What Whale Watching in Tromsø Costs
Whale watching prices in Tromsø compared: boats from the harbour from about $200, RIBs with the bus to Skjervøy $310-370, a night at sea, and what each adds (Oct 2026).
At their usual prices, a day trip by boat from Tromsø harbour costs about $200 to $270 a person and a RIB day with the bus to Skjervøy about $310 to $370, read in US dollars in October 2026. The extra money on the RIB buys a small open boat and more time on the water, not better odds; the extra on the dearer boats from town buys a smaller group or food. For most people we would book Arctic Resorts’ catamaran, from $192 a person in current promotion (usually $226), rated 4.7 from 3,762 reviews (checked October 2026).
The price ladder
| Tour | Boat and start | Usual price | From, per person | Rating | What the price adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid-electric whale safari (Brim Explorer) | Up to 135 guests; Brim’s pier by Skarven Kro, 07:30, 07:45 or 08:00, or 09:00 on a faster boat | $204 | $184 in current promotion (usually $204) | 4.5 (6,816) | Electric engine near the whales; food to buy |
| High-speed catamaran safari (Arctic Resorts) | Catamaran, Tromsø | $226 | $192 in current promotion (usually $226) | 4.7 (3,762) | Coffee and tea; a second tour free if no whales |
| Fast catamaran (Helgøy Skyssbåt) | 90 guests at most, Tromsø | $226 | $226 | 4.8 (699) | Fewer guests; another tour free if no whales |
| MS Alba with heated lounge (Arctic Whale Tours) | Tromsø | $232 | $116 in current promotion (usually $232) | 4.7 (53) | Hydrophone; a Whale Pass rebooking (12 months on GetYourGuide, the same or the following season on the company’s own site) |
| Small-group whale safari (Njord Adventures) | 36 guests at most, Tromsø | $254 | $254 | 4.8 (74) | A light soup lunch |
| Whale and orca safari (Polar Adventures) | About 50 guests, Tromsø | $270 | $243 in current promotion (usually $270) | 4.6 (1,725) | Baguettes, snacks and hot drinks; thermal suits lent |
| Skjervøy RIB (Arctic Explorers Norway) | RIB, bus from Prostneset | $313 | $313 | 4.6 (309) | About 3 hours on the water; suit lent |
| Skjervøy RIB (Arctic Adventure Tours) | 12 a RIB, bus from the Scandic Ishavshotel | $346 | $346 | 4.8 (1,295) | At least 3 hours on the water; sandwich |
| Heated covered boat (Skua Nature Group) | Covered boat, bus from Prostneset | $351 | $351 | 4.7 (261) | Shelter on a small boat; photo tips |
| RIB in Skjervøy (Green Gold of Norway) | RIB, bus from Prostneset | $367 | $367 | 4.7 (1,218) | Clubhouse, sandwiches, photos from the trip |
| 24 hours on MV Quest (Arctic Resorts) | Expedition ship, Tromsø | $702 | $456 in current promotion (usually $702) | 4.9 (49) | A cabin, three meals, a morning in the whale area |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways.
Usual prices and current from-prices, per person, from GetYourGuide (checked October 2026). A from-price below the usual price is a promotion; the tables show it while it lasts. Brim Explorer’s departure times from its own site, read in October 2026.
Two RIB listings sell two options, with the bus from Tromsø and without it: Frozen Frontiers' RIB ($219 in current promotion (usually $243) from) and See & Explore's 12-seat RIB ($248 from). Their from-prices can be the boat-only option, so check which option you are booking.
What the extra money buys
From $200 to $270, on the boats from town: the cheapest boats are the biggest. Brim Explorer’s hybrid-electric ship carries up to 135 guests and spends 1 to 1.5 hours with the whales; at the top of this band, Polar Adventures takes about 50 and includes baguettes, snacks and hot drinks, and Njord Adventures takes 36 with a soup lunch. The trip north and back is the same water for all of them.
From $310 to $370, the RIB days: you pay for the bus to Skjervøy and back, a floating suit and a small boat with about 12 guests, and you get about three hours on the water near the whales. It is a 12-hour day.
About $700, a night at sea: Arctic Resorts’ MV Quest sails in the evening, anchors in a fjord overnight, and spends the morning in the whale area while the day boats are still on their way north. You get a private cabin, three meals, a wake-up call if the northern lights appear, and photos from the crew.
Check dates for the catamaran safari →
Can't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Dates and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Which price to pay
Pick by budget and comfort:
Hybrid-Electric Boat
Brim Explorer: a large ship with three outside decks that runs on its electric engine around the whales. Bring lunch or buy it on board.
See the electric boat →Catamaran Safari
Arctic Resorts: about 2.5 hours near Skjervøy, coffee on board, and a second tour free if no whales are seen.
Check dates →MV Quest, 24 Hours
Arctic Resorts: a cabin, dinner, breakfast and lunch, the northern lights from the deck if they come, and a morning with the whales.
See the night at sea →Prices, ratings and review counts from GetYourGuide (checked October 2026); operators change prices, so treat them as a guide, not a quote.
Costs that are not in the price
A proper meal on most of the boats from town: Njord Adventures serves a soup lunch, Polar Adventures includes baguettes and snacks but sells lunch, and the rest sell snacks or ask you to bring a packed lunch. Seasickness tablets, which no tour includes. Warm clothing for the catamarans, which lend nothing; the RIB tours and Polar Adventures' safari lend a thermal or floating suit. And on the RIB days, the early start may mean a hotel within walking distance of the bus.
Group and family prices
The listings price every seat per person, and we found no group rate in them. The RIB tours turn away younger children altogether (14 on Arctic Adventure Tours’ and Frozen Frontiers’ RIBs, and Arctic Explorers Norway does not recommend its RIB under 12). Families with small children are better off on a boat from town; the whale watching FAQ lists the age limits, and catamaran or RIB the rest of the difference.
Prices, usual and promotional, group sizes, inclusions and times from the GetYourGuide listings, read in US dollars on 29 October 2026; Brim Explorer’s departure times and Arctic Whale Tours’ Whale Pass season from the companies’ own sites, read the same day.
A Fair Price for a Day with the Whales
Arctic Resorts' catamaran safari from Nerstrandkaia, the Rødne Fjord Cruise quay by Nerstranda: about 8 hours, 2.5 of them in the whale area near Skjervøy, coffee and tea on board and a second tour free if no whales are seen. On GetYourGuide in October 2026, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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