Where to Go: the 12 Best Catamaran Dolphin Cruises in Portugal

1.Ecological Catamaran Dolphin Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8,204 reviews · 3 hours · from $41Our pick

Review of Madeira’s $41 eco catamaran cruise, with whale and dolphin watching, coastal views, practical tips, and honest advice.

“Absolutely brilliant. We were lucky to spot three species. Common dolphins, bottle nose dolphins and pilot whales. We were a group of 7, a few of which had never done this tri before so they were delighted to spot so many creatures. Good value for money. Crew were fantastic.”

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2.Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,697 reviews · 3 hours · from $41

Review of Madeira’s 3-hour Seaborn catamaran cruise, with dolphins, whales, Cabo Girão views, swimming, prices, tips, and practical advice.

“Had the opportunity to see beautiful views of Madeira island 🏝 Dolphins 🐬 and flying fish 🐟. The beer 🍺 Coral wasn't very cold,but did enjoyed everything... A big thank you for the crew, getting us all safe, opportunity to see different things/views and on get us satisfied”

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3.Funchal Bay: Dolphin & Whale Watch Luxury Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 2,684 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Cruise Funchal Bay aboard a small luxury catamaran, spot whales and dolphins, swim beneath Cabo Girão, and enjoy Madeira from the sea.

“Great trip on a beautiful catamaran, really jolly and fun hosts, made a good effort to show us the whales in a quiet and respectful way, we saw 2 which was amazing. Fantastic it's only a small group of people onboard too.”

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4.Madeira Dolphin and Whale Watching on a Ecological Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,957 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $42

Review of Madeira’s eco catamaran cruise from Funchal, with dolphins, whales, coastal views, practical tips, value, and honest drawbacks.

“Got to see dolphins, sperm and pilot whales. Also opportunity to learn more about them and the area. Plenty of room on board with helpful staff making sure you got to see the wildlife.”

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5.Dolphin and Whale Watching by Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,709 reviews · 3 hours · from $47

Sail from Funchal to Cabo Girão on a small luxury catamaran, with expert guides, wildlife watching, swimming, and a welcome drink.

“Great trip. Very informative. We saw Two types of Whales. Great transport ( Two deck Catamaran))”

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6.Dolphins & Caves – Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,512 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $58

Review of Lagos dolphin and caves catamaran cruise, with dolphin watching, marine biology talks, Algarve views, swimming, snacks, and a water slide.

“Brilliant afternoon spent watching Risso dolphins. Guide was fantastic along with the other crew members. Boat is very comfortable with plenty of room for all guests to get good views of the dolphins. We all had a fantastic time.”

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7.Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise from Funchal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 645 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $48

Review of Madeira’s 3-hour catamaran cruise from Funchal, with dolphin and whale spotting, Cabo Girão swimming, prices, tips, and honest drawbacks.

“The trip was a blessing, we saw orcas, dolphins and on the way back to the coast ., a manta ray approached the catamaran, wich is not happening very often on the coasts of Madeira. Captain and team are a perfect match and they did a great job. I would do the trip again, right away. Thanks for everything and stay calm with the crazy tourists. Muito obrigado Thanks a lot villmols Merci Dankeschön”

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8.Dolphin Watching Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 257 reviews · 1.5 hours · from $47

Review of Lagos dolphin cruise: boat comfort, dolphin sightings, Benagil views, family fit, swimming stop, price, and practical tips.

“We had a lovely morning out on the boat. We saw lots of dolphins and were able to get a good view of them from the side of the boat and then up on the viewing platform right at the front of the boat. The crew made sure everyone had the chance to go up to the viewing platform if they wished. My 3 year old son loved the whole experience! The crew were very friendly and seemed very knowledgeable about the dolphins and were happy to answer questions. Definitely recommend this trip!”

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9.Dolphin Watching Cruise on a Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 239 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $48

Review of Lagos dolphin cruise: catamaran comfort, wildlife odds, sea conditions, access, timing, value, and practical booking tips.

“Seeing the dolphins in their natural habitat was great. I recommend this company and trip. The day was great”

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10.Eco-Friendly Catamaran Dolphin and Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 226 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.) · from $42

Review of Madeira’s eco-friendly catamaran cruise, with dolphin and whale watching, coastal views, swimming, prices, tips, and practical advice.

“Alors qu'il est indiqué 92% de chance de voir des dauphins, nous n'avons pas eu la chance d'en voir un seul. Bref déçus !”

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11.Dolphins & Benagil Caves – Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 167 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59Top rated

See wild dolphins, Ponta da Piedade, Benagil Caves, and the Algarve coast on a spacious 3.5-hour catamaran tour from Lagos.

“Wow! What an incredible morning! We spent the morning out at sea, got to see a lot of the beautiful coastline and finished off the morning surrounded by (quite literally) a hundred dolphins (and baby dolphins)! It was incredible. Staff was super friendly and helpful, the boat is big enough and very comfortable, you get to stop and go for a dip by the coastline as well - which is pretty cool - and they even include a little snack in case you're feeling peckish. Highly recommend!”

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12.Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour and Catamaran Whale & Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 53 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $55

Funchal hop-on hop-off bus plus catamaran whale and dolphin cruise, with Old Town stops, viewpoints, Madeira wine, and useful discounts.

“I enjoyed riding the bus loop, it was easy to find. Was very dissappointed there was no internet. The region is very mountainous, So we visited areas we would not have reached on foot.”

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