Have You Ever Seen Whales During Your Cruise?

[NewAddict]

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?

[ANGELSwithANGLES]

Yes, in Maui coming and going, and off the coast of Maine. My DD laugh to this day, cause I was doing Dori noises to get some dolphins to come up, and up comes a whale. And then down goes a whale.

[sparks1093]

Last two cruises we've had balconies and have seen dolphins. When we were in Freeport we did one of the dolphin encounters and on the boat ride to the encounter we saw a dolphin in the wild that played with our boat for a few minutes.

[CruisinCrow]

We've seen dolphins a few times when leaving port. Once we saw pod of dolphins jumping and playing in front of the bow of another ship.

 

Last year on our Southern Caribbean cruise, we were on a snorkeling tour in Barbados and we saw a humpback whale. That was amazing! The guides told us they'd seen it the day before so we were all keeping an eye out.

 

I've never seen dolphins out in the open ocean. But I do like to go up to the bow and watch for flying fish.

[SadieN]

Cutest siting-We were anchored in Cabo. An NCL ship was rounding the cape with a whale playing with its bow.

Have seen whales, dolphins, seals and sea lions on our various Alaska, fall/winter/early spring Mexican Riviera and Hawaii cruises.

 

Tendering into Avalon one freezing February we were escorted into port by dolphins and sea lions.

 

In Cabo it's not unusual to see sea lions hitching a ride on a panga.

 

 

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[mrsfuzzmo]

Have not seen any in the Caribbean, either whales or dolphin, but have seen many dolphin when sailing out of Miami, FLL, Port Canaveral and Galveston. The only time we've seen them from a ship is upon departure!!

 

Hoping to see them when we sail out of Tampa in a week and and a half! I remember when I lived near Tampa we used to see them in the Bay all the time, so I'm hoping we will see plenty while sailing out!

 

I'm sure people have seen whales on their Alaska and Hawaii cruises. In the Caribbean, much less likely. If you are sailing around Samana (near the new Amber Cove) in the DR in winter, you are likely to see some. They are often in the bay there in winter months.

[meatloafsfan]

We were in St Thomas, having lunch in the Lido buffet sitting at a table by the window when I noticed a localized disturbance in the water. After watching for a moment, a dolphin popped up. There was another one nearby but he rarely seemed to do more than break the surface of the water. The first one kept coming up out of the water.

 

We also saw some off the side of the ship in Limon.

[ryanpatricksmom]

Definitely a couple of times in Alaska. I remember our Captain shouting, "There she blows!" over the loudspeaker on one occasion.

 

I'm sure there have been dolphins a time or two in Florida/the Caribbean, but I wasn't looking for them. I know that every time I step into the Gulf a couple always seem to show up.

[crusinpsychRN]

In Alaska and in the Gulf. Once a pod of dolphins played around the ship while anchored in Grand Cayman.

[ryanpatricksmom]

A bit off topic, but even after multiple trips to Alaska, the most whales that I ever saw congregated together was off of Provincetown in Cape Cod. We had so many whales breaching around our boat that we were unable to move for about 45 minutes...and we saw a baby.

[doneinne]

Dolphins in Galveston and whales in Alaska

[KirkNC]

We saw lots of whales on our Antarctica cruise.

[Mytime2014]

Alaska cruise 2 years ago - we had an aft balcony and there were 2 humpbacks playing in the wake and then a few more off in the distance.

 

then the excursion.....10 of them bubble net feeding several times - so close that the boats were rocking!

[pinkbugs471]

I was on the Sunshine Journey cruise Feb 21.. On our last 2 sea days we saw whales several times. Quite exciting. They were a distance from the ship, but could easily see them breaching. 22 cruises and this was a first for me

[mibarron]

The only time we saw Dolphins (no whales) was on a Disney cruise heading Castaway Cay. We always get a balcony on whatever ship we're on and I spend a good amount of time there reading....and I've only seen them once. Bummer. [emoji20]. Maybe this next cruise will be different...or I just jinxed it.

 

 

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[USNUZULOOSE]

DH and I sit in the lido area and watch. The last coastal cruise we saw a lot. We take binoculars and watch for the blow the holes. I love to them.

[KidShalene]

Once when I was on a HAL cruise from Boston to Montreal, we saw two Beluga Whales as we made the turn into the St. Lawrence river. It was amazing!

[DKane]

We have seen humpback whales and dolphins. Apparently there is a whale breeding ground off the coast of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

 

Seeing the whales was a fabulous sight. I'm sorry I wasn't camera ready at the tim e.

[Keith1010]

Saw many whales in Alaska, Antarctica and Hawaii.

 

Keith

[mzloolue]

Yes, in Maui coming and going, and off the coast of Maine. My DD laugh to this day, cause I was doing Dori noises to get some dolphins to come up, and up comes a whale. And then down goes a whale.

 

What are Dori noises?

 

I have seen dolphins many times.

Once on a cruise the captain announced a whale.

It was in the Gulf of Mexico.

I did not see it, but my daughter did.

I will have to ask her what kind it was, but I am thnking it was one of the big ones.

 

If you are leaving Cozumel watch from the back of the boat.

On Fantasy class back where there are tables right next to the railing outside.

They follow along right under the water and when they get to a certain spot they start turning and heading back toward Cozumel.

Watch right under the water.

I have seen them there many times.

 

In Galveston there are many.

[kelib]

The Silver Banks is located between Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic, think it may be a protected area so cruise ships may not go there that much. Also some between PR and Hispaniola. These would be humpbacks in the winter months.

 

There are also a group who hang out north of Tortola and the BVI's in winter.

 

Sperm whales all year off the coast of Dominica, but they stay down a long time so it is quite hard to see them.

 

Of course Alaska in the Summer for Humpbacks, Orcas and Grey Whales, and Maui in Winter. Someday I will get to the Sea of Cortez to see the Blue Whales

[5sonz]

I was wondering the same thing about the whales. I would love to see one on our cruise in Nov.

 

 

 

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[crabbdock]

I was lucky enough to see dolphins on my first cruise. I was hanging out on deck 3, and we saw a lot playing alongside the ship. I believe we had left Jamaica about 30 minutes before....

[Micahs Grandad]

Dolphins quite often but never a whale despite often being on the lookout for them.

[Cuizer2]

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?

 

I've seen dolphins, sea turtles and flying fish since my first cruise. My first cruise was to Alaska and we saw lots of whales.

 

However, my favorite (and it will never be topped) was from the deck of a rented forty foot sailboat. I was steering in light wind. Nobody else around. So I'm also sightseeing when I notice a small area of the water is choppy. Localized wind? Then I realized that the choppy area was moving. What the heck??? I keep looking at it and finally figured out what it was.

 

I had to throw a temper tantrum to get my Dad to turn on the engine. Then I waited. Soon my Mom noticed it and asked what it was. I just said, you will see. Then my Mom noticed that the choppy water had changed direction and was now headed for us. I kept the boat on a straight course.

 

Soon we were surrounded by a large pod of dolphins that were playing in the bow wave of our boat. We were only doing about six knots, but the deck of the boat was only about three feet above the water line. For about ten minutes (or longer) this pod of dolphins swam along the side of the boat.

 

The following is not from my encounter, but it does show what it was like ...