atlantic whale watch

My husband and I took our 6 and 7 year old on this trip and the naturalist was so informative and helpful, we were all equally engaged for the entire trip. As the boat heads out to the feeding sites, volunteers came around with baleen to touch and discussed the different types of whales we might see. Other volunteers came around with maps of the Gulf of Maine, explaining how the underwater topography affects the whales' food supply and why the whales choose this area. In the cabin were more hands-on samples and books about Maine marine life. The naturalist was informative and friendly. We saw a lot of fin and minke whales. Many were close to the boat but I like that we didn't seem to be chasing them. That said, the captain almost always turned the boat to see the whales head on, so, even if you happen to be on the side of the boat where the whales surface, the boat will quickly turn so the whales are at "12 o'clock". This wasn't a problem because there was plenty of room on the boat and no crowding. The boat was very clean, no fish or diesel smells, and snacks are available on board, Glad we brought warm coats and rain gear because the boat moves fast. You can stay dry in the cabin but we like to be on deck. As the boat was returning to the harbor, the biologists let the guests participate in plankton sampling and put the finds in magnifying bottle for all to see before returning it back to the ocean. My kids enjoyed helping with the sampling and I loved seeing the contrast of the 50 foot whale with the microscopic plankton. It was a really nice finishing touch.

They said we would see whales and we did. Fairly close to shore we watched Fin Whales and then headed further out and saw more and a Minky Whale. The staff on board were so quick to spot whale activity and i just wasn't quick enough to capture it on film. The naturalist on board was knowledgeable but not "preachy" , she gave us just the right amount of information and volunteers on the decks gave us more if we asked for it. Unfortunately we didn't see humpback whales but I was happy with what we saw. We were out at sea about 4 hours so good value for money

My husband and I took the whale watch cruise and were simply delighted. The naturalist on board shared lots of information about whales in a conversational way and pointed out whale activity with enthusiasm and clarity. We saw 4 different whales on our trip and were amazed at how close we were to shore. Other vessels from other ports seemed to converge where we were, which indicated to me that Rye Harbor is the best departure point. The boat was clean and well equipped, and the crew was courteous.I would heartily recommend this trip for whale lovers of all ages (although the 4 Plus hour long trip was a bit long for some of the younger passengers - but there was plenty of room for napping)!

The entire whale watching experience was first-rate. Clean boat, great crew and knowledgeable people who provided great information on the whales we saw and their behaviors. They "guarantee" whales -- and whales are what you will see! Also a great value for the experience.

Likes: Naturalist was so excited about whale behaviors and was very knowledgable! Crew was awesome and friendly!Dislikes: Only the few at the front of the boat were able to see anything. You kept hearing "At our 12:00 is our whales". Well, the captain kept the boat aimed at 12:00 so the very few that were at the front of the boat the ENTIRE trip were able to see everything. The rest of us were crawling all over each other trying to get a glimpse. However, the other tour boats were so full of people I'm glad we were on this boat, but was really quite disappointed with the fact that they didn't aim away or to the side so the PASSENGERS could actually see the whales instead of just the naturalist and captain.

Exceptionally well more than what I expected! The staff was very professional, the narrator of the trip was awesome. She shares so many relevant stories and facts about whales those made the whale watching learning experience with extra fun. The boat was very steady and clean, no fuel smell. Our experienced caption was patient enough who took extra effort to make sure we see our whales ( 3 pairs) that day real well. It was great opportunity to see these amazing animals so close and getting scientific commentary of their behavior. While most of the other boats was coming and leaving the sight quickly in touch-n-go, our boat stayed patiently for a while ( remember when whales get inside the water surface for food they take about 5-7 minutes to come back) we show same pair of whales tail, fluke, pair stroll changing sides several times. We got excellent picture. Our amazing trip was 4+ hours. Thanks Atlantic Queen. I highly recommend book your trip from them, way much better than Boston.

We went on this trip on 21 September and had a wonderful experience.The boat was a decent size and although moved about quite a bit in the Atlantic I know on a smaller vessel it would have been a lot worse! And there were no fuel smells which made sitting outside fine. We saw a larger vessel whilst we were out which was packed with people, for us having fewer people around was a big plus. Staff were helpful, engaging and informative. They have a specialist on board to tell you what you are looking at! This was particularly interesting as they have historical information about many whales and gave an insight into their life and behaviour. Food and drinks were available on board.We saw three types of whales, birds and seals so were very lucky to have fair weather and lots to look at and photograph.I did take sea sickness tablets and kept very focussed on the horizon! Some poor people were unwell but that is an individual thing and if you are likely to suffer take the drugs before you set off.I would strongly recommend this operator/trip.

Great value at $37 per ticket (bar harbor tickets were nearly double the cost). we decided to try this whale watch during our drive from Bar Harbor to Boston. Glad we did!! It took 1.5 hours to get to feeding area where we immediately sae 2 humback whale's. Pros:Smaller boat = less crowded amd more flexibility to move around boat to get great views.Cost of ticket= best valueCheap snacks and beerWE SAW WHALES!!!!!Knowledgable staffcons: nonebring a jacket even if its hot outsidehighly recommend!!!!

Not only was the whale watch successful, we saw four whales, but the best surprise was the naturalist. We have become used to preachy carrying on full of radical environmental sound bites at anything to do with marine mammals. There was none of this on the Atlantic Queen. The naturalist, Amy, gave great biological information and was very accurate. Captain handled the boat perfectly, crew was competent, and the trip enjoyable--a great value

An educational, fun, relaxing and exciting trip! We saw several whales at several locations. All whale species and behaviors were fully explained by the knowledgeable naturalist on board. We went on a blistering hot day and on the water it was pleasantly cool and breezy. The boat is clean, with bathrooms, food/drink service and a covered area with seating in addition to seating outside. People of all ages were on board enjoying the whale sightings. Don't miss this adventure!

This was a wonderful 5 hr escape from the heat. And the naturalist on board was very knowledgable and interesting. We had the opportunity to see two different types of whales on this outing - The value for the cost was absolutely reasonable . I would go again.

Our decision to do this whale watch was a spurn of the moment one, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The weather was gorgeous, the boat very clean, the crew friendly and knowledgeable, and the whales showed up right on time for close up viewing! We saw three minke whales (at different points during our search, one immediately after arriving out at Jeffrey's Ledge) and watched them for many minutes as they moved around us lunge feeding at the surface. There were two naturalists on board (one full-time, the second an intern) who spent a lot of time explaining all about the whales we might see and showing us maps of the area. The big treat of the day was the appearance of a fin whale! This got the naturalists very excited because it had been 2-3 weeks since they had seen one in that area, so that told us we were seeing something pretty special. These creatures are huge and send big spouts of water into the air when they surface to breathe!. No humpbacks this time, but two out of three possible type of whales is more than delivering on a promise to see whales! Your mileage may vary, but I highly recommend this journey!!

We had a perfect outing. We saw five whales! The sea was very calm and the day was warm. (Hot on the beach and perfect at sea.) The crew was extremely courteous and professional. We were early in the season so the boat only had 35-40 people on it. We were able to move around and see from all sides of the boat. Of the five whales we saw two were humpbacks--Pinball(F) and Satula(M). We were able to follow for them for a long time and have great photos. They came very close to the boat. The three Minke whales we saw stayed further away. We loved that there were naturalists on the ship which answered all of our questions...even the weird ones. The gathered some water samples and showed us comb jellies and phytoplankton(?) maybe it was zooplankton, baleen, told us the history of the whales we saw. If your family has the chance take the trip. We went to Boston and the New England Aquarium and saw the boats that leave out of Boston. What a crowd. Very thankful we went out of Rye.

We've gone out with the Atlantic Queen II for the last two years. Having grown up on the coast of Maine, viewing humpbacks from the privacy and quiet of our own boats, I was not sure about going on a larger vessel. With this company, you don't realize that you are. They are incredibly respectful of the whales and other marine life. They bring you close enough for great viewing while maintaining an appropriate and respectful distance and speed around the whales themselves. The naturalist both times was Jen, founder of Blue Ocean Society. She was knowledgeable, approachable, and truly seemed to enjoy her job and one knows she has been out on a gazillion trips so keeping up that enthusiasm is to be commended. Captain and crew were also great. We saw minkes and humpbacks both times (Pinball with calf in 2012 and Satchela in 2013). This year we were fortunate enough to have a fin with us for some time as well. Great viewings both times. Pinball was especially playful but knowing that Satchela has been sighted in the area since 1989 was pretty neat as well. Thanks to all for a fantastic couple of voyages - we'll certainly be back!

We went out on the Atlantic Queen II on July 11, 2012 and had an outstanding afternoon. It was a beautiful day, the crew was great, and we spotted 16 whales! I was very impressed with the cleanliness of this vessel (considering it is also used for fishing trips in the morning). We had a great trip out to Jefferys Ledge, the captian moved around as needed while communicating with other vessels to ensure the best possible experience for us. We are planning to take another whale watch trip later this season, and will return here. We had a wonderful afternoon and the price was very reasonable. (and there is even a discount coupon on their website for added savings) Great experience!