Calypso Star Charter

What Calypso Star Charter does

Calypso Star Charters is a privately held, family-owned marine tourism operator based in Port Lincoln, South Australia, founded in 1990 by Captain Rolf Czabayski and owned since 2006 by Ron Forster (OAM) and Andrew Wright. The company runs surface-level shark cage diving tours to the Neptune Islands Marine Park using two vessels — MV Calypso Star (twilight tours, up to 25 guests) and MV Calypso Star 2 (day tours, up to 45 guests) — the latter fitted with Seakeeper SK18 gyroscopic stabilizers that reduce vessel roll by up to 80%. Core technology includes Australia's largest shark cage (capacity for 8 simultaneously), a South Australian Government berley permit (limited to a small set of operators), and surface diving equipment (7mm wetsuits, hoods, boots, gloves, masks) that eliminates the need for dive certification. The business is licensed by the Department of Environment and Water, holds Advanced Eco Certification and EcoStar accreditation, and is certified carbon neutral via Canopy (Greening Australia).

Calypso Star's product portfolio spans eight distinct offerings: full-day shark cage diving ($630 AUD per guest), twilight shark cage diving ($630, December–January), swim with Australian sea lions ($350), shark and sea lion combo tours ($795, October–May), seafood bay cruises ($75 adult/$55 child), seafood-to-wharf cruises (price on application), exclusive charters (price on application), and three bundled travel packages ($1,010 to $1,295) that include Port Lincoln Hotel accommodation and transfers. Ancillary revenue streams include a merchandise store ($2 postcards to $5,000 replica shark jaws), GoPro hire ($80), photo packages ($35–$399), and gift vouchers. The company has carried 50,000+ guests, maintains 1,000+ TripAdvisor reviews with Hall of Fame status, and has accumulated 250,000+ Instagram followers.

The business model is direct-to-consumer with online calendar booking at sharkcagediving.com.au, supplemented by phone/email and channel partners (REX Airlines, Qantas Link, Port Lincoln Hotel, Port Lincoln Airport Shuttle). Distribution is primarily domestic Australia with international inbound demand. Customer segments include tourists and adventure seekers (primary), corporate and group bookings, photographers and filmmakers (with special commercial permits), and food and culinary tourists. The company employs approximately 7 people and operates a diversified revenue stack with no enterprise customer concentration; in 2021 it expanded via the acquisition of Adventure Bay Charters.

Name

Calypso Star Charter

Legal name

Calypso Star Charters

Website

https://sharkcagediving.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Adventure Wildlife Tourism

NAICS

Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Diving & Snorkeling Excursions (boat/shore trips) (THAAAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reef, Island & Coastal Ecotours (mangroves, lagoons, sea caves) (THAAAIAE), Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Shark cage diving
• Wildlife tourism
• Marine adventure tours
• Sea lion encounters
• Seafood cruises

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Lincoln, South Australia

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Shark Cage Diving Tours: Full day shark cage diving tours to Neptune Islands Marine Park. Day tour at $630 per guest with Twilight tours (December-January) at $630. Price includes all equipment, meals, and beverages. Also includes $300 voucher policy if no sharks sighted.
2. Combo Tours (Shark & Sea Lion): Combined shark cage diving and swim with Australian Sea Lions in same day at two different locations. Priced at $795 per guest.
3. Sea Lion Tours: Swim with Australian Sea Lions tours visiting Hopkins, Langton, Blyth or Grindal Islands. Half-day experience priced at $350 per guest.
4. Seafood Tours: Seafood Bay Cruise (2 hours, $75 adult/$55 child) and Seafood to Wharf Cruise (3 hours, price on application). Maximum 35 passengers, minimum 10 required.
5. Travel Packages: Bundled packages including accommodation at Port Lincoln Hotel, shark diving, and transfers. Package One (Shark Cage Diving) from $1,010; Package Two (Combo) from $1,175; Package Three (Shark + Sea Lion over 2 days) from $1,295.
6. Merchandise: Online merchandise store selling clothing, accessories, souvenirs, and shark-related items. Prices range from $2 (postcards) to $5,000 (replica shark jaws).
7. Photo and Video Services: GoPro hire for $80, Highlights Photo Package for $35, professional prints for sale from $49-$399.
8. Exclusive Charter Hire: Vessels available for exclusive private charter hire. Seafood to Wharf Cruise available for exclusive private charters at price on application.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Calypso Star Charters operates licensed Great White Shark cage diving tours to the Neptune Islands Marine Park using a surface-diving approach that requires no scuba certification, deploying Australia's largest shark cage from MV Calypso Star 2 and MV Calypso Star. The company also sells swim-with-Australian-Sea-Lions tours, Shark and Sea Lion Combo tours, seafood bay and wharf cruises, three-tier travel packages bundling accommodation and transfers, gift vouchers, and a branded merchandise and photography e-commerce store.

Product overview

Calypso Star Charters operates a diversified marine tourism business in Port Lincoln, South Australia, offering adventure experiences centered on wildlife encounters. The core product portfolio includes shark cage diving tours to Neptune Islands Marine Park (viewing Great White Sharks), Swim with Sea Lions tours to Hopkins, Langton, Blyth, and Grindal Islands, and a combined Shark & Sea Lion Combo Tour. Additional offerings include Seafood Bay Cruises and Seafood to Wharf Cruises showcasing local aquaculture and seafood. The company also provides three Travel Packages bundling accommodation with tours, plus merchandise and photo prints. Two vessels operate: MV Calypso Star (twilight tours, max 25 guests) and MV Calypso Star 2 (day tours, max 45 guests, largest shark cage in Australia). All tours are eco-certified and the company maintains Advanced Eco Certification through Eco Tourism Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shark Cage Diving Tour Full-day shark cage diving experience at the Neptune Islands Marine Park offering views of Great White Sharks in their natural habitat, priced at $630 AUD per guest with all equipment, meals, and beverages included. Suitable for adults and families without scuba certification; capacity up to 45 passengers on MV Calypso Star 2.
• Twilight Shark Cage Diving Evening shark cage diving tour operating December-January on the 60ft MV Calypso Star vessel, priced at $630 AUD per guest, with sunset return journey and a maximum of 25 passengers.
• Swim with Sea Lions Tour
• Shark and Sea Lion Combo Tour Full-day combined tour offering both swimming with Australian Sea Lions and shark cage diving at two different locations in a single day, priced at $795 AUD per guest.
• Travel Packages Pre-configured travel packages including accommodation at Port Lincoln Hotel, tour activities, and return transfers: Package One (Shark Cage Diving) from $1,010, Package Two (Combo) from $1,175, Package Three (Shark + Sea Lion over two days) from $1,295.
• Seafood Bay Cruise Two-hour cruise departing Port Lincoln Marina visiting Lincoln Cove Marina, Porter Bay, Boston Bay, Port Lincoln National Park, and Boston Island with seafood tastings including prawns, mussels, sashimi tuna and kingfish. Adult $75, child $55; maximum 35 passengers, minimum 10 required.
• Seafood to Wharf Cruise Extended three-hour version of the Seafood Bay Cruise with additional harbor cruising to view the largest sheltered harbor in the world and Port Lincoln township from the water. Price on application; available for exclusive private charter hire.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers available for purchase online, valid for shark cage diving, sea lion tours, and combo tours, allowing the experience to be gifted to third parties.
• Merchandise Store Online merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, souvenirs, and photography including Shark Long Sleeved Shirts, Hoodies, Shark Toys, Sea Lion plush toys, Stubby Holders, and postcards; prices range from $2 to $5,000 for replica shark jaws.
• Professional Photo Prints Professional underwater photography available for purchase from photographers Phil Thurston, Dave Sandford, Todd Thimios, and Warren Keelan, featuring Great White Sharks and Australian Sea Lions, with framed prints priced from $49 to $399.
• Exclusive Charter Hire Private vessel hire option allowing complete privacy, exclusive service, and maximum shark cage diving time for custom itineraries; available for shark cage diving and Seafood to Wharf Cruise at price on application.
• GoPro Hire and Highlights Photos GoPro hire for $80 with micro SD card and adapter and a highlights photo package on USB for $35, enabling guests to capture and retain their own underwater footage of the shark dive.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% average shark sighting rate year-round
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Adventure Bay ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2021Port Lincoln marine-based tour company Calypso Star Charters purchased Adventure Bay Charters in July 2021, expanding their fleet and marine tourism operations in the region.
• Flinders University - Southern Shark Ecology Group (SSEG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2016Calypso Star Charters is a proud supporter of Dr. Charlie Huveneers and his team from Flinders University's Southern Shark Ecology Group. Dr. Huveneers is a frequent guest on board charters, tagging sharks and deploying or retrieving monitoring equipment. The company provides shark images for a growing ID catalogue. Flinders University was awarded a 3-year Monitoring and Research contract by DEWNR from July 2016. Calypso Star Charters passes on guest donations to fund White Shark research outside of the monitoring program.
• Department of Environment and Water (South Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalypso Star Charters is fully licensed by the Department of Environment and Water to operate at the Neptune Islands. The company holds a licence to use natural fish berley to attract Great White Sharks. Licence fees go towards research and ongoing management of white shark cage diving, including monitoring of interactions and tourism at Neptune Islands. The company works closely with DEW to ensure best practice standards.
• Regional Express Airlines (REX)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorREX Airlines flies to Port Lincoln multiple times a day. Calypso Star Charters recommends REX for travel to Port Lincoln and can assist with flight bookings for travel packages.
• Qantas LinkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQantas Link flies to Port Lincoln multiple times a day. Calypso Star Charters recommends Qantas Link for travel to Port Lincoln and can assist with flight bookings for travel packages.
• Port Lincoln HotelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive partnership with Port Lincoln Hotel offering $10 food & beverage voucher per person per stay and free return transfers to marina for Calypso Star Charters guests on direct bookings. Calypso Star Charters can book hotels for customers or advise guests to book direct to receive exclusive deal.
• Port Lincoln Airport ShuttleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirport shuttle service available for transport from Port Lincoln Airport to town. Bookings can be made at 0428 830 608.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Blue Juice Port Lincoln: Port Lincoln-based marine tourism operator offering sea lion swimming and other marine experiences. Direct overlap on the sea lion product and same customer base.
• Shark Dive New Zealand (e.g., Shark Manly): New Zealand-based operators offering shark encounter experiences in the Pacific. Comparable in product format and customer demographic, but serving a different geography.
• Guadalupe Island Shark Diving Operators (e.g., Nautilus Dive Adventures): Mexican operators running liveaboard and surface cage diving at Guadalupe Island. Same product (open-water surface shark cage diving) but in a different geography — useful as a comparable for premium global shark diving economics.

Direct peers

• Adventure Bay Charters: Port Lincoln marine tourism operator acquired by Calypso Star Charters in July 2021. Operates overlapping marine tours (shark, sea lion, and seafood cruises) in the same geographic market.
• White Shark Africa: South African shark cage diving operator in Gansbaai offering surface and scuba Great White Shark trips. Closest international analog using natural berley and similar surface-cage format targeting adventure tourists.
• Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions: Long-established Port Lincoln shark cage diving operator also running trips to Neptune Islands Marine Park. Directly competes with Calypso Star on the same product, target customer, and South Australian regulatory framework.

Others

• Eco Tourism Australia (Industry Body): Industry accreditor that issues the Advanced Eco Certification Calypso Star holds. Not a competitor but a peer ecosystem participant that shapes the regulatory and reputational landscape.
• Port Lincoln Visitor Centre & Tourism Operators: Regional tourism body and adjacent operators (sea lion, seafood, and aquaculture tours) in Port Lincoln. Indirect peers who share the destination funnel and customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/calypsostarcharters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calypso-star-charter

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Calypso Star Charter