The 15 Whale Watching Cruises in the USA That Earn Their Price

1.Boston: City Cruises Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,710 reviews · 3h 30m · from $85Our pick

Cruise from Boston’s Long Wharf to Stellwagen Bank aboard a high-speed whale-watching boat with outdoor decks, indoor seating, snacks, and New England Aquarium Naturalists. Expect expert commentary, changing sea conditions, and a real chance to see humpback, fin, and minke whales in the wild.

“We were very lucky to have a fine day for this activity and although I do suffer from motion sickness I felt absolutely fine for the whole trip. We were given an interesting dialogue on the way out to the whale watching area and it was wonderful to manage to see three magnificent whales.”

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2.City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,115 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Leave Boston’s Long Wharf aboard a high-speed catamaran for a 3.5-hour whale watch at Stellwagen Bank. An onboard naturalist points out humpbacks, fin whales, minkes, dolphins, and seabirds, while indoor seating, restrooms, and a snack bar make the long ride easier.

“Great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well worth it. Very educational and interesting!!!!!!!!!!”

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3.San Diego Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,317 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $85Top rated

Board America, a replica of the 1851 America’s Cup winner, at Shelter Island for a 4 to 4.5-hour whale-watching sail. Your crew, including guides such as Fathom when scheduled, shares facts about marine life and Navy landmarks. Expect open decks, snacks, blankets, and cold Pacific air.

“Great experience and everyone will have a great view. The guide was very knowledgeable and we saw a couple of grey whales.”

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4.Whale-Watching Cruise from Newport Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 927 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $31Best value

Cruise from Newport Harbor for about 2.5 hours with marine biology trained crew. Look for whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seals along Orange County’s coast. You may ride the 65-foot vessel or upgrade to a smaller luxury yacht with a 360-degree deck and more speed.

“Nature will always nature, you may not see whales and that’s perfectly fine. The crew does their absolute best to make your experience magical and memorable. We had an absolute blast sailing on the water sharing time with family and having conversations with other folks on the boat.”

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5.Maui: Whale Watching Cruise with Open Bar from Ka’anapali Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 802 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $115

Join Sea Maui at Ka’anapali Beach for a two-hour catamaran cruise during Maui’s humpback season. Naturalists explain whale behavior while the crew searches for blows, breaches, mothers, and calves. Expect bean-bag seating on open nets, snacks, unlimited drinks for adults 21 and older, and a maximum of 42 people.

“The crew was super friendly and accommodating. Great service all around. Unfortunately we didn’t get many whale sightings and when we did they were minimal and far away from our boat. We saw similar whale sightings sitting on the beach. But that’s the luck of the draw.”

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6.Alaska Whale Watching Cruise w/ 3 HOURS on the water

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 801 reviews · 4 hours 5 minutes (approx.) · from $159

Ride from your Juneau cruise ship dock to Auke Bay, then spend three hours on the water aboard a comfortable 49-passenger, double-decker boat. Naturalists and captains such as Dalton, Tess, Chloe, and Cory share facts, track whales, and photograph the action. A weather-dependent Mendenhall Glacier view is included.

“Wonderful crew and they were so knowledgeable! Loved that they gave us a QR code for pictures they had taken of the whales.”

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7.San Diego Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 663 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $54

Set out from San Diego’s waterfront for a 3.5-hour whale-watching cruise with indoor and outdoor seating. Guides such as Becca explain whale migration, ocean life, and local sights while you watch for gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds. Morning and afternoon trips cost $54 per person.

“Bring really warm clothes and don’t expect to see anything, we didn’t get to see a whales at all and was sad because it was $50 something dollars. We tried to see tiny dolphins that were gone in a second and too many people get the way. Not a great time for the $$$.”

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8.Monterey: Sunset Whale Watching Cruise with A Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 519 reviews · 3 hours · from $75

Join Discovery Whale Watch at Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a three-hour sunset cruise led by a marine biologist or naturalist. Guides such as Isaiah, Andrew, and Kevin explain whale behavior, migration, and conservation while the crew searches for humpbacks, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and more.

“The most incredible trip ever. Surrounded by whales! Super friendly and helpful team, we booked and got delayed so they moved our trip back a day for us. 10/10”

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9.Juneau: Whale Watching Cruise with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 427 reviews · 3 hours · from $154

Join Dolphin Jet Boat Tours for a three-hour Juneau whale watch with about two hours on the water. A local driver takes you to Auke Bay, where guides such as Nia, Derek, Rio, or Captain Jay may lead the search for humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, and eagles.

“Very well organised, informative guides about the area and Alaska. Comfortable boat with amenities. Would definitely recommend for a unique Alaskan experience. Very friendly staff.”

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10.Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 378 reviews · 4 hours · from $148

From Pier 69, cruise the Salish Sea for 3 to 5 hours in search of orcas, humpback, gray, and minke whales. An English-speaking naturalist explains the wildlife and conservation work. Food, drinks, binocular rentals, and possible window-seat upgrades are available onboard.

“just one word, AMAZING did everything to find the whales orcas and humpbacks, informative crew thanks for an amazing trip”

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11.Hoonah Whale-Watching Cruise – Near Icy Strait Point

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 336 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $225

Ride from Icy Strait Point into Hoonah, then spend about three hours seeking humpback whales and other wildlife with a local captain and naturalist. Boats offer heated indoor seating and outdoor viewing. Captains such as Denise, Paul, and Carson add local stories, wildlife facts, and Tlingit history.

“Denise and Carson were great guides. Highly recommend this tour. The experience was amazing. And the history told by Denise was great.”

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12.Kailua-Kona: Whale Watching Cruise on the Big Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 273 reviews · 2h 30m · from $115

Join Hang Loose Boat Tours at Honokohau Harbor for a 2.5-hour search for Hawaii’s winter humpbacks. Guides such as Bryce, Aidan, Jacob, and Simon share whale facts, use a hydrophone so you can hear underwater songs, and look for dolphins and other sea life along the way.

“Seeing all the whales, shark& dolphins. Aidan was a cool captein”

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13.Early Bird Whale Watching Cruise from Waikiki

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 202 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $68

Cruise from Aloha Tower aboard the Star of Honolulu for about two hours of humpback whale watching. A naturalist provides live narration while you use four walk-around decks, indoor seating, and steadying stabilizers. The trip includes pineapple banana bread plus Kona coffee or tea.

“Obviously it was magical seeing the whales, but in addition, the crew was professional and knowledgeable, the boat was clean and spacious, plenty of options to watch for whales, and I like that it is handicapped accessible, even though we didnt personally need that. Really glad we made the time to do it. Very well worth it!”

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14.Whale Watch Cruise Aboard The Majestic

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 193 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Cruise from Honolulu’s Pier 6 aboard the spacious Majestic for about 2.5 hours. A naturalist explains humpback behavior while you watch for whales, turtles, and spinner dolphins in Maunalua Bay. You get indoor air-conditioned seating, outdoor decks, food and drinks for purchase, and a free return cruise if no whale is sighted.

“Casey made us feel very good and welcome. The naturalist identifying the whales was extremely knowledgeable and so much fun. The whole experience was absolutely wonderful.”

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15.Honolulu, Oahu: Waikiki Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 166 reviews · 1h 30m · from $39

Join E Sea Diver aboard the 65-foot Ocean Intrigue for a 90-minute whale-watching cruise from Kewalo Basin. Between December and April, look for humpback whales, dolphins, turtles, and flying fish while enjoying open views from the double-decker catamaran. If no whales appear, you can book another trip free.

“The entire team was incredibly welcoming, and we were even lucky enough to spot a family of whales! This experience offers fantastic value for the price—I highly recommend it.”

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