We had a great experience with Captain Mark! Boat ride was fun, safe clean and the staff was great too and very courteous. Captain Mark was informative about the area with historical facts but not overwhelming. And he had a few Dad type jokes that we enjoyed. We saw several dolphins, I was able to take a great short video. read more

This was very insightful and fun. Captain Mark is very attentive and very knowledgeable about the area as well as the ecosystem. He stayed out later to ensure we were able to see plenty of dolphins. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a good tour! 5 stars and that's only because I couldn't get more. read more

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Took the sunset dolphin cruise and it was fantastic. We saw a bunch of dolphins and multiple places and a beautiful sunset. Captain Mark narrated some great info and some good stories. It's a cool operation, nice to see a husband/wife combo!!!!! The price is super reasonable!!!!!' Also had great communication with Captain Mark via text before the cruise. There was some weather in area and they were on top of it.... Delayed departure and we had a perfect trip. This is something you could do every time you ate here in Hilton Head.... read more

We took our teen and tween boys on Captain Mark's Dolphin Watch Sunset cruise last weekend. A good time was had by all. We enjoyed seeing several dolphins up close. The boys really only used their phones to take videos of the dolphins and selfies in front of the sunset. Parenting WIN! Captain Mark greeted us warmly and shared interesting information during his talk. The boat was sparkling clean with plenty of space between us and other passengers. We felt safe at all times on the trip. Overall a lovely evening on the water and family time we all will cherish. Well, my husband and I will. Who knows with kids these days? read more

Great sunset cruise! Captain Mark was very knowledgeable about HHI and used humor throughout the ride. It was so much fun to watch the sun set as we rode through the water and then watch fireworks as we went to dock. We saw many dolphins and animals during the ride. It was great for children and adults alike! I'd recommend this for all visitors! read more

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What a great time we had on the Holiday with Captain Mark! Captain Mark was personable and "puny". We saw several dolphins, jelly fish, birds, including an Osprey! We also saw beautiful homes, and lots of people enjoying the water ... parasailing, paddle boating, kayaking, jet skiing etc. the trip was interesting and a good bargain. We loved how clean and safe the ride was. It's a nice riding large double decker boat with lots of seating, We will definitely be doing this again next time we are in Hilton Head! read more

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We were 'that' family who made the boat leave 10 minutes late. I'm sure the mostly full boat was less than pleased with us. We had trouble finding parking - parking was plentiful but (our own) time pressure did not help us. The captain very graciously waiting for our party of 7 and we had a really great experience. The captain has 20,000+ trips and shared too many details to share here, but it was very informative. The dolphins were hiding or out of sight on the way out, but on the way back we did some circling in place so that everyone in every part of the boat had a chance to see them. The captain made sure everyone got the full 1.5 hour experience and docked us 10 minutes late (sorry everyone). Wonderful boat and staff and Captain Mark is a true local treasure - highly recommended. We also kayaked to see wildlife, but if you can't do that you need to experience it this way. Local workers are facing increasing fees to stay on the island and bring joy to tourists so tip well and help them continue to do the work they love. read more

Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise - Close up of dolphin! - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Captain mark was amazing. He took us to places that were little hidden gems. Would defiantly recommend!! We saw tons of dolphins. Also might I add he took the time to show our boys the little creatures of the ocean while we walked the sand island. Great experience. Thanks Captain Mark, Troy & Elissa read more

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No complaints! Easy to get to the dock. Very informative trip down Broad Creek with beautiful views. We didn't see a ton of dolphins, but we did get a great view of a few from both the upper and lower decks. Kids loved it! read more

Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise - Map of cruise. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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I had a reservation for the sunset dolphin cruise. My family was looking forward to this all day. It started to pour down rain with lightning and thunder. We were very concerned to board the boat under these conditions, especially with small children. The captain said it would clear up in 10 minutes, and no refunds in a extremely rude tone. The weather did not clear up, it continued to rain/thunder. This is very disappointing under the circumstances. I would not recommend this business. You would have to have half a brain to board when it is lightening out. That is a huge safety concern. I would have given 0 stars if i could. read more

Great time! Very knowledgeable about the area. Size of the boat really helps with reducing the motion so no need to worry about motion sickness like smaller boat tours. Great job!! read more

This is one of the top boat tours I've ever been on! Captain Mark didn't let this tour get boring not one bit! He even introduced us to his family and his adorable grandchildren! 40 years that he mentioned he has been in this kinda business and it definitely shows! I would take this tour again! read more

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Everything about this was easy. Parking, payment, all of it. The boat is big and smooth, just like Captain Mark himself. The scenery is profoundly beautiful and it's always great to be out in the water. We saw plenty of dolphin, too. Want to see some photos I took from the deck? Well alright!! Here ya go! read more

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This was a fun, informative and laidback cruise around the marshes and towards the Atlantic Ocean. We saw dolphins, amazing houses, and a beautiful sunset. The captain was very informative. I think some of the kids got bored because it was a long ride but there was a lot for us to enjoy as we sat back and relaxed. They also have some cheap snacks and non alcoholic drinks for purchase. read more

Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Love this cruise great experience for the value lol forward to returning Captain Mark is extremely funny and knowledgeable about Hilton Head Island and he make sure see plenty of dolphins read more

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Nice fun cruise. We spent 30 mins watching the Dolphins. A very informative with funny stories being told by Captain Mark . Tour was actually almost 2 hours. He is King of the Dolphin Tours! read more

We had a positive experience on this tour today! We would recommend it to others. It was plenty long and informative. read more

This dolphin cruise was wonderful! There was plenty of room to get up and move around to view the dolphins. We took the sunset cruise. It was absolutely breathtaking. I recommend this to anyone wanting a relaxing evening. read more

Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Aside from the following, I may have given 4-5 stars. Last night we made a reservation for the 1.75 min sunset dolphin cruise which was at 7:15pm. We checked the weather channel & the weather was fine. However when we got to the boat, the sky had gray clouds over us & dark clouds in the somewhat near distance. We got on the boat & my husband asked, based on the weather, how do you know whether to go or not?" Captain Mark said, "If they don't "name" it, we're going." In other words if it isn't hurricane "so & so (name)". I'm a strong swimmer so I'm not worried about the boat sinking or anything, but I know all my life that you don't swim in a lightning storm. I do not like lightning so I have done some research on it throughout my life & have some knowledge on how to protect myself when there's a lightning storm such as... turn off anything electrical, turn off cell phones, don't be in water (not even washing hands), don't touch metal-especially with both hands (there was a lot of metal on this boat), get grounded, etc. And even though approx 1000 boats gets struck by lightning/year, & this is considered very low...IT STILL HAPPENS! Moments into the 75 minute trip, we saw lightning in the distance in 3 different places to the right of us. Captain Mark didn't acknowledge the lighting but kept talking. We joked & laughed, figuring he knew what he was doing. About 20 minutes or so into the trip, we started seeing some dolphins. Still constant lightning in the distance & no mention of anything. It was hot in the 80's, so about 30-40mins into the trip it started drizzling very lightly & felt good so we didn't mind it. But shortly after when the lighting started getting closer to us, we decided to go into the cabin. Very few people were in the cabin. I don't know how many people were on the boat...maybe 75-100...& it didn't seem like anyone knew or cared about lightning. There were many little children on board. I didn't see any life preservers or life boats, but I'm sure they were there. Around 8pm before sunset (no sun in sight), Captain Mark said the weather isn't letting up so we're going to turn around. My big problem with Captain Mark is that he NEVER acknowledged that there was lightning. He never assured us that there were life boats or where the life preservers were in case the boat sank for any reason. And as the lightning was striking straight down & cracking loud at the same time all around us, lighting up the sky, he still NEVER acknowledged anything. I assumed that he had a conventional lightning protection system & if so, it would have been nice if he told us to put us at ease. I would say his cruise was a great price, we saw dolphins & he shared alot of history & info about the island which was great. However at one point it became difficult to pay attention...& once he turned around he wasn't sharing anymore history. In my opinion, it was VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. I really hope it wasn't all about the money but I can say for sure that he didn't care at all to put anyone's mind at ease by giving us a heads up on anything. WOW! That was a first! If he would have cancelled the trip I would have been glad. I can't believe that I chose to go on the cruise since the sky was gray & we saw black clouds in the distance...but most importantly I do not like lightning! I don't know what I was thinking! read more

Great experience, def worth the trip. The sunset view is amazing and love the information about Hilton head during the cruise. A must do if you are visiting read more

A great tour and wealth of historic information I would recommend this tour for everyone that get an opportunity to take the tour

Best dolphin cruise ever, so peaceful and fun. Captain Mark and his mates and family are the perfect team for your Hilton Head adventure.

We took the tour the weekend of the 4th of July. We really enjoyed the cruise and the narration provided by captain mark. We did not see a ton of dolphins but the ones we saw were amazing! We will for sure do it again! read more

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My husband and I really enjoyed this tour! Mark was a great story teller, and he made sure we all saw dolphins! While you can certainly see dolphins from other kinds of boats, or even walking on the beach, Mark got us the best view of the dolphins. And the ride on his boat was just completely relaxing and delightful! I highly recommend you spend an afternoon on Mark's cruise! read more

Me and my friends went on this cruise in Early August and had a great time. We saw plenty of dolphins, but of course they can't guarantee that you will. Make sure you follow the directions to the dock as you could get lost. read more

Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise - View from the boat - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

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Captain Mark is extremely knowledgeable about the area and friendly. We saw several dolphins during our cruise though it is best to see them by standing on the outside deck rather than sitting interior cabin. Very comfortable and gentle ride. Parking is free but you will walk some distance from the parking lot to the cruise loading area. Several shops and restaurants in the area. We used Groupon for tickets but regular price is $20 per adult and it is an 1 hr 45 minute cruise. There are snacks and drinks for purchase on board. He will depart on time so make time to walk to the area (~15-20 minutes). Loading for the cruise begins 30 minutes before departure. Plenty of seating if you prefer to sit the entire time. We went at 2pm which was not too bad but it was rather hot as it was near the end of June and high 80s for temp. It is good to go at least once but may not be a recurring event unless you are a dolphin fanatic. Thank you Captain Mark for the wonderful cruise and information on the island history. read more

Fun boat ride for the whole family! What could be better than dolphins, a gorgeous sunset and fireworks? Captain Mark is entertaining. A definite do! read more

Captain Mark did a great job and we saw several dolphin and the Tuesday night fireworks on the 7:30pm cruise!

Great trip loved it highly recommended for u to do it great price and knowledgeable trip great for family relaxing I took the night trip it was great for me because I work in the sun and the night breeze was perfect would definitely go again read more

My wife and I really enjoyed this trip. Captain Mark was very informational and knowledgeable. We saw many dolphins on our trip as well as many other wild life. The boat was very spacious and nice. The crew was also very friendly. read more

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We really enjoyed this boat tour with Captain Mark. He was very entertaining and informative. He added a few items about his personal life which made him really connect with the passengers. The info on the sites we saw answered several questions we all had. The other bit of information is the size of the boat. We were so glad we took his charter as the boat was so comfortable with lots of room to move about for photos. We almost took a different company and the boat was so small, no restroom (which is necessary) and very cold. Thanks Captain Mark for a fun trip. read more

Besides a heatwave over 100+ degree temps, we had fun on Captain Mark's Dolphin Cruise. Thankfully there's a snack bar on the boat where you can buy cold drinks! Unfortunately, we only saw 3 dolphins, but Captain Mark spent a nice amount of time in that specific area so we could watch them quite a while. He narrates throughout the cruise so you get a good feel for the area and some of the history, too. read more

very fun and informative! We saw other boats out on the water but ours was definitely the best and the biggest boat. It was obvious that Captain Marc had been doing this for 30 years. The tour was very entertaining and full of interesting tidbits. The staff couldn't have been nicer. A good time was had by all. read more

Captain Mark's sunset dolphin cruise was relaxing and informative. He is an entertaining guide through the history of Hilton Head. I also learned more about dolphins than I expected to. I recommend this cruise for young children too. It's not too long, alcohol free and they have kid's T-shirts for sale! I would definitely do it again. read more

This was a great tour saw only two dolphins but one of them was raced the boat and was very close. Lots of cool birds too Captain Mark offered great commentary on the channels and was pretty funny too. Great way to spend an afternoon. read more

Captain Mark's cruise was really nice and relaxing. We spotted several dolphins during the cruise. The captain's narrative during the cruise was interesting and fun to listen to. The boat was clean and well kept. I would suggest putting a couple of signs pointing towards the boat embarcation point because we drove around and around looking for the entrance or a sign and finally found it! It would also be helpful to put a map with directions in your confirmation email. The sunset was incredible! Thanks for a great evening. read more

Captain was 10 minutes later and we were left in the blazing sun and 95 degrees heat even though a mate was on deck. When captain was told that we were hot he just snorted and said it's on a few minutes. Saw only one dolphin. Would not recommend this captain. read more

We really enjoyed the tour. There were a couple of pods of dolphins out and about. Beautiful homes along the way. Captain Mark was very personable and knowledgeable about the island. I will definitely do another dolphin cruise with him. read more

This was absolutely a fun cruise. Mike and Scott, were not just entertaining but also very informative. Definitely a family friendly boat tour. We saw, on an average, 15 dolphins. Worth every penny. Can't wait to go back and do it again. Fantastic!! Thank you for a fabulous day. read more

Fun trip. Took the 11am with family and everyone enjoyed the ride, views and Mark's commentary on HHI, dolphins, etc. We saw at least 8 dolphins! read more