annual Dana Point Festival of Whales.
This 2½-hour safari departs from Dana Point Harbor aboard Hoku Nai’a, our eco-friendly power catamaran. It features the same engaging, fun, and approachable ocean education found on all Captain Dave’s safaris, with a few added Festival highlights.
What Makes This Safari Special
Guest educators are onboard, currently including Shark Stewards, who provide additional insight into marine conservation, sharks, and ocean stewardship.
Children 12 and under ride free with each paid adult ticket during this special Festival of Whales safari.
Throughout the trip, guests enjoy live narration from our knowledgeable crew while observing marine wildlife in its natural habitat. Guest educators complement the experience by engaging with passengers and sharing conservation-focused perspectives.
Dana Point is recognized as the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World®, with year-round dolphin sightings and seasonal whale migrations just offshore. Sightings may include dolphins, gray whales, humpback whales, fin whales, sea lions, seabirds, and other marine life.
Guests can also enjoy complimentary Mrs. Capt. Dave’s famous homemade brownies, a long-standing favorite, along with snacks and beverages available for purchase onboard.
The Eco-Hero Safari offers a relaxed and enjoyable way to celebrate the Festival of Whales while highlighting the importance of protecting our oceans.
Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari is a Responsible Whale Watching–approved partner with the World Cetacean Alliance, reflecting a long-standing commitment to marine conservation and responsible wildlife viewing.
Dolphin and Whale Watching
Dana Point is the Dolphin and Whale Capital of the World® and the first Whale Heritage Site in the Americas.
Huge herds of wild dolphins, breathtaking whales, sea lions, and much more await you aboard the most unique and memorable whale watching excursion in the world!
During this eco tour, you could see migrating gray whales, humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales, and more! You could also encounter several different kind of dolphins during your eco tour including common dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, and bottlenose dolphins. Will your eco tour be lucky to see very rare animals like orcas? Possibly! Killer whales, pilot whales, and more could be seen at any time.
In addition to mammals like whales, dolphins, and sea lions, your eco tour may encounter fish such as sharks and sunfish, elephant seals, harbor seal, as well as many different species of pelagic birds.
About the Boat
Hoku Nai’a is a super stable catamaran and the largest vessel in our fleet, making her perfect for a dolphin and whale watching eco tour!
The boat’s double-deck design offers multiple viewing perspectives, with an elevated upper deck ideal for spotting distant wildlife and a spacious lower deck that still provides excellent sightlines with less chance of feeling ocean spray. The two-level layout allows guests to spread out, move easily as wildlife activity shifts, and enjoy a more comfortable, uncrowded viewing experience enhanced by live naturalist narration.
Hoku Nai’a Features
• Double-deck power catamaran with spacious viewing areas on two levels
• Partially covered upper deck, offering shade while maintaining excellent visibility
• Fully enclosed first deck with less exposure to wind and ocean spray
• Surfboard-style tables and comfortable bench seating on the first deck
• Ample seating available throughout the vessel, including bench seating on both decks
• Two onboard restrooms for added convenience
• Onboard bar with drinks and snacks available for purchase
Hoku Nai’a Virtual Tour
For an “auto tour” video walk-through, click on the play button in the lower left corner. It may take a couple of minutes to show.
Price, Cancellation and No Sightings Information
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The Eco-Hero Safari prices are applicable on this trip only, and cannot be applied to any other cruise, including but not limited to our Signature Safari and Zodiac Safari.
Sorry, no other discounts or special offers can be applied to the Eco-Hero Safari.
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Eco-Hero Safari bookings cruise are non-cancelable, non-refundable, and non-changeable.
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Our Eco-Hero Safari will go out rain or shine. In the event of unplanned non-operation due to technical issues, unsafe ocean conditions, or any other unforeseen circumstances, we reserve the right to cancel the cruise.
Should we cancel the Eco-Hero Safari, you will have three options:
1. RESCHEDULE: In the event of cruise cancellation, you may reschedule to another Eco-Hero Safari date at no additional cost.
If you choose to reschedule to our Signature or Zodiac Safari on another date, then you must pay the full price of the cruise, less the ticket price of the Eco-Savings Safari already paid.2. CREDIT: In the event of cruise cancellation, you may receive a credit in the form of a Captain Dave’s e-gift card. The gift card will be in an amount equivalent to the ticket price of the Eco-Hero Safari and any optional gratuity you may have added when booking. The gift card can be applied towards another cruise with us. You will be responsible for paying any price difference between the amount on your gift card and the cost of a future cruise.
3. REFUND: In the event we cancel the cruise, you can opt to receive a full refund to the original payment method.
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Although we locate whales or dolphins on over 95% of our trips, there are rare occasions when we don’t see any cetaceans. In the unlikely event of zero whales or dolphins on your Eco-Hero Safari, you will receive No Sightings Voucher(s) for paid tickets only. Complimentary children’s tickets are not eligible for No Sightings Vouchers. The voucher(s) can be applied to a future Signature Safari and are valid for one year from the date of your trip.
Because the safari takes place as scheduled, refunds are not issued for no-sightings trips.
Voucher(s) are non-transferable and can only be used by the persons who were on the Eco-Hero Safari with no dolphin or whale sightings.