Seasickness on a whale tour from Tromsø
Most of a whale day from Tromsø is spent getting to the whales, and part of that trip crosses open water. Plenty of people never feel a thing. A few spend the morning wishing they had stayed in bed, and the boat you pick decides more than toughing it out does.
Where the water gets lively
The day boats sail north from Tromsø for two and a half to three and a half hours before they reach the whales, which in recent winters have fed in the fjords around Skjervøy. Much of that route runs through sounds sheltered by islands. A few stretches lie open to the swell rolling in from the Norwegian Sea, and those are the parts where faces start to turn pale. Our pick says plainly in its listing that seasickness is possible on the open stretches, and the other operators sail the same water.
Once the boat is among the islands near Skjervøy, the sea usually settles, because the whale area is fjord water. The return trip is the part to plan for. It runs in the dark of the early afternoon, and if the wind has picked up during the day the open stretches can be livelier going home than they were in the morning.
Which boats ride more steadily
Size helps. A big catamaran spreads its weight over two hulls and rides over short waves that would toss a small boat about, and the larger it is the less you feel. Time at sea counts as much as size, because three hours of gentle motion can unsettle a sensitive stomach more than one rough hour.
| Tour | From | Time on the water | For a sensitive stomach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our pick, fast catamaran | ~$217 | Most of a 7.5 h day | 147 seats for at most 90 guests, so a seat in the middle of the lounge is easy to find |
| Brim hybrid-electric boat | ~$196 | 3–3.5 h each way | Large boat with heated saloons; over 100 guests |
| Rødne high-speed catamaran | ~$196 | 2.75 h each way plus 2.5 h near the whales | Seasickness tablets included; the 8:30 am boat is the large and stable MS Rygerdronningen |
| Polar Adventures, max 50 | ~$235 | About 2.5 h each way | The listing says it does not suit people prone to seasickness |
| Skjervøy RIB | ~$334 | About 3 h on an open RIB | The bus covers the long crossing; the RIB itself bounces hard |
| Skua heated boat | ~$383 | 3–3.5 h | Bus to Skjervøy, then a small covered boat for 12 guests |
Rødne runs two boats in midwinter. From December 1 its 9 am departure uses the smaller, faster MS Rygertroll. If your stomach worries you, book the 8:30 am trip on the bigger boat instead.
Bus first, boat second
The tours that drive to Skjervøy change the arithmetic. The RIB tour from Arctic Adventure Tours at ~$334 spends about four hours on a bus each way and about three on the water. Skua Nature's heated boat at ~$383 follows the same pattern with a covered boat for 3–3.5 hours. You never cross the open stretches between Tromsø and the whale area, since the bus covers that distance on land.
What you trade is a smaller boat, which moves more in any swell that does reach the fjord, plus a long ride on a coastal road with plenty of bends. If buses make you queasy too, this is no escape. Why the whales gather near Skjervøy has the background, and our boat comparison covers how each style of boat feels.
Tablets already on board
Rødne's high-speed catamaran safari, from ~$196, hands out seasickness tablets along with the coffee and tea. Choose the 8:30 am departure, which sails on the larger MS Rygerdronningen.
Tablets and when to take them
Motion-sickness tablets work far better as prevention than as a cure. Take them before you board, as the leaflet says, rather than once the boat starts to roll and your stomach has already made up its mind. Rødne includes tablets in the ticket. For every other tour, bring your own.
Pharmacies in Tromsø sell them without a prescription. Ask the pharmacist which ones make you drowsy, since you want to be awake when the whales surface. If you are pregnant or take other medicine, talk to a doctor before the trip. Doses for children are a question for the pharmacist too, and whale watching with children covers the rest of a family day. Some travelers swear by ginger or acupressure wristbands. The evidence is thin, but neither does any harm.
Where to sit and what to do
- Sit low and in the middle. The center of the boat moves least. On a big catamaran that means a seat in the middle of the lounge, away from the bow.
- Look outside. Fix your eyes on land. In the polar twilight the horizon can be faint, so pick a mountain ridge and watch it.
- Get cold air. A few minutes on the open deck helps many people more than anything else. Dress for the deck so you can stay out there.
- Put the phone away. Reading or scrolling during the crossing is the fastest route to nausea.
- Eat a light breakfast. An empty stomach is worse than a small meal. Skip greasy food and go easy on alcohol the night before.
- Sip water. Small amounts, often. Hot drinks are free on our pick, and crackers from a kiosk help on the way out.
Who should think twice
Some people know from experience that any boat makes them ill. For them a day of seven to nine hours with most of it at sea is a hard ask. Polar Adventures says so directly, and its Max 50 safari at ~$235 is listed as unsuitable for anyone prone to seasickness. Arctic Adventure Tours excludes guests who are pregnant or have back problems, and a RIB jolts over every wave.
If you already felt rough on the cruise ship's approach to Tromsø, take that as a warning, because a smaller boat in the same sea moves more. Booking a whale tour from your ship covers the timings if you decide to go anyway. Should you still want whales with the least time afloat, Skua's covered boat lets you sit inside out of the wind for a shorter spell on the water.
If it hits you anyway
Tell the crew. They see it every season and know where the bags are kept. Nobody on board will think less of you. If you can stand safely, go outside, hold on to the rail and look at the land. Most people feel better once the boat reaches the sheltered water around the whales, and the sight of a pod of orcas has a way of making stomachs behave. What you may see out there is in our species guide.
When the forecast looks bad, the operators decide whether to sail at all. A rough day sometimes ends in a cancellation or a sheltered fjord trip instead, as MS Gabriele at ~$209 does in bad weather. What happens when weather or whales let you down compares the policies.