Whales are around mid-June to mid-October, minkes first and humpbacks by mid-August. Adult fares run CAD 65 to 110, mostly plus tax, on boats from a 24 ft Zodiac to a New Zealand-built tall ship.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minke whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: not usually seen | December: not usually seen |
| Fin whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: not usually seen | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: not usually seen | December: not usually seen |
| Humpback whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: not usually seen | July: not usually seen | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: not usually seen | December: not usually seen |
Peak In season
From fundytiderunners.com, quoddylinkmarine.com. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mega Nova whale and seabird cruise |
C$65 per adult |
2.5 to 5 hours |
50 ft Cape Island style boat with seats, washroom and shelter | Captain may issue free passes at their discretion if no whales are sighted; no refunds | Cancellations under 24 hours before departure are billed; cruises depend on weather and a 15-passenger minimum. | Check dates | |||
Zodiac cruise (Cetacean Defender)Includes Full-length flotation suit |
C$80 per adult |
1.5 to 2.5 hours |
8+ (at least 58 inches / 142 cm tall) | 24 ft RHIB zodiac (Cetacean Defender), no toilet on board | Captain may issue free passes at their discretion if no whales are sighted; no refunds | Cancellations under 24 hours before departure are billed; cruises depend on weather and an 8-passenger minimum. | Check dates | ||
Tall Ship Whale WatchingIncludes Hot chocolate and a cookie, Rain jackets and blankets on board, Adult and child life jackets |
C$89 per adult |
Over 3.5 hours |
All ages; under 1 free | Classic tall ship built in New Zealand, motor and sails, heated cabin below deck, space for two wheelchairs | Not stated | Full refund if cancelled 24 hours ahead (1 to 8 people, longer for groups) or if the captain cancels for weather. | Check dates | ||
VIP NauticaIncludes Flotation suits, Dry bags for cameras and small items |
C$100 per adult |
2 to 2.5 hours |
Maximum 12 people per tour |
Ages 5 to 75 | 36 ft high-speed zodiac-style Nautica, up to 12 people, bathroom on board | Not stated | Full refund if cancelled 24 hours ahead (1 to 4 people, longer for groups) or if the captain cancels for weather. | Check dates | |
Whale Watch TourIncludes Mustang flotation suit |
C$105 per adult |
2 hours |
5+ | 24 ft rigid-hulled Zodiac Hurricane (Tide Runner) | None; operator says sightings cannot be guaranteed, reports a 95 to 100% sighting rate in season | Heavy rain, dense fog or high wind cancel trips; call to check whether a trip is cancelled or postponed. | Check dates | ||
Bay of Fundy Whale and Wildlife CruiseIncludes Educational interpretation by two guides, Onboard touch tank, Small treat on the return trip |
$89 per adult |
Cruises average 2.5 to 3 hours |
46 passengers and 3 crew |
Power catamaran M/V Quoddy Link, about 17 ft wide, 46 passengers | None; operator says no one can guarantee wildlife, reports a 95 to 100% success rate | Free cancellation 24 hours ahead for 1 to 9 passengers (longer for groups); no-shows charged 100%; full refund if weather cancels. | Check dates | ||
Private charter (Zodiac)Includes Full-length flotation suit |
C$800 per group |
8+ (zodiac) | 24 ft RHIB zodiac (Cetacean Defender) | Not stated | Cancellations under 24 hours before departure are billed; cruises depend on weather. | Check dates | |||
Private CharterIncludes Mustang flotation suit |
C$980 per group |
2 hours |
up to 4 people |
5+ | 24 ft rigid-hulled Zodiac Hurricane (Tide Runner) | None; operator says sightings cannot be guaranteed | Full charters need 48 hours' notice or the full amount is charged, no exceptions. | Check dates | |
Private charter (VIP Nautica)Includes Flotation suits |
C$1,000 per group |
up to 12 passengers |
Ages 5 to 75 | 36 ft high-speed zodiac-style Nautica | Not stated | Refund needs 24 hours' notice for 1 to 4 people, 48 for 5 to 8, one week for 9 to 12; weather cancellations refunded. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Three of the four companies work from King Street in St. Andrews, a town at the southern tip of a peninsula reaching into Passamaquoddy Bay. Quoddy Link Marine boards at the Right of Public Wharf, 20 King St., and wants passengers checked in 30 minutes before departure. Jolly Breeze sails from the main pier downtown, with its ticket office at 64 King Street on the corner of Queen. Fundy Tide Runners has its office at 16 King Street.
Quoddy Link says whales are often 10 to 20 miles from St. Andrews. Its captain prefers an offshore area 15 or more nautical miles out for finbacks and humpbacks, and falls back on a sheltered inshore zone when wind or fog rule out the run. Fundy Tide Runners' Zodiac works the channels around the West Isles. Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises sails from Westport, the island's only village, reached by a provincial ferry across Grand Passage from Freeport on Long Island.
Minke whales come first, around mid-June, according to Quoddy Link, followed by finbacks at about the start of July. Humpbacks usually arrive around mid-August, sometimes as early as July, and are the area's most frequent breachers from August to October. Fundy Tide Runners gives the minke as 12 to 30 ft, the finback as 35 to 75 ft and the humpback as 30 to 50 ft, and puts the whale season at mid-June to mid-October.
North Atlantic right whales use the Bay of Fundy to feed, nurse calves and court, sometimes in surface active groups, Quoddy Link says. Near St. Andrews they are rare: Fundy Tide Runners calls them the rarest whale in the world and says sightings mostly come in late September or October. Harbour seals, harbour porpoises and bald eagles are regular sightings, and the seabirds include Atlantic puffins, razorbills and black guillemots.
Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises names humpback, finback and right whales, along with dolphins, porpoises and seabirds, and says a share of its whale watch sales goes to research. Its research partners include the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown and Allied Whale. The company's 2026 season ran June 13 to September 30, on both its zodiac and the Mega Nova.
Rain alone does not stop Quoddy Link, but thunderstorms do, and fog depends on the season and the day. The captain makes the call about 30 minutes before departure, and the company invites guests to phone the day before for a weather outlook. Fundy Tide Runners cancels or postpones for pouring rain, dense fog or high wind. On its Zodiac every passenger wears a Mustang flotation suit, and it says regular tours may not suit expectant mothers or people in frail health.
Quoddy Link asks for layers including a coat, pants, a hat and mittens, because the open Bay of Fundy is cold, and it keeps blankets aboard. Bring sunscreen, since glare off the water adds to the sun. The lower-deck windows on its catamaran open so passengers can hear and smell the whales. Brier Island's zodiac is not for children under 8, expectant mothers or people with spinal problems.
Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises has the lowest fare: CAD 65 plus 14% HST for 2.5 to 5 hours on the Mega Nova. That 50 ft Cape Island style boat has seats, a washroom and shelter, and naturalists and researchers narrate. Its 24 ft zodiac, Cetacean Defender, costs CAD 80 for 1.5 to 2.5 hours. If no whales turn up, the captain may hand out free passes, but there are no refunds.
In St. Andrews, Quoddy Link Marine's catamaran is 17 ft wide with twin hulls and engines, and carries 46 passengers with two guides and a captain. Adults pay CAD 89 in late June and CAD 99 from July 1, plus tax. There is no snack bar, but guests may bring food and a small cooler. Jolly Breeze's New Zealand-built tall ship runs over 3.5 hours for CAD 89 to 108, with a heated cabin below deck and hot chocolate and a cookie included.
For a ride close to the water, two Zodiac-style boats leave St. Andrews. Fundy Tide Runners charges CAD 105 for 2 hours on a 24 ft Zodiac Hurricane, ages 5 and up, and CAD 980 for a private charter of up to four. Jolly Breeze's VIP Nautica, a 36 ft boat for up to 12 with a toilet aboard, costs CAD 100 to 110 for ages 5 to 75, with a 325 lb limit. Quoddy Link and Fundy Tide Runners make no sighting guarantee, though both report 95 to 100% success in season.
from C$65 per adult
Mega Nova whale and seabird cruise and 2 more options
Mega Nova cruises are fully narrated by naturalists and researchers; zodiac cruises are partly narrated by the captains
from $89 per adult
Bay of Fundy Whale and Wildlife Cruise
2026 was its 32nd season; trips began June 15 with up to three daily departures in midsummer
from C$89 per adult
Tall Ship Whale Watching and 2 more options
Its classic tall ship, built in New Zealand, has sailed since 1995
from C$105 per adult
Whale Watch Tour and 1 more option
Operates three Zodiac vessels from St. Andrews
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.