Black Cat Cruises

Step aboard the Black Cat for an unforgettable kiwi experience. Voted the number 1 wildlife activity in New Zealand, your award winning cruise is packed with highlights including the rare, NZ native dolphin - the Hector's Dolphin, as well as penguins and other sea birds. And you'll see giant volcanic sea cliffs and hear about Akaroa's fascinating past. Black Cat Cruises was founded by the Bingham family who were the first to offer daily nature cruises around Akaroa harbour. The families love and passion for their surrounding environment and it's wildlife live on today. Travel In Style Your modern catamaran, the 60 foot /20 metre Black Cat, is the largest, most stable and comfortable vessell on Akaroa harbour. With it's 360 deck it's perfect for viewing the natural wonders of Akaroa Harbour. There's lots of room on the two decks for unimpeded viewing and plenty of covered seating, for shade and shelter. Inside there's a bar and toilets. Relax, stretch out and discover the harbour with our award winning Black Cat Cruise team. Each cruise is fully narrated by your skipper who has extensive knowledge of the nature, wildlife and history of the harbour. So what else will you see? Also on the trip you will catch glimpses of the White Flippered Blue Penguin, the smallest penguin in the world. There are many different bird species in the harbour, including five different cormorant (shag) species and the endangered yellow-eyed penguin. You'll also see New Zealand Fur Seals sunning themselves on the rocks near Seal Bay. On every two-hour cruise we will endeavour to show you native wildlife plus the many sea caves and volcanic cliffs. As Akaroa Harbour was a live volcano millions of years ago, there are many spectacular ancient lava flows to be seen.