Traditional Whale Watching Tour from Húsavík
4.5
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About
Cruise Skjalfandi Bay, one of Iceland’s top whale-sighting spots, on this tour from Husavik. Booking ahead means you avoid ticket-buying hassles and helps ensure your preferred departure time. Travel in a traditional, Icelandic oak boat. Onboard commentary provides background on Iceland’s marine life.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 70 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- Look for whales on a cruise from Husavik, Iceland’s whale capital
- Sail by traditional oak boat to the prime viewing spot of Skjalfandi Bay
- Enjoy space to move around on deck to get the views you want
- Book in advance for peace of mind and convenience
- Live onboard commentary about Iceland’s marine life
- Coveralls, raincoats.
- Choice of departure times to suit your schedule
- Professional guide
- Live commentary on board
- Warm overalls and raincoats
What's not included- Transportation to/from attractions (Tour departure is within walking distance from accommodations in Húsavík)
- Select your preferred departure time, and head to the dock in Husavík, Iceland’s whale-watching capital. Settle on deck on the traditional, spacious oak boat. If the weather requires it, you’re provided with a coverall and raincoat. Admire the views of the Vik’s mountains as you cruise to Skjalfandi Bay. The sheltered inlet offers a high chance of spotting various types of marine life, from harbor porpoises to blue and humpback whales. Although June to August brings the best chance of sightings, the crew has recently reported more early spring and autumn sightings, increasing the number of visitors who see the whales. Learn about the marine environment via live commentary from the onboard guide.
- Start:
- Gentle Giants - Husavik Whale Watching, Garðarsbraut, 640 Húsavík, IcelandDeparture Point: Gentle Giants Ticket Center Directions: Look for the big blue flags in Húsavík Please arrive at least 40 minutes before scheduled departure to Gentle Giants Ticket Center.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23031P1- Most travelers can participate
- Subject to favourable weather conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- Please bring warm and waterproof clothing
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum number of passengers is required for all our tours. If the minimum number is not reached, we reserve the right to change or cancel departures, even with short notice. In such cases, customers are offered alternative options or full refund
- Unfortunately, if no whales or dolphins are sighted on the tour, passenger refunds are not permitted. However, customers can receive a voucher to join a traditional whale watching tour free of charge, depending on availability
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 70 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 23031P1
From $88.67
$78.03
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- patrik202420240 contributionsWhale WatchingWe had a fantastic experience with Gentle Giants, which we will not forget till end of our life. What I can fully recommend is a speed boat. It can react very fast and gets you to a Giants very quickly.Written September 12, 2024
- Tiburon B0 contributionsMagic seaWe went into the sea on a zodiac, very comfortable with the warm and waterproof suits. The biologist was explaining a lot of things about these amazing animals while the captain was finding them and following without disturbing. We were lucky enough to see a good number of humpbacks and their tales and I hope I can repeat and see them again soon with Gentle Giants.Written September 9, 2024
- K3739ZKclaireb0 contributionsGentle Giant RIB Boat puffin and whale tour in AugustStaff was very professional as well as considerate. We had reservations for noon on a RIB boat on a foggy cold day and when we arrived we were told that no whales were in the morning and did we want to reschedule or cancel - I really appreciated their honesty. We went and we ended up seeing a whale surface multiple times - with the RIB boat you’re close to the surface of the water and it was an amazing experience. The guide was extremely knowledgeable about both the puffins and whales. We were provided with warm, waterproof pants, jackets and boots as well as a life vest. The Gentle Giant RIB boat puffin and whale tour was a highlight of our amazing trip to Iceland - totally worth it. Plus your ticket gets you a discount in some shops and restaurants in the beautiful town.Written September 9, 2024
- andreaschultheiss0 contributionsWhale watching wichtig Gentle GiantsWe did the GG2 Safari last year and this year again! Last year we saw jumping humpbacks, this year about 6 different humpbacks, dolphins, puffins...At both tours we learnt a lot about sealife, felt totally safe and had tears of joy in our eyes! Thanks to this gentle giants . Thank you " Gentle Giant"! We will be back, most certainly! Uwe and AndreaWritten September 8, 2024
- maratrava0 contributionsWhale watchingWhale watching with company Gentle Giants was unbelievable experience. Our boat Faldur was comfortable.Written September 7, 2024
- 736detk0 contributionsAwesome day for viewing whales!We saw whales just breaking the surface of the water at least 25 times! One time a whale just brushing the bow of our boat! Simply amazing!Written September 7, 2024
- tg0ldberg0 contributionsSaw the whales and enjoyed chatting with the crewThe boat ride on its own was already very enjoyable. And we managed to see the whales, what an experience!Written September 6, 2024
- elianezmeyer0 contributionsPerfect dayIt was cool 👍 Whale watching in a speedboat was an incredible experience! I went during the spring and was lucky to see many humpback whales up close. The speedboat added an extra thrill to the adventure, as it allowed us to cover more water and get to the whales quickly. The guides were knowledgeable. Highly recommend this experience!!Written September 6, 2024
- cristinarU9570DE0 contributionsAmazingNice, onest and prepared people. Baeutiful adventure and also if we only saw one whale for more times.... it was worth it.Written September 4, 2024
- 404t0bias0 contributionsGreat people, great atmosphereFirst of all I’d like to mention that if you want to see whales I would book the G2 tour with the speed boat because they are much faster and hence mire flexible when a whale is sighted. I was on a speed boat with Antoine who was the guide, quite a charismatic guy who was dropping facts left and right and while doing it in a charismatic and fun way. You’re getting nearly waterproof overalls+an additional waterproof raincoat+a life west for protection against the sea water, rain and wind. Nevertheless it is advised to wear a thick layer of clothes and rainproof trowsers, since that part can get wet and it can get quite rough out there. We were lucky enough to see a male humpback whale, which showed us his fluke multiple times from a reasonable distance, because they don’t want to be too intrusive, so that the animal isn’t stressed out. They are also not using any advanced techniques to track these whales like a radar or something like that, they spot them by sight so be aware that it is not 100% guaranteed to see a whale when booking this tour. Humpback whales are the most frequently observed whales there but there have also been sightings of dolphins, blue whales, orcas and sperm whales but they said that those are quite rare, so don’t expect to see these whale species when going there.Written September 3, 2024
- Lela67180 contributionsGentle Giants topA very good organization with Gentle Giant. Contact us for trip to whale. I recommend Rib for me better faster than old fishing boat. Husavik port very nice.Written September 3, 2024
- TrailBlazer6190390 contributionsThree whales of two kindsWe saw for a long period a humpback whale called "JägerMeister" by the crew, which was joined by two mink whales after half an hour. The animals were graceful, the boat was well positionned, the guide and marine biologist provided us with useful information..Written September 3, 2024
- davidmasrosello0 contributionsFantastic adventureWe enjoyed a very sunny day and a fairly calm sea and the best of all is that we observed whales (humpbacks) coming out of the water repeatedly to dive back in and continue eating. We appreciated the back and the magnificent tails. Very good organization, a captain very skilful in navigation and an exceptional guide, Nikolina, who explained to us at all times and in detail everything related to the whales that go to Husavik during the summer. Highly recommended!Written September 2, 2024
- 809elisabettac0 contributionsgreat experienceknowledgeable staff on a beautiful sunny day. Definitely worth the ticket even if the whales were only spotted from afarWritten September 2, 2024
- telsesanglard0 contributionsPerfect tourIn Húsavík, we’ve gonne on a whale watching safari with Gentle Giants. The speedboat experience was fantastic! Much faster, it allowed us to quickly reach these wonderful animals as soon as they were spotted on the horizon. Special praise to our guide Sara. She was super friendly, attentive, and helpful, and she also provided us with lots of interesting information about these exceptional mammals that inhabit our oceans.Written September 1, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Paul W
7 contributions
First of all things looked good from the beginning other than we were warned that they have not seen whales In The past ten days. But they can’t control that so we headed out. What they failed to tell us was that the seas were very rough - rolling 5m to 8m swells. The boat felt like it was going to tip over on several occasions. It is very difficult to spot whales, if they even surface, it 8m waves. 3hours out in this mess, no whales, no potential sightings. None of the earlier boats saw whales. So why risk 56 lives in rough seas knowing what you knew. Worst was that over 25% of the people on board our boat got sick. So much so that the crew spent a food deal of time on the way back pouring ice cold sea water on the boat, splashing shivering passengers, as they wash the vomit off the boat. Won’t book this again or even recommend it. Clearly safety was secondary to making money.
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Paul for your honest review!
The decision if the tour is going to go ahead or not always belongs to the captain and depends on the sea conditions. Tours only proceed if the conditions guarantee safety. If not the tours are cancelled as we would not risk the lives of passengers or our crew. Tours are likely to be cancelled with 2-3m swell thus 5-8m waves is not possible. Indeed, sometimes the sea conditions are rough which can make the tour less comfortable but still safe. In such cases, passengers are informed by email the day before and during the check-in about the sea conditions so they can make the decision which is the best for them. If they decide to cancel we do not charge any cancellation fee as we understand that not everyone wants to join the tour with rough weather. We are often dealing with unpredictable weather and marine life thus we are providing all information about current conditions at the check-in. We want all customers to enjoy the experience and be informed of what the experience is likely to be on the given day.
Best regards,
Aleks
Written October 8, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ed B
San Jose, CA181 contributions
Aug 2021
Changed the start time to one hour later than when we booked it, but then they sent an email a few days before that said it was at original time. When we showed up, nope, it was delayed for an hour.
Captain continually turned the boat such that the front of boat was headed straight to whatever we were to look at - well that meant only the few in the front saw it, instead of turning the boat so side of boat was to the item of interest.
Did not enforce wear mask policy.
Spent a long time chasing dolphins - note that that fulfilled their guarantee of seeing 'whales'.
Boats are old and uncomfortable. Toilet door did not lock so it could open on you at any time.
Captain continually turned the boat such that the front of boat was headed straight to whatever we were to look at - well that meant only the few in the front saw it, instead of turning the boat so side of boat was to the item of interest.
Did not enforce wear mask policy.
Spent a long time chasing dolphins - note that that fulfilled their guarantee of seeing 'whales'.
Boats are old and uncomfortable. Toilet door did not lock so it could open on you at any time.
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your honest review!
I am very sorry that there was a miscommunication about the departure time! Our captains do their best to align the whale on both sides of the boat so everyone can have a good look. However, this is not always possible, for example when the weather conditions are rough. Or if the whale closely approaches the boat, it might not be possible to move the boat as it might injure the whale.
On our whale watching excursions we are dealing with wild animals out in pure and unspoilt nature. Whales come here to Skjálfandi Bay to feed mainly on plankton and krill, which makes sightings dependant on the food status. Sometimes the bay is rich of food, which makes more whales choose to visit the bay. Sometimes there is less food, which makes fewer or no whales come into the bay. The situation can change very fast. Whales come and go and no two tours are ever the same even on the same day. If no whales are in the area at that certain time, captains do spend time with dolphins as they are also cetaceans.
Best regards,
Aleks
Written October 3, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
May K
1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Couples
This was such a difficult 3 hour period on a tour that should have been cancelled (9/3 at 9:45). My husband and I went on our anniversary hoping for an adventurous time and were met with the craziest winds and sea conditions. If we weren't going up and down airborne on the swells, we were aggressively rocking side to side. Most of the 3 hour ride felt like a roller coaster and beyond that, though we were wearing multiple layers of waterproof gear, we were shivering and soaking all the way through as the water was constantly on our face (we couldn't even keep our eyes open) and flowing into the boat. There were probably 6 people who vomitted from the movement and it got on other riders and all over the boat. People were crammed into the back hoping for anything with less movement and away from the vomit. No one on the tour enjoyed their time as the whole 3 hour ride was SILENT as everyone focused on not getting sick. We were slipping and sliding from our seats because we were all wet and one woman even fell off and slid a few meters on the ground and her husband had to run over to try and help her. Someone on the tour said she had been on dozens of boat rides and this was by far the worst experience. The tour guide even mentioned at the end of the tour that he did not realize the conditions were going to be that bad and regrets not informing us at the top of the tour. Another thing that was disappointing was that the tour guide made no effort to fill in the time with facts about whales. It was just a silent 3 hour ride with a few mentions of "we're using our eyes to find signs of wildlife". Even if we did see whales (which we did not), it would not have made up for the incredibly uncomfortable and unenjoyable experience of riding on that boat.
I think the crew should be even more conservative with their decision to cancel tours as sick, wet, and covered in vomit survivors are worse than disappointed people if the tour is cancelled. I would have much rather wanted a refund than having gone through what we just did. Note: if the company emails you and warns you about potential difficult sea conditions, I would 100% cancel or reschedule if you can.
I think the crew should be even more conservative with their decision to cancel tours as sick, wet, and covered in vomit survivors are worse than disappointed people if the tour is cancelled. I would have much rather wanted a refund than having gone through what we just did. Note: if the company emails you and warns you about potential difficult sea conditions, I would 100% cancel or reschedule if you can.
Written September 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear May K,
Thank you very much for your honest review!
First of all, I am sorry to hear about your experience.
We are dealing with unpredictable weather in Iceland which can change fast. We rely on our captains' long experience in Icelandic waters to assess the weather and sea conditions, whether to operate the tours or not with safety of passengers and crew in priority.
In cases when captains assess it is safe to go out but still wavy conditions, we have strict procedures in informing passengers of the conditions, both in advance and on spot, and offer flexibility in rescheduling or cancelling. I am sorry if you feel that you were not properly informed, and this is something we will look further into.
I am sad to hear that your anniversary was spent in this way, and we would like to hear further from you to find solutions. Please get in touch with us via e-mail to info@gentlegiants.is if you would like to discuss this further.
Best regards,
Daniel Annisius
Assistant Manager
Written September 6, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
arturriba
Barcelona, Spain11 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We decided to try the giant gentle tours with my family so we could watch hunchbacks. The crew of the boat were very friendly and struggled to find them even though they had moved far away from Husavik, but I would not recommend the tour if you want to enjoy the cetaceans quietly. A relatively small boat with 60 people tuned in (up to 70) who are seated until a sighting is achieved. Then everyone goes crazy and they are placed in the area of the boat where the whale has appeared making it impossible to see absolutely anything unless you are constantly fighting to get a hole or place. Obviously with a child I won’t. There should be fewer people on the boat or customers sitting in their seats and the boat is turn around so everyone can enjoy it without having to fight to see something in the middle of the crowd.
Written August 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for joining our tour and your honest feedback! I´m sorry to hear that you didn´t fully enjoyed the tour because the boat was crowded! Our traditional oak boat capacity is indeed 70 passengers. Our captains do their best to align the whale on both sides of the boat so everyone can have a good look. However, this is not always possible, for example when the weather conditions are rough. Or if the whale closely approaches the boat, it might not be possible to move the boat as it might injure the whale. Best regards, Aleks
Written September 22, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DvrDawg
Cork, Ireland214 contributions
Apr 2023
Really enjoyed this excursion. We went at the end of April. It was bitter cold, so we wore multiple layers and then Gentle Giants provides a jumpsuit and a rain jacket which also helped. We were lucky as the full season had not kicked in and the boat had relatively few people (~10-12). We were on one of the larger boats. We did see some Killer Whales and followed them for over 30 minutes. After the Killer Whale encounter, we motored over to the Puffin Island and saw many groups of puffins out on the water. If you want to take pictures, you are going to need a large telephoto lens. I had my 70-200 lens and got some good pictures of the whales and the puffins. After the puffins, we motored around for another hour but did not see anything. The landscape was amazing and it was great to be on the water. The smaller boats (ribs) are much faster and can likely cover more ground, increasing your odds of seeing more creatures. The boats all communicate with one another, so, if something is in the area, you will likely get a chance to see it. The crew was great and there is a guide that was narrating the journey - some of the history of the area, the whaling industry and a lot of information about the whales that we saw. The city is very quaint and you should check out the Whale Museum.
Written May 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear DvrDawg, thank you very much for taking the time to write us this review. We are glad you enjoyed your experience and got the chance to see Orcas and puffins during the tour. Wishing you the best, Joséphine.
Written May 17, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GTourer
Riehen, Switzerland108 contributions
Well organized 3h trip, especially with the rough weather suits received at boarding. Did not feel cold, we were really lucky with weather and the humpback encounters. Kudos to the caiptain who had an own game plan and did not follow the other whale watching providers, that way we had spectacular close encounters even if the whales were ‘only feeding’. One of my best whale watching experiences with a well entertained audio guidance (even if not that scientific) by the moderator.
Written October 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you GTourer for this great review! Glad to see that you were lucky with weather and whale encounters. "One of my best whale watching experiences" says it all and happy to get that feedback. Thanks for sharing your experience! Best regards, Daniel
Written October 11, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Juraj K
Demanovska Dolina, Slovakia53 contributions
Sep 2020
ery nice tour, unfortunately it looks like it was last trip of season for gentle giants,
however big thanks to them while they made trip for us even when we were very few people (so it was almost private trip). First over one and half hour was just siting in rainclothes and watching birds and jellyfishes in the rain :D Guide Sara was in meanwhile telling infos about surroundings and whales. Just after all that waiting time we were lucky and saw playing group of porpoises which led as to minke whale. That was already overtime while we were far from harbour, so went bact to port but on the way captain recieved info about possibility of seeing humpback whale so he turn the boat once again and we really have got a chance to see also humpback and just after that we went really back to harbour.
So really big thanks to gentle giants team :)
however big thanks to them while they made trip for us even when we were very few people (so it was almost private trip). First over one and half hour was just siting in rainclothes and watching birds and jellyfishes in the rain :D Guide Sara was in meanwhile telling infos about surroundings and whales. Just after all that waiting time we were lucky and saw playing group of porpoises which led as to minke whale. That was already overtime while we were far from harbour, so went bact to port but on the way captain recieved info about possibility of seeing humpback whale so he turn the boat once again and we really have got a chance to see also humpback and just after that we went really back to harbour.
So really big thanks to gentle giants team :)
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Juraj K, thank you so much for this amazing review! You were indeed lucky to finally see a humpback whale, along with a minke whale and harbour porpoises. Thanks for nice words towards the team and for sharing your detailed experience of the tour. Best regards, Daniel
Written October 5, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jan Slaza
Warsaw, Poland1 contribution
Jul 2020
That was a very unique exeperience. We saw around 7 whales, 4 of them from a close range. Everyone got water- and windproof jackets. We had a great guide, who told us many interesting facts and explained whales' behavior. It's definitely a trip you have to go if you love wildlife - in Iceland whales and puffins are most wanted.
Written December 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Jan Slaza, thank you so much for this amazing review! It really makes us happy to see that you enjoyed your tour with us, saw many whales and close-up. Thanks for kind words towards the crew and for sharing your experience! All the best, Daniel
Written December 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alyson H
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Couples
The French guide was lovely and helpful but I struggled to hear her at times when boat was moving. We know that there’s a chance we wouldn’t see anything (this is nature after all) and they really did try but I’d suggest they review their sightings data as where we were staying had a number of people with no sightings and others in boat were using vouchers to revisit after no sightings. All in all we had a very bouncy boat ride instead. I really can’t see how it’s as high as they claim as I met lots of people with no sightings
Written August 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for taking the time to give us your feedback. We are sorry to hear that you had trouble listening to what your guide said on board. We usually adjust the microphone volume according to the wind and weather so everyone on board can listen. As you said this is nature and it is unpredictable. It means that even if we do have 97% rate on sightings, it is possible to get several days of irregular sightings in the bay as well, that is why we have the option of the voucher for people to have the opportunity to try again. We hope that you still manage to enjoyed the boat ride and you will try your luck again on board with us. Best regards, Joséphine.
Written August 26, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tosha B
1 contribution
I want to start with the fact that they did email that morning and say the weather wasn’t great and could be a little rough and wasn’t suitable for small children so we could reschedule if we wanted.
That being said , my son is going to be 12 in two months so I didn’t consider him a small child. We didn’t get the email until about 15mins before we were going to arrive so we decided to go ahead and talk to them. They said that it WASN’T UNSAFE (their exact words) to go out but could be a little rough and that 10-12 year olds would be fine but it was up to me.
Going out on boats in the ocean wasn’t new to us so when I told them that they said we shouldn’t have a problem but they just let everyone know so the people that aren’t used to it and might get sick could choose a later time if they wanted.
I think it’s great that they offered that, BUT, once we got out there there I realized they should have 100% canceled the tour. This was not just a little rough. It was so rough you couldn’t safely move around the boat. It threw you off your seats. On more than one occasion I had to catch myself from hitting the floor because we were slamming around in the waves. I would bet the majority of the guest were sea sick and puking just by the number of people that were all throwing up around me. Myself and my son included. This is the first time I have ever been sea sick.
I understand that you can’t contrail nature and whale sightings. At the end when they did find a whale to try and show us, we never even got to see it because it was so rough you couldn’t stand or move around the boat to try and get in the right location for viewing.
I accept the fact that they can’t control the weather and they offered us to not go out to begin, with but based on the info they gave us when we were checking in, it definitely seemed more precautionary. The right thing would have been to cancel.
That being said , my son is going to be 12 in two months so I didn’t consider him a small child. We didn’t get the email until about 15mins before we were going to arrive so we decided to go ahead and talk to them. They said that it WASN’T UNSAFE (their exact words) to go out but could be a little rough and that 10-12 year olds would be fine but it was up to me.
Going out on boats in the ocean wasn’t new to us so when I told them that they said we shouldn’t have a problem but they just let everyone know so the people that aren’t used to it and might get sick could choose a later time if they wanted.
I think it’s great that they offered that, BUT, once we got out there there I realized they should have 100% canceled the tour. This was not just a little rough. It was so rough you couldn’t safely move around the boat. It threw you off your seats. On more than one occasion I had to catch myself from hitting the floor because we were slamming around in the waves. I would bet the majority of the guest were sea sick and puking just by the number of people that were all throwing up around me. Myself and my son included. This is the first time I have ever been sea sick.
I understand that you can’t contrail nature and whale sightings. At the end when they did find a whale to try and show us, we never even got to see it because it was so rough you couldn’t stand or move around the boat to try and get in the right location for viewing.
I accept the fact that they can’t control the weather and they offered us to not go out to begin, with but based on the info they gave us when we were checking in, it definitely seemed more precautionary. The right thing would have been to cancel.
Written July 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Tosha,
Thank you for taking time to write an honest review of your experience with us. The captains at Gentle Giants have many years at sea and they decide if it is safe to sail or not. We trust them to make the best decisions for the customers safety. Having said that, it is possible for the weather to change rapidly during the tour. We are sorry to hear that it had become so rough that you were feeling sick and unsafe, the old oak boats can be quite rocky in rough seas and this is why people are advised when checking if the weather is rougher than usual.
Thanks again for your comments, it is great feedback for us, to be able to give the best service we can.
Regards,
Fiona
Written August 5, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hey,
We would like to do the whale watching tour on August 22, however, we are unsure which time is best to see the whales. Would you recommend morning or afternoon? When is it more probable to see the whales at this time? :)
Thank you so much.
All the best,
Nina
Written June 28, 2021
My family hopes to be in the area on May 13 or 14. Have you started whale watching tours on these dates?
Written April 29, 2021
En febrero-marzo no es buena epoca para ver ballenas, pero se pueden ver???
Written July 24, 2018
Ciao, vorrei capire se è indispensabile la prenotazione e se pensate sia meglio la barca o il gommone. Grazie
Written July 22, 2018
Ciao prenotazione non necessaria. Suggerita. Di gran lunga meglio le barche possibilmente quelle ecologiche (elettriche) silenziose e zero inquinanti. Il costo non cambia ciao g
Written August 10, 2018
Hi how long does the tour last please we are on a cruise and would need to know thanks
Written April 28, 2018
Hello,
It depends from the tour, but you must consider at least 2/3 hours.
I took the one with the regular boat and the one with the RIB and they're both wonderful.
You won't regret it :)
Written May 2, 2018
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