Can you see whales from ship pulling into Bar Harbor?

[camasidaho]

Going to be in Bar Harbor first week of October.. the ship pulls in and tenders.. then little whale watching boats charge you $45 to take you back out to sea... heck, I was just there this morning... so, as the cruise ship pulls into the area- or even out that night- do we go in the general area that the $45 whale watching boats go- and is there a good chance we will just see a few whales from the cruise ship and I can pocket my $45? In other words, have whales been watched from the cruise ship in the Bar Harbor area?

[Kamloops50]

Going to be in Bar Harbor first week of October.. the ship pulls in and tenders.. then little whale watching boats charge you $45 to take you back out to sea... heck, I was just there this morning... so, as the cruise ship pulls into the area- or even out that night- do we go in the general area that the $45 whale watching boats go- and is there a good chance we will just see a few whales from the cruise ship and I can pocket my $45? In other words, have whales been watched from the cruise ship in the Bar Harbor area?

On the cruise ship you'll be to high above the water to properly see the whales . Cruise ships have to stay a certain distance from the whales.

The small boats will get closer to them sometimes almost to the point where you'll be able to touch them.

[camasidaho]

thanks for the reply but from what you are telling me you really haven't been there nor seen first hand if you can see whales from the ship. I don't need a $45 close up or a $45 feel or almost feel. Just need to satisfy some in my group that want to see a whale. I told them just watch me in the buffet line by the end of the cruise and I might look like a whale. They didn't think that was funny.

[camasidaho]

thanks for the reply but from what you are telling me you really haven't been there nor seen first hand if you can see whales from the ship. I don't need a $45 close up or a $45 feel or almost feel. Just need to satisfy some in my group that want to see a whale. I told them just watch me in the buffet line by the end of the cruise and I might look like a whale. They didn't think that was funny.

[Kamloops50]

That comment is from my personal experiences in Alaska and the West Coast. The sound of a ship entering a harbor usually scares off the whales.

 

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[mskaufman]

We were there in late June and did not see any whales going in or out. Also, did not hear any chatter on board about people seeing whales from the ship. Don't know whether the ship goes through the same waters as the $45 boats.

[Arusha]

The tour boats take you out to the whales' feeding grounds, where you have a better chance of seeing whales. There's always a slim chance of seeing a whale from a cruise ship, but if you do, the whale may be far away and you'll see only the spout. The ship may be going faster than the whale, so you won't see the whale for long.

 

Early October is nearing the end of the whale-watching season in Maine. I've seen finback and minke whales in late September from a tour boat out of Boothbay Harbor. Just missed a pod of humpbacks the week before. I also saw a whale spout while I was on a cruise ship traveling in the Gulf of Maine far from shore.

[VidaNaPraia]

The whale watch boats generally head for a spot about 25 miles south of Mt. Desert Island where the whales feed. (They tend to feed in shallower areas, like Stellwagen Bank a bit further south still, where their favorite food, sand eels, thrive. This year, the most whales have been sighted just off the tip of Cape Cod in sight of Provincetown.)

 

IMO Arusha has given good info.

[Giantfan13]

I would also add that your chances are slim to none. (the buffet line was cute though).

 

When you go on a whale watch, these people know exactly where to take you to see whales. And $45 is CHEAP. try Alaska where they will charge you double or even triple for the same whales. well different whales but you get what I mean.

 

On our first trip to Alaska, we did the whale tour, saw some whales up close and personal. A day later while sitting out on deck, an announcement was made that there was a whale right off the port side and there it was, a whale swimming almost along side the ship, closer than we got on the whale watch. So who would know. On our second tour in Alaska, we again sat out, but all we saw this time was the water spouts of the whales, way in the distance.

 

Pay the money, see the whales and then head for the buffet. :D:D:D:D

 

Cheers

 

Len