City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat
Overview
Available languages
3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Set sail with us for the whale watch experience of a lifetime on the New England Aquarium Whale Watch Cruise. Our destination: Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a rich feeding ground for whales, dolphins, sea birds, and other marine creatures. Stellwagen is home to many species of large whales, including humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes.
New England Aquarium naturalists will share knowledge, answer your questions, and explain the fascinating behaviors of these truly magnificent mammals on the sea life cruise experience.
The location of the whales may require more travel time, extending the trip beyond three hours. Please allow for additional time in your schedule. The average trip is between 3 to 4 hours.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Restroom (on board)
Visit Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a rich feeding ground for whales other marine creatures
Whale Watch Cruise aboard Catamaran
Air-conditioned vehicle
See a variety of whales, including Humpbacks, Finbacks, and Minkes.
Narrated by a New England Aquarium Naturalist as your Guide
Food and drinks (available to purchase on board)
Optional.
Sea sickness medication (for guests prone to motion sickness)
What To Expect
Each Boston Whale Watching Cruise is narrated and guided by a naturalist from the New England Aquarium. One of the whales you're likely to spot during a Boston Whale Watching Cruise is the humpback. These Northern hemisphere humpbacks reach an average length of 50 feet, and a weight of about 37 tons! With the data collected on each cruise, the NEAQ is able to further their understanding of whales and their world. And, their presence on board ensures that your whale watch will be an exciting and educational trip! The catamarans feature outside decks for optimum viewing capability. Inside you will find climate controlled cabin space with cushioned seating, tables, state-of-the-art audio-visual, and a galley offering snacks and beverages for purchase.
Options
Whale Watching Cruise
Reviews
3,110 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Whales
Kat F,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A great experience! Saw 8-10 whales! The crew was friendly & I formative! A great day with my Navy sister❤️
Well, worth it
Margo C,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well worth it. Very educational and interesting!!!!!!!!!!
Very fun and memorable
jensummers17,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I was a little apprehensive about going because of it being November, but it was awesome. So glad I took my kids. We saw lots of whales and I recommend bringing a warm coat and warm hat so you can be outside as much as you want without being uncomfortable.
Great day for Whale watching
HectorF V,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00My girfriend and I, had a great time observing whales diving and resting nest to the boat. We were able to see more than 10 whales in about 45 - 60 minutes period.
Cancelled
Karen M,
Oct 31, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Booking cancelled due to to weather notification didn’t come To us until we are at the departure despite staff saying was sent the evening before
Loved it !
Cordula C,
Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was well worth it. Would do it again. Once we were in “whale-territory” they took their time letting us observe the whales, while explaining what the whales were doing and then searching for and finding more whales to appear. On the way back we had the opportunity to ask more questions.
Must do in Boston!
Bethany M,
Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00INCREDIBLE experience!!! Highly recommend if you’re traveling to Boston - I went solo but would be so fun with friends/family too. After reading reviews about people getting seasick, I came prepared with motion sickness wristbands, an ear patch, and Dramamine just to be overly cautious. With all of that, I felt great the whole trip! I went toward the end of October & stayed on the top deck the whole time - it got very cold while we were heading out to the feeding ground so definitely bundle up! The staff and crew were incredible and very informative. We got SO lucky and saw 6 whales!!! We left the dock around 9am and returned just before 1pm. Truly a breathtaking experience.
Whale watching
392ludmilar,
Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I took the whale watching tour with my mom. We had a great guide with great insight. Very pleasant experience. Highly recommend!
Best Boston Boat Trip & Seeing Humpback Whales
Kristin H,
Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great Experience to go see humpback whales!! Met in the harbor in Boston and boarded the super fast catamaran for the approx 1:15min ride out to the Stellwagen Marine Bank & place to most likely see the whales!! Go early, go inside and get a seat by the window was great advice I read online & we were so grateful! It was warm and cozy on the bench seating at the tables inside and a perfect place to ….see the humpback whales!!! The tour guides were great to walk around and educate us on the types of whales they typically observe during October. They turned the boat to take us to see dolphins swimming and jumping about & told us where to look and turned the boat again so everyone had the best chance to see it all! Soon we arrived at the Stellwagen area and we were all in awe as two humpbacks frolicked about!!! Our tour actually stayed a little longer than planned bc of the whale activity that day! The pinnacle was seeing the whale tale flip just before diving deeply and then to….ta-daaa! emerge as if doing a ballet move before a gorgeous, enormous SPLASH down!! Icing on the cake for our group is after the biggest splash(breach) the humpback came up to breach & splash a second time and then👏🏻👏🏻 gave us a final “toot” or quick blow spout/mist as if to say….goodbye you guys & then merrily swim away! **please keep in mind, there is simply no way to guarantee the motion of the ocean or the appearance of ANY type of wildlife or to predict the weather for a certain day!** we were on a cruise And booked this as an excursion for our stop in Boston! However, We are soo grateful for the opportunity to be there to see all this!! Thanks also for the kind attention of the boat captain & crew to narrate our experience & make the most of what was for us the perfect Boston whale watching experience!! Bonus: The tour operators were great to reach out during the days leading up to the tour to let us know rough seas were forecasted for our tour day if we wanted to cancel & be refunded!! We were fine but really appreciated them giving a heads up in case that might be uncomfortable for some travelers!
This was an incredible...
Barb C,
Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an incredible experience!!! Saw many whales swimming and flapping their fins! The crew was fantastic at pointing out animals.
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