Had an amazing private dolphin and shelling tour this week with Jessica & Rob. Jessica was…read morefantastic to work with throughout the booking process and was communicative, prompt, and helpful! Our day on the water was wonderful - we saw 4 dolphins (including one baby!), white pelicans, and enjoyed shelling at the end of Lover's Key State park! Jessica and Rob made the experience memorable, fun, and safe. Highly recommend for your charter needs!

Had a great time taking the kids out on a dolphin cruise in the back bay, Jessica and Rob are very…read moreknowledgeable and we had dolphins jumping out in the boat's wake.

Great boat ride, very friendly staff. The food at the restaurant is just okay. Needs seasoning…read more But wait staff is friendly.

A few hours on the water with Captain Brian made for a perfect day. I love working with locals…read morebecause you know the money is taking care of families, and you learn so much more than from corporate charters. Capt. Brian has been doing his thing for over 30 years and it shows. I learned a lot and felt like I made a friend. I will definitely return next time I'm on vacation. Thanks Brian.

Exceptional way to tour the refuge. Mo was a fantastic guide pointing out the various birds,…read morewildlife, and different forms of vegetation and their roles in the habitat. Very fun although a chilly the January morning we were there.

March 2026 - Took the Tram Tour at the JN Ding Darling Refuge. This is a 4 mile tour of the…read morewilderness. Our guide, Mo, was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. The guided tour was the high point of the day.

I got this as a gift for my mom and her boyfriend for Mother's Day. We stayed at the Marriott in…read moreSanibel Harbour so it was super convenient - right in the back dock! The boat wasn't too crowed, maybe 30 people or so, but the boat can hold up to 80. They both had a great time and said the food was good, especially for buffet style.

The view was beautiful, the ride was smooth and the food was very good. There were several items…read morefor a salad bar, but no salad plates. For $60 a person, I didn't want to fill my plate with salad- although salad is my favorite part. They didn't label the buffet dishes so we couldn't tell the difference between the chicken and the fish! The scallop potatoes had some kind of fish (crab maybe) in them but since they weren't labeled- it was an unpleasant surprise. It was a fun night with friends, but doubt if we would do it again. Oh, and did I mention they tack on 23% gratuity!

Great sunset cruise with Captain Steve & 1st Mate Tom! Tom was very informative and they found a…read moregreat place with so many dolphins - more than I've ever seen on other cruises!

We did the Saturday boat trip to North Captiva and lunch at Mainstay restaurant. The boat ride was…read moregreat, we saw a lot of dolphins all around the boat before we landed to play on the beach. The boat had enough chairs and umbrellas for the whole group. The shelling wasn't wonderful where we landed but the beach was a great walk and several people came back on board with large bags of shells.maybe I was looking the wrong way hahaha. Overall, it was great and our driver Cptn Steve and first mate/naturalist Tom were wonderful.Highly recommend

This was my first time riding on the Sanibel Thriller, after having watched several YouTube videos…read more Overall, it was a great experience. We had good weather, and we were fortunate to have come upon several pods of dolphins along the way. I sat on the left-hand side of the boat near the front, and I did get unexpectedly soaked for the first 10 minutes or so, which subsided after that. One thing I'll mention for the benefit of other first-timers: I was under the false assumption that this boat would be going so fast that we would break the space-time continuum, based on the videos I've seen. However, when you're actually on the boat, it's not really going all that fast. You'll still want to remove or secure your hat, but you needn't worry about entering a wormhole or returning before you started.

I went for a ride on the Sanibel Thriller with some family on a recent visit to the island. The…read moreskies were blue, the water calm, and the sun was shining... a perfect day for boating. The Thriller offers a little something for everyone. Interested in a bit of history about Sanibel? This has it. Looking for a reprieve from the heat on land? Feel the breeze in your hair as you zoom about in water. Love dolphins? You're likely to catch a pod or two swimming along with the boat. Excited most about the possibility of dolphins, my group and I opted to arrive to the dock approximately 1 hour ahead of time to ensure a seat towards the back of the boat. The very last row has the best views but also requires you get up and down out of your seats from time to time to balance out the boat to get up to speed. Though the back has the best views, you're also likely to get wet with spray and won't be able to hear the guide as easily. If you are more interested in the history and views of the island, sit towards the front and find out which way they'll circle the island. We were gifted with several pods of dolphins that stuck with the boat for great periods of time. I had plenty of time to capture some nice shots. We sped by the Hobie World Championships and caught views of some expensive homes on Captiva as we made our way around the island. The ride lasted approximately 2 hours. With its catamaran hull, the ride was smooth and enjoyable. Comfortable seating! Bring sunscreen, a hat you can secure tightly to your head, and some water.

Every sunset tour with the Banana Bay boat company's, Captain JR and Anja, is informative and fun…read more What a great experience for kids too! I learn something new every time!

We had a wonderful experience today on a Dolphin cruise. Beautiful scenery and we saw a lot of…read morewildlife and beautiful homes along the way. Our crew were super nice and we all really enjoyed the ride! Highly recommend!

George & Carlos were fantastic hosts We had a wonderful…read moretime Found lots of sea shells even saw a few dolphins

Captiva Cruises was a unique experience. The front desk initially felt a bit dismissive when we…read morewere trying to decide which cruise to book, and it almost made us pass--but we're so glad we didn't. We ended up booking the dolphin cruise, and it was absolutely worth it. Carlos was knowledgeable, funny, and clearly knew exactly where to find the dolphins. We got an amazing show, learned a lot of local history, and truly loved the experience. In the end, we were so glad we went on the cruise!

From the ease of booking to the clear communication, New Wave ecotours exceeded our expectations…read more Captain Keith was a wealth of local, natural, and historical information throughout of whole day tour. The boat was comfortable and clean and stocked with ice in a large cooler for our drinks. We saw dolphins and a group of 5 manatees. We swam and went shelling on an island accessible only by boat. We stopped on Cabbage Key for lunch at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant. Our family consisted of 2 50 year old and our 21 and 23 year old children and their significant others. Everyone had a great time. I highly recommend New Wave Eco Charters for a terrific experience !

We have used New Wave Eco Charters twice. They are the best boat charter you can get by far!!! We…read moreused New Wave 4 years ago and used 2 other charters and were no comparison. Went back to New Wave this year. Captain Steve is amazing!!! He's the best--from his wealth of knowledge, personality, and his navigation through the waters around Captiva and area. He is like family. We saw so many dolphins, manatees, birds, and went shelling on secluded beaches!!! It's just an amazing experience. So beautiful!!! Something we all look forward to--best part of vacation!!! Memories for a lifetime!!! Highly recommend!!!

amazing day on the SWFL waterways with Captain Craig. great information about the waterways and…read morevery engaging time with great boating, music, views, and laughs. Will definitely do this again!

Absolutely wonderful tour and we Highly recommend Captain Craig! We had a wonderful sunset cruise…read moreto "Slipaway" which is a lot of fun, great food trucks and bar! We HIGHLY recommend doing a tour and make sure you ask about the "All Day, Take You Anywhere You Want To Go" full day cruising! You can rent the entire boat with captain Craig for $1,300.00! GREAT TIME to be had by all! BYOB, Great sound system, great time!