Chance of seeing whales from cruiseship (Montreal-Boston, July 2nd)

[ViNesvarbu]

This is a question to people who sailed from Montreal to Boston - what is the chance of seeing whales from the cruise ship? It appears it is now "whale season" in this area. Has anyone seen whales from the cruise ship on this itinerary? I will be on cruise July 2-9th.

 

TIA!

Edited June 2, 2016 by ViNesvarbu

[KenNMB]

Best of luck!

 

 

KenNMB

Volendam: NYC to Bermuda (1978)

Nieuw Amsterdam Seattle to Alaska (2007)

Noordam: Port Everglades TA to Rome (2014)

Zuiderdam: to Panama (partial) (2015)

Veendam: Port Everglades to Montreal (Spring 2016)

Zuiderdam: Quebec City to Port Everglades (Fall 2016)

[meglet]

I've seen whales and dolphins later in July. We were approaching Boston from the south, but I don't know if maybe the ship shoots past Boston and sails around off the coast of the cape for a while. It was the late afternoon/early evening before we arrived back in Boston from Bermuda.

[holacanada]

Hi !

As a former certified guide on the St-Lawrence River (Catamaran Famille Dufour II / 250 PAX - Whale watching and Animation from Quebec city to Tadoussac-Saguenay fjord and back / Summer 2000… / Twelve hours a day (A ten hours tour) but a Terrific Experience !

 

More chances to see the whales near the Saguenay Fjord from mid of July to the end of August.

Actually, till mid july, they are coming from Dominican Republic, like Samana and probably swim back here right in front of Virginia or higher…

In summertime, we can observe about 3/4 Humpback wales, 1 Blue whales. 2 Fin whales, Long-finned pilot whale and a lots of (+ 30) white dolphins (do not remember exactly their names :) who are established in front of Tadoussac near «Le phare du Haut-Fond-Prince», enjoy and breach out !

 

Holacanada from Quebec City

Edited June 3, 2016 by holacanada

[lupaglupa]

We sailed this trip the same week last year in reverse (Boston to Montreal) and did see whales. But it was just a quick glimpse of spouting in the distance. We never actually saw the whales themselves :)

 

The dining room stewards were surprised and told us they rarely see whales on that route.

[Mosaic]

We were up there that time of year (Quebec City) and saw many of them...

[Homosassa]

We sailed from Bayonne, NJ to ports in Nova Scotia and Brunswick in the end of May. There were pods of whales south of Nova Scotia Brunswick throughout the cruise.

 

We were told the pods were common in those areas and the ship's captain made an effort to locate them for the passengers.

[sail7seas]

I have done that cruise great many times and only time we saw a whale was at mouth of Saguuenay. There have ben a great many whaale sighted this spring at the Cape but youw iill be sailing north from Boston to MOntreaal Cape Cod is south OF Boston.

Edited June 3, 2016 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

T

We sailed from Bayonne, NJ to ports in Nova Scotia and Brunswick in the end of May. There were pods of whales south of Nova Scotia Brunswick throughout the cruise.

 

We were told the pods were common in those areas and the ship's captain made an effort to locate them for the passengers.

 

There are very strict rules how close a ship can get to whales . If in area of right whales. Ships must go very slowly.

There is strict enforcement. We did Boston to MONTeal and the return, bto b-]on Maasdaevery summer for years and saw but one whale inall those sailings

DO no espexct to be 'whale watching. ;0

Edited June 3, 2016 by sail7seas

[Homosassa]

T

 

There are very strict rules how close a ship can get to whales . If in area of right whales. Ships must go very slowly.

There is strict enforcement. We did Boston to MONTeal and the return, bto b-]on Maasdaevery summer for years and saw but one whale inall those sailings

DO no espexct to be 'whale watching. ;0

 

Yes, the captain would come over the PA and announced there was a pod and its location. The ship speed was greatly reduced on those occasions and the whales would be off in the distance.

[mskaufman]

We did this (reverse direction) around the same time of year. Saw plenty of whales, but do not expect to get up close and personal from the cruise ship. At one point there were a couple of orcas swimming with the ship. They looked like babies as we were 10 - 12 stories away from them.

[Yellow Lab's Rule]

You will have plenty of opportunity to view whales, but you have to actively seek them out. You need to bring a good pair of binoculars and go out on the deck from actively look for them when you are in the areas of prime viewing. You need to spend time looking for them. You will be passing through three of the most active feeding grounds (Stellwagen Bank and Jeffrey's Ledge off the coast of Massachussets and St. Lawrence in Canada) for whales in the world. They come to these areas in the Summer to feed and then go to the Hawaii, the Dominican Republic and other tropical areas to have their calves in the winter. The area near Tadoussac will have the greatest concentration of different types of whales, humpback, beluga, minkie, and fin, etc. plus opportuntities to see seals. I recommend keeping an eye on the where the ship is and about 2 - 1.5 hours before are to pass Tadoussac get out and look for the wild life. If you've never seen whales before and aren't seeing any, look for whale tour boats, when you see them you will see whales. If your ship is stopping in Tadoussac take a whale watch boat. Do your research of what to expect before and also for reports of the latest observations at Whales on Line their website is http://www.baleinesendirect.org This website is just about whales of the St. Lawrence. Also if you are spending extra time in Boston, I highly recommend the whale watch tours run by the New England Aquarium. Every summer I take my two nephews and they run a great tour and we have always seen whales. There website is http://www.neaq.org

Good luck and if look long and hard enough your payoff will be lot's of whale sightings.

[ViNesvarbu]

Thank you very much for your answers!!!! I now better understand my chances of seeing whales :).

[sail7seas]

f you are doing a pre-cruise stay inBoston, book a whale wat ch trip for yourself. .

[ellieanne]

I done this itinerary at different times during the year and sometimes there are whales and other times there are not. Sometimes I see them when they are "supposed" to be in the area, and sometimes I see them when they are not "supposed" to be there.

 

It's never guaranteed and if you don't catch them breaching it's hard to see them at all. My experience is the whales in the North Atlantic do not breach in the dramatic fashion shown on tv or seen in the warmer areas of the Pacific, like Hawaii. Most of the time they come up to breathe and then go back down without ever really breaking the surface with more than the blowhole. I find you really have to know what to look for to see them.

 

But I have seen whales, in fact one cruise in late May there was a pod following the ship along the St. Lawrence during the early dinner seating. It was lovely to look out the window and see whales.

 

My advice would be to go not expecting to see whales, and then you'll be thrilled if you do.

[MCC retired]

Have done Canada/New England cruises 6 times mostly late summer.

Saw whales every time . Mostly just water spouts and a tales . Never saw a breech . They always seemed to be on the move .