Dolphin Cruise aboard the Cold Mil Fleet
Dolphin Cruise aboard the Cold Mil Fleet
Dolphin Cruise aboard the Cold Mil Fleet
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Orange Beach, Alabama
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Travelers' Choice
2023
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Dolphin Cruise aboard the Cold Mil Fleet
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
408 reviews
Excellent
371
Very good
31
Average
5
Poor
1
Terrible
0
pnguin9999
Saint Louis, MO17 contributions
Aug 2021
There is not enough room on one page to say all the great things about this tour. Fantastic crew, dolphins close up in the boats wake. We took the sunset tour, knowing that at 4pm we would not be out long enough to see the sunset at 730 pm. The tour lasted the full 1.5 hours advertised. The idea of running two boats parallel to increase the wake is genius and works like a charm. We saw dolphins not thirty feet from us the whole trip out and back. The deck hand had some great facts about the local dolphins and engaged the young ones with questions and fun facts. I went with my 87 year old Korean War Navy veteran father (he had his Navy hat on) and the deck hand was a Vietnam Navy veteran who was very respectful to my father. He had him sit on the padded bench seat next to the Captain under the awning. Also onboard were my elderly in laws, and wife. Father in law is a Vietnam vet, he and the deck hand got along great, but he treated all of the guests well and had some funny stories about the local landmarks. The crew is very safety conscious and kept a close eye on the children aboard, and made sure the kids had a good spot to watch the dolphins safely. The boats are open with a small canopy beneath the flying bridge so apply sun screen before boarding. No spray sun screen is allowed to be applied on the boat as it leaves the deck slick. Water is available for $1 on board but you can bring a six pack sized cooler as long as it contains no alcohol or glass. Overall a great time was had by all. I highly recommend this tour and company. Professional and personable. Super value.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chipperhigh2
Okemos, MI3,846 contributions
Feb 2020
My wife and I took the Dolphin Cruise aboard the Cold Mill Fleet. They had two boats go out Sunday morning at 11:00am. They worked together. First encounter was with three dolphins playing in the wake of the two boats. We thought "WOW". A few minutes latter they encountered another group of I would estimate to be about 6 to 10 dolphins and this encounter lasted I would guess 10 minutes. There were at least two baby dolphins in the group. What a wonderful trip. Worth every penny of the cost.
Written February 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jugglenut
Greenville, MI112 contributions
Mar 2020
Two boats go out at the same time and the dolphins leap in the wake created. They will make several passes, so you will have dolphins on your side of the boat for clear great shots. I must have had 100 great shots plus video. It was hard to trim them down to my 20 best to post on my timeline. My whole family had a great time. They will also give you some fun facts about dolphins for those that want to know more.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynn R
Pike Road, AL34 contributions
Jun 2020
This was the best dolphin cruise ever... rather than just hope to find dolphins surfacing every now and then, this group takes two boats and creates a wake between them that the dolphins love to "surf" in. We've been on dolphin cruises before and have never seen so many jumping and playing. Our 3 teenage nieces LOVED it. The boat was nice, the crew was knowledgeable and entertaining, and the whole experience is one we will definitely repeat.
Written June 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
susieqs65
Missouri41 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
Our dolphin cruise was awesome! We were scrambling to find a dolphin cruise in the late afternoon for a group of 10 and stumbled on this. While it didn’t have as many reviews as other companies I was somewhat hesitant. However I definitely changed my mind afterwards, if we ever go back to Orange Beach I would definitely book with them again. We were told that they are about the only company that takes 2 boats out to create the wakes so you can see dolphins. They were able to let those of us on the right get a view and those of us on the left get a good view. It was only an hour compared to what they had said about it being an hour and a half….however it was still an amazing experience! Thank you!!
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dandoctor1
Fort Myers Beach, FL14 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
My wife and I debated taking our daughter and granddaughter and finally said let’s try it. We were all amazed at how wonderful this adventure was. You are not just looking at fins sticking out of the water. These dolphins are jumping in the air 15 ft from you. You look into there eyes and feel like they are your friend. This is the best thing we have done in our three and a half months in Orange Beach. You must not miss this adventure. Thank you for the thrills.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Valerie Jones
Granbury, TX3 contributions
Jul 2020
The Captains did a great job of locating the dolphins and working together to make a memorable experience for all on board. We were able to see 2 different groups of dolphins and because of the 2 boats driving side-by-side, those groups had a fun "surf" to play in and ride. They jumped and flipped, while riding the waves. It's like they knew we were watching. Made for great videos and photos.
Written August 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Janie B
Liberty Township, OH56 contributions
Sep 2022
This has got to be one of the best dolphin cruises available. It is a fishing style boat that only holds about 50 passengers. It is basically all open and the view of the dolphins is great from anywhere on the boat. There are two boats, one with passengers and the other with just the captain. They travel beside each other creating a wake which lures the dolphins to jump between the boats. We saw so many dolphins and all up close. The passengers were cheering and clapping every time the dolphins jumped out of the water. I can't recommend this company highly enough and so reasonably priced! A definite must do when in Orange Beach!!
Written September 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg R
Benbrook, TX34 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Best dolphin tour we have experienced. They claim they guarantee you will see dolphins. They deliver.
They use two boats, and honestly I don't know how they do this for the low price.
I had another person on the boat ask me if I thought the dolphins were trained? I laughed and said we are in the bay, they are wild. But I'm sure they know the boats.
At one time we stopped, and the dolphins appeared to be wanting us to take off so they could jump.
The crew is very keen on the correct speed to create a perfect wave for the dolphins to jump.
It's a wonderful tour and you will not regret doing this tour.
They use two boats, and honestly I don't know how they do this for the low price.
I had another person on the boat ask me if I thought the dolphins were trained? I laughed and said we are in the bay, they are wild. But I'm sure they know the boats.
At one time we stopped, and the dolphins appeared to be wanting us to take off so they could jump.
The crew is very keen on the correct speed to create a perfect wave for the dolphins to jump.
It's a wonderful tour and you will not regret doing this tour.
Written May 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peripatetic_Engineer
New Orleans, LA2,821 contributions
Jun 2021
Booked the cruise for 3 people but 1 could not come at the last minute. They refunded me for the ticket anyway. The waiting area has shade and picnic tables with a couple of corn hole games to keep the kids entertained while waiting to board. The cruise takes place on Wolf Bay so the water is usually calm with no waves or ocean swell.
The cruise involves 2 boats so there is plenty of seating between the two. The boats are open so bring sun screen. You can bring a small cooler with drinks and snacks if you wish. There is also a marine toilet on board.
The boats operate together to form a large wave between them. The dolphins then surf the wave and jump. The best place to view this will be near the stern or the center of the boat. Resist the urge to get up on the bow.
The cruise involves 2 boats so there is plenty of seating between the two. The boats are open so bring sun screen. You can bring a small cooler with drinks and snacks if you wish. There is also a marine toilet on board.
The boats operate together to form a large wave between them. The dolphins then surf the wave and jump. The best place to view this will be near the stern or the center of the boat. Resist the urge to get up on the bow.
Written June 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are service dogs permitted on Cold Mil Fleet dolphin cruise?
bluebird03
Nashville31 contributions
Id give them a call and ask
Hi. I am online and see the option for a comp ticket. Is this correct?
J D
Milwaukee, WI1,060 contributions
Agree with not knowing what it is of which you speak....
Blanchestu
Lake Charles, LA42 contributions
We will be a party of 9 on the evening of June 25. Can you accommodate s?
Bobby S
Metairie, LA61 contributions
You need to call ahead of time to make reservations for a party that large, to guarantee that they can fit you.
Jill W
7 contributions
I just bought tickets for next week, but am concerned about one of the "rules". It says no black-soled shoes are allowed on the boat & they can be left by the dock if needed. My shoes have black soles and I can't walk barefoot. Are they strict about this? Do they check all feet?
Elizabeth K
59 contributions
they did not check our feet- I would call and ask- they are very accommodating
Tammy R
North Platte, NE16 contributions
Do you have cruises March 5-8th?
Elizabeth K
59 contributions
They have cruises everyday - as long as the weather is good.
Frederick W
Shreveport, LA1 contribution
Are they handicapped accessible (wheelchair)?
csims2016
Saint-Louis, Senegal20 contributions
The particular boat that we were on was not wheelchair accessible. You may want to call and ask though, because they have several other boats in their fleet. :-)
RichandLInda
Kentucky11 contributions
We are thinking about making reservations for our family of 17, ages 1-64. My question is this: my daughter-in-law is 7 months pregnant and I'm wondering if it would be safe for her to ride the boat?
Lynb76
34 contributions
Oh yes it's very calm in the bay.
rhonda1012
Quinton, AL
How to dress, cost, cruise times.
Jim H
Little Rock, AR17 contributions
Shoes- only people who had to remove their shoes were those wearing shoes with black soles.
Cost- Normal cost seemed to be about $20 plus tax (~$22.50 with tax) for the double surf dolphin Cruise. I signed up a head of time on their website for their newsletter and was promised a discount coupon for doing so. At the time of the cruise, I still had not received a coupon so I mentioned it and received $2 off per adult ticket. They also had a sunset cruise which includes the dolphin double surf component as well. The sunset cruise was ~$5 more than the regular daytime cruise.
Schedule- the schedule apparently varies. When we were there the Tuesday and Wednesday before Memorial day, their only cruises were at ~ 4p for the cheaper cruise and 6:15 pm for the Sunset Cruise. The time for the sunset cruise probably varies as the sunset times change over the summer. Note: some other reviews from previous years seem to indicate that they may have additional cruise times during the day during peak season which I am guessing would be from Memorial day to labor day. Therefore, you really need to give them a call to determine all possible cruise times for the dates that you will be in the area. I would definitely recommend that you get a reservation if at all possible.
Dress – I did not see a dress code other than no black sole shoes. My guess is that anything reasonable for a boat trip and potentially getting splashed with water should be fine. For many, it might be a good idea to have some sunscreen available as well as sunglasses and/or a hat.
Related tip…It was difficult to get good pictures of the dolphins as we cruised at high speed while the dolphins were doing their thing as I was trying to hold and operate the camera with one hand and hold onto the railing with my other hand (for some that first step backward is a significant drop). This made it difficult to center action pictures (remember bright sunlight on your screen), etc. Therefore, #1) be sure your camera is tethered to your hand/arm and #2) you might also want to bring some type of quick release strap that based on your best judgment you might consider using to tether yourself to the railing so as to free your other hand to help with the camera. You will understand more why I say that when you see how the boat is configured.