Great experience. We loved it. - We wanted to go whale watching and instead of the normal catamarans and boats, we felt this was the one for us! We booked it online on their website the night before we went. We paid £69 for both of us. Confirmation email and details came within minutes. We wandered down the next morning to the promenade (it's very easy to spot!), our sailing was at 10.30am (They do a 10.30 and a 15.00 and they last for 3 hours). We exchanged our tickets for boarding cards at the little booth right next to the ship and then went for coffee and returned at 10am to board. There was only about 20 on it (I assume as it's winter it was quieter than normal) and we went to the front of the ship, high up (Don't sit here if you get sea sick! Sit in the bottom of the ship). It's very impressive, there is a bar and toilets. You can wander around the ship (carefully) over the 3 hour trip and the staff are friendly and chatty. This ship is a replica of the Santa Maria which Columbus said when he found America. There is a display case in the bottom of the ship with some pieces to look at. We sailed down to Camara De Lobos and the Cabo Girao (Sky Walk), then back to the port. We didn't see any whales, but it was still worth it, we loved it. You get a free Maderia wine and honey cake which is a nice touch. If you want to get out to see the whales and dolphins, do it in style. We would definitely recommend it.

Walk on the ocean - Very pleasant walk on the ocean with whales, swimming time and aperitif. The building is beautiful and the staff pleasant

So much to enjoy!!! - Chance to deep yourself to history of discovery, feel as a sailor of Columbus boat, see whales along the boat, jump to the ocean's waves right from the boat, taste Madeira wine with honey cake, view amazing island from the ocean!!! So much to enjoy!!!

A great trip aboard a replica historic sailing ship to see dolphins and coastal scenery plus wine and cake - This is a great little trip aboard a replica of Columbus’ ship. We saw dolphins and had a great trip down the coast with great views. We cruised for part of the journey by sail. The crew broke out the grog (Madeira wine and cake). Good fun.

Very enjoyable. - A very enjoyable trip. We saw a lot of dolphins and it was quite exciting when the sails were put up. The crew were helpful and pleasant and I enjoyed the Madeira wine and cake. The weather was good snd the sea was calm so this helped to make it a very pleasant experience.

Afternoon on Santa Maria in Funchal - A few hours of sailing aboard a replica of the Santa Maria of Christophhe Columbus, including about twenty minutes under sail. Under the sun, we drove along the coast westward, a very pleasant ride with some comments from the captain. Tasting Madeira and a regional cake is a little more enjoyable.

Unforgettable tour! - The walk was very pleasant. The views over the island are fantastic. The care of the entire staff made the experience even more enriching. The crew’s experience allowed you to experience an unforgettable moment with the pilot whales. Like cherry on top of the cake, the possibility to dive into the waters of the Atlantic while enjoying the promontory of Cape Girão.

Boat tour without dolphin - Great boat! You feel like you're going back in time... if it weren't for the diesel engine. Not suitable as a designated dolphin and whale watching tour! We didn't see a single fish and we moved very close to shore. This probably works better with the small faster boats.

interest-free - The replica of the Santa Maria we liked, however the 3h cruise which still costs more than 42€ per person is without interest, no explanation is given (except a recorded message of 2 minutes at the beginning). We just walk along the coast with a crew who are really not friendly and who do not even deign to answer our questions and nothing happens for 3 hours... we are bored!

Boring trip, would not recommend - Pretty boring. The sails didn’t go up, and there was no explanation for this. There’s no commentary at all, the crew didn’t appear to be looking out for dolphins or other wildlife, so we just went by motor to a swimming spot and back. The boat was full, so unfortunately I couldn’t move, and had to sit there listening to who I think might be the captain talking and talking and talking on and on at the top of his voice to the guests next to me. He did not stop talking to these guests once in the whole 3 hours. It was extremely annoying. Website doesn’t really contain any information and it didn’t mention the swimming stop, so unfortunately I didn’t even get to escape the captain droning on and on for the 15 minute swim stop. Sorry but there was nothing interesting about this trip and I couldn’t wait to get off