A Gratuity is not required on most whale watching tours, but the crew works very hard, and they are the ones who make the experience possible, so it is recommended that you tip between $3-$5 per person.
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While most outfits guarantee a 90 percent chance of a spotting a whale, you might consider booking an extra trip if it's at the top of your bucket list. Some companies offer a complimentary outing if your trip ends sans sighting—check out the policy before booking.
Calm Waters: Mornings often offer relatively calmer waters due to reduced wind activity. This can enhance your whale-watching experience by providing more stability and a smoother ride, allowing for better observation and photography opportunities.
There are exceptions if your specific tour experience includes gratuities or you simply didn't have a good time, but in general, tipping your guide at the end of the tour is customary in the U.S. and Europe, though it's much more common in the States.
The tours are 'free', because unlike regular tour providers' services, there is no set price for taking a tour, no prescribed fee to pay regardless of the tour experience itself. Instead, you are free to 'tip' your guide as you see fit after your tour.
Guides who are self-employed receive the entire payment therefore, much like having the owner of a beauty salon doing your hair, you aren't expected to tip them. A private tour guide with an agency is likely making better than minimum wage but would still very much appreciate the tip.
Time: Approximately 2.5 – 3 hours. Usually a whale watching tour takes anywhere between 2.5 to 3 hours in order to navigate the ocean in search of different whale species.
Closed-toe shoesThis is as much about safety as it is about keeping feet happy. Sandals, Crocs and flip-flops should be avoided as the boat's deck can be slippery and windy (bye-bye flip-flop!). And warm feet equal happy feet.
You can see chunks of boat float away. A 2022 study found that out of 49 attacks that year, whales damaged ships in about 73% of interactions. And 25% of those had to be towed back to port.