Dolphins are the reason a large share of visitors book a boat at all on the south coast of Gran Canaria, and the market answers with two very different products at two very close prices. Choosing between them is easier once you see what each one is actually selling: one sells time and a big stable deck, the other sells departure ports and a family name.
Nobody sells a dolphin sighting. Both trips are a guided search along the coast; if you need a guarantee of seeing something underwater, take the €38 submarine or the glass bottom of the Spirit of the Sea.
The two boats
| Spirit of the Sea | Líneas Salmón | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | from €25 per person | €35 adult, €25 child 6–12, free under 6 |
| Length | 2.5 hours | 2 hours |
| Capacity | up to 97 | — |
| Departure | Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico, Puerto de Mogán, Anfi del Mar, Arguineguín |
| Special feature | glass bottom | the line has run boats here since 1969 |
| Languages | Spanish, English, German | Spanish |
What does the price actually mean?
On the Spirit of the Sea, €25 is the minimum tariff in the operator's own booking calendar — the floor, not a flat rate, and the final figure is confirmed for your date. The adult fare starts at 12 years old, children from 2 to 12 have their own fare and infants travel free. Be at the pier twenty minutes before departure.
On Líneas Salmón, €35 is the adult ticket and there is one extra line worth knowing: the bus costs €4. Everything else the operator states is straightforward — a guide on board, four possible departure ports, and no charge for children under six.
Which port suits you?
This is the practical difference. Spirit of the Sea sails from Puerto Rico only. Líneas Salmón sells the same excursion from four points along the south-west coast, so if you are staying at Anfi del Mar or in Arguineguín you can board where you are instead of driving to Puerto Rico. Tell us the resort and we book the port that fits.
What nobody promises
Neither operator sells a sighting, and it would be dishonest to imply one. Both trips are searches with a guide aboard, along a coast where cetaceans are seen regularly and not on demand. The plainest statement of it comes from a boat that is not sold as a cetacean trip at all: the Blue Spirit catamaran writes on its page that it is not a dolphins or whales searching trip, precisely so that nobody books it for that.
The alternative when you want a guarantee
If the point is to see something under the surface rather than to look for animals, two options remove the uncertainty. The Atlántida submarine at €38 per adult descends over an artificial reef of 350 structures spread across 3,000 square metres, taxes included, with a free bus from the south on reservation. And the glass bottom of the Spirit of the Sea shows you water whether or not the dolphins turn up.
Is it suitable for small children?
Líneas Salmón carries under-sixes free and charges €25 up to the age of 12, which makes it the cheaper family option. Spirit of the Sea has an infant fare too, and its size — up to 97 passengers — means a steadier deck than a small boat in a swell.
Can we combine it with snorkelling?
Not on these two trips. For time in the water, the Yellow Boat three-hour trip from Puerto de Mogán at €59 includes masks, fins, lunch and drinks, and the boat trips page lists the rest.
Updated 3 September 2026. Prices, durations, capacities, ages and departure ports come from the operators' own pages.
