The 10 Best Madeira Catamaran Cruises

1.Ecological Catamaran Dolphin Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8,204 reviews · 3 hours · from $41 per person Our pick

Cruise from Funchal for three hours aboard Magic Dolphin, Madeira’s purpose-built hybrid-electric catamaran. Land-based spotters help locate dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales, turtles, and seabirds. Certified guides explain the wildlife, while the spacious decks, viewing nets, toilets, and shaded areas make this a comfortable choice for most visitors.

“It was fantastic trip. Safe vessel and cruise, professional crew, we saw dolphins, everything went great.”

Check availability →Read our review →

2.Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,697 reviews · 3 hours · from $41 per person

Set out from Funchal Marina on a three-hour Seaborn catamaran cruise with English and Portuguese-speaking crew. Watch for dolphins, whales, turtles, flying fish, and seabirds, then stop beneath Cabo Girão for a summer swim. The boat has shaded seating, open decks, front nets, and a bar selling drinks and snacks.

“We were lucky to see both dolphins and whales. Staff were great! ,they interacted with everyone, pleasant, friendly and very informative about the sea life.”

Check availability →Read our review →

3.Funchal Bay: Dolphin & Whale Watch Luxury Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 2,684 reviews · 3 hours · from $47 per person

Sail from Funchal’s New Marina aboard the Atlantic Pearl, a comfortable catamaran with outdoor hammocks, covered seating, bathrooms, and a small bar. Your Portuguese or English-speaking crew watches for dolphins and whales, then anchors below Cabo Girão for swimming. Groups are limited to about 20 people.

“Great value for money. We were lucky to see a pod of pilot whales, which was amazing. The two hosts were really knowledgeable and good fun. The onboard drinks good value - large red wine and a beer was only 6 euros! Highly recommend.”

Check availability →Read our review →

4.Dolphin and Whale Watching by Luxury Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,709 reviews · 3 hours · from $47 per person

Set out from Funchal Marina on a spacious catamaran with indoor seating, sun beds, and trampoline nets. Your Portuguese or English-speaking crew watches for dolphins, whales, turtles, seabirds, and other marine life, then sails to Cabo Girão for a swim on most summer trips. A drink is included, and groups are kept small.

“This was excellent. Loved every minute. Really chilled out trip. The guides were amazing, made us feel really welcome and looked after. Made us all feel at home. the boat was spacious and plenty of seats anywhere on the boat or under the canopy in the shade if needed. One free drink and then very inexpensive to buy another £2.50 for a beer. The whole thing was great. The guides did their very best to get us to see the dolphins which were mostly quite a few meters from the boat but we got quite close at one point with 3 swimming directly in front of the boat. Actually the…”

Check availability →Read our review →

5.Funchal Sunset Tour by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,200 reviews · 3 hours · from $47 per person

Join VMT Madeira Catamaran at Funchal Marina for a three-hour sunset cruise along Madeira’s south coast. Look for dolphins and whales, hear marine-life explanations in English or Portuguese, and stop to swim beneath Cabo Girão when conditions allow. The boat has toilets, a snack and drinks bar, and a second trip is offered if no animals are seen.

“It was a really good fun trip, my only comment would be to go a little further out to see the sun set over the sea rather than behind the mountain as that is what I was expecting.”

Check availability →Read our review →

6.Dolphin and Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise from Funchal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 645 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $48 per person

Cruise Madeira’s south coast aboard a catamaran from Funchal Marina, searching for dolphins, whales, and other marine life with an experienced crew. You’ll hear about the species you see, admire Cabo Girão from the water, and may swim below its 580-meter cliffs when conditions allow. A second trip is offered if no cetaceans appear.

“Fabulous catamaran trip so wonderful to Bottle nose dolphins in the in the wild they also took us to Cabo Girao & stopped to have a swim too”

Check availability →Read our review →

7.Half-day Catamaran Trip from Funchal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 272 reviews · from $40 per person Best value

Set out from Funchal Marina on a spacious, stable catamaran for three hours along Madeira’s coast. The crew searches for dolphins, whales, and turtles, then may stop beneath Cabo Girão for a swim in summer. Morning and afternoon departures are available. Snorkeling equipment can be rented with a cash deposit, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

“Lovely day, thankyou It was a nice day and saw a lot of dolphins. The crew was nice and we had a nice swim”

Check availability →Read our review →

8.Eco-Friendly Catamaran Dolphin and Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 226 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.) · from $42 per person

From Funchal, Magic Dolphin takes you offshore by catamaran to look for dolphins, whales, sea turtles, seabirds, and possibly rare monk seals. Land-based spotters help guide the boat toward wildlife. You’ll also see Cabo Girão, Câmara de Lobos, and Reid’s Hotel, with live commentary from a local crew.

“Excellent trip. The crew was very nice and funny. We saw a large family of pilot whales which was amazing”

Check availability →Read our review →

9.Desertas Islands Full-Day Catamaran Trip from Funchal

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 196 reviews · 9 hours · from $106 per person

Spend nine hours sailing from Funchal to the protected Desertas Islands with an English or Portuguese guide. You’ll cruise roughly three hours each way, visit Deserta Grande’s conservation center, eat lunch with drinks aboard, and have time for swimming, snorkeling, and stand-up paddleboarding. Wildlife sightings are possible, but monk seals are not guaranteed.

“Amazing boat tour! Great friendly service from the crew (they also catered lunch for vegetarians), definitely worth it!”

Check availability →Read our review →

10.Half Day Tour on a Luxury Catamaran on Madeira Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 159 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $48 per person

Spend about three hours aboard Atlantic Pearl’s catamaran from Funchal, watching for dolphins, whales, turtles, and other cetaceans before stopping for a swim. You’ll return along Madeira’s coast, with snorkeling gear, a restroom, WiFi, and drinks available to buy. The boat holds up to 36 passengers.

“A great overall experience, being both very relaxing and fun. We had stopped halfway through to swim for 20minutes. This was very refreshing and allowed for more time to take in the scenery. Very much a couples experience but a group of friends would also enjoy!”

Check availability →Read our review →