Reviews of Gatherall's Puffin & Whale Watch (Event Planner)

Marilyn Anstey

Amazing experience! We took a tour last August and it was one of the highlights of our summer! We seen dozens of whales, and hundreds of puffins and other birds! Also, the crew on the boat were friendly, funny and knowledgeable. 10/10 would go again.

Duncan Matheson

We had Phenomenal experince along with an amazing crew on board which made our ride fun, informative and exciting. I definitely recommend these folks. Cheers!! :)

Nora Mclellan

Fantastic tour. Great crew and we got so lucky with 8 whale breaches! The birds are really cool too! Highly recommend

Daimon Rikuhei

Hi, My wife and I just had an amazing whale and puffin tour. Weather was great. Saw 4 whales, a few minke whales plus some humpbacks. A bit rare for this time I understand. The highlight for me was the end of my world-wide search for the elusive puffin. I've been to many places around the world in an attempt to find and photograph puffins. They were always "just left" or "not here yet" - making me think they were merely a myth. This week on our Gatherall's tour - we saw them and I was able to capture a few pictures as evidence that they exist. (copies attached). The crew and staff were great, making every attempt to find us the best of everything to see. We'll be back some time and choose Gatherall's again for another amazing adventure.

Sisi Gee

We had so much fun on this tour! Con (our guide) was so lovely, funny, and informative. There were so many more puffins than I ever thought I would see (it was amazing!), and the Newfoundland scenery was gorgeous! Two hours on the boat was the perfect length of time - the whole trip was just lovely!

Anne Romano

Great place to take tour to see Puffins. Mike - the reason for 4 stars and not 5 was the challenge that there were not seats for everyone who wanted one outdoors. The swells were quite high on the day we went out and I gave up my seat outside on the top level for someone who had difficulty standing with the large swells. Like me this person does not feel well sitting indoors in a boat.

Siann Gault

It's so beautiful out there. I am never seen like this before. It was such a beautiful two hour journey. The crews are outstanding.

Mark Maizonnasse

This was an amazing experience. The crew were very friendly and informative. I would recommend this trip to everyone I know thank you again and cant wait to go back .

Ross Ferguson

Great time, the birds on Gull Island exceeded my expectations. Puffins everywhere and huge numbers of other sea birds. Awesome to see the colonies close up. The crew were friendly and fun.

Bonnie Fowler

Hi there! I have been taking advantage of Gatheralls' Whale Watching Tour for over 20 years and each year I look forward to it as though it was my first time. :) COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented times for our province and country. It was great to see you and O'Brien's come together to offer tourists an opportunity to see birds at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. The Atlantic puffin, murre, and many more bird species. While there is not a guarantee that whales will be seen on the tour, I do appreciate the tour operators' efforts in finding them. Today (July 4, 2020) was chilly day on the water with temperatures in low teens, but dressed up in warm winter's coat (and mittens) it felt like a summer's day! LOL! It was nice of the crew to offer blankets. Brrrrrr ..... Tourists must be mindful that going out for whale watching tour on the Atlantic ocean you must wear layers. Thank you once again for your hospitality! Loved the tour today! I was cozy in my winter's coat :)

Sharon Soltesz

Beautiful scenery, we saw thousands of puffins, a small whale. Staff was exceptional, friendly, professional, informative. Would recommend to anyone of any age. Definitely would go again!!!

Steve Garrett

Thank you so much for another great tour! This was our fifth sailing (we book a tour at least once every time we're home) and each one is fantastic! A trip home wouldn't be the same without one!

Ronald Guerrero

Simply fabulous! Our family of 3 absolutely loved the tour boat. Our 12 y.o. Said it was the highlight of her trip to Newfoundland! We were lucky to see few whales. Thanks for the great tour. Noah was exceptional.

Veronica Barnes

Very interesting tour saw lots of birds but unfortunately no whales today but the earlier tour said they saw whales

Nadine Robinson

A perfect day provided by a professional team! Love the Covid collaboration between these 2 companies. The tour was fantastic with multiple whales, puffins and more! The music, singing, screeching in were a bonus. Love the commentary- I have been on this tour close to a dozen times and I learn something new each time!

Dan C

We went out today on a cruise and saw upwards of 30 whales (fin, humpback and Minke) … it was just awesome. Seeing the Gull Island bird sanctuary was icing on the cake … puffins, kittiwakes, terns). The staff added to the overall experience … fun, friendly and knowledgeable. We are planning on going again in a couple of weeks once the whales are well fed … if you never had the experience of having a humpback whale come up to you on a boat and stare you down (literally) … you have to try it … it is amazing. If you are from here or visiting … this is a must do adventure … and Gatheralls-O’Brien’s are excellent operators. Thanks!

Patient Pilot

I highly recommend this. It was an awesome tour. The crew was super organized and courteous and they gave us the perfect mix of entertainment and local knowledge and facts about what we were seeing. So many birds to see. And the puffins !!!

Cassie Braithwaite

A must see for everyone. Seeing the sea-worn landscape around the coast is worth the price alone. However, there is much more to see. Even though it was very late in the season (Sept 6), we were fortunate to see bald eagles, many tropical sunfish (they are huge) and lots of sea birds. The crew is very informative and entertaining and they work together to help you get the best views of these animals; once the crew spots something (like the sunfish), the captain will maneuver the boat for everyone to get a better look. It it clear that they want you to have the best experience that you can have. The boat is very comfortable and had lots of room for everyone. They have a bar inside where you can buy beer, snacks and other items. They also do a Screeched in ceremony of you'd like. This was well worth the price of admission!

Typhra (Typhra)

Everything about the tour was fantastic! Had a lovely time! Thank you to all crew members. I highly recommend Gatherall’s Puffin & Whale Watching Tours!

Nadya Sywanyk

Wonderfull trip we had. Saw 2 whales playing right next to the boat. Saw hundreds and hundreds of Puffins and various other birds. The host is very informative and give info over in a funny way! Would definitely recommend them! Me and my family enjoyed the 2 hour trip!

Kassi Dick

Love love love this tour! We seen Giant Sunfish, lots of Puffins and a Manta Ray at the very front of the boat. Con, the best host ever, was so much fun and very entertaining! Beautiful singing voice to boot. We recommend this tour for sure! The people inside the souvenir shop were warm and friendly, great experience!

Tuhin Akther

It was a wonderful time! Great tour guides and a wet and wild ride if you choose, or you could stay inside and have a beer. We chose outside!

Cristina Todor

An amazing trip with Gatherall's and O'Briens Bird and Whale Watching Tours. Great view of seashore. Trip around Gull Island showed us lots of birds and puffins too. Whales came to us in groups and just entertained us. A fun commentary by Captain Joe and Noah. Check out the blog posts and YouTube videos from RetiredAndTravelling.

Zeeshan Shaikh

Great tour with lots of opportunities for bird and whale watching! We were luck to observe whales and multitudes of seabirds including puffins. Bring your cameras! Do bring a jacket as it gets chilly on the open waters. The tour is nicely paced and not rushed. The crew was excellent (I apologize I've forgotten all the names!) and were very helpful to people of my party who became seasick. Covid regulations were observed and there was adequate space to distance without wearing a mask. Hand sanitizers were available.

Brittnee Blair

Fantastic time! Lots of puffins and whales. The vessel is very clean and the crew are amazing! Can’t wait to go again next summer! This crowd never disappoints!

Zach

I've done this tour twice now and it's fantastic! I come over to NL by myself for work, and it's a great way to get out when I have some free time. Highly recommended for those traveling solo.

T Duong

We had a wonderful experience. The crew was knowledgeable and excited for us to experience what they obviously love about their home. I was able to fulfill one of my father's wishes. To come to Newfoundland and see the whales. Now if anyone has an accordion signed by Harry Hibbs his life would be complete. Loved making memories with my father and your crew. I highly recommend the tour.

Sharon Pelech

A great day on the water. Staff are very entertaining, the vessel is clean and well-equipped. We were lucky to see multiple whales and sea birds. A great experience.

LDH RetiredAndTravelling

Well! We didn’t see any whales today but oh my goodness what an amazing time we had!! The fellas were so friendly and sang us a bunch of sailing tunes! The seabirds we saw were very plentiful and we even saw some folks being screeched in. I’ve not had this much fun in years! Thanks for the laughs Gatherall’s and for the fantastic memories! We will be back with our kids!

Candy Blake

Absolutely outstanding. We had originally booked the small zodiac boat tour but it was cancelled due to the wind, and I can see why - even the big boat was bouncing around! But what an absolutely amazing, fantastic time - well worth the time and cost. Big props to our very vocally talented crew boys too (the 4:30pm crew on July 18, 2019)!

Sonya and Craig Penney

Phenomenal views of Gull island, fascinating information about the birds and the whales. Bonus, we had a female whale visit us and approach our boat dozens of times. I was right at the back and got a front row view of her fishing behind us. Great crew, friendly and quick. You'll love the maritime humour and the music. Frank puts on a great show! Captain Joe is the salt of the Earth. Our shuttle driver, Noah, noticed I forgot my rings in the bus, got a hold of me that eve and personally returned them to me after his shift. What a hero. Perfect tour 10/10

Carl Pelletier

It was an excellent puffin tour. No whales to be seen. Bring binoculars or a zoom lens. Warn your kids that gulls drown then eat puffins.

carol grindrod

We did the tour today. I gotta say it was a great experience even though we never seen any whales. With this being their last day for the puffin and whale watching tour, we were not expecting to see much because the time of year. Which the lady who took our booking over the phone also informed us of this so we wouldn't be disappointed. However, we did get to see some puffins flying around and sitting in the water. The staff is really friendly, our tour guide sang some Newfoundland songs. Amazing voice by the way and the captain was funny. All of this together made it an amazing experience even with out the whales and cliff side of puffins. Thank you to all. P.s. The bathroom's at dock side was cleaner then most restaurants I have been to. ????????⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Paige Colpitts

Charmingly funny staff, drinks and food available on the ship

mistressdaisi

We loved our puffin and whale watching tour. We saw whales and 1000s of puffin! We appreciated that the captain respected distance and did not crowd the whales. The crew made it fun! Bring a jacket or rain poncho so you can stay outdoors on outside decks. Highly recommend this tour!

Kim Peddle

Amazing times!! We saw at least 5 different whales, all of them very curious and coming right up to the boat to give us a show. We also got screeched in on the boat. Overall a fantastic experience.

Amanda Lim

Amazing tour guides with lots of singing, facts and stories. Make sure to line up early for the boat ride after registering because seating is limited. If not, enjoy a drink before getting on (and while on it). Witnessed a Screech-In ceremony, which was entertaining. The puffins were adorable. Had to get something from the gift shop which had a lot of variety of products after the boat ride

Wattrans Dispatch

Great cruise and very entertaining crew (and good singer). We also had a great beautiful day. Go for it! Lots of puffins!

Remy Pinsent

Went on a tour with Gatherall’s last week and I can see why this is a 5 star! Awesome experience from the staff, to the knowledge, to puffins!!! Love the bar on board and had an absolute blast with my husband getting screeched in. Can’t thank Luke enough for the wonderful songs and great hosting during the tour!

Keyur Patel (Q)

Nice tour operator for puffins. Really informative and well attentive to tourists. Reception staffs were also kind and paid attention to customers for not only check in but also our wearing. In June, it's really cold on the sea. Really honest business. We could have good time owing to them.

C Squires

Beautiful cruise! All the staff are really friendly and knowledgeable about the birds and the surrounding area. You can get screeched in on the boat (25$) it comes with a free yellow southwester hat and certificate! (No whales on our trip, but we were late in the season so I wasn't expecting any).

Julie Héroux

My daughter got sea sick, and they were just amazing! I felt so bad for them cleaning up her puke, but they took such good care of her and checking up on her every so often, it was a great first experience with small kids.

Michelle Hayes

This was a highlight of my trip. I really wanted to see puffins and I was not disappointed. The trip was enjoyable and comfortable and the crew was knowledgeable and hilarious. I was entertained the whole time. Would highly recommend.

Jim MacDonald

An absolutely incredible experience. We were up-close to Humpback Whales, Puffins and many more seabirds while on the tour. The crew were fun, entertaining and knowledgeable. Captain Al, Liam, Luke, and young Mick Jagger really made the experience.

Mary O'Rourke

What a great crew! They were so much fun and funny while commentating the tour. We new seeing a whale in September was not likely but the crew spotted a humpback and the Capt. made sure everyone had the chance to see it. All while still maintaining respect for the feeding whale. Everyone got pics and then on to the puffins. Again ensuring both sides of the boat had their viewing chances. Definitely choose Gatherall’s if you want a great tour with an exceptional crew.

Charmaine Warren

We came to see Puffins and the tour delivered! The staff was entertaining and knowledgeable. We also seen a couple of Fin whales too!

Sammi

Amazing staff and tour! Beautiful views of the puffins and other sea birds, even saw some whales on our trip! The kids loved it!

Josie Hartlin

It was soo amazing.

David Llewelyn

I couldn't ask for more! We had such a great time. Con and Duncan were absolute gems!!! Had the best time and the most memorable time of had during my 2 week vacation home. Tip: visit Duncan at the bar and have a few Iceberg beer! ????????????

Vanessa Edwards

No whales today (a bit late in the season) and the weather was very wet but still a great time. Just being on the water is enough for me. Sun fish were in abundance. Puffins are just too cute. Great staff. Will take the tour again during whale season. Well organized during covid.

Bindi Shaikh

Very professional. Shop, parking lot, restroom, vessel, all clean, modern, well maintained, etc. We could not see the whales (a bit late in season), but it's not because the captain did not try. Around the first island, the captain steered the vessel in such ways to give us the best vantage point to see puffins. A few questions came to mind regarding the oil rig "parked" in the Bay Bulls bay, but these were answered even before I asked them. The added bonus of Bay Bulls history was nice. The last song was interesting too. We had a very good time.

Tracy Lucio

Charming staff and friendly folks all-around. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see any whales when we went ~late August but saw plenty of puffins and other birds during our boat ride. The top part of the deck is amazing for viewing but do be careful of fickle weather. Our trip started out sunny and warm, and ended in light rain, so just be careful of that. We requested for transportation as well to and from the site, and our driver, Loyola, was also amazing - a safe and very informative ride!

Philip V

Awesome tour. Crew were excellent and informative. Crew member doing the singing entertained the passengers. My kids loved finally seeing a whale close up and the birds were amazing. Would definitely do this tour again and would highly recommend it to anyone asking about whale tours in NFLD.

Laurie Florio

Great tour...saw a couple of whales amd plenty of seabirds!

Jeanine Button

It was fantastic! We were able to follow whales and see so many birds. The staff was informative and gave us a good time. You won't get sea sick as there is so much to see and concentrate on. Grand touring me. There is also a lovely store with NL crafts and coffee shop.

Karen Penney

Had a wonderful experience on Gatherall's tour. No whales were to be found, but a great puffin experience, a sun fish and a gorgeous day made it all worth it. It was amazing to have crew members from O'Brien's Tours, as they joined forces during covid and made it very communal!

Michelle Huntley 131313

It was a pretty good experience. The staff were really great, Matt was super fun and informative and kept the crowd going. We did see a minkie, and lots of puffins. Ultimately I was really disappointed that we didn't see any other whales but that is not their fault, but it doesn't make me want to come back either.. we paid a large amount of money for a family of 6..

Muskan Verma

We had a fabulous time on our puffin and whale tour. Sooooo many puffins! The staff were so friendly and courteous. The stories, the humor, the scenery, all priceless. An experience we will never forget.

Katelyn McGrath

What an amazing adventure! The tour was fun and easy. The staff members were polite, courteous and informative. We were able to see several humpback whales, a couple of dolphins, plenty of puffins and other sea birds. It was definitely magical watching the whales put on a show. It's a definite tour to take and to bring our visitors to when they visit. Thanks for a wonderful time!

Alina Ma

What a beautiful day on the water! Puffins whales, music & songs! Crew were amazing & weather couldn't have been better! Nice cold Iceberg beer to top it off! We'll be back for sure!

Canadian One

Excellent! A bus will take you from downtown St. John's out to Bull Bays, where the 2 hour boat trip begins and ends. Guaranteed to see puffins and other sea birds, and perhaps whales. We saw bald eagles, a hunting osprey and a leaping blue fin tuna! The crew are entertaining, and the boat seaworthy and professionally crewed. A great experience!

shawn cossar

So fun. Funny guides and cheap alcohol. didn't see any whales but plenty of puffins and birds (and bird poop). Saw some cool sun fish too. Fun trip!

Jan Blackmore

Amazing experience! Everything was top notch, everyone in the crew were friendly, ready to answer any questions and also very funny! Thanks guys! Will come again for sure.

Wojtek

Had an absolutely Awesome tour today with my Mama who's 87 years young! We were blessed with good weather, got to see dolphins, puffins, two female humpback whales who put off a great show for us!!! Many cherished memories were made for us both ❤. I highly recommend taking this tour, the crew were fun and very informative about all the various species that we witnessed. We were even lucky enough to get pooped on by a puffin, that's some good luck I'll gladly take!! Lol Thank you to Capt.Al and all the crew for an unforgettable day, keep up the great work!???????? Cheers!

C Gates

Staff: Excellent, all so friendly and supportive. Our family did not have jackets, and they let us borrow theirs so we would not be cold. The staff has many jokes to tell and facts to give. Experience: Puffins, whales, getting screeched, and more. The staff made sure everyone got to see the puffins and whales. They entertained us with their music, and they made hilarious jokes to accompany with it. We got to see an ice burg and a sleeping whale! Tip: If you would like to get screeched in you should ask about it when you get the tickets and please know you will be drinking some Rum. Make sure that you bring some warm clothes/ Conclusion: This company made us have a fantastic experience, see new things, and made us want to do it again. Thank you, so much for an enlightening experience.

Kathleen Hogarth

The 2 hour ship ride was full of laughter with Matt, the first mate, entertaining us with local history, bird information and humour. Part way through a Minke whale came around the boat about 6 or 7 times, and kept us company. Witless Bay Ecological Reserve has hundreds of thousands of birds, and the puffins are the stars. They are tinier than I expected, but can swim and fly and dive... quite the performers.

Bernie UAI

The tour was excellent! The whales put on a show, enhanced with great, educative commentary from the crew. Also very interesting was the seeing the immense numbers of puffins and other birds nesting on the islands. Highly recommended for travelers of all ages.

Nicole Mallett

They boat crew is amazing! Knowledgeable and fun! They are realistic about the tour but definitely did not disappoint! Whales and puffins everywhere! Completely awesome!

Jennifer Major

Has really friendly staff and has amazing atmosphere aboard. Went to see whales but I guess they were already gone by this time of the year. Hopefully I get to come out this way again in the summer. You can also get screeched in on the boat and become an official Newfie!