Seasickness on the whale tours: the guide nobody writes
In rough winter seas, up to a third of a boat can be sick. That is worth knowing before you book — and it is manageable if you pick the right boat and prepare.
Let’s say it plainly, because the booking pages mostly don’t: whale watching in the Arctic winter happens on open, sometimes rough water, and seasickness is a real feature of bad days. One February guest on a large catamaran counted “about 1/3 of the boat throwing up or with vomit bags in their hand” — and still rated the trip five stars. The operator’s own listing warns about sea state. None of this should stop you; it should shape which boat you book and what you do before departure. Both are below, after the tours themselves.
The boats, from steadiest to bumpiest
Default sort is by review count — for this question, remember the rule of thumb: the bigger the hull, the steadier the ride.
| Photo | Tour | Boat | Getting there | Duration | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Whale & Orca All-Inclusive Cruise
Polar Adventures |
Large heated ship | All by boat from Tromsø | 8 h · departs 08:00 | €234 per person | Check availability → | |
|
Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat
Brim Explorer |
Hybrid-electric catamaran | All by boat from Tromsø | 7–9 h | €225 per person | Check availability → | |
|
Whale Watching by High-Speed Catamaran
Arctic Resorts |
High-speed catamaran | All by boat from Tromsø | 8 h · ~2.5 h with whales | €196 per person | Check availability → | |
|
Skjervøy RIB Whale Safari (full day)
Arctic Adventure Tours |
RIB (open 10-m boat) | Bus to Skjervøy, RIB from there | ~12 h · ≈3 h at sea | €299 per person | Check availability → | |
|
Magic Skjervøy RIB Whale Safari
Green Gold of Norway |
RIB (max. 12 guests) | Bus to Skjervøy, RIB from there | ~12 h · 2.5–3 h on boat | €318 per person | Check availability → |
All prices are live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees — the number here is the number at checkout.
Which part of the trip actually makes people sick
Counter-intuitively, it is usually not the fast sailing. The February guest quoted above describes it precisely: “The journey out and back in is rather smoother. However for the hour you are there whale watching it is rather bumpy.” A moving boat cuts through waves; a boat drifting or idling at the whale grounds rolls with them — and that is exactly the part of the day you came for. So the seasickness question is not “can I survive the transfer” but “how will I feel during an hour or more of drifting on open water”.
The boat-size logic
Steadier: ship & catamarans
- The large heated ship is the biggest hull in the comparison — the most stable platform, plus a warm indoor lounge if you need to sit down.
- The catamarans ride on two hulls and take waves more calmly than any small boat; both have heated lounges and open decks with a horizon view.
- On rough days you will still feel the drift time at the grounds — bigger reduces, it does not remove.
Bumpier: the RIBs
- A RIB is a small open boat that transmits every wave — one January guest called it “a thrilling version of a log flume ride”, another wrote “be prepared for the seasickness, which gets really bad when floating on the sea”.
- The upside of the same physics: fresh air and a permanent horizon view, which some prone people actually tolerate better than an indoor lounge.
- Not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems (Arctic Adventure Tours) — the ride is physical.
What actually helps
- Take seasickness medication before departure, not after the first wave. Once nausea starts, tablets struggle to catch up. Ask your pharmacist which remedy suits you — especially about drowsy vs. non-drowsy options for a full-day trip.
- Stay where you can see the horizon. On deck, midship, eyes on the horizon is the classic advice for a reason. Reading a phone screen in an indoor lounge is the opposite.
- Eat light, but eat. An empty stomach is not the hack it sounds like. Plain food before and during the trip beats both fasting and a heavy breakfast.
- Dress warm enough to stay outside. If the cold drives you into the lounge, you lose the horizon. Layers are seasickness strategy, not just comfort.
- Pick your boat honestly. If you know you are prone, book the ship or a catamaran and leave the RIB to the strong-stomached — the whales are the same.
If you are very prone: the sober recommendation
Book the large heated ship or one of the catamarans, medicate before departure, spend the drift time on deck watching the horizon — and check the forecast the day before. Most tours here offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, so a forecast full of gale warnings does not have to become a bad memory. And remember the February guest: a third of the boat was sick, and she still called it worth it. Whales have that effect.
Guests on the rough days
The reviews this page is built on — unpolished, as written.
“We enjoyed this activity … HOWEVER … about 1/3 of the boat was throwing up or had vomit bags in their hand by the end. The journey out and back in is rather smoother. However for the hour you are there whale watching it is rather bumpy. … The tour out was about 4 hours as well as the way back in and you are whale watching for an hour. For us it was worth it … but I don't think we'd do it again. … there is food for purchase on board but I recommend bringing snacks as well”
A rough-sea day. The transfer legs on the large catamaran ride comparatively smoothly — the drifting time at the whale grounds is where swell is felt most, on every boat type.
“Kind of things really depend on luck, but the view on the sea was really great. Be prepared for the seasickness, which gets really bad when floating on the sea. Anyway it's still a great adventure of life.”
“Glad I didn't get seasick 😅 We didn't see any whales but a sperm whale and the Northern Lights on the way back. The presentations … were very interesting and the food was excellent!”
Real reviews from verified GetYourGuide bookings (retrieved September 2026). Quotes are shortened where marked by “…”, never rewritten; names are reduced to first name and country.
FAQ
How likely am I to get seasick on a Tromsø whale tour?
It depends almost entirely on the day. On calm water, most people are fine on every boat type. In rough seas, up to a third of passengers can be sick even on a large catamaran — a documented February report, consistent with the operator's own sea-state warning. If you are prone to motion sickness, assume the rough-day scenario and prepare for it.
Which whale tour is best if I get seasick easily?
The largest, steadiest platform: the heated ship, or one of the catamarans. Avoid the RIBs — a small open boat transmits every wave, and reviewers say so bluntly. Whatever you book, take seasickness medication before departure.
When during the trip is seasickness worst?
During the drifting time at the whale grounds. The transfer legs ride comparatively smoothly because a moving boat cuts through waves; a drifting boat rolls with them. Plan your deck time and your horizon-watching for exactly that phase.
What medication should I take?
That is a question for your pharmacist or doctor, not a travel site — remedies differ in strength, drowsiness and who can take them. The travel-practical part we can say: whatever you choose, take it before departure as directed, because starting after the nausea arrives rarely works.
Can the tour be cancelled if the sea is too rough?
Operators do adjust for weather — Brim Explorer, for example, converts the trip into a fjord cruise when conditions rule out the whale grounds. From your side, most tours here have free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, so you can pull out if the forecast looks grim.
Prepared is booked
Pick the boat that matches your stomach — the whales are the same from every deck.
See the comparison ↑