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

Qualmark Gold in Akaroa and Lyttelton

qualmark gold

We are so so pleased to confirm that Black Cat Cruises has just had its Qualmark Gold award renewed. This award is reviewed annually, and is something we are proud to maintain as we continually strive to be a sustainable, world class operation. ” Your award can be proudly displayed as evidence that Black Cat […]

Top Free Things To Do In Banks Peninsula – Spend $0 while having a great time

The top free things to do in Banks Peninsula are listed right here. No one gets through a holiday richer than they were before. Here’s the dilemma; you have time off work and want some quality time with your family. Well, look no further than Banks Peninsula. The place is brimming with things to do, […]

CELEBRATING SEAWEEK

seaweek akaroa

What is Seaweek and why do we celebrate it? How much do you know about the seas surrounding our little Island? Are you aware of just how important the ocean is to us humans, no matter where you live? Whether you know very little or a lot, you’ll learn something valuable through the NZ Association […]

From Farming to Ferries: the Black Cat Cruises Story

ron and durelle bingham

Black Cat is proud to release this personal recollection of the key events and people that built the business into what it is today. The idea for the video came about when Black Cat tragically lost one of its finest in a car accident. This video is dedicated to the entire team; past and present. […]

SEAWEEK LIVE IN LYTTELTON – FREE LIVE STREAMED EVENT FOR KIDS

Hector's dolphin book

SEAWEEK FUN…. Every year Black Cat Cruises join in with the national celebration of Seaweek. Seaweek is an opportunity to celebrate connecting with our seas….and what better way than instilling that connection with our youngest generation from the very start? So read on and discover the link to our free live concert…and our brand new […]

Valentines Day in Akaroa

akaroa accomodation

How do you spend the ultimate Valetines day???? We all know Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to spoil your loved one and create great memories together. Whether you’re looking to impress a new date or do something different for your 10th Valentine’s Day together, look no further than this blog! We’ll give you the […]

KEEP YOURSELF AND THE OCEAN SAFE THIS SUMMER

We know how much Kiwis love playing in and around the water in the summertime. We flock to our favorite beaches to swim, surf, paddle board, kayak, sail, water ski and more so it’s safe to say we are a nation of water lovers.…we may even do a once-in-a-lifetime swim with a certain marine mammal […]

Hector’s Dolphins – North and South

How much do you know about the different Hector’s Dolphin populations around the country? Where exactly do they live? As an ecotourism operator local to Canterbury, we are obviously guilty of focusing on the 1000 or so dolphins that live around our harbours. Banks Peninsula is of special importance to us, being our home for […]

Help stop the world’s rarest dolphins from dying in fishing nets

hectors dolphin

Hector’s Dolphins SOS…. We can never know how many of the world’s smallest and rarest dolphin’s die in fishing nets every year. Many reports are under-estimated and require self reporting by fishermen. Even so, some organisations claim up to 150 Hector’s dolphins are killed in nets each year. Fair to say, the Hector’s and Maui […]