Every whale tour from Tromsø heads for the same place: the fjords around Skjervøy, where the herring winter and the orcas and humpback whales follow them. No operator can promise a sighting. What differs is how you get there, how long you stay with the whales and how warm you are while you wait. Those facts are on every listing, and they are what our verdict rests on.
All by boat or bus and RIB
The catamarans and the heated ship leave the Tromsø waterfront in the morning and sail the whole way, a day of 7 to 9 hours. The RIB safaris start with a bus at 05:00 or 05:20, drive about four hours to Skjervøy and launch the small open boat right at the herring grounds; you are back in Tromsø in the late afternoon. Our catamaran and RIB comparison sets the formats side by side.
Time with the whales
Brim Explorer spends about 1 to 1.5 hours at the whale grounds, the high-speed catamaran of Arctic Resorts about 2.5 hours, and the heated ship of Polar Adventures 2 to 2.5 hours. The RIBs from Skjervøy give you about three hours at sea, because the boat starts where the whales feed. If time near the animals matters most, read the RIB safari page before you book.
Warmth and seasickness
On the catamarans you wait out the transfer legs in heated lounges; on an open RIB you sit in a thermal suit in the Arctic wind. In rough seas up to a third of passengers can be seasick, mostly while the boat drifts at the whale grounds. The heated ship, Helgøy Skyssbåt and the MS Alba list people prone to seasickness as not suitable. How to prepare for seasickness.
Age and height limits
Most RIBs require a height of 140 cm, and Arctic Adventure Tours and Frozen Frontiers set a minimum age of 14. The heated ship takes children from age 4, the covered boat of Skua Nature Group from age 6. The booking pages of the large catamarans name no age limit. On the heated ship page you find the details of the family option.
Starting in Skjervøy
If you stay in Skjervøy or drive the roughly 160 km yourself, the harbour tours take 3 to 4 hours and need no bus. Heated boats and RIBs leave from the harbour. Whale watching from Skjervøy.
Season and weather
The season runs from about mid-October to the end of January; in February the whales have usually left. Most tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before departure, and Arctic Resorts adds a second-chance guarantee for days without sightings. Book early in your stay so that a cancelled trip leaves time for another try. The whale season month by month.
