RIB or big boat: the best whale safari

What whale watching tours are available in Tromsø?

Four kinds: a big catamaran from Tromsø harbour, a smaller boat from Tromsø, a coach to Skjervøy followed by a RIB or a covered small boat, and an overnight expedition ship.

All ten whale trips on this site, with what each listing says. "Time with whales" is the time the listing gives for the whale area or at sea, not the length of the day.

What is the best whale watching tour in Tromsø?

The one that matches what matters most to you: time with the whales, comfort, or a smaller crowd. No single boat wins on all three.

• The most time with the whales: the Skjervøy RIB safari, the 12-seat RIB and the heated boat from Skjervøy, about 3 hours at sea.
• The easiest day: the hybrid-electric boat, with no coach, three outdoor decks, heated saloons and a café.
• Fewer people, no early coach: the all-inclusive safari (50 at most) and the fast small boat (36 at most).
• A second chance if you see no whales: the high-speed catamaran, the fast catamaran and the MS Alba cruise.
• Whales and the northern lights together: the MV Quest expedition, a night at sea with an aurora wake-up call.

How do the big catamarans from Tromsø compare?

They sail about 2.5 to 3.5 hours each way from central Tromsø, have heated lounges and toilets, and give between about 1 and 2.5 hours in the whale area.

The hybrid-electric boat by Brim Explorer takes up to 135 guests, switches to a silent electric engine near the whales and spends about 1 to 1.5 hours around the feeding grounds after about 3 to 3.5 hours of sailing. The listing says it is wheelchair accessible. The high-speed catamaran uses MS Rygerdronningen at 08:30 or the smaller, faster MS Rygertroll at 09:00, stops about 2.5 hours in the Skjervøy area, hands out seasickness tablets and offers a free second trip this season if you see no whales.

The fast catamaran caps sales at 90 guests on a 147-seat boat and transfers you free to another date if no whales show up. The MS Alba cruise spends about 2 hours near Skjervøy, needs at least 20 passengers to sail and comes with a Whale Pass for free rebooking within two years. Meals are not included on MS Alba, so bring a packed lunch.

Is a smaller boat from Tromsø worth it?

If you want fewer people around you without the 05:00 coach, yes: the all-inclusive safari takes 50 guests at most and the fast small boat 36.

The all-inclusive safari by Polar Adventures sails about 2.5 hours to the Skjervøy area and spends about 2 hours 20 minutes there. Thermal suits, hot drinks, snacks and lunch are part of the package, though the listing also mentions lunch for purchase, so check with the operator. It is not for children under 4, wheelchair users or guests over 70, according to the listing.

The fast small boat by Njord Adventures takes up to 36 guests, reaches the whales in about 2.5 hours across the Lyngenfjord and serves a light soup lunch. The listing does not state the time with the whales.

A smaller boat from Tromsø, 50 guests at most, with thermal suits, food and hot drinks in the package.

★ 4.6 · 8 hours

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Is the coach and RIB from Skjervøy worth the early start?

For time with the whales, yes: about 3 hours at sea, against 1 to 2.5 hours on the big boats. The cost is a 05:00 coach and about 8 hours on the road.

The Skjervøy RIB safari by Arctic Adventure Tours boards at 04:45 outside Scandic Ishavshotel and leaves at 05:00 sharp. After about 4 hours on a warm coach with Wi-Fi and a toilet, you spend about 3 hours in an open 34-foot RIB, in a thermal suit with boots, mittens and goggles. You sit low and close to the water. It is not suitable for anyone under 14, under 140 cm, pregnant or with back problems.

The 12-seat RIB safari by Frozen Frontiers works the same way with 12 guests at most, and you can skip the coach if you are already staying in Skjervøy. The same age and health limits apply.

What about a covered small boat from Skjervøy?

The heated boat trip gives you the same coach day and 3 to 3.5 hours on the water, with a heated cabin to retreat to and no survival suit needed.

The heated boat from Skjervøy by Skua Nature Group starts with the red "Whale Route Skjervøy" bus from Prostneset in Tromsø, about 4 hours each way. The boat takes 12 guests at most and has an indoor heated cabin and an outdoor observation terrace. It suits travellers who want the small-boat experience without the cold of an open RIB. Children under 6 and pregnant guests cannot join, according to the listing.

How much does it cost to watch orcas in Tromsø?

We do not print prices, because they change with the date. In relative terms, a seat on a big catamaran from Tromsø is the cheaper option, coach and small boat from Skjervøy costs more, and the overnight ship costs the most.

What the money buys differs more than the price. The coach and small-boat days include the transport, a skipper for 12 guests or a few more, and about 3 hours at sea. The big boats spread the cost over far more guests and give less time in the whale area. The all-inclusive safari and MV Quest include meals; on the hybrid-electric boat and the catamarans, food is sold on board.

The live price for your date shows on each booking page, and every trip here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before. For what to pack and eat, see what to wear on a whale safari.

The top of the range: a night at sea on MV Quest, private cabin, three meals and about four hours of whale watching.

★ 4.9 · About 24 hours

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How crowded is it around the whales?

Often busy. An industry survey in 2025/26 counted typically 9 to 14 boats around one whale group, and 23 at the peak, against a voluntary guideline of 3.

According to Visit Tromsø, 8 in 10 boats came within 100 m of the whales and 6 in 10 within 50 m, and several ran faster than 20 knots. The voluntary guidelines ask for at most three boats at a time, under 5 knots within 300 m, idle within 50 m and no more than 30 minutes per boat. Norway's binding 2019 regulation sets no speed limit or distance to whales.

A boat cannot choose an empty fjord, but it can choose how it behaves. A small boat takes up less space, and the hybrid-electric boat goes quiet near the whales. More on the rules in the 2026 rules post.

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