Whale watching from the Tromsø cruise port

First, check the month

Whale safaris from Tromsø run only in winter, from about late October to January and sometimes into February, while the herring winter in the fjords further north. Most cruise ships, though, visit Tromsø in summer, under the midnight sun. If your cruise is between spring and early autumn, there are no whale safaris from Tromsø, whatever an older blog post may suggest. The whales are out in the open ocean then. The season month by month has the details.

In winter, it is a different picture. Northern Lights cruises and the coastal ships call at Tromsø between November and March, and some stay overnight. Those are the passengers who can go whale watching.

Your berth: Prostneset or Breivika

Smaller cruise ships and the coastal express tie up at the Prostneset terminal, right in the city center. From the gangway you can see where our pick boards, at the pier by the Clarion Hotel The Edge. The two Skjervøy bus tours start from the bus station beneath the terminal building and from the Scandic Ishavshotel across the street, and Rødne's boat lies behind the Nerstranda shopping center, about five minutes' walk away.

Larger ships use the Breivika quay, about 4 to 5 km north of the center in a port area you cannot walk from. Allow 15 to 20 minutes by shuttle or taxi each way. The catch for whale watchers is the hour. A boat that leaves at 8 or 8:30 am means a ride into town around 7 to 7:30 am, often before the ship's shuttle starts. Book a taxi the evening before.

The all-aboard maths

Every tour on our page is a long day. Here is when each one has you back, counted from the listings and the booking times.

Add at least an hour before all-aboard, and more from Breivika. A ship in port from 8 am to 6 pm is already tight for the big boats. An overnight call, or one that runs until late evening, is what you really want. The coastal express ships usually stop for a few hours in the afternoon or around midnight, which no whale safari fits unless you break your voyage in Tromsø.

Which tour fits which call

A long day call, roughly 7 am to 7 pm. Take the fast catamaran at ~$217, back around 4 pm, or the all-inclusive boat at ~$235, back about the same time. Both give you two to three hours of buffer. If your ship is in the center at Prostneset, the catamaran is almost door to door.

An overnight in port. Anything works, including the 12-hour Skjervøy days. The open RIB at ~$334 starts at 4:45 am at the Scandic beside Prostneset and is back around 5:30 pm, so you can still join a Northern Lights tour that evening. Brim's hybrid-electric boat at ~$196 or Rødne's catamaran at ~$196 are fine too.

A call that ends mid-afternoon. No whale safari is safe. The shortest is MS Gabriele at ~$209, usually six hours but up to eight if the whales are far away. That "up to" is the problem on a tight schedule. Spend the day in town instead, or ask the ship whether its own excursion fits.

Ship excursion or book yourself?

The ship's whale tour usually costs more, and you share a coach and a boat with other passengers from your ship. In return, the ship waits if the boat is delayed by weather. With the tours on this page, you are on your own if the boat is late. On a long call with a comfortable buffer, booking yourself is cheaper and gives you the choice of boat. On a call where every hour counts, the ship's excursion is the safer bet. What each tour costs and includes helps with the comparison.

What to bring from the cabin

• Your ship card and ID, plus the ship's agent number in case of delays.
• Every warm layer you packed, a hat over your ears and gloves you can work a camera in. Our clothing guide has the full list.
• Breakfast and lunch. Ask the dining room for a packed lunch the night before; only Polar Adventures includes one.
• Seasickness tablets, taken before you board. Cruise ships are steady, small catamarans less so. How to stay well.