Name: Whale Watching Cruise - 3 Hours
Price: 89.00 AUD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (51 reviews)

Highlights

Sail with Humpback Whales out of Port Stephens
Visit Southern Fur Seals and spot dolphins
Enjoy some of the most scenic landscapes

Head offshore to witness the magnificent Humpbacks as they swim and play amongst the islands of the Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, flocks of oceanic sea birds and the colony of Southern Fur Seals that often laze on the rocks at Cabbage Tree Island!

What's included?

3 hour whale watching cruise
Informative and engaging commentary
Tea, coffee (self service)
Use of wet weather jacket if required

'Imagine' is a 54ft catamaran. Conditions permitting, the sails will be hoisted and you will be off to sail with the whales. It's so quiet you can hear them breathe! The catamaran allows for 360° viewing from its covered foredeck and comfortable cabin. There is also a licensed bar, with snacks and drinks available to purchase.

You will be hosted by an Advanced Eco-Accredited company, dedicated to the protection of dolphins and whales. In 2015, they were awarded 'Green Travel Leader' accreditation, making them one of just 104 companies in the country that can demonstrate commitment to environmental responsibility through 10+ years of ECO certification.

This experience is part of the Responsible range because they are ECO certified by Ecotourism Australia.

Important information

Session Length

This cruise is 3 hours in duration
Available from mid May to early November annually
Departs daily at 10:30am and 2pm
Boarding commences 15 minutes prior to cruise departure
Whale Guarentee

Guidelines

It is recommended that you take sea-sickness tablets prior to boarding, however, complimentary tablets are available on the boat
Child: Ages 4-14 years
Adult: Ages 15+ years
Infant: 0-3 years

Cancellation

Change your booking up to 24 hours before the start time of your experience
Changes are not permitted within 24 hours of your experience
Late arrivals or no shows may result in you forfeiting your experience

Numbers on the Day

This cruise runs with a maximum of 47 people

Weather

In the event of rain or inclement weather your experience will still go ahead unless contacted by the experience provider. The experience provider reserves the right to cancel, abandon or vary any cruise due to adverse weather conditions. The company will not be held liable for any loss or expense incurred by passengers.

Dress Code

For winter cruises (whale watch), we recommend warm layers including a jacket. You can always take a layer off if you are too warm, but you can’t put on a layer you didn’t bring. Long pants and enclosed shoes are highly recommended. It is also a good idea to bring a water proof layer; not only does it keep you dry, it also protects you from the wind. For summer cruises, a light jacket is recommended. Guests wishing to enter the water should bring swimwear and a towel. Hats or sun protection are recommended on all cruises, even on overcast days.

Other Info

‘Sea sickness’ can be different for individuals, making it difficult for us to advise on the matter. If you suffer from other types of motion sickness, such as on a plane or car, you might get seasick. PREVENTION is better than CURE. If you have concerns about seasickness we recommend you seek advice from a local pharmacy about preventatives prior to the cruise. We offer motion-sickness prevention for free onboard before the tour, however pharmacists recommend taking tablets 1 hour before a cruise. Even with our excellent sighting percentage occasionally we do not have encounters with whales and dolphins. In the event of a ‘miss’ we will honour our free return policy for our 3 hr Whale and Dolphin Watch Tour. We will send you an email after your cruise to notify you of the free return. Then simply email or call to rebook another time within 18 months, using your original cruise order number as the reference. Terms and Conditions apply

Location

This experience departs from Dock C, d’Albora Marina Marine Nelson Bay, NSW.

Reviews

4.6

51 reviews

5 stars 42

4 stars 4

3 stars 1

2 stars 2

1 star 2

Whale watching

Melinda 18 August 2025

We had a great day of the boat 'Imagaine' the crew were very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. There was only one whale to be seen but we will be going back soon to see them heading back south

Customer Experience

Hi Melinda, it's great to hear about your positive experience. Thank you for sharing your feedback!

18 August 2025

Whale Watching

Lyn 18 October 2024

Veery disappointing as the cruise was cancelled at the last moment due to unsuitable weather conditions. Very inconvenient for us as we had booked accommodation the day before the cruise so that we didn't have to travel from Sydney to Nelson Bay on the same day as the cruise, so extra expense for us for NO CRUISE. Also the process for redeeming gift vouchers for the cruise was lengthy and complicated and resulted in the voucher amount plus $20 extra being charged to our bankcard. We then had to go through the process of getting that refunded. All in all not a great experience and I don't think that we will do things with Red Balloon again

Customer Experience

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20 October 2024

Whales Galore

Susan 27 June 2024

Brilliant sunny day lots of whales, pods of common dolphins riding the bow and seals can’t ask for a better day out with Imagine Cruises

Keerat

Hi Susan, we're thrilled to hear you had a wonderful experience. Thank you for sharing your positive feedback with us!

27 June 2024

The whale watching cruise on imagine cruises

Judith 2 November 2023

The day was their last cruise for the season and a huge success saw lots of adult whales with their young lots of breaching a definite 10/10 day in every way terrific catamaran staff were friendly & professional enjoyed every moment 🥰

Fantastic whale watching

Kathryn 9 October 2023

This was such a lovely day out, saw heaps of whales, the boat speed was spot on, commentary was interesting and then seeing thr dolphins too, was a bonus.

Fantastic day whale watching

Cathy 8 October 2023

We had a wonderful day on the water, watching whales and dolphins. The staff were fantastic, definitely recommend it

Great day whale watching..Crew were awesome.

Jay 17 July 2023

Great crew on Imagine Cruises, lots of quirky facts, delivered in a casual way. The whales were amazing.

Such and amazing experence!

Nikki 15 July 2023

Such and amazing experience! The captain and crew where very friendly and informative, know a lot about the local area. The tour itself was awesome. Being on a smaller viewing craft gave us an amazing view and experience, so many whales and activity. I have been raving so much about our trip, I have friends who have already booked this tour in 2 days! Very very highly recommended!

Whale watching was fantastic

Katharine 14 July 2023

Great from start to end recommend whale watching with Imagine. Great atmosphere, information and service. Saw lots of whales, so special!

Ocean way too rough for a safe trip

Kelly 9 July 2023

Whilst I realise the company can't control the weather, our trip should have been cancelled. We were unable to see any whales and the experience was unpleasant and at times, dangerous. The amount of people seasick and/or having trouble balancing safely outweighed the available chairs and surfaces to cling on to. The company have provided us with a return trip but my children and myself are way too traumatised to go on any boat again.