This was our 1st time to do a Dolphin Cruise and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. There were so many sightings. The Captain and deckhands stayed engaged with everyone from start to finish. The Deckhand Corbin even went over and beyond and took a recording of a pod of Dolphins bow-riding in front of the boat for me as well as for other customers. Money well spent for the experience and I highly recommend Top Tier- Southern Rose Dolphin Cruise!!!! Thanks again for the great experience!!! read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Dolphins playing - Boat Charters Near Me

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Great trip and saw lots of Dolphin. Beautiful and relaxing cruise. Staff were amazing and friendly.

Overall a super fun activity for the whole family! My family booked our excursion for the 4th of July. We were a party of 9 including 2 kids and everyone had a great time. The full trip is about 2 hours. We did see dolphins but total time viewing dolphins was maybe 15-20 minutes if that. Obviously you can't predict animal's behavior so we were just happy to see dolphins at all! They have a top level that's air conditioned, the top front deck only allows 16 people at a time(didn't get a chance to explore it), bottom level has plenty of space along the sides of the boat to look for dolphins(picture included). They play music and even played a song we requested, Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. They have drinks and snacks on board. Unfortunately drinks were pricey. $5 beers, $3 waters, $10 daiquiris.. Staff including the captain were friendly but not knowledgeable. At one point the captain said we were cruising the Gulf of America.. Alabama is on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico as named in 1550. Really disappointed by that comment but not surprised as we're in Alabama. read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me

This was such a fun experience and pretty cheap! The captain was hilarious and the drinks were also delicious! We actually saw a fair amount of dolphins on the cruise, and it was cute to watch everyone on the boat get excited. read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me

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Oh wow where do I start? The crew was amazing & helped everyone know where to look to see the dolphins. The captain was informative about the things around that we were cruising by. We were guaranteed to see some & we saw a lot of dolphins that day! One even rode along the boat at one point & was jumping along the back through the waves! If you don't like the wind, or it's a little chilly, the upstairs of the boat is closed in but has plenty of windows to still see plenty! I'm telling you, from a girl from Indiana that has only seen dolphins at the zoo, this was an amazing experience & the crew made it even better! You won't be disappointed! And the best part is it's affordable! read more

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In general I don't expect too much from site seeing tours. I know going during the middle of the day dolphins aren't as active, but my girlfriend and I got to see some swimming around which was nice. What really stood out to me was the ambiance and the staff. We thought there was going to be very limited sitting and cramped spaces due to the amount of people that showed up but it was not bad at all. The staff really stepped up for me and my girlfriend as well because she forgot her inhaler in the car and I asked Captain Ned if he could call out over the speaker asking if someone had one. He gladly did. And someone came to the rescue. Also the Captain had some good humor as well. Very nice ride and staff. read more

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Excellent! We loved the dolphin cruise we went on Tuesday afternoon and it was so fun the captions did a great job telling us where to see the dolphins and would idle so we could see them we seen many and loved hearing about dolphins! Thanks for a fun couple hours read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - On the dolphin cruise - Boat Charters Near Me

We booked a trip and when we got there they switched boats on us without forewarning us. They used a parasail boat instead of the boat advertised. However Mark and Aaron saved the day by providing a great experience. They are very knowledgeable and made the trip an enjoyable experience. I would give Mark and Aaron a 5 star but the company a 3 for their lack of communication regarding the boat. read more

We went on this cruise not expecting much, but we did see loads of dolphins and they got pretty close to the boat. I would say the dolphins got within 10 foot of the boat. The boat has indoor and outdoor viewing. You can walk the entire perimeter of the boat from front to back. They do have pizza and corn dogs on the boat, but I do not recommend the pizza. It's a circle microwaved pizza, we were expecting pizza slices to be honest. The corn dogs were state fair style and good sized. All and all, everyone had a great time and we saw loads of dolphin pods. read more

Could have been better if I'd seen the dolphins. Our crew was welcoming and knowledgeable. They guaranteed we'd see dolphins since they know where they hang out. So after we boarded the ship, which had lots of room to sit and/or stand, the boat took off. Our captain shared things as we made our way to the gulf. Once there, he pointed out a couple dolphins on the right side of the ship. My group of five had just entered the top of the boat and were exiting on the right side of the ship so I barely saw two dolphins crest above the waves and dive down. Two in my group didn't see them at all. So we made our way past the crowd on the right of the ship and found an empty bench on the left side of the front of the ship. The captain announced he was going to try something to get the dolphins jumping and playing. He drove alongside a second ship and then announced that those on the right side of the ship could look out over the edge and to the back to see the dolphins. We could hear people laughing and cheering and realized the boat behind us was seeing the whole thing, dolphins jumping and playing, I guess. They were laughing, pointing, and taking photos/videos. I couldn't see anything. That lasted about 5 minutes and then the captain turned around and took us back into the bay where we putted around for the next hour and a half, looking at homes along the various islands we were coasting alongside. Occasionally the captain would say something about a home that belonged to a celebrity. But we didn't hear much from him for the last hour nor did we see any dolphins. By the last half hour, I started to feel disappointed that I spent $30 just to go for a boat ride. I love giving reviews for the positive and incredible experiences I have. It's rare that I give a poor rating. But this was truly an hour and 50 minutes of a boat ride. And maybe half the people on the boat got to see some dolphins for 5 minutes. So, technically our boat did see dolphins which meant we didn't get a new booking. Even if we were offered one, I'd probably refuse anyways. I'd add pictures if I had anything to share... read more

A miserable experience overall. The air conditioned upper deck is air conditioned but on a 98 degree day it was still in the 80's. saw no dolphins, spenfing a large amount of cruise bobbing in gulf just out of jetties not under power supposedly to see dolphins but more likely to save gas. Very nauseating to bob like a cork in an 80 degree room for almost an hour. Also speaker system totally inadequate, could not hear few points of interest info:-(. 10/10 do NOT recommend. read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Hot nauseated no dolphins viewing people - Boat Charters Near Me

We only saw jellyfish. Other companies guarantee dolphin sightings, but they apparently don't. The staff was very friendly. The men's restroom wasn't functional and the ladies' restroom smelled so horrendous that our daughter vomited. It was pretty rundown in looks and the advertised "sandwiches" weren't actually true so we were starving by the time we were done. But, again, all of the staff were extremely nice. I don't think we'd go in another cruise with this company, but we'd possibly consider it. read more

We gad a great time. Weather was perfect and we saw so many dolphins. The captain told us about the sites and homes throughout the cruise.

Complete waste of time and money. We saw three or four dolphins for about a total of 10 seconds at the start of the cruise . The last hour and fifteen minutes were spent wishing this cruise would end. read more

Absolutely loved this dolphin cruise. I was primarily going for a boat ride but the amonut of dolphins we saw were really an added bonus. There were pods od dolphins numerous time, jumping, playing, swimming on their back like flipper and cruising at high speeds right near out boat. Boat had upper and lower decks, with inside and outside seating. We opted to sit outside at the front of the boat on the upper deck. It was a really slow boat ride which was excellent to watch the dolphins, look at the intracoastal waterway homes and see the sites. Only issue was it was advertised as a 1 and 1/2 to 2 hour cruise and we were only on the boat for about an hour. But it was great. read more

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The good - great boat captain. The bad - windows were extremely dirty and you could not see or take pictures through. With 126 people on board you dont have many choices of places. These need to be cleaned after every trip. read more

We really enjoyed this cruise. The captain and crew were funny. We didn't have to go far to see two pods of dolphins. I appreciate how the captain maneuvered the boat close enough to see them but didn't chase or harass them. Next time, I would do the sunset cruise. I highly recommend this cruise. read more

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A decent experience, guides were polite and nice to our group of three jet skis, especially to our on disabled adult child. There were 8 total skis in our tour group. The older gentleman/owner running the check in must have been burned by tourists over the years, because he was about as warm as a cold shower. Very short and snippy with the waiver/sign in process and when we asked him questions. Safety equipment/life vests are very dated, vests left black dry rot on our arms and necks. Time to upgrade your vest to newer neoprene vests. While they advertise the smallest no wake zones which was nice, we only stopped two times for about 5 minutes in 1.5 hours to encounter marine life. The rest of the time was spent strict single file line at +40 mph racing to different areas which likely made some non-experienced drivers nervous. We had no issues with the speed. Only about 10 minutes of free time outside the single file line requirements. We did see a few dolphins but if you were in the back of the long line you didn't have much of a chance to see much, after the other 7 skis scared off the animals. We've done similar tours in other locations in OBA, Top Tier was okay, but we've had better experiences at other locations. They just didn't live up to their brand name on this occasion. read more

Great trip! We saw piles of Dolphins and the captain was great. We sat on the top deck right in front of the captain outside and it was the place to be. You can see both sides of the boat and get to interact with the captain. It did get chilly in March so bring blankets if it is cooler out. We were on the water just shy of 2 hours. One of the highlights of the vacation. read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - A couple of dolphins we spotted. - Boat Charters Near Me

BEWARE: Don't trust these teenagers with your life. Rude and negligent staff. They failed to give us any instructions while in an attempt to maximizing profits to turn customers too quick. Fool me once: We paid $30 per person for 10 minutes ($150) Fool me twice: We tipped the crew before. I'd recommend after your trip to decide on the tip amount. In fact save your money and buy a couple cod sandwiches at the SeaNSuds. Shame on you Banana Boat crew: We were told we get 30 minutes to prep and then received no instructions and the staff rudely yelled aggressively to rush us on the boat. They lined us up on the boat centered in front of an anchor, but the crew was nice to point that out - "watch out for stepping on the anchor" Ouch! Found the anchor. It was a fun 10 minutes, but could have been longer. NEGLECT: The ocean flags were yellow which indicates moderate waves. Coming into shore the staff flipped our banana boat intentionally or lacked experience and thought it be a good idea to swing our boat into the wave while accelerating the Jet-ski to torque the banana boat to capsize. Which caused a family member to accidentally kick another family member in the head, while trapping another family member under the boat and knocking down another family member that hurt a shoulder on the bottom of the ocean. UNAPOLOGETIC STAFF - BLAME IT ON THE TIDE. They say a minimum of 3 years of age to ride the banana boat, but I wouldn't recommend any age with this crew. NOT A LEGIT COMPANY: The company on our reservation is called Top Tier Watersports and their website is under Southern Rose. Their satellite location near SeaNSuds in Gulf Shores Alabama is called Blue Sky Watersports. This was confusing as a consumer, perhaps by design. read more

Aubrey & Bentley were so great!! The parasailing was spectacular!! It was our 18 year old grandson's first time & he loved it!! Highly recommend!! read more

This is a great dolphin cruise for everyone. The captain will tell you where to watch to see the dolphins and spin the boat around for everyone on board to see them. We went on the 4:30 cruise and it lasted well over 2 hours. I would recommend this cruise to anyone. 5 stars read more

We all enjoyed our sunset cruise and saw several dolphins! Was tempted to go back and book another cruise the next night! We'll definitely do this again if we ever come back to vacation here again! Great crew! read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Our scenery!!! - Boat Charters Near Me

My boyfriend and I had the best time parasailing. Olivia was super helpful and accommodating on the beach, helping us get registered. We chose to go for 30 mins with the picture package. Definitely worth it, there were about 50 photos to choose from! The captain and his mates were very professional. They absolutely wanted to show us a good time. Highly recommended activity to do here! read more

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This was great. We saw a lot of dolphins in the beginning but after about 45 minutes, we were all bored and ready to take a boat cruise. So we did! Went through the bay and learned a little about Oh No! Island :) The crew was great and the boat was super cool. The only thing I didn't like was in order to get up/down from the balcony, you had to climb the small winding staircase in the front of the boat. I'm used to stairs like those so it wasn't a huge big deal but it was a bit daunting rolling on the waves, trying to get snacks upstairs...Other than that (which is nothing) great cruise! read more

We had an amazing time and saw lots of dolphins. The crew was fun and informative. If I ever come back, they will be my go to. I highly recommend them!!! read more

We paid for the dolphin sightings but the laughs with the crew were free! The crew made sure we all got to see the dolphins and had a good time. read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - We had fun seeing dolphins while cruising - Boat Charters Near Me

I have some trouble with my balance and a wonderful man named Dan helped me get to the JetSki and from it. He was great and he is the reason we had so much fun on the water. Thank you Dan for all of your help and we will definitely be coming back! (we also went parasailing with the same company) read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me

MAUI/STRATTON thank you for making our day safe and fun!!! We will be coming back I give them 5 stars!!!! read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Me and wife had a great experience! We had a blast! We will be coming back again soon! MAUI & STRATTON both guys are cool and chill! - Boat Charters Near Me

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Great experience. Got to see a bunch of dolphins. The entire crew was super friendly. Would highly recommend using them for dolphins tours. Our tour was actually a little over two hours. Drinks are reasonably priced. read more

Best ride ever! We saw lots of dolphins and the staff was so friendly informative and helpful!!!! read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me

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this trip was over 3 hours long, it was so hot, the sun was beating down on us the entire time, and we never saw a single dolphin or even a fish. there was no communication from the people driving the boat, they just kept going in circles. It was very boring, we were just all staring at each other like what do we do? and I was drenched in sweat and sunburnt afterwards. Theres so many other people you can choose besides them. just go somewhere else. NO REFUNDS NO EXEPTIONS fyi read more

Crew was great. Professional and friendly. Saw dolphins and had a great time. As a side note, the boat has a bar with alcoholic beverages, non alcoholic beverages and snacks. Some how I missed reading that when I booked the trip. Also, there were other boats around us doing the same thing but I liked the Southern Rose set up best! And they had a fantastic gift shop at the marina. read more

Do not give them your credit card number to hold a reservation!!! We go parasailing, rent jet skis, pontoon boats in Destin and many places along the coast every year. I have never had a company be so unprofessional! I called to reserve for the same day and called back shortly after to cancel. If it was not for their attitude amount charging that day no matter what, I would have scheduled the next day. They kept trying to charge my card for $724 dollars for over a week and then various lower amounts. Keep your credit card locked!! We found Ike's Parasail which was fabulous and $545 for the same 8 people! read more

I paid 400$ for tickets online and was then charged an additional 63$ for a service charge and parking fee once I checked in

Took our kids parasailing with Captain Hunter and Mistletoes, and they were amazing!! The whole operation is top-notch! Thank you, Top Tier, for a great experience! Plan to visit again when we get to return to OBA! read more

We used this company for parasailing. Over priced, late, we waited 50 minutes to board the boat. We paid 550.00 for 1 hour on the water with two other groups. They took our phones saying it was a safety liability, when really they want you to pay for a photo package. The crew was rude and insisted on a tip at the end of the ride. Kids had fun, but we won't be back. Lots of other companies to try next time. I read more

We loved that there was an indoor, AC upstairs with tables and chairs, and lots of outdoor spaces as well on the boat. The captain and guides were so knowledgeable and kind. So friendly especially with kids! read more

The air conditioning was NOT working well on this cruise. The only AC vents were covered by curtains. Multiple people complained, but the captain was not concerned. Groups of people were literally standing in front of the vents during the entire cruise to get relief from the sweltering heat. We picked this tour specifically because of the AC, in hopes that the heat wouldn't aggravate health conditions. We were grossly disappointed. The captain also made multiple (4) offensive Trump jokes which were about standing your ground and building a wall. Absolutely disgusting. Drinks and snacks are sold, but they ran out of snacks well within the first hour of the cruise. Coupons were given to us in our condo, but they didn't provide the correct price online, and when we called, they wouldn't accept them. We did see multiple dolphins during the cruise, which was a plus. We went at 5, which allowed us to watch the sunset over the ocean. read more

Southern Rose Dolphin Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me

Our family took the dolphin cruise with Captain Ryan today and we had a blast! We sat on the upper deck near the captain and he was funny and knowledgeable about the dolphins as well as the whole area. He had lots of anecdotes about the homes, islands and properties we got to see on our cruise. He and another boat convinced a pod of dolphins to play with us for a long time. He even let our 4 year old and our teenagers sit in the captain's chair and "drive" the boat! We have been on many dolphin tours and this was our favorite so far, hands down! We would do this again for sure. read more

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