Sydney Whale Watching Cruise
About this activity
Highlights
- Cruise past Sydney Opera House
- Spot humpback and southern right whales
- Enjoy panoramic harbor views
- Learn from expert naturalist guides
- Relax with complimentary refreshments
Full description
Included / Excluded
- 2-hour guided whale-watching cruise
- Expert naturalist commentary
- Complimentary light refreshments
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting point
Start Location
Circular Quay Wharf 6, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Important information
Know before you book
- Cruise operates seasonally from May to November.
- Children under 4 years old can join for free if seated on a parent's lap.
- Wheelchair accessibility is limited; please contact the operator for specific arrangements.
Know before you go
- Dress in layers to accommodate changing weather conditions.
- Bring a camera to capture the breathtaking scenery and wildlife.
- Arrive at Circular Quay at least 15 minutes before departure.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Stroller Accessible
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- Please dress appropriately and wear warm clothing. It will often feel cooler at sea
- If you are susceptible to travel sickness, please bring the relevant medication
- Whale Guarantee: If a whale is not sighted during your cruise, you'll be given the opportunity to cruise again for free within the same season
- Reconfirmation Hotline - Call +61-2-8062 3623 from 7.15am on the day of your cruise to confirm the cruise is going ahead. Cruises may be cancelled subject to weather conditions.
- Whale Watching Child Policy: Infants 0-3 years are not recommended. Child fare available for Children 4-15 years. Minimum of one supervising adult for every four children is required.
- IMPORTANT: 20 Jul - 28 Aug 2026 the cruise departs Commissioner's Steps (not wheelchair accessible), due to NSW Maritime wharf upgrades.
Traveler reviews
Incredible experience with many whale sightings!
Amazing experience! We saw so many whales and a double breach on a couple of occasions. I don’t think our experience was the usual per se, but it was so incredible! Be sure to bring motion sickness pills if you are the kind of person who gets seasick. I was very glad to have taken mine prior to the trip as it was a little bumpy, but so worth it. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and enthusiastic. Great experience.
Beautiful whale watching cruise
Highly recommend this cruise. Great weather and we were lucky to have seen a couple of whales during the tour. Great commentary from tour guide Bianca. Overall a great day out for the family
Superb
We had a fantastic time. Thankfully it was a sunny day, we got to see multiple whale breaches and two pods of Dolphins swam right up to us. Saw several whale tales too. And our guide was positively hilarious. Strongly recommend this activity.
Choose a better boat
The boat was one of the harbour hop on/off ferries - it had no shelter on the top deck, the lower level had limited covered outside space and the interior is a fully seated area, no access to stand near windows. The interior is not well ventilated and by the end smelt of vomit. Fortunately it was not too rough a day but it was chilly, with significant wind and rainy and very cold to remain on the top deck. The captain and commentator did a good job but it simply was a bad vessel for this purpose and NOT a purpose specific vessel as advertised. CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE CRUISE PROVIDER.
Choose a different company!
The pictured boat on the adds was not the boat provided! This was a bad experience because the boat was one of the little harbour hop on/off ferry catamarans NOT a purpose designed boat. It was thankfully quite a calm day but it did rain and some wind - there was NO shelter on the top deck and limited covered outdoor space on the lower area - inside all seats were used & it became SMELLY as the trip went on. From the inside lower area the windows do not provide a good whale viewing option as some height is preferable and there are seats adjacent. This type of ferry is NOT suitable for ocean whale watching. The 2 stars are for the Captain and Commentory staff who worked hard to try to improve the experience.