Seal Cruise And Penguin Tour

Phillip Island Seal Cruise and Penguin Tour

★ 4.8 41 reviews

from $235.03 per person

Opens the live booking page with current dates. Book there; nothing is charged on this site. Cancel free up to a day ahead.

Duration: about 12 to 13 hours
Meeting point: Arts Centre Melbourne
Cancellation: Cancel free up to a day ahead
Run by: Local Way Tours

Overview

This day tour from Melbourne packs the two big Phillip Island draws into one long outing: a two hour wildlife coast cruise, and the Penguin Parade at sunset. Run by Local Way Tours with a cap of 15 travellers, it starts outside the Arts Centre on St Kilda Road, where a coffee at Protagonist Cafe is covered if you show your ticket. The full loop runs about 12 to 13 hours.

The order of the day goes like this. From there the route takes in the Koala Conservation Reserve (entry at your own cost, about an hour), Cowes for a two hour stop, a short 15 minute break at Flynns Beach, then The Nobbies Centre for 45 minutes with entry included, before the finale: two hours at the Penguin Parade with admission included. The two hour wildlife coast cruise is part of the package, and lunch and dinner are not, though time is set aside to buy your own.

It suits travellers who want the island's wildlife handled in a single day without hiring a car, and who can cope with a long ride out and back. Families with children have done it and enjoyed it, and drop-offs to select Melbourne city hotels are available at the end.

A wildlife cruise boat leaving the jetty at Cowes, Phillip Island.

What's Included

Included

Entry to the famed Phillip Island Penguin Parade at Sunset
Authentic Small Group travel with an engaging Local Guide
Nobbies Golden Hour Experience & Scenic Wildlife Boardwalk
2 Hour Wildlife Coast Cruise
Time in San Remo to explore and watch for wildlife

Not Included

Lunch and dinner - time will be provided to get your own

Durationabout 12 to 13 hours

Group SizeUp to 15 guests

Departs FromArts Centre Melbourne

Itinerary

Arts Centre Melbourne meeting pointMeet outside Protagonist Cafe at 100 St Kilda Rd, Southbank, with a coffee included on showing your ticket.
San Remo, 1 hourAn hour in San Remo to explore and watch for wildlife, with time to pick up lunch if you are taking the cruise. Free entry.
Koala Conservation Reserve, 1 hourAbout an hour at the reserve. Admission is not included in the tour price, so you pay it yourself.
Cowes, 2 hoursTwo hours in Cowes. Free entry.
Flynns Beach, 15 minutesA short 15 minute beach stop. Free entry.
The Nobbies Centre, 45 minutes45 minutes for the golden hour experience and the scenic wildlife boardwalk. Admission included.
Penguin Parade, 2 hoursTwo hours at the sunset Penguin Parade, with entry included.
Return to MelbourneThe tour ends back at Arts Centre Melbourne, though drop-offs to select Melbourne city hotels are available.

What To Expect From The Tour

A day this long and this packed rewards a bit of preparation. Here is what travellers report and what the booking page itself says.

$235.03from, per person

12 to 13 hoursduration

4.8across 41 guest reviews

15guests at most

Where to sit. One traveller was tipped to take the lateral seats on the cruise and to upgrade to penguin plus tickets on the spot. Ask the guide early rather than guessing.
Food and drink. Lunch and dinner are not included, and the booking page says time will be provided to buy your own. One reviewer found the San Remo lunch stop tight if you also wanted to watch the pelicans, so plan to eat quickly rather than linger.
Pace and length. Expect about 12 to 13 hours door to door, with a long ride out and back. Reviewers describe the day as full but well organised, with a guide narrating local history between stops. It suits people comfortable with a late finish.
Weather matters. One reviewer credited fine weather with a day full of sightings, including seals, dolphins, wallabies and birdlife in numbers, while advising against a winter date because of the cold. Pick your day with the forecast in mind.
Small group feel. The tour runs with a maximum of 15 travellers.
Cruise may not sail. The wildlife cruise is run by an independent boat operator and can be called off. One reviewer reported their sailing was cancelled the day before for unspecified reasons, so go in knowing the cruise is not guaranteed to run.

Ready To GoCheck availability →

Common issues. The honest downsides are the length of the day, meals you pay for yourself, and the Koala Conservation Reserve entry being an extra fee. The cruise can be cancelled at short notice, as one reviewer experienced when theirs was called off the day before, and one reviewer reported a day of delays including a breakdown, which they felt was poorly communicated. The booking page also notes the tour is not wheelchair accessible, requires a minimum number of travellers to run, and one reviewer found the San Remo stop too short to both eat and watch the pelicans.

Common Questions

What Is Included In The Price?

Entry to the Penguin Parade, entry to The Nobbies Centre, the two hour wildlife coast cruise, a small group with a local guide, and time in San Remo are all included. A coffee at the meeting point cafe is covered when you show your ticket. Lunch and dinner are not included, though time is provided to buy your own, and Koala Conservation Reserve admission is an extra cost.

Where Does The Tour Start And Finish?

It meets outside Protagonist Cafe at the Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Rd, Southbank, which is easy to reach by tram, train or on foot. The tour returns to the same point, and drop-offs to select Melbourne city hotels are available at the end.

Is This Tour Suitable For Kids?

Yes. Children have taken the tour and reviewers with kids said they enjoyed the day. The booking page notes infants must sit on laps and pushchairs are accessible, so families are catered for.

Can I Join If I Have Limited Mobility?

Partly. The booking page states the tour is not wheelchair accessible but is pushchair accessible, and that most travellers can participate. Anyone with specific mobility concerns should check the details on the booking page before reserving.

What Is The Cancellation Policy?

A full refund applies if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time, based on local time. Cancellations or changes inside that 24 hour window are not refunded or accepted. The tour also needs a minimum number of travellers to run; if it is cancelled for that reason, you will be offered a different date or experience, or a full refund.

What Should I Bring?

Money or a card for lunch, dinner, and the optional koala reserve entry, plus warm layers for the evening parade. One reviewer described very cold conditions on a winter day at Cowes, so pack warmly if you are travelling in the colder months.