Skip to content

Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises
Cape Cod's Finest Whale Watching

Plan now for your chance to meet the newest members of our summer whale population. Book your whale watch today!

With the start of the 2025 season drawing closer, we are excited to cruise offshore and see what, and who, we find! While the list of possible species to watch — humpbacks, finback, minke, and Atlantic white sided dolphin — is exciting on its own, we also look to identify individual animals. Observing a whale from their dependent calf year into adulthood has allowed researchers the opportunity to study whale life cycles. We are proud to contribute to these databases and welcome your thoughts when you join us onboard!

Plan ahead! Purchase tickets now for your whale watch adventure.

 

 

Some whales may live nearly twice as long as believed—if we let them

From our friends at science.org:

Among mammals, whales are the longevity champs. Members of several species have lived past age 100, and one bowhead whale reached its 211th birthday. But estimates of whale longevity often require scarce tissue samples and can rely on techniques that are difficult to interpret.

A study published today in Science Advances may have found a better way. By combining decades long photo records with the same statistical approach companies use to set life insurance rates, scientists have deduced that at least one species of whale survives almost twice as long as researchers expected. Other whales may beat longevity predictions, too, the work suggests.

“What the authors have done here is quite impressive,” says marine mammal biologist C. Scott Baker of Oregon State University, who wasn’t connected to the study. “They make a good case for the plausibility of their results.”

For the full story, visit science.org here:

2025 Tickets are Now Available!

Order tickets online any time, without leaving home or picking up the phone. Save time, see what’s available and remember, e-tickets never get lost.  Simply keep them on your smartphone!

2024 Tripadvisors Travellers Choice Award

Whale Watch Gift Certificates

Looking for a unique gift for friends near or far? How about a gift certificate for a Whale Watching adventure out of picturesque Barnstable Harbor. The promise of adventure — the wonder of whales and dolphins – wild and free — the exhilaration of sunshine and salt air.

Our gift certificates are easy to order and a cinch to wrap! Gift Certificates are available by flat rate dollar amounts ($100, $125, $150, $175, $200 or $225) or by guests in the party $75 (adults), $65 (seniors – 62+) and $55 (kids – 4 to 12). Order online now and we can even email your gift for you!

WhaleSENSE

WhaleSENSE is a collaborative, voluntary program recognizing commercial whale watching companies committed to a higher standard of whale watching. Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises is committed to the principles of WhaleSENSE on all of our cruises. Our vessel operates in compliance with NOAA’s Northeast Whale Watching Guidelines and are active WhaleSENSE participants. Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises is a proud supporter of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, the world’s most active charity dedicated to the conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Voted Best of Cape Cod by Cape Cod Life for 2023

Best of the Cape & Islands

Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises has been selected Best of the Cape & Islands – Land and Sea Excursions – Mid-Cape by Cape Cod Life magazine each year since 2014.

This is a readers’ choice award voted on annually by the magazine’s readers and subscribers. Cape Cod Life is the region’s premier lifestyle magazine showcasing the stunning natural beauty and historic charm of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket since 1979. Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises is proud to receive this award for another season!

Don't Miss Out!

The latest news and events from the Hyannis Whale Watcher team.

Facebook
Today is Right Whale Day in Massachusetts, and while we share awe and love for these animals always, we celebrate them a little bit extra today! A few fun facts: 🌟North Atlantic right whales can grow to lengths of up to 50-60 feet and can weigh up to 140,000 pounds. 🌟Known for swimming close to the shoreline, right whales travel to find copepods in the upper latitudes from spring through the fall, and calve off of the southeastern coast of the United States. Broad scale shifts in habitat began around the year 2010, making it more difficult for researchers to track the animals and management agencies to develop plans to help them.🌟Recent research has indicated that these whales can live to at least 130 years! Unfortunately, their life spans are often cut significantly shorter by human-induced threats such as vessel (boat) strikes on them and entanglement in fishing gear. 🌟Filter feeding with their baleen looks different than other species such as humpbacks- right whales "skim feed"- keeping their mouths open to allow plankton to be filtered by the movement of the water as they swim.🌟Breaching? Flipper slapping? Lob tailing? Right whales perform many of the same acrobatic maneuvers as the more widely observed humpback whales! Right whales are under heavy pressure from vessel traffic, fishing gear, and climate change, but there are many individuals and groups working tirelessly to save this species. We encourage everyone to join us in advocating for the health of each and every animal, and for the species! #RightWhale #RightWhaleDay #StellwagenBank #Conservation #NorthAtlanticRightWhaleDay #whales #saveourseas ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
This Earth Day we reflect on the gift that is our beautiful planet, from vast open oceans to tucked away marshes; the expanse of the wilderness and carefully plotted city gardens, we celebrate every corner of the natural world. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the everyday hustle and forget the impacts large and small that each and every one of us can act on. Setting laundry out on the banister to dry, reaching for cloth rags over another paper towel, and planning errands to minimize fuel use are all drops in the bucket that frame our mindset and carve the path for sustainable habits. We celebrate our planet and recognize the work to be done. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed, there’s time to learn and grow. That’s what spring is for 🌱 #EarthDay #Earth #Lesson #MotherNature #ABetterTomorrow ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
🚨 We *highly* recommend that you take some time to visit the beaches near the Cape Cod Canal for a chance to see North Atlantic right whales! These photos were taken yesterday, 4/17, but we’ve heard reports that the whales are still visible today. What a special experience to stand on the beach and jetty watching these animals swim and feed. There are even mom and calf pairs reported nearby! The photos have more detailed captions, but there are a few things to note: one of the whales has clear propeller scars, illustrating the perils these animals face on a regular basis. The last two photos are of the R/V Ibis, the crew searching for a known entangled right whales. Both vessels in the photos are working under permits allowing their proximity to the whales; vessels and drones are required to maintain a distance of at least 500 yards. #rightwhales #northatlanticrightwhale #capecod #massachusetts #visitma #wildlife #wildlifephotography #ocean ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Don't let the sun set on the trip of a lifetime!

Back To Top