Have You Ever Seen Whales During Your Cruise?

[kona_wahine]

I have so many times.. Best was a catamaran snorkeling trip on Kauai from south point where the water is clear blue. A large pod of dolphins was surfing both bows. We were standing out front and they were literally right below us. Also, on Kona we have been lucky enough to be snorkeling and have wild dolphins all around us. We did see whales leaving a port one time, can't remember which one. Have see a few dolphins coming and going on cruises. Hawaii is where it's at though. Last year in Kona we took a snorkeling tour and saw so many whales coming and going it was kind of "oh, there's another one, eh" lol. Couple years ago snorkeling Kauai NaPali we had a giant shark show up. That one still scares me....

Edited March 22, 2016 by kona_wahine

[jacksmycat]

I saw dolphins on the way back to New Orleans on my last cruise. I also saw a manatee before we left Port Canaveral on RCI.

[miataman19]

See them at the buffet all the time....sorry, that was one of those things you think of but never say...lol...seriously, have seen whales on my Alaska sailings and have seen many dolphins. Last cruise on Celebrity Reflection we spotted some about 20 minutes out of Miami right off the bow. About 6. They stayed with the ship about 10 minutes.

[tea4ular]

Several whales on Mexican Riviera cruises and Alaska. Dolphin every sailing so far (20+ sailings) - mostly close to shore.

[GUT2407]

Or even dolphins?

This will be our 3rd cruise in Oct (Breeze) and we haven't been lucky enough to see any whales or dolphins while at sea, or in port. Of course, I'm not talking about on excursions....

 

Anyone been lucky enough? And where were you when it happened?

 

 

Dolphins, hundreds and close, diving under the bow if the ship.

 

Whales only at a distance.

[Gogoddess5]

Saw whales off southern California coast - 3 separate occasions during Pacific Coastal Cruise - Vancouver to LA - it was September.

[Shmoo here]

Or even dolphins?

This will be our 3rd cruise in Oct (Breeze) and we haven't been lucky enough to see any whales or dolphins while at sea, or in port. Of course, I'm not talking about on excursions....

 

Anyone been lucky enough? And where were you when it happened?

 

Only seen whales once while on the ship. On a Mexican Riviera cruise and they were WAAAaaaaayyyy over there. Not at all close to the ship, but we could tell what they were.

 

Dolphins - seen them on our Caribbean, TransAtlantic, Hawaii, Mexican Riviera cruises.

[Twintowngirl]

Yes, the past 2 years while cruising in February. Both times were near Grand Turk. In 2015 it was almost like they followed us into port because we could see them close to the ship, near the aft section. Very cool!

[BenjiRodney]

Or even dolphins?

This will be our 3rd cruise in Oct (Breeze) and we haven't been lucky enough to see any whales or dolphins while at sea, or in port. Of course, I'm not talking about on excursions....

 

Anyone been lucky enough? And where were you when it happened?

 

Dolphins in Tampa on the Paradise and Whales on the Legend in Alaska.

[jmf123]

What are Dori noises?

 

Dory, from Finding Nemo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJGeeryk0Eo, making whale noises. :D

 

We saw whales during an excursion in Juneau, amazing!

[spookwife]

Or even dolphins?

This will be our 3rd cruise in Oct (Breeze) and we haven't been lucky enough to see any whales or dolphins while at sea, or in port. Of course, I'm not talking about on excursions....

 

Anyone been lucky enough? And where were you when it happened?

 

 

seen dolphins a few times, once just outside the (specialty) restaurant we were eating at. the pod paced us for quite a ways.

 

more than once a stray bird( and not just a sea gull) hung out on our balcony.

 

whales I have not but Mr Spook has catalogued many while serving on sea duty. ( we won't discuss the one that got ran over by a colleague. that cost the Navy a LOT of money)

[CowPrincess]

Dolphins in Mexico, Alaska and S. Carib. Orcas, humpbacks and what we believe were Minkes in Alaska. Humpbacks and greys in Mexico.

[utahtea]

On the very first morning of our very first cruise which was to Alaska we woke and saw three whales from our bed! Then we went out to the balcony to watch them longer. We've seen them several other times in Alaska. Dolphins and sea turtles too.

 

Utahtea

[capriccio]

We've seen dolphins frequently including in San Pedro harbor from our aft cabin as we were leaving port (they followed the ship) and in the Caribbean and the Amazon. We've seen whales on Alaska cruises and off Santa Barbara on a coastal cruise.

[Capt_BJ]

 

 

[Kartgv]

We've seen many on multiple cruises.

 

Dolphins - Hawaii (all year round); several spots off the California coast (spring & fall migration to and from Alaska/Baja), including hundreds just outside Catalina once in September; New Zealand.

 

Whales - Hawaii (hump-backs, mid-December - mid-March); Vancouver and Victoria (orcas in August); Alaska - many around all summer; Mexico - (January); off Massachusetts coast (early October, one swam along-side ship for about 15 minutes).

 

Your best bet for seeing them is going on a tour boat that specializes in seeing wildlife - the guides know where they're most likely to be. We've also had luck just spending a quiet afternoon or morning on our balcony or in the upper level glassed-in lounges (most ships we've been on have them). To see them from the ship you need to spend some time watching for splashes or 'blows'. Once I walked out onto our balcony just in time to see a whale breach about 50 feet away - an awesome private show! Sometimes someone will spot one from the buffet windows and alert everyone, or the ship's staff will see them and make a public announcement.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Kartgv

[OzKiwiJJ]

Whales as we came down the east coast of Australia, in early September last year. They migrate up and down the coast between April and November so there is a good chance of seeing them there.

 

Dolphins in NZ. There is a decent-sized pod at Milford Sound that is often seen, and sometimes they are seen in the Bay of Islands. Akaroa has the tiny and rare Hector's dolphins and we saw a couple swimming past as the ship was leaving the harbour. I've also seen dolphins in Australia at various beaches along the SE coast, but not yet from a cruise ship.

[NewAddict]

After reading all these replies, I'm almost wish I didn't ask.....cuz I'm pretty jealous now. Actually, I'm glad I asked because that gives me hope, knowing that it's quite possible.

I'd LOVE to see a whale, and my DW would love to see some wild dolphins.

Our next cruise is on the Breeze out of Galveston on Oct. I will definitely keep a lookout now.

Thanks you all!!

[JoyfulKK]

We saw dolphins from our balcony on our first cruise. If I recall correctly we saw them when we were going from Belize to Cozumel. It was a western Caribbean itinerary.

[Speedy55]

Have seen dolphins and whales on the Cruise to Alaska but neither on the Caribbean cruise

 

 

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[Pyrate13]

We've seen dolphins many times on eastern, western and southern Caribbean cruises. Not always the same species either.

 

We also saw multiple whales off the coast of Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique while on one cruise. Don't know the species though.

[davecttr]

I had a wonderful experience on returning from north cape in norway a few years ago. It was late evening and the sun was still up. I was having a drink in the top bar and noticed sea birds circling ahead. As we cruised slowly past about 200 yards away lots of small fish started jumping and then BANG. it was a pod of Orca feeding on a bait ball. I feel privileged to have seen that spectacle with my own eyes :):):)

 

What was sad was that so many people in the bar took no notice :confused:

[NewAddict]

I had a wonderful experience on returning from north cape in norway a few years ago. It was late evening and the sun was still up. I was having a drink in the top bar and noticed sea birds circling ahead. As we cruised slowly past about 200 yards away lots of small fish started jumping and then BANG. it was a pod of Orca feeding on a bait ball. I feel privileged to have seen that spectacle with my own eyes :):):)

 

What was sad was that so many people in the bar took no notice :confused:

 

Wow!!! My favorite animal is an Orca.... I can't even imagine how cool that must have been.

[virginialucy]

I saw dolphins on my most recent cruise. It was on the last day of a Bermuda cruise from Boston. I saw them while I was eating breakfast, then saw some again (maybe the same ones) while I was gazing over the promenade deck railing in the afternoon. Sadly, I haven't seen any whales on cruises, but I did see a lot (plus a harbor seal) on a whale watch from Boston a few summers ago.

[jmf123]

I had a wonderful experience on returning from north cape in norway a few years ago. It was late evening and the sun was still up. I was having a drink in the top bar and noticed sea birds circling ahead. As we cruised slowly past about 200 yards away lots of small fish started jumping and then BANG. it was a pod of Orca feeding on a bait ball. I feel privileged to have seen that spectacle with my own eyes :):):)

 

What was sad was that so many people in the bar took no notice :confused:

 

Like this video of a man so distracted by his cellphone, that he doesn't even look up to see a whale just a few feet away: