Welcome to Banks Peninsula, home of The Hector’s dolphins and eco-tourism pioneers Black Cat Cruises

Akaroa – 10 Free Things To Do!

akaroa beach

That’s right, a whole list of free awesome things to do in Akaroa! This summer there’s a whole heap of fun to be had on the peninsula. From family fun, scenic escapes or a road trip with your mates, Akaroa can cater to you all. Of course when you visit we recommend an Akaroa Harbour […]

Mena The Penguin Dog

penguin dog lyttleton

Penguins in Christchurch? Yep, we have penguins in Christchurch peeps. Whilst you are probably aware that we have an abundance of wildlife around Banks Peninsula…did you know White-Flippered Little Blue penguins inhabit Otamahua / Quail Island…. A sub-species of the Little Blue penguin, the White-Flippered Little Blues are only found around Canterbury. How special is that! […]

TIAKI PROMISE

TIAKI PROMISE

 Have you heard of the Tiaki promise? Well the Tiaki promise is a shared kaupapa (set of values, principles and plans which people have agreed on as a foundation for their actions) founded by New Zealand’s leading Tourism bodies and experts. The Tiaki Promise is a commitment that both New Zealanders and visitors alike should follow. Most […]

THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DOLPHIN

New Zealand’s own dolphin By any measure Hector’s dolphins are a very special animal. Not only are they the smallest dolphin in the world, they are also the only one native to New Zealand. They’re as kiwi as the kiwi. If that is not enough, just like New Zealanders, they are very friendly, often investigating […]

AKAROA SEAFARI RAISES $1,000 FOR THE NEW ZEALAND WHALE & DOLPHIN TRUST

akaroa seafari

What’s An Akaroa Seafari? Black Cat Cruises challenged awesome New Zealand based photographers to come out with us mid-winter to get the most epic Winter Seafari shot from both our Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise and Swimming With Dolphins experience. Both tours operate all year round and whilst the weather gets colder in the winter the […]

NOT ONE BUT THREE – ENDANGERED HECTOR’S DOLPHIN CALVES SPOTTED IN AKAROA HARBOUR, BANKS PENINSULA

Passengers aboard two of our Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruises yesterday (Thursday November 30th) were delighted to spot three Hector’s Dolphin calves. Black Cat Cruises crew and guests spotted two mothers with their baby calves just past Onuku Bay in Banks Peninsula’s Akaroa Harbour during the afternoon, after seeing a solo Hector’s Dolphin with its calf […]

BIOMIMICRY AND THE FUTURE OF OUR OCEANS

When I talk with people about our oceans health, there is generally a sense of; “Where do we start?!” You can understand this when you think of the number of concerns our oceans face: over fishing, pollution, habitat destruction, warming and acidification, being the most far-reaching. It is a daunting situation we find ourselves in, […]

KIDS CRUISE FREE IN AKAROA WITH BLACK CAT CRUISES DURING THE OCTOBER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Akaroa Activity For Kids Kids cruise free october 2017 With the October school holidays just around the corner we wanted to let you know that from Saturday September 30th – Sunday October 15th kids can cruise for free with us in Akaroa! We will offer a free space to a child aged between 0 – […]

AKAROA FRENCH FEST 2017

The bi-annual Akaroa event and three day celebration is back with a bang! Here’s a sneak peak that Black Cat Cruises filmed from the last French Fest held in October 2015 whilst we celebrated 30 years of cruising on Akaroa Harbour….and be sure to read on for all the information for the forthcoming Akaroa event. […]