Unforgettable Experience - Worth Every Penny We spontaneously booked the 2 September 12:00noon trip.
Three young ladies greeted us and gave a safety briefing - unfortunately, we don't remember their names - our apologies. From the start, it was clear that all three were awesome, fun, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do. We didn't need to worry about taking pictures, as one of the ladies was the trip photographer, and the next day, we received beautiful pictures. The entire experience was unforgettable, worth every penny. No negatives to report. Thank you, Whale Tales! Josef & Vaclav

Definitely not worth the price Really disappointed with our experience this time. My partner and I came on Whale Tales last year and it was amazing, which is exactly why we booked again for this visit — but this trip was a completely different story.
It started badly right at the dock, which was an absolute shambles. There were two boats and no one seemed to know who was supposed to be on which one. It was clear there was also a difference in quality between the two boats, which didn't inspire much confidence before we'd even left the dock.
Once on board, there was a general lack of care and effort from the crew throughout the trip. Most of them spent their time hanging out at the front of the boat chatting among themselves rather than engaging with passengers. It felt like nobody actually cared about giving us a good experience — more like they were just tired and going through the motions.
We did see whales, which was obviously the highlight, and I understand these are wild animals so sightings aren't guaranteed. But the whole thing felt less like a guided tour and more like we just tagged along behind another boat that had found them first. There was zero effort put into making it feel like an actual excursion.
At $149 a ticket, this was not worth the money. Based on this visit alone, I wouldn't recommend it and we won't be going back — such a shame given how great our first experience was.

amazing experience We were super lucky to see several dphis around our boat for more than thiry minutes with the excellent guide of three young crew ladies. Their effor is highly appreciated. They proactively offered to extend our time on the water , giving us a better chance of spotting whales!

Took the 3:00pm tour was a smart choice. When we sailed back to the harbour, we had stunning sunset view Opera House and the Bridge.

Hightlight of my Sydney trip. Tons of thanks

5⭐️s! An Amazing Whale Watching Experience! What an amazing trip! This was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Sydney. We spent about two and a half hours out on the water, and we were lucky enough to see some beautiful whales up close. Watching them in their natural environment was an incredible experience.
The crew - Alex, Sally, and Mette - were absolutely fabulous. Everyone was friendly, professional, and clearly passionate about what they do. A special thank you to our guide, who did a wonderful job explaining the life and behavior of whales, their migration, and the positive impact they have on our planet and marine environment. I learned a lot during the trip, and it made seeing the whales even more special.
We were very fortunate with our day and had plenty of opportunities to watch the whales during the entire two-hour trip. Every time they appeared, everyone on the boat was excited. It was one of those experiences where you just keep watching and hoping they surface again!
Another fantastic part of the experience was the photographer on board. At the end of the tour, we were able to receive tons of high-resolution photographs of the beautiful whales we had just seen. It was such a great surprise and gave us a wonderful collection of memories from the day.
Everything was very well organized, and the crew made us feel comfortable and welcome throughout the entire trip. You can really see the passion they have for the ocean and the wildlife.
I highly recommend this whale watching tour to anyone visiting Sydney. If you’re lucky enough to have beautiful weather and active whales like we did, it’s an experience you will remember for a very long time. Absolutely fantastic!

Fantastic day with Whales Fantastic experience with a very nice and competent team. We saw a lot of whales!! A highly recommended tour for everyone

Amazing Managed to spot whales, great tour!

A Great Choice to See and Learn about Whales Good tour, with obviously passionate and educated guides and an observant skipper. Getting to see whales and dolphins was a real treat. Small group size helps with viewing/photos and price is definitely worth paying. Would definitely recommend the morning visit as you can go out and view, get back, and still have the whole afternoon/evening to enjoy your visit—great length of time to see whales but not spend a whole day.

Amazing experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A massive thank you to Jonathan and the whole team at Whale Tales for an absolutely fantastic whale-watching experience today!

We were travelling with our two children, aged 5 and 8, and they were completely ecstatic from start to finish. Our 8-year-old especially loved it and was convinced she was the captain for the day! 😂

The whole experience was incredibly well organised, and you can really see how much passion, knowledge and enthusiasm the team has for what they do. I particularly loved that Whale Tales is a small, family-run business — the staff were so personable, hands-on and genuinely excited to share the experience with us.

Of course, there’s never a guarantee that you’ll see whales, but we were incredibly fortunate to have some amazing sightings. Jonathan did a fantastic job navigating us to the best spots and sharing interesting facts and fun little nuggets of information along the way. The girls were absolutely buzzing and screaming with excitement!

A huge thank you again to Jonathan and the team. I would highly recommend Whale Tales to anyone considering a whale-watching tour. If you’re looking to support a small, local business that genuinely knows its stuff and takes pride in giving its customers a brilliant experience, definitely book with Whale Tales — you won’t be disappointed! 🐋❤️

Would definitely recommend Fantastic experience, friendly staff, small intimate boat, the photos to download for free were great.

Whale Watching in Sydney What an absolutely fantastic trip right from the start to finish. The crew were amazing, and so informative and so relaxed allowing us to walk around the boat (it was a pretty calm day!). We saw several whales and then we were able to follow two that were migrating South across the heads of the harbour coming right out of the water and getting so close to them. What an amazing experience, highly recommended to book.

You will learn a lot Mette was an excellent guide, full of knowledge. A special afternoon.

Amaaazing! We had the BEST trip yesterday! Gorgeous weather - we saw two seals, 5 whales and lots of dolphins. The guide was so knowledgeable and shared so much interesting info about the whales. The crew were all really lovely, the ride was smooth, and it was excellent having a small group of about 20 people onboard. Best of all - the professional photographer sent us all his photos at the end of the day, which were much better than my phone photos! Highly recommend this trip

Greatest Whale Trip. Fantastic experience, crowd size was just right with enough room for us all. The staff were excellent, the Captain had to deal with some tricky swell and did a really good job, no one got sick and it was actually pretty rough. Also, saw a couple of whales making their way up to Queensland.

Wonderful day The whole experience was great. Small boat, 29 guests. Friendly crew. We saw whales and a large pod of common dolphins.

The best way to see Sydney & watch whales! This was the best thing we experienced in our 2+ weeks in Australia! Unbelievably great views of Sydney from the water + SO MANY WHALES! Great crew, great photographer, great memories, and a great experience!

Whale Tales Whale Watching..... Amazing We had a wonderful day, the whole family (including a 5 yr old and an 18 month old), went whale watching for my grandson's 5th birthday. We saw at least 10 whales, we were well looked after, the staff were so informative and friendly and sent us professional photos of the day. It was freezing (which makes the whales more active) but in was magical, some of the whales came so close . thank you Whale tales

Fantastic and unforgettable We had an amazing trip watching a lot of whales at a close distance. Though we got our trip rescheduled to a midday tour, we realised it was worth it, as the whales tend to be seen around this time. The tour guide took care of us really well, when some of us were having seasickness. Really appreciate it! Would recommend it to everyone who loves animals.

It was a Whale of a Time This company was great. My flight was delayed. We missed our day and they let us rebook. It turned out to be their best tour of the season so far. Great people. Lots of fun

Whale Watching Tour Fantastic tour, saw so many whales! Organisation was perfect.

SO MANY WHALES! My husband and I had a great time. The crew was great and we saw a LOT of whales! The crew even has a photographer on the boat and they send photos afterwards so you can fully enjoy the tour without missing any great shots!

UNCOMPASSIONATE, UNCARING, UNCARING FAMILY BUSINESS!!! DO NOT trust their 5-star reviews – zero compassion when you have a real emergency!

We are from Melbourne and booked a tour last year with Whale Tales Whale Watching Sydney.

Unfortunately, our 81-year-old dad fell in the bathroom and was hospitalised. Due to this emergency, we had to fly back to Melbourne urgently and could not participate in the tour.

I sent them an email asking for a voucher. They never bothered to even respond.

When whale season came back, I sent a follow-up email. Someone named Katie replied saying they were overseas and would sort it out when they returned. Weeks passed. Nothing.

I followed up again. And Katie's response?
"I’m happy to offer you standby seats on any trip that isn’t sold out."

STANDBY SEATS! WTH!!!

Let that sink in. An 81-year-old man fell. He was hospitalised. We provided proof of our emergency flights back to Melbourne. This was not a whim. This was not a "we don't feel like going" cancellation. This was a family crisis.

And their response is standby? We would have to fly from Melbourne to Sydney with no guaranteed seats. No refund. No transfer. No empathy. Just cold, uncaring fine-print behaviour.

This shows you exactly who they are. UNCOMPASSIONATE, UNHELPFUL, UNCARING!

So here's my warning to anyone reading this: Imagine YOU have an emergency during one of their tours. Imagine someone gets hurt. Do you really think they will help you? Or will they find every excuse to avoid responsibility, deny claims, and refuse refunds?

I have no idea how they have 500+ five-star reviews. This is the reality of how they treat customers when something goes wrong.

Read this. Then decide if you want to support a company with a heart of stone.

@mindourlanguagetravelgroup

Family whale watching We absolutely loved the whale watching tour! This was my children's first time whale watching and it was worth every penny.

Comfortable and professional Alex and Dan really clearly love their job and were intent on showing us a great day and views of the whales. Even if there is little whale action it is a great trip out there harbour past the landmarks and they take all the photos for free so you can just be in the moment.

A must when in Sydney What a wonderful experience! We were able to see and follow a mother and her baby along the coast. The sights of the Sydney Harbour were fantastic too. The boat was the perfect size so you could easily move around the boat without it being too crammed with people. The staff were fantastic and very knowledgeable! Highly recommend!

Bucket list item fulfilled! What a fantastic experience this was! We thought that we would only see these majestic humpback whales from far away, but Isaac did a great job piloting the boat within 100-200 meters of them. Doing this takes an enormous amount of precision, while making sure not to get too close, as that would disturb the whales.

The ocean conditions were choppy, so getting that perfect photo was challenging, but very possible.

If you have issues with sea sickness, the crew helps as much as possible, providing some useful tips and sea sickness bags if needed. Don’t let that prevent you from going though. The conditions aren’t always harsh.

If whale watching is on your bucket list, Whale Tales does a fantastic job to help you fulfill that dream.

Fantastic Sensational. From the off it was a special trip. The crew are knowledgeable and delightful. The weather wasn't great but that didn't matter cause once you saw the first whale and followed these incredible creatures, always keeping a respectful distance, you felt the awesomeness of natures at its most powerful .beautiful . I loved every second of it. Brilliant

A dream come true 💋 A dream come true! We chose the mid day sailing. Fabulous Skipper Ben with Freddie ( I think) as perfect hosts. It was a birthday treat and my goodness was it a day to remember. Fabulous marine knowledge shared. We watched two male escorts protecting a female and her calf. Just beautiful. The sound of the slapping fins as they hit the water! I will remember this trip for ever. The oohs and aaahs from our boat and other boats made it special. To share such wonderment with others is priceless. We met some lovely people on board. Three ladies in a boat . an Engineer, Dentist & Heart foundation.

Thank you Sydney Whales Tales ❤️

Unforgettable moment!!! Amazing tour, saw a few bunches of whales!! The Skipper and the crew were so professional and full of whales’ knowledge!! Learnt a lot abt the whales!! Also take good care of us when others have sea sick. So definitely a 5stars experience!!!!!

Great Experience Really friendly team. Answered all of our (many!) whale related questions. They also gave interesting info about the whales. We saw a few whales during the trip - perhaps less than usual because of the weather (this is my 6th or 7th whale watching tour in my life so I have a few to compare to!) but it didn’t matter as we got very close and saw them really really well. The crew were also incredibly respectful of the whales and if you prioritise a tour that prioritises animal welfare - this company is a great choice.

We had to reschedule due to adverse weather when we initially booked - their team were really proactive giving us plenty of notice to change our dates which allowed us to have an enjoyable experience another day.

From NC, USA to Australia Sept 2025 Had a great time with Whale Tales. The crew were fun and lively. Sophia (hope I got that right) provided commentary and whale education. Most importantly, we saw a whale and several dolphins. Wonderful trip!

such a beautiful experience This was the BEST whale tour I have ever done, and the guides were incredible, can not rave about it enough, if you get the chance just GO!

Loved my time with Whale Tales I was in Sydney for a week for the marathon and realized right before I left that it was whale season. I did a lot of research on what operator to use. My requirements were that they were respectful of the whales, had a small # of passengers, and that they had good reviews.

Whale Tales checked all of those boxes! Rob was the skipper, Alex the photographer, and Mette was the guide. I learned tons of things about whales from Mette and couldn't contain my excitement every time one would surface. I didn't bring my high end camera with me on my trip and made a point to not have my phone out so that I could experience it fully and rely on Alex's photos later. I'm glad I did it like that. The whale that visited the boat (remember that they don't chase the whales but let the whales come to see them) was so close that I could hear it blow air out every time it came to the surface.

Mette's care for animals was evident and I utilized this to get a good recommendation on whether there was a zoo in Sydney that was conscientious. She recommended Taronga and I wasn't disappointed. Actually she made several great recommendations but I ran out of time!

A few days later I spoke to someone who did a whale watching tour. She couldn't remember who the company was (obviously not Whale Tales) but said it was a large boat and they served breakfast and she felt like the tour guide was doing it all very half-hearted. I recommended to her to pick Whale Tales if she had time after the race, and also recommended them to another random person I met. Thank you for such a great experience!

Best Whale Sighting Cruise in SYDNEY I can’t say enough about how fantastic our Whale Tales Cruise was! Rex and Meta are the best skipper and guide to see the beautiful whales! Very enjoyable for all ages. We saw whales breaching and swimming right up to our boat. True professionals who understand and respect our ocean friends. Book this tour!

Fantastic day out with a great crew! This is the second time that we have gone with Sea Monkey on Boxing Day for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and it was a winner again!
As the boat is small there were only around 20 other people which made the whole experience relaxed and personal.
After a relaxing swim in the harbour and lunch, the crew were able to get the boat right up close to the starting line which added to the excitement.
I would highly recommend this company for its fun and professional attitude to providing a great customer experience.

Must do this ! Wharf area easy to locate. Prompt departure under the Bridge and past Opera House. Smallish group (about 16) so enough room to move around. We saw nothing until the last 20 minutes when whales appeared. We moved closer for better view and they were quite close to the boat. Waterproof clothes definitely needed as the spray (when side-curtains were open so we could see) will get you. Also try to use a toilet before you board - there is a toilet but in a rough swell its easy to be thrown about. If we hadnt seen anything they wouldve given a later free trip as compensation. Crew v sociable and knowlegeable with lots of interesting info given. Well worth it !

Experience of a lifetime! We had an amazing experience today watching the whales. We saw so many, and we even saw 2 breach beside our boat. We loved that there was a professional photographer onboard with us, and also a marine biologist who did a beautiful job of telling us so many wonderful facts about the whales as we waited. The boat captain and his wife were delightful as well.It was a perfect Sydney experience for two Texans! Thank you so much! We loved it!

Wonderful Whales A wonderful morning out on the water with Whale Tales looking for whales. The boat was a good size and comfortable, the crew were helpful and informative. You may get a bit of spray from the water but not much and not for long, waterproof jacket helps with that. Booking and organising the tour was easy and very helpful when I wanted to add a person to our group which I appreciated! The whales were pretty close to us which was amazing. I would definitely do it again, thanks Whale Tales!

Fabulous!! Thanks to the knowledgeable guide and the team, saw a lot of whales with their babies! Highly recommend this! Thank you!

A must-do trip with the best experts! The trip was incredible, and the company is amazing. They kept me informed about weather conditions and were flexible about re-booking for another date. The crew was super knowledgeable and friendly! Alex really knows her stuff. And of course - we saw so many whales, we had three separate encounters and the trip was just perfect!