City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat
Badge of Excellence
Boston, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Experience the best of New England’s marine wildlife on this guided whale-watching cruise around the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Hop on a high-speed boat in Boston that gets to and from the whales in the least amount of time possible. Look out for humpback and fin whales, plus Atlantic white-sided dolphins, with the help of a naturalist guide. The on-board galley offers food and beverages for purchase during the trip.
- Maximize your sightseeing time aboard a high-speed vessel
- Have the best chance of spotting whales, dolphins, and more
- Discover a side of the region that many other Boston visitors miss
- Learn insider facts and stories from your on-board naturalist guide
What's Included
- Whale Watch Cruise aboard Catamaran
- See a variety of whales, including Humpbacks, Finbacks, and Minkes.
- Visit Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a rich feeding ground for whales other marine creatures
- Narrated by a New England Aquarium Naturalist as your Guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Restroom (on board)
- Food and drinks (available to purchase on board)
- GratuitiesOptional.
- Sea sickness medication (for guests prone to motion sickness)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA
The Ticket Center is located at 1 Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, next to the Marriott Hotel, with a statue of a Humpback whale on its roof.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Beginning at Long Wharf in Boston, hop aboard a high-speed boat and embark on a whale-watching cruise to Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. This stretch of open water at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay serves as a rich feeding ground for whales, dolphins, sea birds, and many other marine creatures.
Look out for humpback, finback, and minke whales, with the help of a naturalist from the New England Aquarium. They share their knowledge about the animals’ behaviors, conservation status, scientific tracking, and more.
In between whale sightings, relax in the comfortable, climate-controlled indoor cabin, which also features a galley offering food and beverages for purchase. The location of the whales may require more travel time, extending the trip beyond the allotted time. Please allow for additional time in your schedule.
After half a day of exploring, your tour ends back at Long Wharf.
Look out for humpback, finback, and minke whales, with the help of a naturalist from the New England Aquarium. They share their knowledge about the animals’ behaviors, conservation status, scientific tracking, and more.
In between whale sightings, relax in the comfortable, climate-controlled indoor cabin, which also features a galley offering food and beverages for purchase. The location of the whales may require more travel time, extending the trip beyond the allotted time. Please allow for additional time in your schedule.
After half a day of exploring, your tour ends back at Long Wharf.
1
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Remember sunscreen and sunglasses
- Boarding begins 30 minutes prior to departure. Guests must arrive early, as late arrivals will miss the boat.
- Bring a light sweater or jacket, as well as sunscreen and sunglasses.
- Not recommended for guests prone to motion sickness
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 350 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Landis_S
Was an incredible experience! Would absolutely do this again anytime! Was such a beautiful time. The crew were awesome!!
Reviews
4.5
based on 3,274 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Jessica_M, Jul 2026
Great! Andrew the naturalist and all of the other crew were knowledgeable. We saw great whale activity.
Debra_T, Jul 2026
Took my two grandsons on trip. One had never been before, he was thrilled at the experience he saw. Grandmother memory for sure.
Danielle_W, Jul 2026
Wow just wow! We saw at least 7 whales and a couple of them came right up to the boat. We were able to get lots of pictures and videos. We would absolutely do this tour again!
Casey_S, Jul 2026
Wonderful time! We were around a family of humpback whales and they were very active. Attendants on the boat narrated during the trip out and helped locate the whales.
Kathleen_M, Jul 2026
We were lucky enough to have great weather and really good whale sightings during our tour — both awesome, as Mother Nature cannot be controlled.
What was within the control of boat personnel, though, was where to point the boat when whales were sighted. The person leading the narration was at the front of the boat (12:00), and the majority of sightings were in the 10:00 to 1:00 viewing area. However, only a VERY SMALL number of passengers could fit in the front part of the boat, so most of us were left trying to see over rows of heads.
Earlier, we had been told they would rotate the boat so everyone could have good whale sightings, but they NEVER did that. So only the boat personnel and a tiny handful of passengers got a great show.
Alba_L, Jul 2026
We had an amazing experience! The crew was friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. We were lucky enough to see several whales, and it was truly unforgettable. The boat was comfortable, well organized, and the entire trip exceeded our expectations.
I also appreciated how welcoming they were to our dog, which made the experience even more special for us. If you’re thinking about going whale watching, I highly recommend this tour. We would definitely do it again!
Jim_G, Jul 2026
Far and away the best whale watching experience I ever had. Thomas, our guide/naturalist was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly.
The captain found an incredible spot where we inserted some 30 different humpback whales. Throw in a few dolphins and a seal, and we had an amazing adventure.
If whale watching is your thing, this is definitely for you.
Debra_C, Jul 2026
The crew was excellent! We saw several whales, dolphins, a shark and several other wildlife. Well worth the time and money!
Fabiola_S, Jul 2026
Amazing experience! Our first time and we loved it! We were able to see over 30 whales! Will definitely do it again!
Meghan_A, Jul 2026
We had an amazing tour yesterday! The naturalists were extremely friendly and knowledgeable and led us right into the “whale soup.” We’ve been whale watching many times and never seen as many whales or as much activity! Truly an excellent experience!
Rashmi_S, Jul 2026
Holy smokes! This is an amazing experience!
Captain Deb was fantastic and we had incredible narration from the naturalist Sophie.
The crew is wonderful
We saw so many humpback whales u could barely believe it.
Go if you can!!
Phyllis_L, Jul 2026
It was so awesome! We saw like 15-20 whales three day we went. They even stayed out later just so we could enjoy them. I highly recommend them.
Kelly_H, Jul 2026
Not only was the vessel lovely, and the staff incredibly knowledgeable, but the care of the oceans and the ocean life was impressive. I don't want "show," I want "respect" for our oceans and its creatures. We saw so many whales, I could not have imagined it being such a sight. Life changing.
Michele_C, Jul 2026
Super awesome experience! Great crew and the humpback whales WOW’d us until the end. Snacks and facilities available
Jim_R, Jul 2026
This was an amazing trip! We got very lucky with beautiful weather and saw about 16 different whales, all humpback, doing breaches, flips, dives, splashing! The crew was very knowledgeable as well!
Tany_M, Jul 2026
The cruise was great! Food was good, the staff was so friendly. Great atmosphere and vibes. Can't wait to do it again.
lisa_w, Jul 2026
It is educational as well as entertaining and amazing. The people that were doing the tour were very educated and really cared about the whales
christy_p, Jul 2026
Boston has exciting excursions. This is by far my favorite..The crew was very friendly. Most of all the whales were spectacular. We loved watching them thrive in their natural habitat.
Srikanta_B, Jul 2026
Wonderful experience. We had great sighting of Whales breaching and flipper flapping. Gets cold in open sea though so pack accordingly
Gretchen_S, Jul 2026
Amazing day! We saw over 18+ humpback whales today...plus 3 calves! Best tour of our trip!
Highly recommend.
Holly_V, Jul 2026
This was a seriously amazing experience. It’s July which is a prime whale watching time(no rhyme intended). There were humpback and orcas all around our boat the entire time we were there. The Naturalist as he called himself (person on the mic) was very knowledgeable and you could tell he loved his job and was just as much excited as everyone else was. It was so cool to see whales close to the ship and far away. A couple of dolphins even visited us. Would highly recommend this tour, pesically during this season.
Chris_T, Jul 2026
Saw +|- 25 whales - very exciting and worthwhile. Smooth sailing and excellent experience. Food available but carry it on and support Boston small business.
DEBORAH_R, Jul 2026
Staff was friendly, knowledgeable and very accommodating. Came around periodically to answer any questions. There was someone on the speaker giving us direction of spottings.
rebecca_g, Jul 2026
Simple wonderful pleasant...we saw whales! Boat ride was great. Not everyone gets to go on the Atlantic!
Aniruddha_S, Jul 2026
Wonderful experience! We saw 15 whales and it was very smooth ride overall. They informed us well regarding the whales and the conservation process. Kids really enjoyed it.
n4k6hm5fdm, Jul 2026
Friendly guides and very clean boat. Saw 2 whales. Long ride to the sanctuary- spent 2 hours in transit.
Dianna_S, Jul 2026
Fun great family trip lots of whales food and drink were a fair price two out of three toilets were broken by the end of the tour
Ruidong_W, Jul 2026
The boat departure was at 3PM and we arrived at 2:45PM, but there is no sign and nobody telling us which ship to get on, and we missed it when we found out. There is a reminder to let us arrive earlier, but we didn't see it until that day. Usually Viator providers will kindly give us instructions the day before, but with this one we have zero guidance. I am so disappointed.
Lachae_F, Jul 2026
My husband and I came for our 14th anniversary! We enjoyed it, there were places to watch both in and outdoor and 3 levels. Plenty of space even with lots of people. I did get seasick and threw up twice however the staff was caring helpful and understanding! They cleaned up and gave me a bard bag and some ginger candies! The narration was quite extensive, good especially for those visiting Boston
Leonard_E, Jul 2026
Awesome experience
I’m about to do another one, can’t wait to see those amazing creatures, God is great
Likely to Sell Out
From $85.56
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Likely to Sell Out
City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat
3,272
3 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$85.56
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Boston, USA
- Boston Public Library Tours & Tickets
- The Old Manse Tours & Tickets
- Freedom Trail Tours & Tickets
- Charlestown Navy Yard Tours & Tickets
- Buckman Tavern Tours & Tickets
- Haymarket Boston Tours & Tickets
- Boston Symphony Hall Tours & Tickets
- Boston Old State House Tours & Tickets
- Boston Massacre Site Tours & Tickets
- Boston Chinatown Tours & Tickets
- Copp's Hill Burying Ground Tours & Tickets
- Burial Hill Tours & Tickets
- 200 Clarendon (John Hancock Tower) Tours & Tickets