Whale Watching Tour

State: QLD

AUD $115.00

Children 2 – 14 years

Duration: 

3h
Seasonal whale watching from Townsville (about 3 hours) or Magnetic Island (about 2.5 hours). Cruise Cleveland Bay, look for migrating whales, enjoy crew commentary, a hydrophone when conditions allow, and morning or afternoon tea.

Operated By:

Set off on an unforgettable whale watching adventure through the pristine waters of Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island. This seasonal spectacular brings together breathtaking island scenery, marine discovery, and an exhilarating boat ride. 🐋

Majestic Ocean Giants in Their Natural Habitat

Cruise through the scenic waters of Cleveland Bay as our expert crew searches for migrating humpback whales. You will have the front-row seat to watch these incredible creatures breach and play, while learning about their fascinating behaviour and migration patterns.

Immersive Marine Education and Underwater Sounds

Our passionate guides share educational insights about the local marine ecosystem. When conditions allow, we will drop our specialised hydrophone underwater, giving you the rare opportunity to listen to the hauntingly beautiful whale songs echoing beneath the surface. 🎧

Unmissable Tour Highlights

  • Scenic Island Cruising: Take in spectacular views of Cleveland Bay and the Magnetic Island coastline. 🏝️
  • Expert Marine Guides: Learn about whale behaviour and the Great Barrier Reef region through engaging talks.
  • On-Board Hydrophone: Listen to live underwater whale communication when conditions permit.
  • Delicious Refreshments: Enjoy a relaxed morning or afternoon tea-style snack on the water.
  • Abundant Wildlife: Keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, sea turtles, and diverse seabirds. 🐢

What to Expect on Your Adventure

This seasonal tour operates in an open marine environment, departing from either Townsville or Magnetic Island. While whale sightings are highly common during the migration season, they are wild animals and cannot be guaranteed. Our flexible route is tailored daily to ensure the safest and most comfortable cruise based on wind, tide, and whale activity.

What is Included

  • Guided whale watching cruise (approx. 3 hours from Townsville or 2.5 hours from Magnetic Island).
  • Educational commentary from our expert marine crew.
  • Use of the on-board hydrophone (subject to conditions).
  • Complimentary morning or afternoon tea.
  • Incredible wildlife spotting and scenic photography opportunities.

Departure and Meeting Details

Townsville Departures: Departs from The Docks, 108 Flinders Street, Townsville City. Please check in 30 minutes prior to departure.

Magnetic Island Departures: Departs from Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal. Please check in 15 minutes prior to your confirmed island pickup.

Please review your confirmation email carefully for your specific departure location, check-in instructions, and online waiver.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Tour Operations, Safety and General Conditions

Poseidon Adventure strives to provide accurate departure times for all boat tours, snorkelling tours and charters. Departure times, itineraries, snorkelling locations and inclusions may be adjusted due to weather, sea state, tide, safety considerations, operational requirements or other unforeseen circumstances.

Adventure Activity Advisory & Safety Acknowledgement

Poseidon Adventure boat tours are marine adventure activities conducted in an open-water environment. Conditions may range from calm and scenic to lively, bumpy and wet depending on weather and sea conditions on the day. While Poseidon Adventure maintains high safety standards, qualified crew and established operating procedures, inherent risks associated with marine tourism activities cannot be completely eliminated.

All passengers must:

  • comply with all crew directions, safety briefings and operational instructions
  • notify staff of any relevant medical conditions, injuries, mobility issues, pregnancy, or other factors that could affect safe participation
  • understand and follow safety briefings and instructions in English
  • behave in a safe and responsible manner at all times on board and in the water

For safety reasons, Poseidon Adventure reserves the right to refuse boarding or restrict participation in in-water activities, including snorkelling, where a guest’s medical condition, impairment, behaviour, or failure to follow instructions may place themselves, other guests, or crew at risk.

We encourage guests to obtain their own travel insurance to cover unforeseen events, personal circumstances, illness, injury, or travel disruptions.

Notification of Changes

We reserve the right to alter routes, stop locations, snorkelling sites, walk components, departure points, departure times, vessel allocations, tour duration and other itinerary elements due to weather, tide, swell, safety, minimum numbers, or operational requirements.

Where practical, we will make reasonable efforts to notify guests of changes using the contact details supplied at booking. It is your responsibility to ensure your booking details and contact information are accurate and current.

Flexibility and Cooperation

We will work with you to reschedule where possible if circumstances change, but Poseidon Adventure is not liable for indirect costs, inconvenience, travel losses, accommodation losses, or other consequential expenses arising from itinerary changes, delays or cancellations.

2. Cancellations & Rescheduling Policy

Customer-Initiated Cancellations

  • Up to 48 hours before start: cancel for a refund minus a 1.9% processing fee
  • Up to 24 hours before start: reschedule or convert to a gift voucher valid for 12 months
  • Within 24 hours of start: non-refundable and non-reschedulable

Company-Initiated Cancellations

If Poseidon Adventure must cancel within 24 hours of your booking due to weather, safety, operational reasons, minimum numbers or unforeseen circumstances, we will first attempt to:

  • reschedule your booking, or
  • provide a gift voucher

If neither option is feasible, a full refund will be provided.

3. Minimum Numbers

Poseidon Adventure may require minimum passenger numbers for certain tours or departures. If minimum numbers are not met, we reserve the right to postpone, reschedule, combine departures, or offer the experience at an adjusted rate. Guests will be notified as early as reasonably possible and alternative options may be offered.

4. Gift Vouchers and Gift Cards

  • Valid for use until the printed expiry date
  • Hold no cash value and are non-refundable
  • If the booking value exceeds the voucher/card value, the balance must be paid by another method
  • Remaining balances are non-transferable and non-refundable
  • Poseidon Adventure reserves the right to amend voucher terms where required by law

5. Conditions of Payment

Full payment is required to secure all bookings unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Poseidon Adventure reserves the right to charge for:

  • loss or damage to equipment caused by passenger negligence or misconduct
  • excessive cleaning costs caused by passenger misconduct
  • repair or replacement costs arising from wilful damage or unsafe behaviour
  • any direct costs caused by a passenger failing to follow crew instructions or safety requirements

6. Passenger Requirements and Participation Conditions

Age Requirements

  • Infants aged 6–23 months may travel free of charge. Babies under 6 months cannot travel
  • Babies under 12 months are not recommended for this tour due to varying sea conditions
  • Child pricing applies for ages 2–14 years
  • Adult pricing applies for ages 15 years and over
  • Children must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times

Fitness and Water Confidence

Guests should have an average level of fitness and be comfortable in and around water if participating in snorkelling or in-water activities. Some tours may include beach landings, ladder reboarding, short guided walks, and time spent in open marine environments.

Snorkelling Activities

Snorkelling activities are subject to weather, swell, visibility, tide and overall safety conditions on the day. Poseidon Adventure reserves the right to reduce, substitute, relocate or cancel in-water activities if conditions are unsuitable or if passenger safety requires it.

Guests participating in snorkelling must:

  • follow all crew instructions
  • use provided equipment correctly
  • remain within designated snorkelling areas
  • notify staff if they are tired, unwell, inexperienced, or need assistance

Poseidon Adventure may refuse participation in snorkelling to any guest where safety concerns arise.

Impaired Persons

Passengers must not participate while under the influence of, illegal drugs, or any substance that may impair judgment, coordination or safe participation.

7. Tour Style and Environmental Conditions

Poseidon Adventure boat tours are dynamic marine tourism experiences conducted in open-water conditions. Depending on weather and sea state, guests may experience a ride that is scenic and smooth or more lively, bumpy, adventurous and wet.

By booking, guests acknowledge that:

  • sea conditions vary from day to day
  • they may get wet during transit or while boarding/disembarking
  • the itinerary and feel of the tour may change depending on conditions
  • all operations are conducted at the skipper’s discretion in the interests of safety

8. Medical Conditions and Special Requirements

Passengers must disclose any relevant medical condition, injury, allergy, dietary issue, mobility issue, pregnancy, or other special requirement prior to departure.

Poseidon Adventure will make reasonable efforts to accommodate disclosed needs where safe and practical to do so, but reserves the right to limit participation where safety or operational considerations require it.

9. Personal Property

Passengers bring personal belongings at their own risk. Poseidon Adventure accepts no responsibility for loss, theft or damage to personal items unless required by law.

10. Photos, Videos and Marketing

Poseidon Adventure may take photographs or video during tours for operational, safety and promotional purposes. By participating, you consent to the use of these images unless you advise us otherwise before departure.

11. Authority of Master / Skipper

The Master / Skipper has absolute authority regarding the safe operation of the vessel and all decisions relating to passenger conduct, itinerary, weather response, in-water activity management and continuation or termination of the tour. All passengers must comply immediately with crew directions.

Share: