Newburyport Whale Watch
Newburyport Whale Watch
4.5
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About
Each of our whale watching tours is a unique experience. An approximately 4 hour tour takes our passengers quickly and comfortably into the Atlantic Ocean to see some of the largest animals on the planet in their natural habitat. All trips are narrated by our experienced and knowledgeable guides. Sightings include, but are not limited to, Fin whales, Humpback whales, Minke whales and dolphins.
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Features animals
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2023
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Newburyport Whale Watch
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(18 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
190 reviews
Excellent
160
Very good
16
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
5
graceb0203
Quincy, MA35 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We had a great time whale watching yesterday. The weather was perfect. The staff very friendly and knowledgeable. The food was actually good. I recommend bringing cash as cc have a $5 surcharge and you have to leave a tab open and leave your card. We did get to see some whales. One actually did a flip but if you blinked you missed it. Overall it was a great day. I would suggest bringing games or something for kids. 4 hours can be a little long for them. And it takes 2 hours to get where the whales are. I will definitely
Written September 1, 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.
Laura M
Holliston, MA35 contributions
Jul 2020
We had a GREAT whale watching trip yesterday with Newburyport Whale Watch! We have done many, many whale watching trips over the years, and we saw more on this trip than we have in decades - including a sea turtle, a humpback whale which flapped its pectoral fin for 7 - 8 minutes, and a minke whale, etc. It was great!
First, during this crazy COVID time, they were very conscious of sanitizing the bathrooms frequently, wiping down seats, etc. In addition, there was only half the capacity on the boat, so we had room to view all the sights, without being on top of each other.
Second, the staff was courteous and VERY well-informed.
Third, the boat wasn't huge, which is always a benefit in terms of being able to get around quickly and see the sights easily.
First, during this crazy COVID time, they were very conscious of sanitizing the bathrooms frequently, wiping down seats, etc. In addition, there was only half the capacity on the boat, so we had room to view all the sights, without being on top of each other.
Second, the staff was courteous and VERY well-informed.
Third, the boat wasn't huge, which is always a benefit in terms of being able to get around quickly and see the sights easily.
Written July 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.
annk198
30 contributions
Aug 2020
My first whale watch excursion and I wasn’t disappointed. The boat was clean and roomy. The ride out to the gulf of Maine was pleasant. We saw a couple of humpback whales and stayed with them for 40 minutes or so. Very entertaining. The narration during the ride was interesting and informative. The fact it was a beautiful day was helpful.
I would Highly recommend this To anyone interested in a pleasant boat ride to see some whales. I suggest to bring some snacks and water. There is a snack bar on board but to save some $$ bring your own.
I would Highly recommend this To anyone interested in a pleasant boat ride to see some whales. I suggest to bring some snacks and water. There is a snack bar on board but to save some $$ bring your own.
Written August 15, 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.
Alaska L
5 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
Echoing what another reviewer said about the bathrooms -
The bathrooms were very poorly designed and not clean in the sense that there was no soap or hand sanitizer (there was however, a very empty bottle of hand sanitizer in each bathroom). Additionally, the locks on the bathroom did not work, so you had to quickly grab the door if someone was opening it while you were inside, to let them know someone was inside.
Also, the “flush” button was extremely hard to find (it was on the side of the sink, of all places and the “press here to flush” button located at the front of the sink did not include an arrow, so I spent some time searching for what “here” meant). This resulted in many people, understandably, not being able to find the flush button, so when I went inside to use it, I was greeted by a gross nonflushed toilet.
The lack of soap or sanitizer was the real issue here though. You better hope the galley crew are washing their hands elsewhere, maybe the kitchen, before preparing your food.
The bathrooms were very poorly designed and not clean in the sense that there was no soap or hand sanitizer (there was however, a very empty bottle of hand sanitizer in each bathroom). Additionally, the locks on the bathroom did not work, so you had to quickly grab the door if someone was opening it while you were inside, to let them know someone was inside.
Also, the “flush” button was extremely hard to find (it was on the side of the sink, of all places and the “press here to flush” button located at the front of the sink did not include an arrow, so I spent some time searching for what “here” meant). This resulted in many people, understandably, not being able to find the flush button, so when I went inside to use it, I was greeted by a gross nonflushed toilet.
The lack of soap or sanitizer was the real issue here though. You better hope the galley crew are washing their hands elsewhere, maybe the kitchen, before preparing your food.
Written June 20, 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.
Dena H
1 contribution
Jun 2021
My friends and I had an awesome time on the whale watch trip. We saw three humpback whales and the boat was respectful of their space. The naturalist, Kaylee, did an amazing job of providing interesting and informative facts about whales and different whale species that we could see while in New England or around the world. The crew was friendly and we had a wonderful time. I'd recommend bringing layers and sunglasses depending on weather conditions. The groupon also substantially helped me afford the trip so check that out, too.
Written June 16, 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.
Rebecca M
1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Couples
Please Read this Review before you book!!!
On the boat today I was expecting a wonderful trip with the tech they use on boats to find whales. Unfortunately They announced on the loud speaker that they find whales the old fashion way without any tech. No where on their website does it say this.
So it’s a big chance your taking. I was so disappointed as it took 2 hours to find 1 whale and then we found one more in the same vicinity about 15 minutes after for about 20-25 minutes and then we had to head back because it was a four hour trip, two hours to get out there and two hours to come back. The boat kept far from the whales as much as possible so for children and older elderly it was hard for them to see the whales I heard a lot of children getting upset because they couldn’t see them very well from afar.
I have been on many whale watches and felt like trying this one in Newburyport and I was just disappointed. They need to get the tech that helps find whales so that customers get what they’re paying for.
Other than that the staff were friendly and the boat was clean.
On the boat today I was expecting a wonderful trip with the tech they use on boats to find whales. Unfortunately They announced on the loud speaker that they find whales the old fashion way without any tech. No where on their website does it say this.
So it’s a big chance your taking. I was so disappointed as it took 2 hours to find 1 whale and then we found one more in the same vicinity about 15 minutes after for about 20-25 minutes and then we had to head back because it was a four hour trip, two hours to get out there and two hours to come back. The boat kept far from the whales as much as possible so for children and older elderly it was hard for them to see the whales I heard a lot of children getting upset because they couldn’t see them very well from afar.
I have been on many whale watches and felt like trying this one in Newburyport and I was just disappointed. They need to get the tech that helps find whales so that customers get what they’re paying for.
Other than that the staff were friendly and the boat was clean.
Written July 30, 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.
Patricia C
1 contribution
Jul 2022
This was the fourth whale watch we have gone on in three years. Each one has been spectacular seeing lots of marine life. On this trip we saw a molamola sunfish that hung by the boat for a long time, seals and several whales including a mother and a calf, and their "escort". The captain and crew went the extra mile, literally, at end of trip to go further out so we could watch the mother and calf. They got so close that we could see them very clearly but not so close that they seemed bothered by our presence. I would highly recommend the Newburyport Whale Watch to anyone that wishes to see marine life yet, not be overcrowded and feel safe 100% of the time.
Written August 2, 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.
Deborah N
Brookfield, Wisconsin, United States41 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
We had a gorgeous day out on the water! From the ease of booking to easy boarding, nice sightings of whales and sharks, good narration from the naturalist, friendly and hardworking crew, it was a great excursion! I was so impressed by how the crew really worked hard to clean windows (prepping for next group), restocked the galley, cleaned up after guests, etc. The young people working on the boat had a terrific work ethic… so nice to see! The naturalist on board who narrated provided excellent and interesting information with lots of positive energy. Thanks for a nice day out!
Written August 14, 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.
C C
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Family
My family and I decided to celebrate my niece's 19th birthday Whale watching,I was skeptical at first, not certain that we would be lucky enough to see them. So glad I went. It was amazing!!! The gulf of Maine is where we spotted Nile one of the younger whales. The weather was perfect, the staff members were kind and very helpful. We were extremely lucky, got to see Valley(mommy whale) with her babies performed right in front of us. Loved every moment. Looking forward to visiting again!!💕💕
Written August 31, 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.
Jeffrey F
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
Very enjoyable morning. Large boat with lots of people on board, but definitely enough room to not feel crowded (unlike some smaller whale watch boats). Found Minke whales and a momma and calf Humpback whales right away. As stated in their lit, the mantra is to not interfere with the whales and give them space, which they did while still getting us close; or, rather, the whales came over to us. Other whale watching vessels out there were not quite as respectful of the whales. Didn’t eat aboard, but the food is made from scratch on a griddle and it smelled really good! Overall, it was an excellent experience.
Written July 5, 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.
What time of the year is it
elaine3Southport
Fort Lauderdale, FL581 contributions
Summer
Reham D
19 contributions
how should we dress for this tour?
How can we arrive from Boston?
we are 5 friends-can this tour acommodat all of us together?
allieoop142
St. Augustine, FL81 contributions
No matter the season you should come prepared with many layers when you go on the water! Even in July it can get chilly out there.
You can absolutely have a group of 5-10 people go together as long as the date/time has availability. These boats usually have a capacity of 100+!
I don’t know about the travel to/from Boston but I think it’s not a very long drive at all.
Reham D
19 contributions
if we are group of 5-hoe mush it cost and how long time it takes?
allieoop142
St. Augustine, FL81 contributions
Tickets for whale tours are usually around $40 a person but I think this company runs Groupons that bring it closer to $30 each.
Whale watches usually run 3-4 hours depending on the weather. When I went with this company it was almost four hours exactly.
Newburyport Whale Watch - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Newburyport Whale Watch Information
Excellent Reviews | 160 |
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Very Good Reviews | 16 |
Newburyport Whale Watch Photos | 157 |