Have You Ever Seen Whales During Your Cruise?

[ewenix]

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!!

 

We've seen dolphins, and once a hammerhead shark.

If it fits your travel schedule, there's a place in Galveston that will take you dolphin watching. If you book their first trip of the day you could do that and still get back in plenty of time to board the Breeze. Perhaps on your return you could self disembark and then go if you have a later flight or drive.

[CowPrincess]

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!!

 

I spend hours every day out on deck looking for marine wildlife. IMHO that really improves your chances. I sailed with friends who sat on their balcony, reading, while I was out looking for whales. I saw MANY in Tracy Arm, my friends saw zero. Same cruise, same opportunity ..... but they didn't use the opportunity.

[sail7seas]

We saw minke whales in Saguenay Fjord when sailing the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City to Montreal. Whales during our Alaska cruise and dolphins right in the harbor in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Always wonderful treat to see those beautiful creatures.

 

I live in Boston and we have lots of whale watching boats and tours available.

There have been many right whales sited in Cape Cod and seeing they are so endangered, boats are very careful to avoid them.

[sail7seas]

I spend hours every day out on deck looking for marine wildlife. IMHO that really improves your chances. I sailed with friends who sat on their balcony, reading, while I was out looking for whales. I saw MANY in Tracy Arm, my friends saw zero. Same cruise, same opportunity ..... but they didn't use the opportunity.

 

Not everyone seeks the same experiences on our cruises or, indeed, in life. While many of us love viewing wildlife, some people are less interested. Some people cruise just to get away, leave 'the office' behind, rest and spend time with their spouse/partner/family/friend or quiet time by themselves.

 

We all enjoy our experiences in our own way.

 

[NewAddict]

We've seen dolphins, and once a hammerhead shark.

If it fits your travel schedule, there's a place in Galveston that will take you dolphin watching. If you book their first trip of the day you could do that and still get back in plenty of time to board the Breeze. Perhaps on your return you could self disembark and then go if you have a later flight or drive.

 

Great advice!!! I'll look it up now. Maybe surprise Wifey. Thanks!!

[jaysun1095]

Coming back from Alaska there were porpoises swimming along the ship for a while. We later realized they were being chased by an orca. Then the orca disappeared after they split up.

 

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[Lizzie68]

I spend hours every day out on deck looking for marine wildlife. IMHO that really improves your chances. I sailed with friends who sat on their balcony, reading, while I was out looking for whales. I saw MANY in Tracy Arm, my friends saw zero. Same cruise, same opportunity ..... but they didn't use the opportunity.

 

You have a good point. On our last Alaska cruise my DH stayed on our balcony one day coming back down the Inside Passage, while I wandered around. He totally missed the orca whale J pod on the starboard side, following closely behind somewhere in the region of 150 dolphins! I grabbed a house phone to call him to come see, but of course he was outside so didn't hear it!

[geoherb]

We've taken a ton of Caribbean cruises and never seen any whales there. I know that there are some because there are whale-watching excursions available in some of the islands. Part of the reason we haven't seen any is that we haven't sailed a lot during the prime months for whales in that region--January through March.

 

The best whale watching we ever had was off the coast of Cape Cod. The second best was taking a ferry from Skagway to Haines on our first cruise to Alaska. A whale came up right beside the ferry--so close that the captain had to cut the engines.

 

On another cruise from Alaska to Vancouver, we saw Orcas in addition to other types of whales and dolphins.

[lamchops]

I've been fortunate enough to see dolphins and whales on 3 occasions.

 

My first sighting was seeing the resident pod of Killer Whales just outside of Victoria while crossing to Vancouver on the ferry. I have actually only seen them twice on my many "business" crossings. They put on a spectacular display of breaching.

 

My second sighting were Pacific Black Dolphins playing in front and breaching along side our PC cruiseship while cruising past Mexico.

 

Last November, I did see a lone young humpback breaching just outside Ma'alaea Harbour in Maui.

 

The only other exciting sighting were a large school of stingrays hovering just below the water off the pier at Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We were just walking to the ship when I leaned over and spotted them.

[jocap]

First time I cruised across the Bay of Biscay, an orca jumped out of the sea; I've seen several whales and dolphins in that area since, or seen them "blowing" far off. The ferry from UK to Spain used to have a spotter's chart on board for identification...probably still does. :cool:

Seen whales, dolphins and porpoise in the Straits of Gibraltar.

Waiting to leave in Fort Lauderdale, there was a harbour porpoise nosing round the ships.

[sail7seas]

I loved all the seals we saw on the ice floes in Alaska. There were a great many with their small pups.

[NoobCruise]

Yes, we saw quite a few humpbacks and orcas from our balcony in Alaska. And we had quite a few seals playing in our wake in Glacier Bay. We were on the back corner of the ship so perfect viewing. No dolphins though.

[CowPrincess]

You have a good point. On our last Alaska cruise my DH stayed on our balcony one day coming back down the Inside Passage, while I wandered around. He totally missed the orca whale J pod on the starboard side, following closely behind somewhere in the region of 150 dolphins! I grabbed a house phone to call him to come see, but of course he was outside so didn't hear it!

 

Oh how unfortunate for your DH :( Being out and looking for whales is one of the best ways to actually see whales. (I came home raving about how many whales I saw on that trip, while my friends were disappointed in how few whales they saw.....)

[ducklite]

We saw dolphins alongside the ship in both French Polynesia (spinner Dolphins) and the Med (Bottlenose I believe).

[Cruisin' Chick]

On our last cruise, we returned to the Golden Princess from our time in Lahaina, Maui on December 25, and there were plenty of whales hanging out around the ship.

[CowPrincess]

I forgot to mention the night in the Caribbean that we were accompanied by dolphins for hours. The ship was travelling very slowly, and we could sort-of see many dolphins alongside. Down on the Promenade Deck, we could hear them :D And then ..... a school of flying fish intersected the pod of dolphins, and "dinner was served" .... truly an amazing experience :D

[CowPrincess]

I loved all the seals we saw on the ice floes in Alaska. There were a great many with their small pups.

 

How fortunate for you that you went to Alaska several years ago, so you were able to see the seals and pups.

 

Last year, our Captain stopped our approach for both the Hubbard and the Sawyer because of the seals with pups on the ice, that cruise ships too close disrupt them and send them into the water, which is very hard on both the mom and pup. At the distance we were at, the adults were small dots on the ice, and we couldn't see the pups at all.

 

There is now a guideline that ships not approach any closer than 500 meters (a half kilometer, about 1/3 mile) to seals and pups on ice.

 

http://www.adn.com/article/20150729/new-guidelines-say-alaska-cruise-tour-ships-should-stay-500-yards-seals

 

I commend the Captain for making the choice to protect the seals, since at that time I don't think the study/guidelines had been released.

[rockdoctor]

We were on the bridge of the Ruby Princess south of Greece and suddenly there was a commotion. The lookout sighted a whale, the ship was taken off auto-pilot and was steared around the whale.

[agargoyle]

Hi,

While cruising we have seen dolphin, flying fish, barracuda, flying fish.

 

While docked or anchored, we have seen hammerhead shark, sea sunfish, stingrays, jellyfish, dolphin, manatee, sea turtles.

 

While at beaches we have seen dolphin, barracuda, warm water lobster, needle nose fish, turtles, manatee. Moray eel.

 

Lots of cruising time, lots of just sitting and watching and lots of luck.

[Allweneedismoney]

Yes we did two years ago from our balcony and standing at the rail saw a few humpbacks and orcas. Best viewing was on the excursion it was like the whale knew we were there and did not disappoint.

[jayne62]

we saw whales on our Japan cruise and also when cruising up the top of Australia. I've seen lots of dolphins when holidaying (but not crusing) down the South Coast of Australia, just when out in boats or from the headlands.

[ducklite]

If you ever want to swim with rays and pretty much every tropical fish known to the seas, cruise in French Polynesia. Every time we got into the water the Rays and fish came to visit, which was pretty much at least once every day. :)

 

The Caribbean isn't an even close second.

Edited March 26, 2016 by ducklite

[jrosecox1]

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[CruisinCrow]

Just back from our Victory cruise. This morning in Port Canaveral I saw a couple of dolphins from our balcony.

[biker@sea]

We have been very lucky to see the little white Beluga whales All three time we sailed the Saguenay Fiord.:)

 

I still have not seen the Puffins yet in Canada. :(

 

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