Akaroa Dolphins vs Black Cat Cruises:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins had more branded searches than Black Cat Cruises among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand. Akaroa Dolphins was estimated to have 1.9K branded searches compared to Black Cat Cruises’ 1.3K, and held a 13.7% Share of Search versus Black Cat Cruises’ 9.3%.
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Which is more popular in search, Akaroa Dolphins or Black Cat Cruises?
Compare the whale watching and dolphin tour operators visitors book in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Akaroa Dolphins, Black Cat Cruises. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Whale Watch Kaikoura | Akaroa Dolphins | Dolphin Encounter | Black Cat Cruises | Wings Over Whales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 62% | 14% | 14.9% | 7.3% | 1.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 62.2% | 11.7% | 18.3% | 6.3% | 1.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 56.5% | 15.5% | 19.9% | 6.7% | 1.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 57.4% | 13.2% | 17% | 10.7% | 1.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.7% | 12.8% | 20.1% | 8.4% | 2% |
| Mar 2026 | 60% | 11.3% | 21.6% | 4.8% | 2.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 60.4% | 13.9% | 18.1% | 6.2% | 1.5% |
| May 2026 | 63% | 14.4% | 15.3% | 5.3% | 1.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 67.3% | 14.7% | 10.9% | 5.6% | 1.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 61.7% | 20% | 9.3% | 7.4% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 63.4% | 13.7% | 12.2% | 9.3% | 1.5% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Akaroa Dolphins and Black Cat Cruises comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Akaroa Dolphins was ahead of Black Cat Cruises in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins’ estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand moved from 14% to 13.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.6K to 1.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Black Cat Cruises’ estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand moved from 7.3% to 9.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.9K to 1.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand whale and dolphin tours in August 2026?
2 changes

In August 2026, Black Cat Cruises gained estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 7.4% to 9.3%.

In August 2026, Akaroa Dolphins lost estimated Share of Search among whale and dolphin tours in New Zealand, from 20% to 13.7%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Akaroa Dolphins’ and Black Cat Cruises’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Akaroa Dolphins
5 branded search terms
- akaroa dolphins
- akaroa dolphins harbour nature cruise
- akaroa dolphins new zealand
- akaroadolphins
- akaroadolphins co nz
Black Cat Cruises
4 branded search terms
- black cat cruises
- black cat cruises nz
- blackcat co nz
- blackcatcruises

Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.