City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat
Boston, USA
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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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.
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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
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Was an incredible experience! Would absolutely do this again anytime! Was such a beautiful time. The crew were awesome!!
Reviews
4.5
based on 3,392 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Everyone who is interested in whale watching should experience this trip
Worth the money value. Won't mind coming back
We had an excellent experience. We saw several groups, including calves. The narrator was very knowledgeable and interesting. We definitely recommend this tour.
I have traveled a great deal as i Am 82 yr old. Been to Alaska a number of times. Seem whales often but never quite the way I was able to see them on this excursion. Above my expections by far.
If it rains you get wet outside but it’s worth it. Rain or shine great crew and informative. We saw 9 distinct Humpbacks .. several with calves. Breaches, tails when diving, spouts and movement over the water, flukes!!!
Incredible Trip—Saw More Than 10 Humpback Whales!Rating: 5/5 Stars"An absolutely unforgettable experience! We couldn't have asked for a better day on the water with Boston Harbor City Cruises. The weather was perfectly sunny and beautiful, making the ride incredibly pleasant.The whale sightings completely exceeded our expectations—we saw more than 10 humpback whales! It felt like everywhere we looked, there was another whale surfacing, blowing, or diving. The onboard naturalist was very knowledgeable, keeping us informed and helping us spot the whales quickly. The high-speed boat was smooth, clean, and comfortable, with plenty of room on the outdoor decks for perfect photos. If you are visiting Boston, this is an absolute must-do!"
Be prepared to have a wonderful time. I would recommend taking a dose of Dramamine just to be on the safe side. Staff was safety conscious, enthusiastic and patient as they walked around and answered questions we had. Definitely recommend!
It took quite a while - probably around an hour to get to Stellwagon. Once we got there we saw a few whales right away and we saw 10 in total. The staff were very informative throughout Overall it was an amazing experience to see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat
Lucky enough to see a humpback breach, lots of people but the experience is fun. Recommend going there in the morning to enhance the chance
This trip leaves even in the rain. I think they only cancel for rough seas. We saw lots of whales and the guides are constantly giving lots of information. They know some of the whales you see. We were lucky to see great sitings of a mother and calf even in drizzle. The visibility out on the ocean was good. Pack a rain jacket just in case. The weather can change quickly.
Crew guide was very knowledgeable and did a great job of describing the whale activities throughout the day. The captain was also focused on helping ensure we found some whale activity while following guidelines to ensure the safety of the whales
We had a blast, my 8 year old daughter and I loved it. We saw a lot of whales and the guides were very knowledgeable. We will love to come back
We had a phenomenally amazing experience whale watching! At times we could almost reach out and touch them. We were so amazed by the groupings of 2 and 4 humpbacks, such graceful beauty with such grand creatures. We strongly recommend the Boston Harbor City Cruises for whale watching, cheers!
We had a great time! Saw lots of whales and some dolphins. It was a beautiful day and the staff on the boat were very professional
We went out at noon on a beautiful sunny day. Our tour guides were very knowledgeable about marine life and they were thrilled that we saw so many! We saw 25 Humpback whales and the guides could identity some by name because of their distinctive markings. A. Rey nice experience.
We had an excellent 4 hours on the water. Saw whales and dolphins. We were extremely lucky with the weather on the day which I recommend you check before hand.
The crew was nice, but I didn't get to see a whale. The boat is big and comfortable. I preferred the outside deck.
Best whale watch ever. We saw several cow calf pairs playing in the water, breaching, fin waves, and tail slaps. Fantastic trip!
Unfortunately the weather turned. Sea very rough and very foggy. Half the passengers were sea sick!! We had to turn around and come back 😫
Didn't see any whales and the boat was not well maintained. They did offer me a free trip but I would have spent more money to fly back to Boston and book a place to stay.
We saw so many humpback whales it was amazing! Happened to go on a day with a smaller passenger load which was delightful
We had a wonderful time! The guides taking us out were knowledgeable and you could tell they cared about the animals and making sure we all had fun while educating us on the whales and their behaviors. We would recommend this to anyone and would like to do it again ourselves:)
Amazing crew and trip! We saw 16 humpback whales! The crew was knowable and friendly. Despite poor weather, we had a great trip
Wonderful experience, crew was very nice and knowledgeable. Got to see so many whales and even a pod of dolphins. Would highly recommend.
Very knowledgeable experts in marine biology. We were extremely fortunate to see many whales and dolphins. All staff were courteous and efficient.
We had an awesome experience. The staff were friendly & informative. We saw several whales and got some amazing pictures.
The boat was super smooth and comfortable with more than enough seats. The crew was very knowledgeable and helpful. We had many whale sightings. It was fun identifying the whales from their tail flukes. I highly recommend this trip!
What a fantastic day and well worth it. Saw loads of whales and the staff were very knowledgeable and passed on loads of information throughout the day
Wonderful trip! We got to see three whales out in the wild. I will say that we went during a "high seas warning" (which we were adequately warned about!) and so the ride out was pretty rough on the stomach and I'd caution anyone with motion sickness to take those warnings seriously, but even still it was a wonderful and awe-inspiring time. The staff was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly.
Amazing Whale Watching Experience
We had such an amazing time on this whale watching cruise! The staff was incredibly informative, knowledgeable, and friendly. We were lucky enough to see multiple whales, a seal, and even a shark! The boat never felt overcrowded, which made the experience even better. The captain did a great job making sure both sides of the boat had opportunities to get great views of the whales.
I tend to get seasick, so I was pretty nervous about the 3-foot waves. Thankfully, they didn’t bother me at all, especially since I stayed on the lower level. We were also a little worried about the time commitment, but it was absolutely worth it.
Overall, it was an unforgettable experience, and we would definitely recommend this cruise to anyone visiting Boston!
The naturalists on board were very knowledgeable. At one point, our boat was surrounded by whales! It was about an hour ride out to find them. As a bonus, the ride out and back offers some great views of Boston.
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From $85.56
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