Do not miss out on this world class experience The best tour I have ever done in Tasmania. Well organised, well run, wonderful crew and the most spectacular scenery. The day could not have been better.

The best tour you will ever do in Tasmania Our recent tour received a five-star rating from our group of four. The weather conditions were ideal. We arrived early and enjoyed coffee and breakfast at the cafe.

The highlight of our day was undoubtedly the Ile Des Phoques cave and the seal encounters. Additionally, the painted cliffs and Maria Island presented remarkable natural beauty. The provided lunch was exceptionally flavorful and generously portioned. The staff demonstrated remarkable friendliness and approachability. We extend our sincere gratitude for an outstanding day.

My solo trip to Ile des Phoques Visited Ile des Phoques with a group of 14 people and had an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. I boarded the bus from the Hobart CBD pickup location, and Racheal picked me up right on time. We arrived in Triabunna promptly and everything throughout the day was extremely well organized.

The entire trip was excellent. We were lucky enough to see dolphins, seals, and the stunning Rainbow Caves. We also enjoyed a guided walk around Maria Island and took plenty of photos of the amazing wildlife, especially the cute wombats.

The staff were outstanding, the lunch was excellent, and the whole experience was memorable and enjoyable. A big thank you to Racheal, Micheal, and Steve for making the trip so special. Highly recommended!

A fantastic experience Wow! What a day. What an experience. The diverse coastline with its caves, painted cliffs, geological formations, white sandy beaches in sheltered bays were extraordinary. The staff were excellent; friendly, relaxed, informative. Lunch was delicious.
The history walk and talk was fun and informative. The wombats were so healthy and not at all shy.
Highly recommend.

An experience that is a must for all Wonderful day. Perfect weather. Michael and Freya were wonderful in sharing information and making the day truly one to be remembered. The seals, caves, cruise and lunch all were perfect. Totally recommended.

Experience of a lifetime Amazing experience. Both the boat captain, Michael, and guide Freya were great. Very friendly and knowledgeable. The time spent at the seals, sea caves, and on the island was perfect. Lots of historical commentary as we were on the tour. The boat was comfortable. Great value for money.

Magnificent day Cruise was well run with a clear plan for the day activities. Nonetheless we diverted somewhat as a whale was spotted along with a tuna fish pod. We witnessed a spectacular display from the whale for over an hour. And still saw the beautiful coastline and caves. Would recommend to anyone considering as it is unique to other types along the east cost. We actually did this trip back in 2018 and they have maintained the quality offering.

Most magical cruise in Tasmania We had the most incredible experience exploring Maria Island—this trip was truly something special. From the moment we arrived, the scenery was breathtaking, with crystal clear water, rugged cliffs, and that peaceful, untouched feeling you just don’t get everywhere.
Seeing the wildlife up close was a real highlight—wombats casually wandering around, Cape Barren geese, and so much birdlife. It felt like stepping into their world. The seals were another standout, playful and full of character, especially watching them out on the rocks and in the water.
The caves and cliffs were absolutely stunning, with the colours and textures of the rock formations creating such a unique landscape. Cruising into the caves was unforgettable—the light hitting the water inside was just magic.
Everything about the day felt well-paced and relaxed, giving us time to take it all in without feeling rushed. It’s one of those experiences that stays with you long after you leave.
Highly recommend to anyone wanting to see some of Tasmania’s most beautiful and untouched natural scenery—you won’t be disappointed.

Amazing, unforgettable cruise!! We had an amazing experience with Freya and Steve on our island cruise and tour. Steve’s boating skills must be second to none the way he navigated the caves. Freya was so awesome as well. Well priced for the experience and inclusions. A full day with these legends is well worth it. The atmosphere on the boat and the guided walk was great. The commentary was both informative and entertaining. We seen the beautiful caves, dolphins frolicking, whales breaching and seals swimming/sunbaking on the rocks in their colony. The whole trip exceeded expectations.

Don’t miss it! Great day out. Very professionally run. Felt safe all day.

Fantastic Day visiting Maria Island This cruise was a wonderful day out circumnavigating Maria Island and then a walking tour on the island. Michael the skipper was very informative about the geological aspects of Maria and the history about the place was fascinating. Freya was so helpful and personable attending to every need throughout the day. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

the best day at Maria Island My friend and I had the most wonderful day with Michael and Fryer, it’s a great boat and run by the owner Michael. His years of experience and geological knowledge was fantastic. I would recommend it to anyone. Loved it and lunch was amazing.

Great day on sea and land The cruise was terrific. Lunch was great. Captain Mike and Molly were very friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend

Maria Island Tours - exceptional day out Don’t miss this tour. We were all welcome from start to finish. Very professional. Both Mick and Freya historically and geographically knowledgeable. The scenery is spectacular and unique. The whole day was a fun, enjoyable and unforgettable experience. One of the best tours I have ever done.

Unforgettable experience Photos & comments cannot convey the beauty, experience, service & memories of a lifetime. We missed out on the regular ferry to Maria Island. Gratefully we received the last 2 tickets available the next day not realising it was a 4 hour boat ride. It turned out to be a dream come true. The boat was a wild experience, expect sea spray jet ski experience as in sea.spray in your face, small cosy boat. The service from booking, arrival check-in, stepping on the boat provided everything & more a first class experience from Captain & staff. We were lucky to have the best weather conditions. Perfect & unforgettable day.

Awesomeness It was a beautiful day, the wildlife were out - seals waving, wombats and a pair of white breasted sea eagles. Mike and Freya are ecological experts

A day to remember. Everything about this trip was amazing! The weather was fabulous so we were able to go to Isle des Phoques and even go into the caves. We saw albatross, gannets, dolphins, seals, wallaby, wombats and pademelons. The food served was delicious. Maria Island tour was very interesting. The crew was kinda and courteous. We can't say enough about the cruise. We have already recommended this cruise to our friends.

The most Amazing Day Probably the best cruise and experiences we have undertaken in Tasmania - amazing boat & crew with scrumptious morning tea and lunch; the gawjus wildlife including, seals, sea birds (sea eagles, gannets and Albatross), dolphins, Cape Barren geese along with my favourite little bull dozer wombats; the stunning waters, scenery, sea caves, painted and fossil cliffs; and the guided tour of the convict settlement and two islands history - what an absolutely totally AMAZING day with glorious topped a fantastic day!

Highlight of our Tassie East Coast trip! Many thanks to Skipper Mike, Freya & Bella, for their wonderful hospitality, passion & knowledge sharing. So pleased we chose this trip rather than just landing on the Island, as we would not have experienced as much of the stunning & unique geology, colours in the caves, a pod of dolphins flying out of the water in front of us & seals chilling on the rocks. The guided walk by Freya on the island was also very informative & we got to see Wallabies & Wombats, including one going for his cube shaped number 2!! Morning tea & lunch were plentiful & delicious. A fantastic day out for everyone & we’ve been recommending to friends & family as a ‘must-do’ when exploring East Coast Tassie. Many thanks to all at East Coast Cruises for the lifetime memories.

Waves and wombats An excellent day out.
From start to finish we were so well looked after by the incredibly friendly and knowledgable crew. We were able to cruise for a couple of hours, as well as go for a walk around Darlington and explore the convict history. Loads of wombats and wildlife was encounted as we walked about.
Lunch and morning tea was delicious, the whole day was well organised and relaxed.

Fantastic Day Out We went with Michael today on a Maria Island Cruise. The comprehensive information received before the cruise meant we already had a good feeling about the trip. The weather was not ideal so we received communication the night before explaining that the cruise would go ahead with a modified course to keep passengers safe and comfortable.
We were happy to see that the boat was well equipped and maintained and were made to feel welcome from the moment we stepped on board.
Michael’s commentary was interesting, the scenery was spectacular and it was obvious how much he cared about the environment.
His deckhand Freya did an incredible job looking after everyone.
Morning tea and lunch were both delicious and the accompanying glass of wine was appreciated.
We enjoyed the 2 hour guided tour of the island with Freya learning about the history and spotting native wildlife.
Thank you Michael and Freya for such a wonderful day!

Best Tassie experience This was the best exprience I had in Tasmania. I nearly didn't do it but managed to get the last spot due to a cancellation. What luck! Michael and Ruby were fabulous hosts. The weather was perfect, we saw a huge amount of wildlife and the natural geography and geology was breath-taking. Lunch was delicious and idyllic. I highly recommend this to any one visiting Tasmania. I would do it again if I were to return. Thank you Michael and Ruby.

Fantastic Trip Great service and the team on board were fantastic at communicating the geological information and history of the area and landscape. As well as making sure people each side of the boat was able to get a photo.
Food and drinks were above expectations.

Memorable! This tour is a must! A fantastic day from the start! Molly picked us up in Hobart and drove us to the Maria Island boat. The captain and boat crew, including Molly, were delightful welcoming and attentive to the needs of us passengers. The geology of the island is breathtaking and our captain shared so much information about it. He even navigated the boat into a colorful cave. The only way to appreciate this stunning island is by boat. Truly a memorable day!

A once in a lifetime cruise experience The photos are very accurate - this cruise exceeded our expectations! We had a perfect day. The itinerary included both islands: Ile Des Phoques - this is an island completely covered by seals - we saw the seals up close - we saw them sitting on rocks; swimming in the ocean; lazing in caves; showing affection towards each other and chatting amicably. We travelled into caves and experienced the vivid colours inside and overall the vibrant colours of the ocean surrounding the island. The second island we visited was Maria Island - we got to see the fascinating geology - rugged dolerite peaks, granite cliffs and apparently the uniqueness is that all types of rocks - igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary - are represented on the island. Maria was previously a penal colony and also a tourist resort - our guided tour showed the remnants of this history. We also got to see the flora and fauna currently there. The cruise was hosted by Michael (the skipper) and Ruby (the Jill of all trades). They were wonderful. We got a fabulously, interesting commentary and lovely morning tea and lunch.
Overall, this is a fantastic cruise. The highlight of our trip. We highly recommend it. Thank you Michael and Ruby.
PS - Ruby you worked your arse off!

Couldn’t get a better cruise Just got off the boat and had to write a review straight away. What a fantastic day - thank you Steve and Xavier for such an immersive experience. Your genuine desire to share your knowledge of the Island was greatly appreciated. Also thanks to the cafe for a wonderful lunch.

Definitely do this cruise if you want to experience Maria Island and surroundings from the water. Fantastic day out with Michael and Xaviar. They are passionate about this area and knowledgeable. We felt comfortable with Michael at the helm. Lunch was delicious. We were lucky enough to get to the seal colony on Ile des Phoques and into the caves. A very special place.

Sea, seals , sites and excitement ! Superb trip .Surpassed our expectations.Michael is a great skipper and obviously loves His job. Only suggestion I would have is that he gives his spel when engine off as difficult to hear over the engine noise. Xavier and Bella were also so great Definitely recommend this trip . Thanks to all

Wow wow wow a must do Nat and I loved loved loved the cruise. Michael, Ruby and Bella were awesome, so professional, friendly and full of knowledge and very accommodating. They provided yummy morning tea and the most delicious and very generous chicken salad (what we chose), our friends had a ham salad and our other friend had a vegetarian option, all delicious. Ile de phoque was a highlight. Rainbow caves blew our minds. We also explores Maria for few hours, so wear some good shoes.

Amazing Tour Very well organised tour, & lovely group of people. So many highlights! Saw dolphins with babies, seals, albatross, wombats and a Tassie devil! Beautiful rock formations and caves.
Lunch and morning tea were plentiful and delicious.
Felt completely safe - would 100% recommend and would do it again. Thank you Michael and Xavier, it was the highlight of our trip.

A brilliant day out A brilliant day with a four hour boat trip right around the island followed by a 2 hour walk . The scenery was wonderful. The captain Mike and the staff Freya and Rachel were all so friendly helpful and full of great knowledge. The catering for lunch and morning tea was generous and very good. Really just a wonderful day out, highly recommended.

Amazing Highlight of the trip so far!!! The weather was a little rainy so all the animals were all out on the island. The views from the boat were incredible, you can’t get that kind of view except by boat. Captain and crew were friendly, informative and service oriented. If you do nothing else book this trip.

Fantastic day on the water with wildlife galore Communication from booking was great. I rang to add another person to our booking and this was no problem. I had forgotten to finalise the lunch order but they rang the day before to check our choices. On the day itself the crew were friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble. We saw pods of dolphins, albatross, lions mane jellyfish, seals galore very close up, a pair of sea eagles, and on Maria Island a wombat with her young. Enjoyed going into the caves and seeing the spectacular rock colours. The guiding was informative both on the water and on Maria Island, both Steve and Freja being very knowledgeable. The food was also good and plentiful. This was a fantastic full day out for our family of 5, would highly recommend to anyone.

A great & worthwhile experience to understand the Island preservation & development. The Maria Island cruise & guided walk was a great experience.
Steve, the Skipper toured us around the Island pointing out the local wildlife, Island topography & geological highlights. We would not have believed an Island such as this could be so diverse & interesting without experiencing it first hand.
After we arrived at Darlington, Molly, the Guide led us on an interesting hike & brief history lesson of the area with tales of life in the early to late 1800’s from early convict settlement to an attempted holiday destination, and now the recent establishment of the area as a wildlife conservation area through “negotiations” between the local fishermen & the wildlife conservation officers.
Steve is an experienced sea hand who has obviously spent considerable time with the locals understanding the history.
Molly is a recent Graduate in Geology from the University of Tasmania who has spent time understanding the local history, plants & wildlife before embarking on her life dream.
A great & worthwhile experience to understand the Island preservation & development, or as they say locally “to the Island, from the Island, from the Island”.

Awesome! A must do experience Amazing experience.Michael was an awesome driver and guide .Animals were plentiful and sea caves and scenery was magnificent.the hostesses with the mostest ( Bella and Freya) were great ,friendly ,open ,funny and really made the day

Brilliant tour; fantastic crew; wonderful service! Absolutely recommended! This is top of my most recommended list to anyone who goes to Tasmania. I had wanted to visit Maria Island ever since I first sighted it from the shores of Orford three years earlier, and this tour was the perfect way to achieve my wish. This tour offered far more than my friend and I expected. It was brilliant to have skipper Mike explain the varied and uniquely beautiful geology of the island as he enthralled all of us with his amazing knowledge. Every time he asked if we’d had enough of hearing about rocks, there was a resounding, unanimous “No!”. Who would have thought Maria Island had so many layers of fascinating history, or a green waterfall on a sheer rock cliff face, or the incredible painted cliffs? None of us expected to be taken by boat deep into a sea cave where we could see the extraordinary beauty of the cave and its entrance from the inside. Seeing the seals playing on the rocks was just lovely, and we had plenty of time to watch them, getting as close as we could without disturbing them. Skipper Mike again gave plenty of information about the fauna and flora we observed.
Every effort was made to keep us comfortable during the cruise. The lovely crew, Freya and Bella, made every single passenger feel they were important, chatting with them and looking out for their welfare. They noticed if we were cold and, as well as supplying extra jackets and hot drinks to help keep us warm, constantly took the time to raise and lower the plastic sides to maximise visibility at strategic points, yet stop us from becoming too cold. They answered every question with knowledge and patience. One person became unexpectedly seasick, but Bella and Freya were very discreet about cleaning up after them, ministering to them gently, all with a smile. They were just amazing, and nothing seemed to be a problem for them.
Whoever caters for this tour deserves a medal, too. The morning tea was a delightful selection of cakes and slices, and the salad lunches were beautifully prepared and extremely tasty - absolutely outstanding quality.
Walking on the island and hearing more from Freya about its human history was fascinating, too, and we were all surprised when a Tasmanian devil (equally surprised by all the people it suddenly encountered) shot out into the crowd in broad daylight and went scampering off down the hill. Seeing Cape Barren geese was a real treat, and there was no shortage of pademelons. The Forester kangaroos were a little more elusive, but some of our group saw them. The wombats, unfortunately, stayed hidden from us.
And on a final note: my friend accidentally left behind her water bottle in a woven cloth holder that she was rather fond of. Freya and the park rangers back in Triabunna ensured that the next day’s cruise to the island looked out for it - and called my friend when it was located. We had left Triabunna by then, but arrangements were made for the holder to be mailed back to her. It was waiting for her back in Queensland when she arrived home. Kudos to all the crew and everyone involved! Thank you so much for a tour that was memorable for all the right reasons.

Brilliant day Really wrongful trip. Captain Mick and the crew were terrific looked after our every need. Beautiful scenery! Just a magic day.

As advertised and more If I could give this tour a billion stars I would. After participating in tours around the world this one is top notch. The tour was delivered as advertised- and more. The details of the tour were on point as well as communication prior to the tour regarding the meeting place and the meal preference. Upon arrival things moved like clockwork -to a tee. The tour itself- words can't adequately describe the experience. My partner and I booked with some attention to the weather, and the conditions were sublime. What makes this experience life changing and memorable boils down to the tour guide- Michael and the staff who were experienced, knowledgeable and passionate about the area we visited. Honestly, I felt that we 'settled' for the Île des Phoques (Seal Island) part of the trip (and more interested in Maria Island), but it was this aspect that blew us away. We observed thousands of seals playing and interacting, and were able to enter the cave- just as pictured in the ad. Through the day we sighted many dolphins, baby dolphins, seals, hooded plovers, a pademelon, (some saw a baby wombat), albatross, shearwater birds and even a baby orca whale. I never dreamed I would be so enamored by seals and Michael's words evoked lasting emotions. The tour boat was perfect for our group of about 20 people. We opted for transportation from Hobart which made it a very long day but completely worth the time and cost. I have no doubt that on any day, in any weather, this tour would be of considerable value. I hope to return someday to explore this special place in the world again!! Grateful to be on board!

A unique experience not to be missed. This circumnavigation of Maria Island and guided walk around the remains of the penal settlement at Darlington was highly informative, very interesting and completely enjoyable. We saw a variety of spectacular and unusual rock formations that can only be viewed from the sea. We even ventured well into a cave in the boat! We watched dolphins and seals relaxing, swimming and diving in and near the water. We encountered pademelons, Cape Barron geese, a wombat and an echidna in their natural habitat. The staff on board were so caring and considerate, tailoring this unique experience to each person's needs, creating an atmosphere of welcome and relaxation for all. The cost of this 7 and a half hour day trip on the Spirit of Maria which takes about 30 people including staff was money very well spent. It included morning tea and a delicious, generous lunch and drinks. We are so glad we chose this cruise on what was a 10/ 10 day. We give the staff 10/ 10 too.

Unforgettable experience Absolutely fabulous day out was had! Weather was perfect, we could not have asked for a better day. Michael and Xavier were welcoming, engaging and so enthusiastic in sharing their knowledge. Right off the bat we had a whale raise out of the ocean directly in front of us!!! The. The magnificent seals, amazing caves, the beautiful dolphins - so many dolphins, and seals swimming with them too! That was all before the tour on Maria Island! So grateful to have had this wonderful experience. Thank you Michael and Xavier :)

SPECIAL DAY 22/11/25 Ile Des Phoques and Maria Island . Saturday 22nd November 2025 . Amazing experience and a day to remember !
We were blessed with great weather and then it got better !
Two whales breaching in front of us and then coming right up to the boat .
Masses of dolphins leaping in and out of the boats wake , Captain Mike doing loops to encourage them further and on it continued for ages !
This was after our stop at Ilse Des Phoques , guaranteed seals but the experience of the smaller juveniles playing in the water and in and around the boat was great .
The boat was comfortable with Captain Mike so competent & knowledgeable in commentary of the area.
Offsider Xavier led the tour of Maria , knew his stuff , we took in the islands convict past and subsequent commercial activities , very interesting and my partner saw wombats ! which she keen on.
Highly recommend the experience with this Company , everything from initial organisation , great lunch on board with refreshments .
Great attention to detail about expected days activities which turned out above & beyond expectations ! . Mike & Xavier were blown away with the days encounters on the water , no reason why it couldn't happen again !

Great tour, great crew! Would do again Amazing experience with a great crew!

We had the opportunity to see seals, dolphins, whales, eagles, pied oyster birds, wombats, padamelons, and more! Fantastic wildlife viewing experience and nothing felt rushed. I highly recommend this as you cannot reach the Island of Seals without a guided tour.

About the crew: Michael, Xavier, and Ruby were all so kind and helpful throughout the entire trip and went above and beyond! I was sick on the boat and Michael made sure that I had a safe way of getting home. The staff drove me to my accommodation and checked in on me even afterwards. I highly recommend this company for tours.

Tips to know: You spend a lot of time in the boat so make sure to take sea-sickness medication ahead of time! They have plenty of beverages on board and sick bags as well as towels and sunscreen. Make sure you pack light snacks as the tour is long and there are no shops or cafes on Maria island. If you are sensitive to smells or get migraines easily, make sure you sit at the top of the boat when going to the Island of Seals because the seals can be smelled from quite a distance LOL.

Not to be missed. A full boat load in perfect conditions today, for a circumnavigation and guided walk. We ticked every wildlife box with whales, dolphins, sea Eagle, Shy Albatross, and seals; and on land, wombats, Tassie native hens, pademelons and wallabies, and cape Barren geese. Mike (captain) gave a brilliant clear commentary, and Ruby looked after us all with morning teas, lunches to order, drinks and then a very pleasant walk around the settlement. My hat off to them both and a huge thank you for an awesome day.

Fabulous Cruise An absolutely marvellous cruise around Maria Island. Matthew the boat captain was wonderful, very knowledgeable, great boat driver, excellent commentary and very friendly. the craw were also great, helpful, knew a lot and were very happy to chat and share their experiences.
Thank you everyone, we really, really enjoyed this cruise. 10/10

Most incredible day! This cruise lived up to everything we could have expected. The Ile des Phoques is the most incredible place we have ever been to. Michael and his crew made sure we had the best experience possible.

We had perfect weather conditions allowing us to enter both sea caves at the Ile des Phoques (twice) and Also the stalagmite cave on Maria island. The penal settlement on Maria island dates back before Port Arthur and has an amazing history. A must do trip!

Spectacular Day Out We had the most amazing day touring around Maria Is. The weather was great, we saw dolphins and seals, wombats and wallabies. The lunch was excellent, as was the service. Michael, Bella and Molly were outstanding, so knowledgeable and friendly. The small group size allowed for easy viewing and not feeling crowded or rushed. The edges of the island viewed from the water are truely spectacular.

Maria Island Cruise We have been travelling in Tasmania for 2 months and our cruise has been our best day. We were very lucky to have perfect weather which allowed us to go into the sea caves which are stunning. The crew were passionate about the area and gave an excellent commentary, including the Darlington tour with Molly. Lunch was a salad which was delicious and quite large. We oud highly recommend this tour.

Wow what an awesome day out! What a fabulous cruise! We got a great day to circumnavigate Maria Island - going inside a sea cave was awesome. Lots of wildlife was seen throughout the day. The crew were fabulous - nothing was any trouble and they were all very knowledgeable. Highly recommend 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Perfect weather and great day out! Tansen and Skipper Steve gave our group an unforgettable, enjoyable and informative day on this tour. Loved it all from beginning to end. Steve skilfully manoeuvred the boat into the colourful caves and close to seals for a close up encounter. Scientist/deckhand Tansen kept us well informed and answered questions while accommodating our every need. The food, scenery, wildlife and boat excursion (we had near perfect weather) was exceptional and exceeded all expectations! Totally recommend this one!

Experienced staff My first trip after arriving in Tasmania and it was amazing. Skipper Steve, deckies Molly and Xavier made sure we are all safe, comfortable and entertained. You could tell Steve is really experienced at how he navigate the waters and was very knowledgable. Educated us on the geography of the rocks as well. We were lucky with the good weather and the many dolphins, whale sightings.
Molly guided us on the land walk and we came across a number of wildlife (wombat, echidnas, etc)
And since the boat was smaller than the other service boat, we had a cozy group. No delays as well.
Overall, would recommend it.

Beautiful island with great company - but prepare for weather Beautiful cruise seeing Maria island from the seaside. The cliffs and rock formation are very unique, including entering one of the limestone caves. The guide did a good job explaining everything. The chalking the island itself was also very enjoyable and we hmfot to see a lot of animals incl wombats, wallabies, kangaroos, and beautiful birds. The landscape is very pretty.
You really should dress very warm and be ok with large waves abd getting wet. We went in spring, and even coming from a cold country I was surprised how cold it was. Several guess got seasick. The boat is covered but they open the sides and you will feel the wind and water very strongly, so please prepare extra well! It's worth it, just make sure you are up for it.

2nd time on a Boat Tour and both tours are very Good! Approx 7 years ago my husband and I enjoyed the boat tour.
This time we had my parents with us and we wanted to show them the best of Tassie so we booked another Tour of Maria Island.
Dad has a wheel chair and can walk assisted with walking sticks, the staff helped my father board the boat & assisted with his wheel chair for the Maria Island 2 hour walk.
Both tours are fantastic, beautiful full day of touring, we saw whales, seals, dolphins, eagles and on the island we saw wombats, wallabies & cape baron Geese.
Great value, lovely staff, tasty fresh lunch & morning tea.

Worth a Bumpy Ride The day before the Ile des Phoques tour I received an SMS advising that it would have to be changed to the Maria Island circumnavigation due to high winds. However, on the day, the skipper Mike left it up to us group of 12 to decide whether we wanted to weather the rough seas. We all did, and so we went. The ride was rough, indeed, but it was worth it. When we reached the island, the sea calmed down a bit, the sun came out, we saw a few seals and went into some awesome sea caves with rainbow-coloured walls. After another bumpy ride we anchored in calm waters off Maria Island for a delicious lunch, before having two hours on the island itself. It was a great trip which I would do again without hesitation, especially since it can be done ex Hobart, so that you don't need your own transport.

Fantastic day trip cruise Wonderful day trip with Mike and Freya. As the weather conditions were favourable we got to see inside some caves as well. Enjoyed Maria Island and getting to see wombats in their habitat. It’s great to be able to experience these wild and beautiful places.

So great! Rachel she is amazing. Nice boat nice view although it was cloudy first but the whole journey is amazing.

Seal the deal! In the month of May 2025 my wife and I decided to visit Maria Island and Ile Des Phoques on the East coast of Tasmania. After reviewing the available tours we decided to book a tour with Maria Island Cruises.
This turned out to be one of the best ever days we had on our trip to Tasmania. The boat itself had plenty of viewing areas,and room to move around freely to photograph the scenery and wildlife. Michael the tour operator and his crew were amazing. They provided an abundance of delicious food and drinks and were very attentive on the whole trip. Michael added much information through the trip on the history of the area, seals, interesting rock formations, beautiful sea caves and the behaviour of the local and migrating wildlife to name a few.
We would thoroughly recommend this tour to everyone young or old. Don’t hesitate!

Great day out Great trip. Loved being out on the water, getting up close to see seals, walking over island to admire the views and wombats. Excellent service and well organised business who know and respect the area.

Awesomeness! Awesome guides and skipped. They made the trip really fun. The whole day was jam packed of things to do. And the wombats, that’s everything that I wanted to experience. Maria Island was just a paradise.

What a great, wonderful, exceptional day out....Well Done Michael was our Skipper and Hugh our guide for the day. Michael's skill over the water and into some of the caves on Ile Des Phoque was exceptional. His passion and knowledge for the area was just as great. We had a remarkable lunch watching seals in their natural environment playing and talking with 1 another. Then down to Fossil Bay to view the cliffs and around to Painted Cliffs before docking at Darlington on Maria Island where Hugh took us around to talk about it's history. We also saw wombats, Cape Barron geese and some kangaroos. On the way home we heard there was a couple of Orca's in our vicinity, so Michael diverted the boat for a time to see if we could find them. Unfortunately not, so we headed for home. An absolutely wonderful day. Glad we opted for the boat tour.

Amazing trip, thank you Maria island cruises The crew were absolutely amazing and the arrangements were also perfect. The entire experience in all was really good and we all enjoyed a lot