The Southern Star is an 80-foot double-deck, glass-bottom boat, and is U.S. Coast Guard approved for a maximum of 149 passengers. We have two restrooms, a covered upper deck with a drop-down enclosure, and a climate-controlled cabin for your comfort.

When is the best time to see dolphins?

Any time is a great time. We have a 98% success rate with dolphin sightings, so the best time to go is really up to your personal preference and schedule. The water is typically clearer during the high tide (before about 2:00 p.m. in the summer). That is when we have the greatest chance of seeing other sea life such as sharks, stingrays, turtles, etc. We still see dolphins and other varieties of sea life in our afternoon cruises as well, but once the tide changes, the water turns brackish and the dolphins can be observed when they breach the surface.

We have a galley that offers hot dogs, chips, sodas, smoothies, and other small snack items available for purchase.

We sell sodas and smoothies. Water is complimentary. Beer and wine are available for those 21 and over. We are a family cruise, and as such we ask that you please enjoy in moderation and responsibly. Coolers and outside alcohol are not permitted on board.

Do we need to make reservations?

We highly recommend making reservations at least 48 hours in advance. Our boats book up frequently, especially during the busy summer months.

Dolphin Cruises in Destin, Florida

Southern Star Dolphin Cruise

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OUR FEATURED DESTIN CRUISES

Very Popular!

$24-$34

All ages
1.5 hours

Ecotour Dolphin Cruise

See bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat on our award-winning, family-friendly adventure. This fully narrated ecotour provides fun for all age from our premier vessel in HarborWalk Village.

Narrated Marine Experience
Featured on National Geographic Explorer and CNN Earthwatch
TripAdvisor Hall of Fame
4.5-Star Rating & Over 2,600 Reviews

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★ Most Popular ★

$27-$37

All ages
1.5 hours

Sunset Dolphin Cruise

Sail into the sunset with an award-winning Dolphin Cruise aboard the Southern Star! Experience breathtaking views and playful dolphins against the golden evening sky of the Emerald Coast.

10,000+ Dolphin Sightings
Narrated Marine Experience
Breathtaking Sunset Views
TripAdvisor Hall of Fame
4.5-Star Rating & Over 2,600 Reviews

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Groups & Private Cruises

Create a memorable experience for your special event or gathering while enjoying a scenic cruise aboard the Southern Star!

Group Discounts (15+ Guests)
Private Charters
Corporate Events
Educational Field Trips
Celebration Cruises

Plan your customized dolphin watching experience today!

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WANT TO SEE DOLPHINS IN DESTIN?

Destin’s Original Dolphin Cruise! The Southern Star offers the most sightings on the Emerald Coast, about a 98% success rate. Observe bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat aboard the largest ship of its kind in the Destin Harbor!

Our double-decker, glass-bottom boat offers a viewing experience second to none. Enjoy the shade and AC, plus there’s a full galley with food, beer, and wine. See dolphins, seabirds, and a variety of marine life as we cruise the pristine waters in comfort. PLUS, you can see dolphins while enjoying complimentary donuts on our new Dolphins and Donuts Cruise!

We are easily accessible from Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Navarre Beach, and the rest of 30A.

Are you excited to watch dolphins play while basking in the warm Florida sun? Book your dolphin cruise with us today!

OTHER DESTIN ACTIVITIES

ANNUAL PASS & SPECIALS

DESTIN DOLPHINS

ABOUT THE SOUTHERN STAR EXPERIENCE

Witness the extraordinary aboard The Southern Star, Destin’s Original Dolphin Cruise. Our world-renowned dolphin cruise has been featured on CNN’s “Earth Matters,” National Geographic’s “Earth Watch,” and hosted writers for numerous blogs, national magazines, and other travel publications.

Cruise the pristine emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico along the world’s most beautiful sugar-white sand beaches of Destin, Florida. Experience up-close viewing of dolphins, seabirds, and a variety of other marine life. Our hour and a half cruises offer affordable, relaxing fun and sightseeing for the whole family!

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OVER 2,600 5-STAR REVIEWS ON TRIPADVISOR!

Excellent experience - Highly recommend

High recommend this cruise. Amazing experience. The captain was very informative and quite humorous. We all enjoyed it so much. Saw so many dolphins, jellyfish and a shark. Well worth the money!!! Will definitely do this cruise again the next time that we are in Destin.

– Renee S. | Tripadvisor

Dolphin cruise

My trip to Destin Florida was really good. We took sometime to do the dolphin cruise. It was so much fun spotting them. The cruise was very relaxing, and the captain made the trip really fun. Would definately recommend!

– Dorcia B. | Tripadvisor

Fun trip with friends

We scheduled this as a surprise for my best friend’s birthday. She loves dolphins, so I was really hoping we would actually see some. Jason was really fun and made it interesting. The water was a bit choppy, but that was fun too. We finally found a whole family of dolphins, with a baby and we had so much with them! It was a great time.

– luv2travel28056 | Tripadvisor

Blessed

We always do this cruise whenever we come to Destin area. It's always a great time and I can't say enough about the staff. Super friendly and attentive. This trip we saw more dolphins than we have in years past. Fun for the whole family!

– Linda F. | Tripadvisor

Excellent

Our family of three enjoyed the cruise, Destin is beautiful when your on the boat you get to really see it’s water. We did see a couple dolphins and fed some of the birds. They have refreshments on board if you’d like to drink and captain hats that my son fell in love with. At the end they gave my son a small treasure. It’s a great way to end the evening watching the sunset on the cruise.

– Cindy G. | Tripadvisor

Excellent dolphin tour

This was our 2nd dolphin cruise with Southern Star. Per usual it did not disappoint! The captain was super knowledgeable and told us all about the bay’s history as we toured the bay. He also knew exactly where to find the dolphins and made sure everyone got a good view! It was just fantastic!

– onebzmomfl | Tripadvisor

Awesome! Saw Dolphins AND Sharks!

This was my family's first dolphin sighting cruise and it did not disappoint. We had a charming captain and he made sure we learned the history of the area as well as saw dolphins, manta rays, all kinds of jelly fish, and sharks! The beautiful waters made it easy to see in and the size of the boat was perfect! Would recommend to anyone.

– Vacation18590635649 | Tripadvisor

Made our vacation!

This was the highlight of our trip!! My 3 year old and I had a blast! The captain was on mission to find us some dolphins, and he found us 12-15 sharks too!! Such an amazing time. So glad we chose this tour!!

– j.kirby21 | Tripadvisor

DOLPHIN CRUISE FAQS

The Southern Star is an 80-foot double-deck, glass-bottom boat, and is U.S. Coast Guard approved for a maximum of 149 passengers. We have two restrooms, a covered upper deck with a drop-down enclosure, and a climate-controlled cabin for your comfort.
Any time is a great time. We have a 98% success rate with dolphin sightings, so the best time to go is really up to your personal preference and schedule. The water is typically clearer during the high tide (before about 2:00 p.m. in the summer). That is when we have the greatest chance of seeing other sea life such as sharks, stingrays, turtles, etc. We still see dolphins and other varieties of sea life in our afternoon cruises as well, but once the tide changes, the water turns brackish and the dolphins can be observed when they breach the surface.
We have a galley that offers hot dogs, chips, sodas, smoothies, and other small snack items available for purchase.
We sell sodas and smoothies. Water is complimentary. Beer and wine are available for those 21 and over. We are a family cruise, and as such we ask that you please enjoy in moderation and responsibly. Coolers and outside alcohol are not permitted on board.
We highly recommend making reservations at least 48 hours in advance. Our boats book up frequently, especially during the busy summer months.