Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii

What Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii does

Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii is a sole proprietorship founded in 2008 by Roberta Goodman, offering guided swimming encounters with wild cetaceans in their natural habitats. The company's core products are experiential guided tours: Big Island of Hawaii day trips aboard a 27-foot World Cat catamaran (max 6 guests, $175/person or $999 private charter), multi-day 4-6 day Hawaii programs, 6-night live-aboard cruises from West Palm Beach to Bimini, Bahamas aboard the vessel 'Dolphin Dream' ($3,395/person double occupancy), and Moorea humpback whale swim retreats in French Polynesia operated in partnership with Kelly Wallace (Oceanic Awakenings). Hawaii wild dolphin swimming was made illegal in October 2021, which materially reduced the original product footprint and shifted operations to the Bahamas and French Polynesia. Auxiliary offerings include group travel packages for parties of 7-10+, a specialized autism-and-dolphins therapy program, and a portfolio of international bestselling books plus a free 'Dolphin Wisdom' e-book used as a newsletter lead-generation funnel.

The underlying 'technology' is Roberta Goodman's proprietary guide methodology — a domain-specialized practice developed since 1985 through prior roles at the Human Dolphin Foundation with Dr. John Lilly, Project Circe with Dr. Diana Reiss, and co-founding Cetacean Nation in 1993. There is no software platform, API, or machine-learning component; the entire moat rests on the founder's 39+ years of cetacean experience and personal relationships with wild dolphin populations. The business is marketed through TripAdvisor reviews, blog content, a newsletter funnel (AWeber), and direct phone/text booking (408-430-7377).

Revenue is generated through one-time experiential purchases: per-person tickets, private boat charters, multi-day cruise packages with deposit + final payment terms (deposits due 20 days out, balance 45 days before departure), and book/ebook royalties. Customer segments include individual travelers and couples, multi-generational families, corporate and group leaders, wellness/transformational seekers, and special-needs clients (notably autistic children). The company is privately held with 1-10 employees, no institutional funding, no parent company, and operates from Hawaii, West Palm Beach, Bimini, and Moorea.

Name

Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii

Legal name

Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii

Website

https://wilddolphinswimshawaii.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii is a sole proprietorship offering guided wild dolphin and humpback whale swim encounters from Florida to the Bahamas and Moorea, French Polynesia, led by founder Roberta Goodman with 39+ years of cetacean experience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Tourism Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Coastal Ecotourism (Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching) (THAAAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA), Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Guided wildlife tours
• Marine eco-tourism
• Live-aboard cruises
• Whale swim retreats
• Small group excursions

Headquarters

HQ city

Us

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Guided Wild Dolphin Swim Tours: Day trip wild dolphin swim experiences from Hawaii, Florida/Bahamas, and Moorea. Revenue from individual tickets ($175/person) and private boat charters ($999). Multi-day live-aboard cruises ($3,395/person for 6-night Florida to Bahamas trips). Deposits required (20 days out), final payment 45 days before departure.
2. Multi-Day Guided Adventures: Extended multi-day wild dolphin swim experiences including 4-6 day programs on the Big Island of Hawaii with group seminars, storytelling sessions, reef snorkeling, and whale encounters. Customized itinerary services for group leaders.
3. Books and Digital Content: Roberta Goodman is an international bestselling author with published books including Dolphins & Whales Forever, Ready Aim Captivate, Ready Aim Inspire, and My Big Idea. Also publishes web-based books and ebooks (Dolphin Wisdom gift).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii is a private guided tour service that organizes small-group wild dolphin swim experiences, multi-day retreats, and cetacean-focused travel programs. Bookable offerings include single-day and multi-day wild dolphin swims from the Big Island of Hawaii, a 6-night Florida-to-Bahamas live-aboard cruise on the Dolphin Dream, humpback whale swim retreats in Moorea (French Polynesia), group packages for 10+ guests, and a specialized autism-and-dolphins therapy program. Roberta Goodman personally guides all trips, with a 95% historical dolphin encounter rate and a high-touch booking and follow-up experience.

Product overview

Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii is a service-based business centered on guided wild cetacean encounters, not a unified software platform. The core offerings are guided swimming experiences with wild dolphins and humpback whales across three primary trip types: (1) single-day and multi-day wild dolphin swims from the Big Island of Hawaii aboard chartered boats; (2) 6-night live-aboard Florida-to-Bahamas cruises on the Dolphin Dream vessel; and (3) Moorea Humpback Whale Swim retreats co-led with Kelly Wallace. Supplementary offerings include group travel packages (10+ guests), autism therapy programs, manta ray swims, and published books by founder Roberta Goodman. The company also distributes a free Dolphin Wisdom e-book as a newsletter signup incentive. All experiences are guided by founder Roberta Goodman, an experienced cetacean researcher with 35+ years of wild dolphin interaction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wild Dolphin Swim Hawaii - Big Island (Single-Day) Guided single-day wild dolphin swimming tours from the Big Island of Hawaii aboard a 27' World Cat catamaran, including fruit, snacks, drinks, snorkel gear, and in-water swim guide. Departures from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily with a maximum of 6 guests per trip.
• Private Boat Charter (Big Island) Exclusive private boat charter for up to 6 guests at a flat rate of $999, offering a personalized wild dolphin swim experience without sharing the boat with other participants.
• Multi-Day Wild Dolphin Swim Adventures (Hawaii) Multi-day (4–6 day) wild dolphin swimming experiences on the Big Island of Hawaii, including reef snorkel checkout, dolphin story talks, '3 Dolphin Secrets' orientation, and daily dolphin encounters. Includes accommodation assistance, restaurant recommendations, and transportation support.
• Florida to Bahamas Live-Aboard Dolphin Swim Cruise 6-night boutique live-aboard cruise aboard the 'Dolphin Dream' vessel departing West Palm Beach, Florida to Bimini, Bahamas. Features multiple daily wild dolphin encounters with spotted and bottlenose dolphins, accommodation in 2-guest cabins, meals, air conditioning, and optional scuba diving. Priced at $3,395 per person (double occupancy) with deposit and final payment options.
• Moorea Humpback Whale Swim (French Polynesia) Whale swimming excursions in Moorea, French Polynesia with humpback whales. Five 4-hour boat trips from the lagoon, swimming with whales in 25–35 ft clear turquoise waters, including hydrophone listening for whale song. Co-led with Kelly Wallace via Oceanic Awakenings.
• Group Travel Packages (10+ guests) Special group wild dolphin swim packages for groups of 10 or more, including dolphin talks, shore swims, snorkel lessons, and manta ray swims. Special pricing and custom itineraries available. Corporate and group leader inquiries welcome.
• Autism and Dolphins Therapy Experience Specialized dolphin-assisted therapy program for autistic children, developed by Roberta Goodman. Features one-on-one and small group sessions combining dolphin encounters with therapeutic goals, including communication development and sensory integration.
• Dolphin Wisdom E-Book (Free Gift) Free e-book chapters by Roberta Goodman titled 'Dolphin Wisdom,' offering insights on learning from dolphins and their impact on human evolution. Sourced from her bestsellers 'Ready, Aim, Captivate' and 'Ready Aim Inspire.'
• Roberta Goodman Books (Published) International bestselling books authored by Roberta Goodman, including 'Dolphins & Whales Forever,' 'Ready, Aim, Captivate,' 'Ready, Aim, Inspire,' 'My Big Idea,' 'Dolphins Eye to Eye: a research journal,' 'A Dolphin's Story,' and 'Dancing on the Brink of the World.'
• Dedicated Swim Guide (Add-On) Optional dedicated in-water swim guide for individuals or children requiring one-on-one assistance during dolphin encounters, available during booking for an additional fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% dolphin encounter rate from Hawaii
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kelly Wallace (Oceanic Awakenings)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoberta Goodman partners with Kelly Wallace for Moorea Whale Swim & Wisdom Retreats in French Polynesia. Kelly Wallace co-leads these transformative humpback whale encounter experiences. The partnership combines Roberta's dolphin and cetacean expertise with Kelly's Oceanic Awakenings program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aqua Cat Cruises: Bahamas live-aboard dive and snorkel cruise operator departing from Florida, offering multi-day small-group ocean experiences including dolphin encounters; the closest operational analog to Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii's flagship Florida-Bahamas 'Dolphin Dream' cruise.
• Wild Side Specialty Tours: Hawaii small-group nature and wildlife tour operator (including dolphin and whale watching) running from Hawaiian waters; overlapping with the company's original Big Island offering and matching the small-group, expert-led positioning.
• Dolphins Plus (Key Largo): Florida Keys marine mammal encounter operator offering supervised in-water dolphin interactions on a small-group basis; directly comparable to Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii in terms of customer profile (bucket-list, family, and therapy-adjacent use cases) and Florida geography.
• Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari: Southern California dolphin and whale watching operator offering small-group, expert-led marine wildlife encounters; comparable in product format (guided boat-based cetacean tours), target customer (bucket-list travelers and families), and content-driven marketing approach.
• Oceanic Awakenings: Kelly Wallace's cetacean encounter program in Moorea, French Polynesia; operates as Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii's strategic co-lead partner for humpback whale swim retreats, sharing the same target customer (transformational/wellness travelers) and small-group, expert-led delivery model.
• Bebe Dolphin Swim (Bahamas): Wild dolphin swim operator in the Bahamas offering guided in-water encounters from local vessels; comparable in product (wild dolphin swim), geography (Bahamas waters), and small-group customer base that overlaps with the Bimini live-aboard trip.

Broad incumbents

• Dolphin Quest Hawaii: Established, larger-scale marine mammal encounter operator in Hawaii with a broader portfolio of resort and educational programs; comparable as a dolphin encounter brand that historically competed with Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii for Hawaii-based dolphin tourism demand.

Emerging players

• Belize Whale Shark Dive (e.g., Shark Ray Alley / Hol Chan operators): Small-group, expert-led marine wildlife encounter operators in Belize; comparable in terms of premium-priced, regulated wildlife interaction, multi-day trip format, and a niche customer seeking transformative in-water wildlife experiences.

Regional players

• Sam's Tours (Key Largo, FL): Florida Keys dive, snorkel, and dolphin tour operator offering small-group marine experiences including dolphin encounters; comparable on small-group guided boat tours in Florida waters feeding into the same east-coast US tourist base.
• Whale Watch Maui: Maui-based humpback whale watching operator with similar small-group boat format targeting seasonal cetacean tourists; a useful regional analog for the Moorea whale swim product, though operating in a different (Hawaii) geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/kriesi
• Facebookfacebook.com/wilddolphinsHawaii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wild-dolphin-swims-hawaii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Wild Dolphin Swims Hawaii