7 Seas Whale Watch

Address:	63 Rogers St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
Phone:	+1 978-283-1776
Site:	7seaswhalewatch.com
Rating:	4.8
Working:	7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM 7AM–7PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 5

William Mills

We live in the Chicago area, and so do not get much of a chance to pursue my wife’s favorite animals. She watches all the videos and nature programs. For her, whales are an obsession. I waited far too long to get her to see one. When on a trip out east, we happened upon the October 5, 2016 cruise with 7 Seas out of Gloucester, Ma. We could not have been happier. Dozens of Humpback whales surrounded the boat. They were breaching, feeding in bubble rings, and flapping flippers and tails. We even saw mothers with calves. The whales also seemed interested in us. This cruise has become a lifetime event etched upon our memories. Right from the start, the girl who took our reservation was great. She knew who I was after several weather-cancelled dates. The crew was courteous and helpful at all times. I apologize for forgetting their names. We were too excited. Without asking, the woman in the galley watched over me when late in the trip I needed a little soda to calm my stomach. The biologist, Jay Frontierro, could not have provided better commentary. He told us whale facts we had never known and he posted photos taken from a rolling sea that I could never have captured. Even after the trip was long over, Jay helped with my questions on the posted photos. He could not have been more gracious. I hope to see Tortuga the whale again. We look forward to going back, if God is willing. It is strange, but we feel we have friends in Gloucester. They are both in town and on Stellwagen Bank. We have told everyone we know. They tire of hearing and so now, I tell you. I know we were fortunate to be on board on a fateful day. I know we picked the right ship and I know that such a trip might never be duplicated. Wildlife viewing will always vary. It is part of the adventure. But it was somehow even more special to see such great creatures when over a marine sanctuary. If you need to see these animals, as they deserve to be seen, I cannot imagine a better place in the world to give it a shot.

Mike Stoltzfus

Did not disappoint! We saw many humpbacks, a minke, and other assorted marine life close up while out with 7 Seas. We arrived with a party of 9 on a Sunday afternoon and found the dock area easily in downtown Gloucester. Ample parking right next to the boat and on Sundays the parking is free in metered lots. We had reserved our tickets earlier and getting boarding passes at the 7 Seas gift shop there was a breeze. Boarding started promptly half an hour prior to send off. Their ship is huge, called the Privateer IV, with 2 decks and plenty of warm inside table seating for the ride out to the viewing spot. The snack bar had everything, hot/cold food and snacks, beer and other beverages. Our hosts spent an adequate amount time on the way out to the viewing spot providing information on the types of whales and other wildlife we would see, history of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and the importance of the fisheries in the area for local fishermen and businesses. Upon approaching the viewing destination it was only a matter of minutes before we spotted our first spout and headed to within 100 feet of the whales, a pair of humpbacks. The whales demonstrated a number of tail breaches and rolls. Unfortunately we didnt get to see any full out of the water type breaches but they are somewhat rare. For the next hour or so we scouted the area to find numerous other humpbacks and even a minke whale. My 4 year old and the rest in our party loved it! You can tell the knowledgeable folks at 7 Seas truly respect the creatures and areas they visit and based on information they provided on their website it is clear they are assisting in the preservation efforts associated with this fragile ecosystem and the species it supports. This was my own first time on a whale watching tour and also the first time for many in our party and no one walked away disappointed. I will definitely recommend 7 Seas to others!

Swiss Merchant

Quite a few of the statements used for advertising their company and services were at least questionable from my point of view. I understand these people needs to make a living and have a boat to maintain but they can also be more upfront about what to expect. For the ones considering this type of “Whale Watching” experience, a few things to considered about this whole “Adventure” 1- They say their boat is Gloucester’s Newest: “Vessel” must be more than 20 years old. If this is the newest boat out there, then I can’t imagine what others are. I searched their entire website and says nothing about boat year/age. 2- They say their boat is Gloucester’s Most Comfortable:Noise levels were well over 100db. everywhere inside/out. Is pretty much like being in a rock concert... for 5 hours straight. All seats are booth style and outside seating… well, you are just sitting in a cold metal bench. I don’t call that comfort. 3- They say their boat is Gloucester’s Most Modern: Again… If having a 16” computer screen with a GPS image is a testimony of trend setting “Whale Watching”, then they are probably right. I was able to get much better maps imagery and positioning with my handheld smartphone. Last - but not least. We didnt see any whales, or dolphins, not even seagulls. And what really annoyed me was to hear the cruise director mention that they didnt see any whales in the last 4 days (when we were back @ the dock and trip was over, and paid for). So convenient. Yes, they offer you rain-checks that clearly states ABSOLUTELY NO MONEY BACK. ONLY VALID FOR A YEAR. Quite appropriate when living 1000+ miles from them.

Sue Jonas

We were welcomed by a high energy and friendly crew that arranged for us to take our large German Shepherd aboard after he demonstrated his ability to behave well . Trevor entertained the kids aboard during the long trip out to the sighting grounds, and had a ball interacting with children and adults throughout the duration of the trip. The boat was roomy and comfortable, and was not overcrowded. Other boats that we saw while underway looked packed to capacity. We could walk about and move from rail to rail easily. We found the staff to be knowledgeable and engaging. They walked around the ship with a sample of baleen and made themselves available to answer questions throughout the voyage. There is an extensive library on board with oceanography books appropriate for kids of all ages and adults. The historical narration as we left the Gloucester harbor was interesting and entertaining. Not only did the marine biologist speaking on the PA system imparted information about whales in general, but she told us about the specific whales that she was able to identify and call by name. The sightings were amazing. There were multiple sightings of pods. We actually saw whales breaching and flipper snapping.....not just swimming by. It was a magical day for all aboard. Seven Seas supports the Ocean Alliance and is staffed by biologists and naturalists. The operation deserves our support too! Tell your friends to book with Seven Seas. They are THE BEST!

Luciana Guardiano Payne

Terrible experience. They have a Groupon deal but will not honor it. We called before we purchased the Groupon to make sure they have availability on our desired date and were told yes but when we called back 20 minutes later with our voucher number, we were told they did no longer had availability for Groupon and we would have to pay full price. After a bit of back and forth, they changed their minds about when there was availability and gave us a seat. However, on the day of the trip we get a call that the trip was cancelled and were told to get a refund from Groupon unless we wanted to pay full price for the next available trip!! It seems like they will just decide not to honor Groupon if they feel like they can fill the boat with full paying customers, which while I get the principle of it, it is dishonest with people buying the voucher. They came up with all kinds of "restrictions" not listed on the Groupon deal and we ultimately had to get a refund because we just could not use. it. If they are not happy with how much they get from Groupon, they should stop offering it instead of this questionable practice.