FAQ

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.

The main deck is accessible to manual wheelchairs only. Scooters and motorized wheelchairs are too large and too heavy to accommodate on our vessel.

Strollers are welcome, and we recommend using the brakes once on board. Please remember children ages 2 and younger must be included in your reservation, as they are included in the total headcount reported to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Any place is a great place. Feel free to walk around once the boat leaves the dock.

Trained service dogs that are able to perform a specific task to aid those with a disability are permitted aboard. Companion and Emotional Support Animals are not considered Service Animals.

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

We are Destin’s original dolphin cruise, family-owned and operated for 25 years. Our boat is the largest and most comfortable dolphin cruise vessel in the Destin Harbor, and you will find that the standard of service we provide is well worth the price of admission.

We begin with a narrated tour of the Destin Harbor. The captain will point out some of Destin’s local spots and tell you about the history of the area. The mates will assist guests in feeding a variety of sea birds on our way out of the harbor. We then head out to the East Pass of the Gulf of Mexico. If seas are calm enough, we cruise into the gulf to watch the dolphins in their natural habitat. If the waters are too choppy to cruise comfortably in the Gulf, we cruise under Destin’s Marler Bridge and into the Choctawhatchee Bay in search of the local dolphin pods. Once we spot the dolphins, we spend time watching, observing, and encouraging the dolphins, as well as educating you about the area pods.

The glass bottom is an added feature of our dolphin cruise since we do not have any reef in this area. We sail out into the Gulf of Mexico and the sandy bottom of the water is not the same as you might find in more tropical areas. The glass bottom on our boat is a viewing area with 8 glass panels and not a floor completely made of glass with seating around it. Sometimes we do see a school of fish or beds of seagrass, but the dolphins are the main feature and they typically play on the sides of the boat rather than underneath.

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 cannot guarantee dolphin sightings because they are wild animals, and we are observing them in their natural habitat. However, they are native to this area and we have a 98% success rate seeing them year-round, and our captain and crew are well-trained at spotting dolphins.

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.

If you purchase your tickets at one of the ITT Centers on Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Air Force Base, NAS Pensacola, or Whiting Field, they will honor a Military Discount for your entire party. Because we are under contract with ITT, we are only able to honor the discount for the Active Duty Personnel if tickets are purchased at the ticket window.

To contact the ITT Office to purchase your discounted tickets and receive your e-confirmation, please call:
(850) 882-5930

ITT Hours of Operation:

9-4 Tuesday-Friday
9-2 Saturdays
Closed on Sundays and Mondays

We do not go far enough offshore that you lose sight of land, and if the Gulf is too rough, the captain will cruise in the Choctawhatchee Bay, where it is calmer. If you tend to get motion sickness riding in the backseat of a car, we suggest you take something like Dramamine in advance. We sell MotionEaze onboard, which is a natural oil rubbed behind the ears to alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness. It is fast-acting and has no side effects, so the crew highly recommends it. If you do get nauseated on board, notify the crew and they will know what to do for you.

There are life jackets for the kids on board, but they are for emergency use only. The rails are 42” high as required by the USCG for passenger vessels.

Activity may be canceled due to severe weather or minimum passenger count. In either scenario, you will be notified.

Activity usually runs in rain and moderate weather, but the seller may cancel the activity in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If there is just a light rain, we are still able to run, subject to the captain’s discretion. If there is thunder or lightning, we will not run. If the captain makes the decision to cancel the cruise due to weather before the boat leaves the dock, we will notify all guests with reservations. Weather cancellations are made on a cruise by cruise basis, and may be determined close to cruise time, even up to the time of departure. However, we will make every effort to make a determination at least an hour before cruising. In the rare situation the seller must cancel the event prior to departure, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), receive a gift card, or receive a full refund. “Full refund” will include Trip Protection if it was purchased, but additional processing fees will not be refunded.

In the event of inclement weather after departing, a full refund will not be available after the boat departs the dock. Only rainchecks or standby tickets will be given. Standby tickets never expire. Standby tickets for canceled cruises will be automatically applied to your account and you can check in at either kiosk with your name or number and the date of your original cruise to redeem them.

If you do not see dolphins on a dolphin cruise you will be issued a raincheck or standby ticket.

Yes, we offer group discounts for 20+ adults. Group tickets can be booked directly online.

We are located in the HarborWalk Village Marina, about ¼ mile east of the Destin Bridge. We are in a red ticket booth located downstairs to the left of Margaritaville. We are easily accessible from Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Miramar Beach, and the rest of 30A.

We recommend bringing sunscreen, a camera, a hat, sunglasses, and cash (for snacks and for tipping the mates). During spring and fall months, you may want to bring jackets as our sunset cruises tend to be cooler in temperature.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and cash. We do not accept personal checks.

Seasonally, HarborWalk Village charges $20 per vehicle to park in the on-site parking lot or the parking garage of the Emerald Grande condo. Cash and cards are accepted. Alternative parking options include the City of Destin’s two paid public parking lots at the intersections of Highway 98 and Marler Street, Calhoun Avenue, or Zerbe Street. Limited street parking is available along Stahlman Avenue on the north side of Highway 98.

We strongly recommend arriving one hour prior to boarding to allow time for traffic, parking, and checking in. Boarding begins 30 minutes prior to departure.