The Dolphin Dream provides a premier liveaboard experience in the Bahamas, specializing in shark diving and dolphin snorkeling at Bimini and Tiger Beach. The 86' x 26' (26 x 8m) ocean expedition trawler yacht is designed with comfort and safety in mind, and has been refitted to offer easy, safe, and fun ocean encounters in the Caribbean. It operates out of South Florida, thus obviating the need for international flights to the Bahamas.
The liveaboard offers a comfortable and relaxing way of life, where you can unwind and enjoy stress-free days surrounded by breathtaking nature. They create a fun and exciting atmosphere on trips that are scheduled during the year for the best tiger shark and great hammerhead encounters. Captain Scott, with over 40 years of experience in scuba diving and snorkeling in the area, leads the Dolphin Dream crew, who are known for their knowledge, professionalism, and enjoyable times. Being an owner-operated vessel, Captain Scott spends more time on the boat than on land, and he ensures that the boat is always clean, well-maintained, and stocked with the finest food.
There are 6 cabins on board, accommodating a maximum of just 12 guests; they are located on the lower deck, the most stable location on the boat. Additionally, there are 2 shared bathrooms with showers for guests on the main deck, an outside shower and ample fresh water. The indoor saloon is located on the main deck, providing entertainment options such as a TV, DVD, stereo, book and video library. It has benches and chairs surrounding 2 dining tables. A separate drinks counter is equipped with a refrigerator, ice maker, and coffee pots. There is plenty of room for electric devices such as cameras, computers, and chargers. The upper deck has an open area for sunbathing, and a covered section to stay out of the sun. The fore deck is another great place to relax and enjoy the expansive, beautiful ocean.
Dolphin Dream also receives special attention in terms of maintenance and service. Safety is of utmost importance, and the liveaboard is equipped well above the safety standards required for a vessel of its size. The boat is equipped with twins or backups of major equipment, air conditioning, safety chase boat, and other redundant to ensure reliability and safety. The liveaboard also has a steel hull.
The dive deck has tables for cameras and benches for seating, a fresh water rinse bin, and shelves for storage of personal items. The large built-in dive platform is where the scuba tanks are stored ready to donning, while the water is just a short distance away, with a ladder to climb out on. Captain Scott loves the ocean and everything in it, it has been his only way of life and he loves to show it to those that board. The guests that join, many of whom are repeaters, they come because they want the very best in shark diving and dolphin snorkeling in the Bahamas, and they know that they will find it all with the Dolphin Dream liveaboard.
There are 6 cabins on the lower deck, accommodating a maximum of 12 guests, 5 of which have full-size upper and lower single bunk beds, and one cabin with a double bed. All cabins share 2 bathrooms.
All the cabins have:
Air-conditioning
Shared bathrooms with hot-water shower, hand basin, towel & toiletries
Reading lights
Daily housekeeping (but beds are not made)
Shelves & mirror
Mains outlet 110 volts (US standard) - 24 hours per day
Bedding
Luggage space
Fire extinguisher and fire warning system
Life jackets
No. of bathrooms / showers - 2 / 2 - hot water
Grand Bahama & Bimini
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Dive sites and activities: Grand Bahama: Tiger Beach, Bimini
Day 1
Board the Dolphin Dream in Riviera Beach, where the liveaboard crew will welcome you aboard. Settle into your cabin and familiarize yourself with your comfortable floating home for the week. After a delicious dinner served on board, we'll hold an essential orientation briefing to cover safety procedures and the thrilling shark diving adventure that awaits. Later in the evening you'll set sail on an overnight crossing bound for the legendary waters of the Bahamas.
Day 2
Wake up to the sunny skies of the Bahamas and enjoy a hearty breakfast. The captain will complete customs and immigration formalities when the office opens at 9 am. Once cleared, you'll journey north towards the world-famous Tiger Beach, arriving shortly after lunch. Your adventure begins with a check-out dive on a beautiful shallow reef, allowing you to test your gear and ease into the spectacular diving ahead.
Core Days
Prepare for an action-packed schedule with up to 4 dives per day, exploring the most exhilarating sites the Bahamas has to offer.
Tiger Beach is the crown jewel of the liveaboard safari. This stunning site features a white sandy bottom that serves as a stage for incredible shark encounters. Here, you'll come face-to-face with tiger sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks, and Caribbean reef sharks. The Dolphin Dream divemasters will conduct structured baited dives where you can kneel safely on the sand and observe these majestic predators. The crew alternate with non-baited dives, offering a unique opportunity to freely swim alongside the tigers and explore the reef.
When you're not with the sharks, discover vibrant coral ecosystems of Hog Fish Reef and Fishtail. Hog Fish Reef is a labyrinth of crevices teeming with small critters, surrounded by schools of snapper and angelfish. Keep an eye on the sandy patches for the distinctive hogfish. Fishtail is a beautiful garden of gorgonians, sea whips, and massive sea fans, bustling with colourful tropical fish.
The Dolphin Dream liveaboard also explores the Bimini Islands. This area offers thrilling opportunities to encounter great hammerhead sharks and playful pods of wild Atlantic spotted dolphins. Don't miss the legendary Bimini Road, an enigmatic underwater rock formation that plunges into the abyss and is shrouded in myths of Atlantis! Hawksbill turtles, stingrays, and blacknose sharks are also common sightings here.
Final Day
After a final night crossing back to Florida, you will arrive at the US Customs dock by 8 am for clearance. Enjoy one last breakfast on board the Dolphin Dream as the necessary paperwork is completed. You will then return to the home dock for disembarkation, concluding an unforgettable week of adrenaline and awe.
Day 1
After a warm welcome aboard the Dolphin Dream liveaboard, you'll have ample time to unpack and settle into your cabin. As you get acquainted with your new floating home, a delicious dinner will be served. Later, the crew will host an essential orientation briefing covering safety procedures and the week's plan to ensure you get the most out of your immersive Bimini wild dolphin snorkeling adventure. We'll depart Riviera Beach in the late evening for a comfortable overnight cruise to the pristine waters of the Bimini Islands.
Day 2
When the Bahamas customs and immigration office opens at 9 am, your captain will get the paperwork completed, and soon after you'll be on your way south to Bimini, where the friendly family of wild dolphins live, arriving shortly after lunch. By the afternoon we will be ready to snorkel with the dolphins; we can come across playful spotted or bottlenose dolphins at anytime.
Core Days
Each day after breakfast, we set out to find our playful aquatic companions. The search is part of the excitement -some days we encounter a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins almost immediately, while other days offer a gentle cruise through the beautiful Bimini seascape as we seek them out.
The encounters are entirely on the dolphins' terms. We often find a pod by mid-morning and enter the water for an unforgettable swim. These are not staged encounters; you'll witness natural behaviors like socializing, playing, and nursing calves. The dolphins are famously curious and often approach swimmers of their own volition, making eye contact and even mimicking spins and dives in a breathtaking inter-species dance.
We typically swim with the pod until early afternoon, then break for lunch. As spotted dolphins are nocturnal feeders, they enter a vital rest period in the afternoon. We respect this time completely, allowing them to recharge. This is your chance to scuba dive on a vibrant shallow reef, snorkel, sunbathe, or simply relax on deck.
As the sun begins to lower, the dolphins become active again. We often resume our search, leading to spectacular late-afternoon and sunset encounters. If we are truly fortunate, we may be granted a magical night swim, where the dolphins' movements are traced by bioluminescent sparkles in the water - an experience that is nothing short of amazing.
Day 7
After a final night cruising back across the Gulf Stream, we will arrive at the US Customs dock in Florida by 8 am for clearance. Enjoy one last breakfast onboard as we complete the formalities. You will then return to the home dock for a final disembarkation, filled with memories of a truly profound connection with nature.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
The menu onboard the Dolphin Dream is varied and plentiful, with a variety of international and local dishes. The chef takes pride in providing outstanding home-style cooking in the dining area of the indoor saloon, using only the freshest US food, drinks, and supplies available.
Meals are prepared daily - breakfast 8 am, lunch 1 pm, dinner 7 pm - and include a variety of options, such as meats, vegetarian dishes, starches, multiple vegetables, salads, and fresh fruits.
Snacks are available all day, including fruit, nuts, and sweets, along with a range of refreshments, such as ice water, soda, juices, coffee, hot and cold tea, and lemonade, all included in the package.
If you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please let us know at least 2 weeks in advance, and we will be happy to cater to your needs.
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Age restriction: Minimum age for shark diving is 18 years old.
Dive experience: Divers must be advanced open water certified and experienced; these shark diving trips are not for inexperienced or novice divers. All passengers must be able to climb a flight of stairs, and divers must be physically capable of performing a giant stride entry and of boarding the vessel after a dive with all dive gear intact, including but not limited to: mask, fins, BCD with cylinder, and weights. Shark diving: the use of a dark full length wetsuit, hoods and gloves (no bright colours) are required, not only for warmth and protection but also to appear darker and less attractive to the other creatures in the area.
All divers must notify us in advance of any medical conditions that are contraindicative to diving and provide proof of medical clearance.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, port and park fees, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (2 in-water guides for Tiger Beach, elsewhere 1 guide), 80 cu ft / 11 liter tanks, weights and weightbelt, all taxes.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (per week: regulator set: USD75, BCD: USD75, wetsuit: USD75, mask/snorkel/fins: USD25), dive computer, and safety sausage, diving insurance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash in USD or travelers checks, or PayPal).
Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks (beer only), torch: USD10 per dive, 15 liter (100 cu ft) tanks: USD60 per week. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: The Dolphin Dream liveaboard departs from Blue Heron Docks, 389 East Blue Heron Blvd, Riviera Beach, Florida, USA. This is in the West Palm Beach Florida area. The nearest airport is Palm Beach International (PBI), about 20 minutes from dock; Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is the next closest airport, being about 1 hour from the dock, and largest airport is Miami (MIA), about 2 hours from the dock. There are many direct flights from across North, Central and South America, as well as from the Caribbean and Europe.
Boarding time is 3-7 pm on the start date (dinner is provided) and the boat departs for the Bahamas around 10 pm. Recommendations for ground transport assistance are provided upon booking. Immigration procedures in the Bahamas are handled by the crew in Grand Bahama on the first morning of the trip. On cruise end date, disembarkation is around 10:30 am, after US Immigration and Customs clearance. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. Divers must be mindful of when their flights are and stop diving accordingly. We will dive as much as possible the penultimate day, however, the latest out of the water would be at 3-4 pm.
Non-diver rate: None.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - solo travelers may choose to share a cabin or pay for a single cabin, or pay a supplement of 80% of the normal published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 8 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise in the Standard cabin free of charge (total 9 or more guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 10 guests and 2 additional persons can join in the Standard cabin free of charge (total 12 guests).
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
