Had a great experience with this company in Destin. A group of friends and I traveled to Florida in February and there wasn't a ton of options that early in the season for boat cruises but southern star was open lucky for us! Very convenient location at the boardwalk. We booked for 7 of us ahead of time (about a month ahead of time online) with no issues. They started the cruise right on time and there was plenty of seating on a dual level boat. They took us out into the harbor for dolphin watching. The crew said there was no guarantee to see dolphins but they were very confident we would get some action and they were right! We saw SO many dolphins and they came so close to the boat, swimming in their schools. It was so cool. The crew member manning the intercom was also giving tips during the ride for how to attract the dolphins closer. We also saw a beautiful sunset. It was a great time. Would definitely recommend dolphin/sunset cruises through them! read more

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It was our first visit to the area and we wanted to do a boat cruise but had our 1 year old grandson with us. We decided to do the sunset boat cruise and it was perfect. The boat had indoor/outdoor seating, along with restrooms and snack stand. We sat on the upper deck the majority of the cruise had great views and our captain was awesome spotting the dolphins and turning the boat around so both sides could see. They also have a spot on the tour where the birds follow the back of the boat looking for snacks, you can feed them chips. It was gross but cool at the same time. My grandson loved it. We had great views of the harbor and sandbar, plus some awesome dolphin sightings. read more

they cancelled our cruise 3 hours before departure due to low passenger booking. My kids were crying and disappointed. choose a smaller line, less dependent on passenger volume. read more

My family and I enjoyed the 90 minute dolphin cruise! The ship has two levels, and the staff were great. We saw a lot of dolphins. The captain gave out great information and acted as a guide throughout the trip. The other staff were great as well. You are pretty much guaranteed to see dolphins. In fact of you don't see any dolphins on the cruise they give you an open ticket invitation to come back again with no expiration date. We were in Destin for 5 days, and this trip was the highlight of our vacation! It was money well spent! This is a diesel engine ship, and you will smell diesel exhaust at times like any other diesel engine ship. Just fyi, i know that can sometimes be an issue for some folks. read more

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The captain was very kind and the experience was very pleasant. We saw so many dolphins and you could tell they wanted you to have a nice experience. Very family friendly read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - Sunset - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

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Our Dolphin Cruise went well. The ship was a double decker and offered plenty of space, view points to see the dolphins. The captain was very good with telling us where to look for some great pics of the dolphins. Some of my party had adult beverages and they stated those were weak. The smoothies were a hit for the kids. Good time. Afterwards we were able to walk Harbor Village. $20 to park. $34 to cruise The ship did get shaky at times, but again, the captain was great in directing were to go on the ship if you were feeling seasick. read more

It's a long review, and a bit before we actually get to the cruise (spoiler alert, we actually did get to board and experience the sunset cruise). If your response is TLDR, I don't care. Someone' may want the information below and I'm writing for them. The TLDR people can go read a comic strip with lots of colors. Or ... you can skip down to the part that starts with "Now for the cruise." Recently we booked a sunset cruise on the Southern Star. The facility is located on the docks alongside the Harborwalk Village, and while parking is a bit pricey ($20), that gives you access to the Harborwalk Village and it's lower level with shopping, dining experiences, as well as access to the cruise boarding point. That is, it gives you access if you are able to use stairs. I have to use a walker to get about, and so having arrived 45 minutes prior to cruise time. So we get parked in plenty of time to get to the dock, except there's an issue in that there wasn't any readily available (or identifiable) method of getting from the parking lot on the upper level to the lower level where the boat exists. The problem was getting to the vessel. The Harborwalk Village has plenty of stairs to get to the lower level where much of the fun stuff is, but there isn't an apparent way for people with accessibility issues to get there. So I'm kind of stuck, as I have no way to get down to the boat. So I call the number for the tours, hoping that someone there can give me information to get down to the boat. The person answering the phone did not have any information on how to get from the upper level to the lower level. "I think there's a ramp" was as good as it got, but no real indication of where the ramp was at. Understand, it's not the cruise line's responsibility for providing the access to the lower level; they're just a business offering a cruise. But the expectation should be that if a business is prepared for people with accessibility issues, they should also be aware that there is an issue with the facility from which they're launching, and that was our complaint about the cruise. Possibly mention of how people with accessibility issues can get to the lower level (would probably take as much print as is provided about the parking). We were super fortunate that I was able to get the attention of one of the people who work the Harborwalk Village facility and he was able to give me a golf cart ride down to the lower level (by the way there IS a ramp, but the grade is something like 10 - 15% grade and trying to travel down it with a walker would be almost as challenging as trying to take the walker down the stairs). My wife was attempting to work with the cruise personnel attending their kiosk, but the two young ladies weren't very helpful. Once I informed her of my guardian golf-cart angel, she made her way to the vessel. Now for the cruise. The Southern Star is a hefty vessel. 80 feet (roughly 24 meters) long and a double decker. A ramp is provided for people with mobility issues for boarding, and there is a slight step from the top of the ramp platform to the deck of the boat, but plenty of rails and helpful crew to get you over that step. Their web site includes information that they are manual wheelchair accessible, but not for scooters or powered wheelchairs. Benches are all mounted along both sides of the boat but still leaves room for my extra-wide walker to maneuver all around the lower deck of the boat. There is a seating facility inside, which provides an air-conditioned area if you're becoming too over heated, with large windows to look out over the water. It also contains a facility for snacks, hot dogs, drinks, and souvenirs. Once the boat leaves the dock the snack/drink bar is manned by one of the crew. The boat is well maintained and provides a fairly stable platform to sit, stand and enjoy the view of the harbor and it's various activities, then out the channel to look for dolphins. While there was some rocking about, it's a boat. On the water. They do that. And there were plenty of dolphins to be seen. Captain Jason did an excellent job of providing direction for where dolphins were spotted, and the only way you could miss them was to keep your eyes closed. Speaking of Captain Jason, he and the crew did a fine job of providing a pleasant experience out on the water and did a fine bit of sailing as well. Pulling away from the dock was smooth, and I was impressed with the docking on return, which was done with hardly a bump or wiggle through tying up to the dock. Can I recommend? Yes! It's a great experience and it's easy to book. The disability thing is a wrinkle that I think would add value to the cruise if they can provide the info for people like myself that want to experience the cruise. I've written to them concerning my experience, and hope that they can provide more information to people with mobility issues in the future. read more

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Another great dolphin cruise! We took this with them 2 years ago and had a great time. And this time didn't disappoint either. Saw a number of dolphins and a beautiful sunset. Until next time. read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - Dolphins - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

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We went on the cruise with our extended family. I had done it five years ago as well, but it was nice to go back now that I have my own kids (4 and 2). I have to say even though this was a repeat experience for me I still had a blast. The captain did a great job narrating and we saw multiple groups of dolphins as well as a shark. The galley has a modest assortment of food and we got smoothies for the kids and then alcoholic slushies for the adults. In terms of seating you will want to get there early. You also do not want to be up top. The best place to see the Dolphins is actually in the bow. You want to have seats on the sides so that you can get up and go to the bow once Dolphins are spotted. read more

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We went on day that the waves were a little rough and we didn't see many dolphins BUT we still had such a good time. We have been on this cruise 3 times over the last 10 years. It's always a favorite. My family can't wait to try the pirate cruise next! read more

Amazing dolphins , staff is outgoing. Booking was easy. Would do it again! Dolphins came right up to boat read more

We had a lovely evening on our sunset dolphin cruise. The staff started by taking pocture if each party at the front of the boat (not very picturesque setting, but there were plenty of opportunities for lovely pics later). After trolling around the harbor for a bit, we headed out into the bay and then just past it. We didn't need to go far to see dolphins. We found a large pod playing just at the rocky ourcroppings before leaving the bay,.so we hung out there for a while before heading further out and stopping several more time to engage with various pods. The kids were delighted, especially when a dolphin began traveling in our wake giving quite a show with jumps. read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - Sunset on our sunset dolphin cruise. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

Date: 10/15/2024 Check-in: Easy Type: Sunset Cruise We had a great time! Sure did get to see some dolphins and some sharks. Not really sure how you can tell between two grey looking objects. Only reason a 4 star, "80-foot glass-bottom boat" thought we were getting a full length [like in the photo] but its just 8 little windows. Didn't see anything, the only time you could see something is when the boat slowed down and at the sand bar where its 5-10ft read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - NOTE: THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE GETTING. THIS IS WHAT WE THOUGHT "80-foot glass-bottom boat" MEANT. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

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Heads up Cruise patrons! The cruise was fine, we saw plenty of dolphins. HOWEVER, if you park at Harborwalk Village, you will pay $20 for about two hours of parking! That is whether you are parking for 3 hours or 15 minutes! If you pay $40 per adult for the cruise, and you park at the Village, add $20 for parking. How about providing a parking voucher to cover the parking or at least reducing it from the $20? read more

My kids have never been on a boat so we thought a dolphin cruise would be fun. I was able to order tickets on their website very easily. You have to pick up actual boarding passes from their booth in order to be allowed on the boat. I suggest you get to the place at least 30 minutes before the start time if you want to be one of the first to board. They do require a mask to board the boat. However, they don't really enforce the wearing of the masks once you're on board. The captain told us some really cool facts about where we were and about the dolphins. Speaking of dolphins, we saw plenty! They seemed to be following the boat. They sell food, drinks, and other things on the boat. We bought out kids captain hats and we bought the picture they took of us. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. I'd recommend this dolphin cruise. read more

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Awful service!! We got to the check in at 3:30 and they wouldn't let us on the boat nor would they refund our money. This is after paying 40$ to park and getting all of our very excited children down to the boat only to watch it leave minutes later without us. Buyer beware read more

Would not recommend. Unethical and wouldn't return money after purchasing trip protection. Save you money and headache and use someone else.

We had the absolute best time on the sunset dolphin cruise! The captain had great input about the local area and shared cool information about the dolphins, all while not being "too touristy" or annoying. The views were amazing and seeing the dolphins that close was a memory we'll never forget! read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - Sunset - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

Super fun and worth it!!! Saw many dolphins and a great sunset! Captain was entertaining!!! Would do over and over. read more

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We had a great time! We saw many dolphin along the coast. I'd recommend the boat ride for all that come to the area! read more

This is my 8th time with them. They make sure you see some dolphins if not much they will show you some sharks lol.

We happened to have a free morning and ended up on a dolphin cruise with the Southern Star. Great boat, friendly staff. Very happy we chose this company. We found a group of sharks and some dolphins while cruising in the Gulf. Couldn't be happier. read more

This was our first time on a dolphin cruise, and we had so much fun we got to see sharks and dolphins! The captain and crew were very nice and we will return on our next trip! read more

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It was easy to book online and prices were reasonable. They are super easy to locate and the staff are very friendly. Murky water but still was able to see several dolphins, sea turtles, and bird wildlife. read more

ABSOLUTELY the best! We had such a fantastic time and saw tons of dolphins while still being safe and having respect for them. Everyone from the kids on the boat, my teens, the adults, and even my elderly father had a great time! I would recommend to anyone considering a dolphin cruise!! read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

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Had a great time! Captain made sure everyone got to see the dolphins no matter where you were on the boat! Lovely end to our vacation.

If I could rate this zero stars I would- The Southern Star Dolphin Cruise "adventure" is like a bad movie with hot actors- they pull you in with the promise of an arousing and fulfilling movie watching experience but leave you gravely disappointed in the poorly written script, shoddy special effects, and the shameless product placement. 10 minutes in your groaning, "Another hour and a half?" Of what??!! An unenthusiastic boat captain rattling off about how to spot dolphins because that's what I'm paying him for? The delicate scent of sewage wafting into my nostrils at every turn? And the simple fact that there were hardly any dolphins??? I used to think dolphins were magical creatures- majestic, intelligent, creative. Now I see them as small gray lumps of flesh and the occasional dorsal fin. Add in the thick Destin heat and the beating sun- this is the worst movie ever. How it has 4.9 stars? My guess is someone's doing some editing. And there is nothing worse- not even a overpriced, awfully-executed dolphin cruise- than a dishonest business. Save your money and take your family out to dinner- you're better off sticking with stock images and preserving the magic. read more

Great crew, saw lots of dolphins! Fun time - priced competitively - get there early to line up

This was a lot of fun Captain was great Reasonably priced WE SAW DOLPHINS!! Easy to get to and lots to do while you wait to board! read more

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Honestly, I'd skip it. Yes, we saw dolphins, hence the two stars... but the experience itself was pretty lackluster. Boarding was super easy, and we went on a day when it wasn't very crowded, which was good. We started out sitting on the top but the wind was so intense we moved to the bottom, and that's where we hung out the rest of the time. I understand they want to make sure you're getting your money's worth (for four of us it was $101), but two hours was way too long. We spent most of our time dodging children running with giant lollipops... and while we did see a good number of dolphins, it was mostly just crowded and incredibly windy. That being said, something happened at the end that really made me angry. There were clearly people from all different cultures and religions on the boat; this is definitely a tourist attraction, so people truly were from all over. Well, you can imagine our surprise as we're docking the boat, and the captain gets on the loudspeaker to talk about how much Jesus loves us. It was horrifyingly inappropriate considering that different cultures and religions were aboard, and it was also just so random. Really, guy, you're going to use your position of Captain of a DOLPHIN CRUISE to start preaching religion? No thanks. We really could not wait to get off the damn thing. read more

Captain Jason and crew did a fantastic job. We saw a bunch of dolphins, some came up really close to the boat. My husband and I throughly enjoyed our cruise and getting to see dolphins. A romantic night while on our honeymoon we'll definitely be going on this cruise again! read more

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise - Beautiful photo of the setting sun while on the sunset cruise. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Destin, Florida

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This was a really great cruise. The captain and his crew are cool and can make a great piña colada. The boat ride was fun and informative and entertaining. The glass bottom part isn't much to see but that's because of the water not the boat. The paintings are nice down there though. The boat was really rocky as we went out which was fun to me and my kids but not too much for the wife. However the crew was nice enough to give my wife an essential oil thing to help her sea sickness. Got to see plenty of dolphins but the lil buggers always dove back down before a good shot on the camera. All in all a great trip and would definitely recommend read more

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Wife and I had a great time, crew is very fun and professional. Highly recommend the Southern Star.

Nice two-hour boat ride with a friendly crew. We definitely saw dolphins!! The captain was knowledgeable in maneuvering the boat to get the best views of the dolphins. However, there were times I found his comments a little unprofessional, for lack of a better word. Other than that, it was interesting hearing about the history and fun facts about the area. We sat on the top deck so can't say much about the cafe or restrooms located on the bottom deck. The picture-taking of the guests by the crew member during the boarding process was tedious, but I understand it's a business thing. They let the kids steer the boat towards the end and also did the bird feeding. It was an enjoyable experience that I'd definitely do again! read more

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Best part of our trip! The dolphins riding the waves was super cool! Great local trivia from the captain. Gorgeous sunset! read more

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Such a fun cruise! Seen quite a few dolphins & learned a lot. Would 10/10 recommend! Will be back.

I visited Destin in October 2016, and I decided to go on this cruise. Towards the beginning, I was skeptical because I didn't see any dolphins, but as we go further out, we definitely saw a lot of dolphins. I loved that we went a little further out to the Gulf. It's just so beautiful, and the feeling was great, being on the boat. I didn't like how they take pictures when you get on the boat though. People who are considering should note they take your pictures for souvenirs when you get on, and towards the middle to end of the cruise, they show you the picture and let you decide to buy or not. I think they should ask people whether they want to take pictures or not. I recommend the sunset cruise if you do choose to go. read more

We loved our time aboard this boat. Our captain was informative and we saw tons of dolphins. Each time he would point them out, stop and circle so we had the best views. We were able to go out into the Gulf and even spotted a few sharks under the surface. The views were beautiful. Get in line early and get a seat on the lower deck on the sides of the boat. These seats have the best view and are close to the front of the boat. We took a group of 17 and it was super easy to reserve our spots and then each family paid the day of the cruise. Highly, highly recommend! read more

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We have been going on the Southern Star for about 27 years, or so. We have enjoyed each experience very much. My son remembers Captain Steve all these years later and asks about him every time we tell him we are going on the cruise again. He is 35 now. We really liked Captains Steve and Cliff. I have to say we were disappointed with the newer Captain Jason. He was not friendly, did not smile, was not interested in talking to us about prior cruises while we were waiting to board. He had a "get outta my way people, I am trying to wind up this hose" attitude. He also made a comment after all the little kids had their pictures taken up there. We had no children with us, so we stayed in a different section. When all the kids were through, he said, over the speaker something like "Well, that's over with", like what a relief! Not enough information about the dolphins, nor importance of not throwing trash on the beach or in the gulf, like there used to be. Just not the same anymore. read more

Pros: Conveniently located booth, Captain Brian was awesome, dolphins were visible, tour was just the right amount of time, snack bar, restrooms, glass bottom of the boat, shade, service, etc. Cons: Can't think of any. read more

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