See bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat on our family-friendly adventure. This fully narrated eco-tour provides fun for all ages, and evening cruises take in spectacular sunsets. Enjoy a family-friendly sunset dolphin cruise aboard Destin, Florida's Original Dolphin Cruise, the Southern Star! Located in HarborWalk Village!
TripAdvisor Hall of Fame Recipient with 4.5 stars and over 1900 reviews! Destin's must do attraction, . Every Thursday night from Memorial Day to Labor Day, HarborWalk Village presents a Vintage Flyover, tribute bands, and a beautiful fireworks display over Destin's East Pass. Celebrate your event on an unforgettable venue!
TripAdvisor Hall of Fame Recipient with 4.5 stars and over 1900 reviews! Destin's must do attraction, . Every Thursday night from Memorial Day to Labor Day, HarborWalk Village presents a Vintage Flyover, tribute bands, and a beautiful fireworks display over Destin's East Pass. Celebrate your event on an unforgettable venue!
Services
Family-owned and operated since 1994, we aim to create a personal experience unlike any other. Our captain, crew, and office staff strive to ensure that every guest aboard our vessel is treated to the highest standard of service possible. It is our mission to create a fun and memorable experience that exceeds expectations, just as it has been for 25 years.
Every Thursday night from Memorial Day to Labor Day, HarborWalk Village presents All American Summer, kicking off with a Vintage Flyover and tribute bands as they rock the HarborWalk Village, and ending in a beautiful fireworks display over Destin's East Pass. Please join us aboard the Southern Star from 8:15-9:15 PM as embark on a Fireworks Cruise with an up-close and unobstructed view that promises to be family-friendly, and fun for all ages!
Make reservations in advance. Check in at the ticket booth at least 30 minutes before cruise time. Allow for at least an hour travel time for account for parking and any traffic during busy seasons. NOTE: If some dates haven't been released yet, please call or check back online 30 days out from your desired cruise date for available dates, rates and cruise times.
Make reservations in advance as this is our most popular cruise. Check In At the Ticket Booth at least 30 minutes before cruise time. Allow for at least an hour travel time for account for parking and any traffic during busy seasons. What better way to end your day than soaking in a beautiful, painted sky while cruising the pristine Destin, Florida waters!
JUST RELEASED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER! Join our loyal pod of those who love Destin's Original Dolphin Cruise aboard Southern Star located in HarborWalk Village in beautiful Destin, Florida! Introducing the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise ANNUAL PASS! Buy one time and cruise all year long! These passes are fantastic if you host out-of-town family and friends throughout the year, or just to fill your days with young children at home!
Reviews (22)
Aj Laarman
Oct 21, 2021
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Shara Grier
Oct 06, 2021
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Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Value
The dolphin tour was so fun…we saw several dolphins come up but I was really hoping to see the dolphins do flips in the ocean.. overall I was still excited just to see them. The ride was fun and a little bit scary at the same time because of the waves. I must say I will definitely do it again!!
The dolphin tour was so fun…we saw several dolphins come up but I was really hoping to see the dolphins do flips in the ocean.. overall I was still excited just to see them. The ride was fun and a little bit scary at the same time because of the waves. I must say I will definitely do it again!!
Tom Serfass
Oct 01, 2021
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The wife and I loved the cruise. The Captain was very engaged and the dolphins were out in plenty. The return trip included a fantastic sunset and the lights in the harbor were a grand finale. Would recommend to anyone and would sail again whenever the opportunity presents itself. Oh, and the pre-trip photo op and end of the trip purchase allowed for another memory to be preserved. Thanks for the fun time!
Lee Smith
Sep 28, 2021
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This is the best Dolphin Cruise in Destin. The staff is outstanding. The captain takes extra time when needed and knows where the best spots for
The dolphins are. They make sure everyone on the boat gets great views. The staff truly cares. My wife and I were cutting it very close due to traffic and they actually called us and held the boat a couple of minutes to make sure we didn’t miss it. That is unheard of these days and proves they truly care about customer service. Outstanding experience and fun for the kids. Will always use them moving forward and will recommend to friends and family.
The dolphins are. They make sure everyone on the boat gets great views. The staff truly cares. My wife and I were cutting it very close due to traffic and they actually called us and held the boat a couple of minutes to make sure we didn’t miss it. That is unheard of these days and proves they truly care about customer service. Outstanding experience and fun for the kids. Will always use them moving forward and will recommend to friends and family.
Robbie Clyde
Sep 13, 2021
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Shatobia Gray
Sep 07, 2021
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Dean Rollo
Sep 06, 2021
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Brian B.
Jun 02, 2021
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Cheryl T.
Apr 11, 2021
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Halee G.
Feb 27, 2021
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Considering they delete negative reviews off Facebook I figured I'd post one here. We are not from around here, we planned a vacation and booked our cruise a month in advance for a family of 6. We get there the day of, the boat has over 90+ people, absolutely no where to sit and no way to see the "glass bottom" of the boat. How are you supposed to see any dolphins if you're sitting in between the middle of 7 other people??? They cram you on like sardines. My family got off the boat and got our money back. Seems like a total tourist scam.
Val W.
Feb 27, 2021
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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
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
Mike K.
Nov 01, 2020
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John J.
Aug 25, 2020
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In today's age, you need to be careful about COVID and seek out businesses that will protect you as well as their employees. We called this company and they said they are not taking any precautions or limitations. We saw pictures posted online from people who went in the last couple months and the boats were full with people on top of one another. NO distancing or masks. Now you know why Florida has exploding rates and now all these folks are going back to their hometowns potentially spreading it farther.
Antoine D.
Jun 17, 2020
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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
Mara C.
Dec 14, 2019
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This was my favorite activity during our trip to Destin. We were able to get tickets and board the boat just a few steps from our hotel. The cruise started out in the harbor and we had several dolphin sightings. Eventually we made it out to the Bay where the waves were much bigger and the boat really rocked. Most of our group was ok but 1 person did get nauseous. Just keep that in mind for your group. The views with the water and the sky were beautiful and it was soo fun to see dolphins follow the boat. Overall amazing experience. Highly recommend.
Sabrina L.
Jul 26, 2019
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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!
Iritte S.
Mar 31, 2019
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I had soooo much fun! This cruise made my birthday 100x's better! The staff was so loving & ready to serve. When you step foot unto the boat, a photo is taken of you and then you can either hangout on the first or second floor (or both!). You have two hours to make friends, take pictures of all the beautiful views, and of course, the dolphins! Beverages and snacks are also available for purchase.
Southern Star Dolphin Cruise is located inside the Harbor Walk Village at the tip of Destin. All day parking is only $10! You can't beat the price. What a great experience!
Southern Star Dolphin Cruise is located inside the Harbor Walk Village at the tip of Destin. All day parking is only $10! You can't beat the price. What a great experience!
Jody T.
Feb 26, 2019
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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
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
Susan R.
Jul 08, 2018
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Had lots of fun with family and saw dolphins and a nice boat ride. Even spent the ridiculous sum of 15 bucks for the awful picture they make you take upon boarding- should really ask first- won't hold up the line in the full sun, especially with people like me who are handicapped and can't stand for long periods of time.
On the back of said picture "frame" is owners story of how God built his business and saved his business and boat from fire, but everyone else's boat got demolished. Somehow I guess he was saying his dreams and property were worthy of saving more than
On the back of said picture "frame" is owners story of how God built his business and saved his business and boat from fire, but everyone else's boat got demolished. Somehow I guess he was saying his dreams and property were worthy of saving more than
Aimee D.
Mar 24, 2018
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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
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
Hannah N.
May 22, 2017
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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
Wendy T.
Dec 05, 2016
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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
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
