Reviews of O'Brien's Whale and Bird Tours (Travel Agency)

Dwayne mackinnon

amazing

Evan Williams

We had a whaley good time! Won't leave you huffin', we saw lots of puffins

Alexander Cryderman

Great experience a must see

Tamsin Moye

Whales! Puffins! And entertaining hosts...

Eva Gracia Turgeon

Was amazing, guides were very informative and friendly, still very excited to see the whales we saw. Was magical!

Stephen Emrich

A great experience for a great price. The staff are a riot, cracking jokes and singing songs and doing everything they can to see whales. They even included a bird expert to explain the different species and their characteristics. The sites are beautiful. There's a bar on board. I will definitely do this tour again when I come back. Next time I will take advantage of the ability to get screeched in.

Julie White

This is the boat tour you want to take for Whales, Puffins and fun entertainment. Staff are pleasant, informative and entertaining.

Grenk MaGriggle

Wow.... what a minute that's not enough... WOW! Matt, you made the trip for us. We realized after we got off the boat that this would have been the ultimate place to get screeched in too. And yes... you won't be disappointed. There's lots of whales and puffins to be seen, and great songs to be sung. Dont believe me? Go for yourself!

Lori Moore

Amazing tour. Found the whales in the fog. Informative crew shared information about the colony of puffins and other birds.

NL Republic

Had the fish & chips at Tongue & Cheek restaurant. Delicious!!!

Tyler MacDonald

Very good tour of birds and whales. Safety was very good and tour guides were knowledgeable and funny. Even a song at the end sung by one of the crew members. Would recommend to all who pass through this area.

Geoff Aylward

Excellent restaurant ~ boat tour sold out

Fred Apon

Great tour saw lots of Puffins.

Yadvinder

Great staff and got to see whales so can’t really complain here ????????

J Brew

The tour was very interesting and fun. Our naturalist Jessika was very knowledgeable and happy to field questions. The crew we're a lot of fun. We saw nesting puffins, murres and other birds. We were also happy to see a Minke whale. We took their shuttle from St Johns. Our driver Loyola gave us a nice overview of Newfoundland natural history and culture. The price seemed a bit high but it was an excellent excursion.

Andrew Ward

Just finished a tour this morning and I have to say it was a really fun time. Although we didn't see any whales (as it isn't quite the right time yet) we saw a lot of puffins, murre, and a few very hungry eagles! Justin and the rest of the crew did a great job taking us around and teaching us a lot about all of the wildlife and our surroundings. Would for sure do it again with these guys in whale season!

Jim Lochhead

Great trip to the colonies of birds at Gull Island in Witless Bay. Entertaining descriptions of the bird and their habits. Not to mention the Humpback whales along the way.

Graham Young

Absolutely fantastic whale watching trip.

Ann Angle

Fantastic.. .fun...amazing...great boat tour!

Constance Sturgeon

Delicious food and Newfoundland style friendly service!

Vinky0209

Tour guide was really funny

Simone Smith

Wow! Saw so many whales and birds! The crew was great. Not too impressed with the setup though - we had to line up to get seats, but then people came and stood in front of us instead of finding seats. The kids with us were pushed out of the way when others wanted to see.

Chuck Wilson

We had a great time on the tour last summer (2017). The captain and crew were entertaining and you could tell they had a real passion for the environment. Make sure you take some time to do one of these boat tours. Amazing!

Kasey Phillips

We LOVED it. Skipper Joe was funny, informative, helpful and kind. We saw beautiful icebergs and seabirds. Definitely check it out if you're in St. John's.

Laura Sherman

SO MANY PUFFINS! Definitely would recommend this tour. Staff were friendly, helpful and informative.

Bryan Jerrett

Did the zodiac tour here a few years ago. It was amazing. Not sure if it's still offered, but if so, it is highly recommended.

Austin Vavrovics

Great tour, super staff

Bob Smith

Great tour today... Thanks. Not only are they accessible but went above and beyond to help

Brian Carey

Probably the best way in Newfoundland to see whales, icebergs and seabirds.

Trask Outdoors

Not bad. However more focus on the birds then the whales. Still cool.

Adam Germain

This was a very well done tour and the staff were all super friendly and funny. Warning to anyone booking though - they can't guarantee whale sightings and we didn't see a single one. Want to see birds though? This is the tour for you! Conditions were good on the water for boating but it still rocked quite a bit while out on the water.

John Dibben

The best whale watching experience ever. One humpback put on a 30 minute show for us. It was also educational and very entertaining with the Puffin and the singing.

Sean Baradaran

One of the most amazing experiences we have had in Newfoundland..... The tour was great, staff were amazing, our captain, Michael, went out of his way to make sure we are having a great time.... I don't need to mention that he was amazing sailor.... He handled the boat ???? so easily... We saw a large pod of Humpback whales ????, puffins ???? and the gorgeous coastal scenery... I definitely recommend the small boat experience as it is very intimate and up close to nature.... Best time to visit, early morning

Sara B

We were lucky enough to see icebergs, minke and humpback whales, and several types of seabirds. Tour guides seemed knowledgeable.

Kamaldeep L

Fantastic, fulfilled, informative. Loved the songs sung by captain and the guide.

Melissa Williams

Wonderful crew!!

Steve Gibson

Very funny, informative and safe. Highly recommended if you want to see a hundred thousand puffins!

bildar01

Great boating event made even better by super friendly folks. Five Stars!

Barbara Ann Guiney

Best tour and people are great

Miri Hadas Koller

Great tour, great guide. We got to see whales, bold eagle and lots of puffins.

Cecilee

This tour was absolutely wonderful! Within 20 minutes of sailing, we were following 2 whales (mama & baby). Our guides were very knowledgeable, funny and great performers. Also loved that we were able to be screeched in on the boat!

Stephan Martin

Absolutely outstanding. Well equipped boats with knowledgeable, passionate and articulate tour guides. Well worth the money. The puffin colony on Gull Island is the second largest in the world and when the caplan are running, you can easily see 15 to 30 whales, mostly humpback.

Diane Williams

First class staff and service on this 2hour whale and puffin tour. We were the last tour of the day near the end of whale season but our guide saw a spout and the captain got us some great action with the whale coming close to ‘see’ us and spread its scent on the group with its blow. Our guide sang us a few songs and kept us entertained with his knowledge of whales, puffins and other seabirds. If you are in St John’s do yourself a favour and drive the short 20 minutes to Bay of Bulls and see this place with its amazing views and restaurant.

James Newport

What a great time. The Whales were everywhere.

Barry Delong

Great experience. As advertised. A fantastic and informative tour. Highly recommended.

Rick Kearsey

Always a great time.

Corrado DeGasperin

Outstanding and very well worth the money. Strongly recommended!

Simon Blair

A great company with a nice boat route going by neat rock formations and a bird island. The crew and captain had extensive knowledge of everything we passed, including the geology of the rocks, and the various species of birds. Highly recommend taking a tour if you're ever in the area.

C Lewis

Great experience! We saw lots of whales, Puffins and even a glimpse of an iceberg! The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable about the whales and birds. This is a must for anyone visiting the area!!

John Dodd

Amazing afternoon, lots of fun, saw beautiful wildlife including Whales. Highly recommend

Samantha Lloyd

The boat tour so nice we did it twice! And we'd go again in a heart beat. The staff are consistently warm, welcoming, knowledgable and entertaining. You will be serenaded on the North Atlantic. And also, amidst the great hospitality, there were puffins, icebergs and whales :)

Michael

Good ride and decent commentary from the staff. They delivered on my expectations of seeing some puffins. Beer available for sale.

Kathleen

Great customer service, even though our tour was cancelled due to weather, the staff were absolutely amazing to interact with.

Miriam Martinez

Well organized and knowledgeable of Witless Sanctuary, whales and puffins.

Fred

Great experience seeing whales!

Rebecca Macone

Great tour. So many puffins and other seabirds. Even saw a whale.

John Crossley

The people who operate this venture are good people, know what they are talking about. My only concern was how they sought out gratuities at cruise end. Not with not only a sign and basket.....but outright asking!!

Alexa Lam

Amazing time on this tour! Full of fun, excitement and adventure. Birds were amazing but that moment when you hear the commotion of a whale sighting and everything changes to high alert and the chase is on. Loved every moment of it. Beautiful ride. Guide was friendly and fun. Had a "screeching in" onboard as well near the end of the tour. Lots of fun and well worth the money.

Barry Krawchuk

Our guide and Captain were very informative and entertaining! Great tour!

Shea Loucks

Lead singer of Irish Decedents is the tour guide. Hilarious and interesting.

Natalie Merrick

So much fun!

Tony Bose

Great tour, made better by excellent crew. Captain Mike and Sean O’Donel were kind and thoughtful. Allowed my husband to board in his electric wheelchair, checked on us several times. Beautiful scenery, magnificent puffins and common murre, even a whale body & tail. Many thanks, see you next time !

Spencer Bridger

January

Fabien Ancelin

More than guides, the crew are also good story tellers. But guides they are, and good ones. They went beyond the 2 hours to have us see more humpback whales. They were very knowledgeable about the birds.

Adam Templeton

Wonderful cruise and informatble staff. Saw everything we wanted to see

Lydia London

Our boat tour was in the morning on a beautiful sunny day. Our tour guide was very friendly and cracked lots of jokes as well as singing us some great Newfoundland songs. We just had such a wonderful time as we were able to see a huge amount of puffins flying overhead and on the rocky cliffs along with a variety of other seabirds. My highlight had to be seeing two types of whale (minke and humpback). It was so special as the humpback mum and calf followed our boat, swimming underneath and around it. It really took my breath away. O'Brien's were respectful of the whales and got close but not too close.

Shay

We did the kingfisher tour and it was so awesome! We had a lovely, clear July day as our backdrop so the waves were gentle and the weather was lovely. We saw dolphins and whales and puffins and waterfalls. Very beautiful. I highly recommend the kingfisher tour over the other one as it only fits 10 people in the boat and you are able to get way closer to the wildlife and into the caves and near the waterfalls. Only issue is if you get seasick it won’t be the tour for you, especially if the weather isn’t on your side. I also got a bit of frost bite on my nose, lips and fingers despite it being summer so bundle up (they give you suits but your hands and face are exposed). Our tour guide, Michael, was lovely and even extended the tour for us so we could see more of the whales. Worth every penny in my opinion.

Madonna L Ryan-Gorner

Great tour, knowledgeable tour guide, snacks and drinks available. Good entertainment, lots of fun!

Cassie Braithwaite

What a great tour!! The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable , not to mention, was Con Obrien from the Irish Descendants?! He sang some amazing newfoundland songs! We were brought right up to the birds ecological reserve, and saw thousands of Murres and Puffins- no whales on our trip (end of August so I wasn't expecting any). My only con is that the boat didn't stay still long enough or often enough for me to get any clear pictures of the puffins. They're tiny birds so once I located one the boat was on the move again. (This is just the birder in me speaking...haha) Great trip and I plan on doing it again next time I'm back in Newfoundland! Thank you!!

Saman Muhammad

Ineffable. This was truly the most surreal, breathtaking experience. We are on the drive home as I write this, and we are still processing everything we just saw. The tour was amazing. Our Captain, Con, and his son Martin were just the most wonderful humans you will ever meet. If you are lucky enough to get Con as your captain, you must try to get him to sing for you, his voice will melt your heart.

screaming cat channel

Awesome

Gama Green

They are the best

Steve R

Friendly, clean and fun! We even saw a whale off season.

Arjan Jianfar

nice for tour but a little out of town.

Doug M.

Super friendly staff made the ride enjoyable and fun!

Suzanne Giddings

Screech in was fun in addition to the wonderful boat tour

Ze Guang Tan

nice tour, though we didnt see any glaciers

John Frampton

The friendliest service and every trip is a blast!

Jackie Nemni

Thousands of puffins and other seabirds. Terrific!

Georgia Hargreaves

It's brilliant. We didn't see any whales or puffins but nevertheless the trip was very enjoyable. The crew made the trip funny and informative, and the views are stunning. Not bad for the price, but I'd say make sure you're not too late to see the puffins, I'm sad we didn't see them but still it was a great day!

Olivier Wong Kee You

Friendly people who are running a great operation here. Fortunate to have been part of the tour. It was my first time in a while on a boat. Thought I was getting sea sick, but it passed. The experience is quite fun, saw some whale tails and humps. Puffins and various other birds were plenty. They will mention not to wear orange, otherwise Puffins will try to mate with you or something along those lines. Student discount is available here. And one more friendly reminder, once you're out of the Bay, the temperature will drop immediately and drastically so bring an extra layer. Overall a great and fun experience.

Theresa L

Fantastic views of the ocean and sightings of humpback Whales and 1.5 million nesting birds at Witless Bay.

Jillian R: she-they

Staff was amazing! The guide was hilarious! We followed two humpback whales for most of the tour and then got to see the outstanding population of birds, especially puffing.

Josh McNab

Puffins and dolphins

Imagine Contracting Inc

Great guides, beautiful scenery and lots of birds AND whales!! A grand success!

Wanda Gould

Great adventure. The crew were informative and entertaining.

Andrea Munster

Amazing guide and staff. Highly recommended!

Cara McGlinchey

Awesome...

Helen McKiernan

Wonderful tour aided by perfect weather. Disappointed not to see a whale but the hint of one was enough to capture the moment.

Jaime Donnelly

Great experience!

Joyce Baker

What a fantastic experience these folks offer! They entire experience from start to finish was very professional, safe, fun and so memorable! I highly recommend taking this in if you ever have the chance!

Bev Wood

We just love O'Brien's, we were staying at the Sheraton in St Johns and the waitress in the dining room recommended it as far as a whale watching expedition and then we asked at the front desk and then they recommended it and then we asked the concierge and they recommended it so we figured if three different people recommended it they can't be wrong! We had so much fun! We came across a pod of 20 whales and even the guys on the boat were so excited they stopped what they were doing and even watched. There was three mothers with babies in that pod it was really something to see! We even got to see when will jump right out of the water not once not twice but three times!!! The boys on the boat we're so full of information it was really something about all the birds in the area not just a puffins that we saw but about all the other birds. But all the islands in the area, about the history, about the folklore, and could answer any question that you had. They were training a new girl and it was our first day taking it out on her own and she did so well. She had the reddest hair, as many of the Islanders do, and she's sang great LOL. Yes they even sing on this boat a lot of the old-time Mariner songs. You won't go wrong by going with this group they pick up at the major hotels around St John's.

Taryn Wyatt

Beautiful views of the coast and entertaining sing-a-longs added to the experience. Very happy to have been lucky enough to see three different species of whales.

Matthew Butler

Went out for the whale and puffin tour was a great time with my friends. Lots of fun to be had and a few snacks onboard

Tonya Mosher

Great experience! Knowledgeable about where the whales were! Such a fun thing to do.

Nick Passakas

Great whale tour that was lots of fun with singing and wonderful stories. Would highly recommend this experience.

David Cole

Super friendly and knowledgeable crew. It was a fantastic experience!!

Peter MacMurchy

Had a great experience on their puffin tour. Saw all the puffins and other amazing sea birds, 2 whales, and a screeching in. Fun, knowledgable, enthusiastic crew who took some extra time for whale watching, which was much appreciated by all. Restaurant and cafe are good too!

James Kerr

Great tour with super friendly and helpful staff. Big boat and felt super smooth.

Mike

Wonderful experience. On the ocean with salt spray and fresh sea air. Entertaining crew sharing some Newfoundland laughs and folklore while watching nature.

Richard Uhrick

Great emcee and visuals

Nikotine76

Great place to go whale and puffin watching, the crew was very friendly, knowledgeable and sometimes they sing too. It’s a good way to spend some time on the water and having a couple of beers. The restaurant at the harbour offered an awesome patio overlooking the harbour and some of the best fish and chips on the island.

B Brooks

Lots of whales and entertainment on the boat

Alexander Granderath

Whales, Puffins, live songs. Wonderful.

Barbara Cullen

Good tour despite the rain and fog. Saw an iceberg, 2 minke whales and hundreds of puffins and other seabirds.

Caroline Turcotte

Staffs are very entertaining. Really enjoyed my experience.

Tina Colbourne

We did get to see lots of birds and did see two humpbacks. Unfortunately no tail shots or breeching on this day but was still a great experience. The shuttle service came right to Pippy park to pick us up and drop us off. The little gift shop was PACKED and very dissorganized. Would be better if there was definite lineups for each cash register. Was a bit confusing where to go. But overall a great tour

Josh Gummett

Excellent staff, fun stories, wonderful songs, and incomparable views!

Karen Winkler Mendenhall

Would definitely go with them again, what a fun group! Felt like I learned something, too. Lolling alongside a calm humpback was one of those never-forget-it-in-your-life moments and I also LOVE puffins now, thanks to the crew of O'Briens!

Connor McBrine-Ellis

Our tour was incredible!! Got to see whales and birds up close. Highly recommended!!

David Karagianis (Dradis)

Fun exciting experience, guided by Con O'Brien. Singing, screeching in, lots of whale and bird sightings. Would go again.

Sridhar Chilimuri

Nice tour - we saw puffins and huge number of seabirds - just one whale as it was early in the season - and some.icbergs for sure - the boat was nice to crowded with enough viewing space and the crew was excellent - ate at their restaurant and chowder was delicious

Rick Fisher

Great morning...lots of whales, birds and great story telling singing and fun with Capt Joe, guide Shawn and whale caller Matt. Perfect day for our CFA relatives.

Iryna Maiboroda

Enjoyed the tour a lot!

Jennifer Baker

Minky Whales, puffins, icebergs

Ron Mosocco

As we wind down our stay at St. John's today we drove to Witless Bay and boat tour in search of icebergs and puffins last May. The weather was cold and foggy. The water temperature was 28 degrees. Welcome to the North Atlantic! We came across many icebergs and tens of thousands of puffins and other waterfowl. One iceberg was massive and humbling. Only 10% is showing, rest underwater. Was told they wreck havoc on underwater cables, fishing grounds, offshore drilling rigs, as they scrape the bottom of the ocean. 15,000 years in the making, took 3 to 5 years to make its way here from western Greenland, now will die a relatively quick death. The cold refreshing air brings resilience to the body. New inductees to Newfoundland membership taking a shot of Screetch Rum! Glad we did this on our final day here. The last on the boat tour. As our guide told us with Irish/Newfoundland music blaring, he said his name was Macdonald as he was half Irish and half Scottish which means he loves to drink but just hates to pay for it! Hahaha

Teresa Coppens

Wild ride our last day out. Staff was super entertaining!

H G

Con was a great tour guide and we actually saw a humpback breach. It was breath taking

Kyle Mitchell

Great trip, funny and informative crew!!!

Charles McGeoghan

Sound vessel and knowledgeable, friendly staff. You can get screeched in on the boat. Saw whales and Puffins. Guide was Con O'Brian from musical group "The Irish Descendants."

D. Dalton

A must do when visiting St. John's... amazing customer service with knowledgeable and astute staff. Worth the money even if no whales pop up to say hello. Loved every minute of it...

Ryan Doan

What an amazing adventure. We say many different types of birds and a humpback whale and her calf jumping and playing and slapping the water with their tails. Captain Mike did an amazing job with the tour and getting us up close with all the birds and whales.

Karen MacEwan

The guides are knowledgeable, and humorous. You can get scre3ched in on this tour too!

Sharon Theiss

What a great tour. Tour guides were very informative as well as making the tour fun.

Kevin Sheppard

Have done it twice in 7 years and would do it again.great experience.

Danielle Perry

This was the absolute highlight of my trip to Newfoundland in August. We had already seen some whales from the shore, but nothing compared to getting up close. O'Brien's went out of their way and took us very far out to catch whales since it was quite late in the season. We saw whales breaching and a mom feeding her calf - it was unbelievable. I honestly cried a little bit from the wonder of it , there aren't many experiences where I can say that happened.

Matteo Golin

Saw siany whales and puffins and the tour guide was amazing. Had fun singing songs, seeing whales and getting screeched in. A true Newfoundland experience for any tourists!

Sally Cunningham

We had the best time on the tour!! Matt was awesome very informative very humorous and a wonderful tour guide !!well worth the money great value and would choose them again for our next tour!!! Overall an excellent experience!! Thank you so much!!!!

Stentaford Snow

Amazing trip best customer satisfaction

Adam ray

Great boat tour. We were lucky to see dolphins, whales (about 12 humpback....very close up and millions of sea birds) great crew, lots of fun.

John O'Rielly

Great boat tours. Nice restaurant with a deck

Thomas Kerr

Amazing experience! Con and the other O'Briens were fantastic hosts

Robert Baker

Amazing trip. We got so close to the birds nest it was surprising and great for viewing. Experienced two whale surfacing but only saw one which was brief. All in all, well worth it.

Reem El Sherif

A must for anyone visiting st. John's! We took the tour June 17 which is not really whale season but we saw 2 minke whales! The puffins and other birds were amazing, and our crew were just the best. If you get seasick (like me) stay on the top floor for the air but make sure you are dressed warmly as it is freezing! Best 2 hours ever!

Steve Grogorick

memorable!

Sean S

Very friendly staff and great views. Boat can be a bit rocky

Wade Colborne

I went on a boat tour, saw lots of whales and birds. The staff was great too, very informative and entertaining!

Scott Friel

The captain and crew were entertaining. We were very fortunate that we saw six whales and even had two very impressive tails emerge where we saw the underside. Most importantly, they seemed to be well informed about puffins, whales, common murrs and the islands. The food in the restaurant does not need to be sampled. Go to the captains table just south seven minutes.

Alejandra Vandewalle

Love

Drew Monrad

Great tour of Witless Bay Ecological Reserve! Puffins, Black-legged Kittiwake, Guillemots, Common Murre and more. The captain, tour guide and bartender were knowledgeable, and had a great attitude. Definately worth the trip down from St Johns, and a repeat the next time we are in the area.

Andrew Carriere

Great for seeing whales, puffins and the occasional iceberg.

Anne Moore

Fantastic example of East Coast hospitality! Wonderfully intersting and entertaining boat tour, a must do ~ look at that water!

Brad Dishaw

Great fun, nice people and awesome viewings!

Elizabeth Horodnyk

The boat tour is fun and fantastic. The guides make it really entertaining. There is also a lovely gift shop downstairs. Only advise is DO NOT grab food at the restaurant afterwards. We waited almost 2 hours for service and regretted waiting that long. Not worth it at all.

John G

Had a great time here. The Crew was just amazing

Benjamin Madill

Lots of fun! Great tour and staff

Zac Jacobson

Funny, informative, and lively. It sounds like we saw one of the last humpback whales of the season, which was a real treat. The guides, Matt and Justin, had so much information to share, and they did it in a really funny and engaging way. I learned a lot. Matt especially was very approachable about the birds and other things in the area. Also, the two of them have lovely singing voices.

Jonah Gray

Great experience 100% Recommended for fun times good laughs and friendly crew and passengers. 10/10 ????

Phil Johnson

Great fun and great narrator. A bit cramped

Stephen Fung

These folks are fantastic and funny as hell.

Francesca Patten

I brought some friends from out of town on this tour and we had a great time. Just a note-- you need to be on the far side of the Bay for the tour (at Gatherall's). The parking lot is easy to access, there are washrooms on site, and it has a cute gift shop. Try and get there early as you need to check-in inside and make jump in the lineup. The tour we went on was two hours. If you get at all motion sick, you should prepare in advance with medication, patches, etc as this tour is on open water for parts and depending the wind, it isn't the smoothest trip. You can see Puffins in the water within minutes of departing and get a ton of time to see them on the island.

Gareth James

Fantastic staff, great trip

Brad Robeson

Great staff. Very accommodating and they know where the whales are.

Isaac Mailach

Great staff and stunnings views. The guide was friendly and quite knowledgeable, although he can be a bit overbearing at times. Seeing the unusual rock formations are definitely one of my highlights. We went to two island reserves to observe seabirds, including a huge amount of puffins. Something to note is that on our trip, we saw a group of half a dozen dolphins! The boat followed them for 20 minutes, and the dolphins stayed near us that entire time! Definitely will remember that one. Of course it depends on your luck. For instance, we saw no whales on our tour. Always go for the views, since the wildlife can be so unpredictable. It was quite cold and very windy when we left the bay, so dress warm. The boat can also become quite rocky out at sea, so make sure you take your sea-sickness meds before you go! The rocking wasn't too bad though, so don't worry.

Jody Heath

Loved this tour. Matt was awesome, informative and entertaining all at the same time. Puffins are the cutest birds and the whales put on a good show. Thanks for a fantastic morning.

LDH RetiredAndTravelling

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.

Stephen Shaw

Liked the tour but no iceburgs

Fateme Ahmadi

They truly deserve the award... :)

Sandi MacLeod

Fantastic few hours. Up close and personal with puffins and Icebergs. Amazing Canadian shore line to be viewed from the boat. Our compère was brilliant, loads of information, funny and he could belt out a tune. Well worth it!

Alex Kalotinis

Excellent whale watching experience. We saw whales, dolphins and puffins. Super exciting and not overly long!

Donny Moore

Fantastic weather for the trip which makes it enjoyable. This was more of a bird and berg tour as no whales made an appearance. A bit early in the season for us. The Puffins more than made up for it.

Alan Williams

Fantastic

Shane Edde

Whale watching means they go in a "pre-planned" route that they ALWAYS go in and if you see some Whales great, if you don't oh well. They don't go LOOKING for Whales and they don't have a clue where the Whales ARE. They just ride their circle and hope to see some. All the while they are selling BOOZE to degenerates which have expected outcomes. We had two sorry individuals drinking their liquor "around my children no less" that spilt their drinks on our clothes, our bags and our seats. Instead of cleaning it up they went downstairs and left us to clean it up. The only reason they got two stars was that the staff does go the extra mile to try and make sure you have a good time. And they do take you to an Island loaded with the Birds that they promise. Other than that I think they need to revamp their tours. They should get rid of the alcohol. It is totally unnecessary and they should send someone out daily to find the Whales before the tours.

kirk Rampower

Was great ???????? tour guide was very helpful

Kevin Ross

Just Okay... entertaining trip, but not so close to Puffins or Whales... and a little overpriced... Later in our trip, met friends who went whale watching in Trinity and got right next to whales... good Puffin watching in Elliston... saw lots of whales from the shore in Ferryland and along the Irish Loop...

Paul Snyder

A five star boat tour. Puffins whales and a miriad of sea birds. Well worth the drive to Bay Bulls.

Eric France

Great tour with Capn Matt and Shawn. Saw a couple whales and lots of puffins. Beautiful scenery

Jason Dawe (JD)

There are several tours of this area and they are all outstanding. The added benefit of O'Brien's is the addition of local musical artists that often host the tour - then there is live music, humour, and a sense of belonging. The tour itself is majestic, beautiful,and inspiring. I have lived in the general area all my life and have only taken the time to do this twice now. It is one of those treasures that is not just for tourists. We all should take the time to enjoy this amazing place.

Laurie Haldenby

Excellent. Highly recommend. The guide was very informative and added a nice Newfoundland touch to the end of the tour.

Heather Sheppard

Always a great experience. Amazing trip this year seeing at least 50 whales!!! Awesome lunch back at the chalet. Get out and enjoy what this beautiful province has to offer!!

Dave Watling

Awesome tour! The staff was great! Got to see a spectacular whale show! Highly doubt recommended!

Leszek Marcinkowski

very good excursion

Roxana Berlan

Excellent tour! It left on time. Our guide Justin was great, and he can sing really well! Very entertaining and informative. We saw some whales and the Puffins. This company has been in business for a long time and you can see it. Nice facilities and good organization.

Kevin Damen

It was a great experience, we went for the 11:30am trip, we saw Wales twice, first time by the island (about 10 - 15 sightings) then again on the way back (3 - 4 Sightings) also with lots of birds. The staff were great, very friendly and knowledgeable...

Gary Reiche

A bit choppier than the captain wanted, but we still saw everything that we expected. Great crew, too.

George Ayoub

Ok restaurant. Boat tour is a bit of Disneyland on Sea.

Dustin Tennent

Great tour and friendly staff. Make sure the weather forecast is looking good. We went on a pretty cold and foggy June day, so we didn't see much other than birds and icebergs.

Ivan Layden

Expensive for a family, the cruise and tour were eye opening and the personnel very friendly.

Kate Gallagher

Absolutely fantastic! Their reputation is well deserved. We saw tons of whales, including two tails at once. The tour is lots of fun and the perfect way to see the ecological reserve. If you're interested, you can even get screeched in on the boat!

Corrina Smith

We had the Best time we saw so many whales, beautiful Puffins and other birds. Thank you!!

Todd Hunter

Top notch! I was lucky enough to see 3 types of whales on this cruise!

Yvon Daigneault

(Translated) Wonderful sunny day, the whales were at the rendezvous as well as the puffins. The staff and especially the host were totally dedicated to the guests. It was a 10/10 reception until the end of the tour! (Original) Merveilleuse journée ensoleillée, les baleines étaient au rendez-vous de même que les macareux. Le personnel et en particulier l’animateur étaient totalement dévoués aux clients. C’était un 10/10 de l’accueil jusqu’à la fin de l’excursion!

Olivia Ch

Great staff, on time and informative tour. Our guide, Justin made it so much fun. He sang for us and made us laugh a lot. Wonderful experience. Glad we chose o'briens. Highly recommend it.

Ivan Zendel

Fun trip with knowledgeable friendly staff

Bill Strange

O'Brien's never disappoints and this time Con and the coastal adventure tour brought things to another level. Thanks for making my trip home so memorable and treating my wife and friend Erwin from Amsterdam to such a spectacular up close and personal view of one of the greatest places on earth Newfoundland!

Julia Friesen

Unreal whale and bird watching. Staff were lovely and helpful for picking a hike after as well.

carol bryanton

Whaling good time

Trevor McKee

Excellent staff, very funny and entertaining with a couple of songs even. Saw more Puffins than can be counted, as well as other sea birds. We were also able to see a few whales on the trip from fairly close up, which was awesome!

Alex S.

Amazing experience, very professional staff, great knowledge of local wildlife. Scenic route, excellent value. Highly recommended.

Travel gamer

Amazing experience with lots of whales around us from minkes to commons and humphbacks. Our tour starts like at 9 am and it lasts like 2 hours and 30 minutes. In the return the staff starts to sing, and play guitar and they were funny. At the end of the tour we ate at the center of the the company, we ate fish and chips and lobsters that are delicious. Great experience.

Greg English

Amazing experience!

Haris Hadzimuratovic

A wonderful three hours with experienced staff that shows you what you came to see.

Jason Murray Nfld

Great experience. Friendly crew and experienced

Åke i Eskilstuna

Some killer whale but not fascinating

Billy Logan

Fantastic tour with beautiful views, incredible fauna, lovely music, and hilarious banter between crew members. Great way to spend a couple hours taking in the sights, sounds, and culture of Newfoundland.

Paige Colpitts

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.

Stephen Czarnuch

Great tour. Tons of whales, amazing crew and good boat.

That Cannabis Guy

Best tour ever, see ya next year!

Josephine Leier

Can't say enough it was the most amazing boat tour I have ever had.Hundreds of whales dancing in the ocean. And the puffins were amazing.thank you so much for sharing your love for the ocean. loved it.

A U

Enjoyed this unforgettable day!

Edgard Jespers

(Translated) Nice boat trip with chance to see whales and puffins (Original) Leuke boottocht met kans om walvissen en puffins te zien

e nig ma

Fish and chips - freshest cod ever - really really good. And friendly.

Caitlin Madley

Excellent tour. Guide was amazing and funny. Saw puffins, whales and icebergs. I loved it. Best tour ever.

Rick Barnes

No whales but plenty of birds. I learned a lot about puffins and other sea birds. Wonderful tour guides and Great music on board!

Johanne Prince

Great experience. We saw the whales up really close. Justin the guide was super entertaining too. Good job all around!

Yin Hui Siow

We saw lots of whales and many puffins! The boat was not too crowded so there was lots of viewing opportunity. Our host was great with information, singing and very fun! I would recommend O'Brien's!!

Pranjal Patra

The boats are too big and too many people on them :(. I took my parents with me and it cost 200 bucks for our tickets but we found ourselves wrestling with fellow passengers to find a good spot on the boat. The crew was very good otherwise. I will go in a smaller boat next time.

Darren Collins

The crew was the best

lucas lahey

I had an absolutely amazing time the staff is unbelievably nice and funny

matthew smith

The best tour. Done it twice now and have always seen whales.

Denis Maloushko

Very entertaining boat tour. Birds’ islands are even more interesting to see than whales. And of course Irish songs by O’Brien made this tour very unique and unforgettable.

Jessica Voigts

Such a friendly crew, knowledgeable resource, and fantastic (and safe) boat tour! I really enjoyed it - and our teen daughter was smiling the WHOLE TIME. Thank you so much! Excellent job!

Dana Hufsmith

We saw a humpback, puffins & other birds, and an ancient iceberg in one trip. It was a great experience, plus the crew were wonderful and entertaining!

Jennifer Foster

Excellent and fun Tour! The tour operators know their stuff!! We saw whales and puffins!!! So much fun!!!

Ellen Bruce

Great tour! It was their last day for the season, too late for whales or icebergs, but a wonderful and informative tour around the coastline. Super friendly staff. Would do it again in a heartbeat!

Tam Cheah

Great experience. Love the puffins.

Sinitta Pesme

Host is very entertaining, and we were lucky to see a couple whales and a whole lot of puffins.

Jordan Hodgson

Took the boat tour earlier this morning. Did not see any whales but lots of puffins. The crew did a great job and made the tour very interesting. I recommend this tour!

Blair Norton

Great hospitality, great stories, and with Captain Joe at the helm we saw icebergs and lots of birds. Highly recommend this tour, dress warm so you can spend time on the outside of the boat.

Sara Chicconi

Nice tour discovering rocks and puffins. All the crew was really friendly. Extra points for the driver. Unlikely that day whales were swimming in other part of the island.

Lori Ogden

When I was a child, my grandfather would bring me on this tour every year when I came back from Ontario. This year, I took my sons (16 and 19) on the same tour on our trip here from Halifax, and it lived up to the same great memories I had from years ago. The crew is excellent, the tour is well done, and even though we didn't manage to see a whale on this trip, it was still entertaining and informative. I would highly recommend this company to anyone looking to book a tour.

Sheryl Gray

AWESOME SAILING

Michael Dawe

Great place to see the whales. Prices a little steep but fabulous views.

Adrian J Nyaoi

Very interesting, knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide ...he can sing too we saw a ton of whales, we managed to see at close range a pair swimming together, there were whales every where ...and an iceberg in the distance. The bird colony island was a sight not to miss Bring along a windbreaker/sweater ...even if the weather on land is warm, at sea there is the wind blowing over cold water that can be very chilly

Sahar Salimi

Amazing boat tour takes you to Witless Bay Natural Reserve to see all the seabirds. In the right season you will see Whales and Icebergs too. Great staff. Con explained everything in good detail. Captain was very friendly. They also do screech in ceremonies if you want. Unforgettable memory!

Joe Hunter

Excellent tour ! The whales were great !

Ray Thomas

Great tour boat ride. Saw lots of puffins but only one small whale. Good bar on board and everyone really friendly. Couple of the crew had great singing voices.

Lester Jacobs

The tour was great, very informative, humorous and a good singer!

Ryan Huang

Happy to has this tour as the end of our NL trip, the crews are very nice and professional, and so lucky to watch rescue puffin chicks release, as well as thousands of puffins, 2 eagles, one whale in the cove

Wayne Herber

We got to a cow humpback whale and her calf and had a great time

Nicholas Cherniwchan

Awesome experience on the Puffin Tour! Staff were friendly and accommodating!

Jacob Warrington

Dress warm for the cold wind. Keep a firm grip on camera's/phone's!

Rich Hayman

I recommend this tour.

Fiona Bryan

Wonderful !

Jean-Paul Renaud

Though it was a foggy day, we still saw many puffins, a couple of minke whales, and a pod of Dolphins! Both ship and crew were great, special shout out to Matt!

Michael Samson

Top notch place. True Canadian hospitality. Saw whales, Puffin etc. Friendly, clean atmosphere with professional and very knowledgeable employees. Thank you for a great time, O'Brien's!

Wladek Kinastowski

Great tour - we saw whales. The guides were friendly and informative. Highly recommended.

Patricia wylie

Fun..and made sure to trust and see everything

fronie mitchell

On May 25/17 I went on an O'Brien boat tour with my son & his family who were visiting from Denmark. The tour was amazing & Con O'Brien was a wealth of information and is a very nice man. Very friendly and a great singer. For me, it was an experience I will not forget.

stephanie allen

Wonderful, managed to find several whales even though there was tons of fog!

Ryan G

My girlfriend and I went a few weekends back. We saw everything we hoped we would see. Gull island and all the different birds that were there and whales that jumping out of the water. Even of I didn't get to see the whales, I would have still given these folks 5 stars. They knew the area well and they were Hilarious and kind. Recommend 100% and shout out to the other boat tour Gatheralls because they were working together because of the pandemic.

Brad Jacobs

Excellent day on the water. Whales were fantastic, birds very interesting and customer service was great.

Brandon Betton

Great tour guides! Very knowledgeable and entertaining! They will even screech you in!

Jessa Arnold

So happy we chose O'Briens for our tour. Absolutely fantastic and our guide Con was hilarious, helpful and informative. Thank you so much for the great day.

Augusta Dunn-Morris

Fun trip.

Michelle Hayes

Loved it

Kevin Fletcher

Excellent service wonderful grand staff

rob hoffman

Fantastic

sean taylor

Excellent.great time saw whales too

Kit

Great Tour! Saw 2 Humpback whales; lots of Puffins and Murres! Amazing time! Will definitely be back!

stretchaidan

Saw whales and a lot of birds... Great boat tour

Frank Wice

Great day the guide are very knowledgeable

Kim Berger

Loved the tour! Was a beautiful day, saw Minke & humpback whales along with all the puffins & various gulls. Beautiful scenery, of course. The crew were knowledgeable & animated. All in all a fantastic way to start my birthday! Didn't want to come ashore ????

LEN ROWLAND

Wonderful experience. Very fortunate to see so many whales. The crew respected the whales. Definitely worth a return visit.

Ashley Watkins

The birds abound, the host was funny, charming and oh so informative. I'd go again in a heartbeat. Such a treat for islanders and mainlanders alike.

Eva Wong

A nice way to view birds and sceneries in Witless Bay! Not enough activities to fill the gaps before reaching the destination.

Chris Palahicky

Great tours. Friendly and knowledgible staff. I highly recommend.

Dustin P

Great tour, hilarious jokes and very dedicated to spotting whales for the crowd. But if you experience motion sickness... Prepare ahead of time with some medication; this will knock you right out!

Brad Prevost

Great crew

Jason Medd

Excellent tour. Well run and a great restaurant with some of the nicest fish and chips to be found anywhere. Something anyone visiting Nfld for the first time should consider doing.

Matthew Crandall

Tons of whales with awesome hospitality

phyllis schwager

Great whale watching

Sonya Richmond

Wonderful tour, great staff and a wonderful restaurant. Bird the Rock staff where on the boat and made it informative !!! Thank you for making my NFLD trek wonderful!

CB W

They are so close to the nesting, the trip to the birds is quick.

Harim Ochaeta

Boat guide was excellent.

Wendy Witty

Amazing tour! Fantastic and very knowlegable staff. We saw everything and were entertained with a song or two by Con. Highly recommend this tour!

Cydne McLaughlin

Great tour, friendly hosts and a talented family of singers

Eunice L.

Friendly guides and comfortable boat!

Coleen Brockley

Enjoyed the entertaining guide the puffin and bird sanctuary was fantastic we did see a humpback however they were not surfacing that day.

Roger Randell

Liked it good trip really taken care of

Susan Baker

We had such a beautiful day today for our tour. The whales were plentiful and so were the birds. Such an interesting experience. The crew did a great job narrating and keeping us informed of what the wildlife was up to! Highly recommended.

Moyra Rushby

Brilliant tour. Managed to make a boat tour on a wet cold day interesting. Great way to see some amazing birds even after the Whales have left for warmer climes.

Alexander Dyke

O'Brien's "Award Winning Boat Tour" was fantastic. In addition to the beautiful sights, the tour guide was engaging, the rest of the staff very friendly, and the prices reasonable.

Brenda D

The boat was great! It was quite cold and rainy the day we went, the crew had blankets to help keep warm. The staff was fun and knowledgeable, which is a plus!

Brad Shacker

Very professionally run tour. Lots of whales in the area certainly helped!

Adepa Singh

It's a nice sight but you need to book a boat tour ahead of time.

Alison Alexander

A breath of fresh air… literally!!! My husband and I had a great experience on the boat tour (approximately 2 weeks ago), we both saw a whale for the first time, very exciting but the puffin’s where definitely the highlight of our day!!! Not too mention the 4 eagles we saw, spectacular! The crew were amazing, friendly and very informative… hats off to them. I would recommend this tour to everyone.

SUZANNE Sleath

Was a great experience. Was so lucky to see whales playing with the dolphins.

Glen Ellis

Very exciting trip, crew were fun and entertaining highly recommended!!!!!

Jose Querido

The friendliest crew & they know how to entertain there passengers

Bryce Williams

Even on a foggy day they made for a fun and interesting tour of the local bird colonies.

Daddy O

Loved the tour awesome presentation great guide

Wilson Tulk

Will not return, restaurant closed before posted hours, not very impressionable for tourists, will not return

Keith Hynes

Excellent experience. Knowledgeable and friendly crew. Great to sing with one of the Irish Descendants. Thanks for the experience of a lifetime. I don't know what the other tour operators are like but I would definitely recommend that you try O'Brien's

Liz Mazaris

Very friendly

Lise McKay

Fun informative tour

Dave Roberts

Had lunch. Did not do the tour. Good food. Try to get in between trips, they are very busy when a boat returns.

Jim Greig

Excellent tour, saw whales spent a good amount of time watching, no rush to leave, commentary enlightening view of puffins up close wonderful.

Mitchell Drydak

Definitely one of if not the best boat tours in St. John's. They've got the stuff, the drive and the merch to make it the best experience possible! Went for the second time today - even better than the first when I left this review 7 months ago.

Tracy Lucio

Great tour, lots of laughs.

Philip V

We got to see a playful Minke whale, and tons of remarkable puffins, all the while hearing the explanation from Matt, the young man of humour and the captain. A worthwhile tour.

Zaharat Ara Tahmina Sarker

Very friendly. Worthy visiting with this touring. Watched lots of whales, birds and natural beauty of ocean, rocks, blue sky.

Makis Vamvakidis

Good tour. There are a lot of birds to see for sure but for whales you should be lucky.

Mitch Snow

(Translated) "OOOOOOEEEEOOOWWWWWOOOO" - A whale. (Original) "OOOOOOEEEEOOOWWWWWOOOO" - A whale.

Donna Warren

Very good boat tour the staff very friendly and informative they also do the screeching in on the boat tour

Kirti Tandon

Excellent

Phorsha Noseworthy

The whales were the stars of the show but the staff ran a close second. I took the tour with my niece and sister. My sister is an amputee. The st aff could not do enough to help her. This gang gets a 10 plus from me. Doing it again next year. And yes the whales put on a show. Never forget it. Thank you to the amazing staff for taking such good care of my sister.

Ricardo Collazo

Awesome!!

אורי כהן

(Translated) We did not see whales, nice (Original) לא ראינו לוויתנים, נחמד

Vikas Manocha

It was a stormy day there were no whales

Dianne Sloan

Beautiful day. So many birds, especially Puffins. Sighted whales, great commentary.

Tom Lindley

Con ran the tour while Captain Joe and other O'Briens took care of the boat. The tour was exactly what we were hoping for, and Con provided a wonderful mix of information, humor and even the occasional song. The coastline in this area is stunning, and there are thousands of birds co-existing on the islands. It was a great experience.

Jim Simpson

Fantastic and we got to see whales

liz james

Great trip would recommend, good commentary and singing, went close up to see the puffins and found so many whales we didn't know which to watch - didn't need a camera lens as some were nearly close enough to touch! Great for children too, were given lifejackets if they went outside, and also had enclosed tables and chairs.

Tyler

Awesome!!!

Michael Douget

What a ride!

Rob Reid

Wonderful experience!

Megan Power

Amazing tour!!! The tour guides were absolutely, especially Duncan!!!

Andrea Reardon

Always a fantastic time!

josh heisler

To foggy today to see the whales, but had an amazing experience seeing the puffins,eagles and murre's. Very knowledgeable guides.

Alex F

Millions of birds, one iceberg and no whales. Have to try mid July.

John Friesen

Worth the trip

Annette Stelte

This is the best tour ever! Saw lots of puffins and many many whales. Besides that, the crew is a lot of fun and made us laugh a lot. If you have never been screeched in, do it on the O'Brien Whale and Bird Tours.

Lynda Mackey

Wonderful day on the water! Very professional, fun staff!

Justin Braganza

Fantastic tour! Great guide, and excellent amenities. Great value!

Gary Bishop

Got to visit

Lucille McKenzie

Everything about my experience was absolutely wonderful. Nothing compares to half a million sea birds and dozens on whales.

Chris Hunt

Amazing time, very energetic staff. Worth every penny.

Baraba Rose

Great tour very friendly

John Rogez

Great ride, food was delicious!

victoria greeley

Wonderful, fantastic. Beautiful weather, little wind, more whales than you could imagine and numerous birds. And the staff was first class. I'm a wheelchair user and they went above and beyond to make sure I saw all there was to see. The staff is to be commended.

Yiyuan Liang

Didn’t see whales, but best tour, helpful and knowledgeable

Aubrey F

Fabulous!

Richard Weigand

A wonderful experience. Recommend highly for all visitors to see NL from the oceans perspective. We saw whales and then the Puffins.

Frank Tamburello

My family and I thouraly enjoyed the tour, and the hosts were incredibly thoughtful, and kindhearted. Would recommend to anyone... Thank you, and will come back once this Pendemic is over.

Michelle M

Amazing experience!

Jordan Harnum

Seen plenty of puffins and birds as well as 6 eagles. Tour guide was fun and very knowledgeable

Sherri Allin

Matt was amazing, saw lots of whales and puffins.

Jenile Morgan

ABSOLUTELT AMAZING!!! The crew, the views, the whales and birds ???? worth every penny!

M Quigley

Great company, excellent tour guides, and relaxed tour...they actually answer questions. Bay Bulls, where you catch the boat, is quite scenic & under 1h from St John's. I recommend you go in August. Ironic we didn't get to see a whale blow but we experienced a taste of rough sea, low lying fog, and some amazing fresh & crisp air.

Nat B

Staff was great

Sandra Bennett

O'Briens was a fabulous trip. The staff are so knowledgeable and witty. Worth every penny. Would recommend it highly. Thank you for a fabulous experience. John and Sandra Bennett, Burlington, Ontario

Derek MacKinnon

A great trip, first out to see the thousands of birds, especially puffins, then out and got great pictures of whales all around the boat. They even came right up to the front after we stopped. A great experience and great and friendly guides

Dana P

I've gone on this boat tour a couple times - great bird watching. Excellent spot to see icebergs and whales when they're in season! Also great spot to get Screeched in!

Paul Sweeney

Excellent .

madhugandha bamne

We did award winning tour for whale and bird watching.It was very good experience ! We saw 2 full grown whales! We were lucky to see tail, middle portion and some portion of the mouth .The captain brought ship close to the whales so that we can observe them as clearly as possible ,the crew member was entertaining and at the same time very informative. Highly recommended!

Jean-Michel Pranno

Great tour! Staff was amazing and very informative on bird and whale behaviour. Amazing to see thousands and thousands of birds. Obviously I had a telephoto lense (see pictures), but nevertheless, being so close was great. Would do it again!!

Karen Thistle

Restaurant under new management. Great menu! Great taste!

Sean Potter

Best tour ever..our finest memory of the Maritimes. Your host Con is a gem. I could have stayed all day just to listen to his singing. Could almost reach out and touch the puffins. Increbilble whale watching along side our boat. Best tour ever..thank you to all the crew

merv long

Great time, the crew where very professional and entertaining

Yarianna Valdivia

I did watch less whales then expected, but was a good experience, the crew was amazing and very fun. I see the puffins!!!

Eileen Nichols

It was a wonderful experience. The tour guide Matt was just fabulous. I would definitely recommend this company. ????

Toby

Wonderful boat tour. Our guide, Con, was just great— extremely knowledgeable about the birds and whales we saw, and Newfoundland life in general. One of the high points of our trip so far. We were lucky to see whales, but I would have really enjoyed this even if we hadn’t. And Con can sing as well!

Dwayne Lewis

A must do while visiting the Avalon.

Jordin Andel

Great tour, even at the end of whale season still got to see some, great friendly staff

Angel Hogg

What lovely people,, wonderful tour!!

Maria Querido

Amazing day whale watching, and getting screeched in ????????

Tercio Rodrigues

Amazing tour, host is hilarious and knows his stuff. They kept the tour running even past the two hour mark because the whale was doing fantastic things. Great service.

Carl U

As we arrived at the docks and saw the fog rolling in, I began to wonder if the tour was even worth it. Paying to get on a boat and look for a whales on a day where visibility was definitely not at its best seemed like it might be a waste of money...especially considering I didn't really have any interest in the birds. However, we were on the last day of our trip to the area and were already here so I figured I might as well give it a try. Looking back on this decision, I could not be happier with my choice. Even with the low possibility of seeing whales, the boat crew kept everyone's spirits high and our interests piqued. The guide was not only very informative and full of interesting facts, but also incredibly entertaining. Like I said, going in I had no interest in seeing the birds, but once I saw them and learned about them I realized what I would have missed if I hadn't taken the tour. Seeing these birds in their natural habitat is something you simply won't have the opportunity to see virtually anywhere else. Luckily even with the fog, the birds were perfectly visible and the tour is orchestrated in such a way to provide ample photo opportunities for everyone on the boat. Even though I didn't see any whales, I was not at all disappointed as seeing the birds and learning about them from the knowledgeable crew provides excellent value for the tour. If I'm ever in the area again (on a clear day) I'd definitely go back hoping to spot one of the whales that were hidden beneath the fog on my first trip.

Lorie Unruh

What a fantastic experience! Host was hilarious! Staff were excellent! I learned a lot and saw everything that was promised. What scenery! This excursion, and Newfoundland, are not to be missed!

Map Quest

Best tour ever! Saw lots of whales.

Chiu Ping Ho

Can't see whales.

Heather McDonnell

Excellent..if you want Newfoundland flare and some whale watching this is the tour for you. The time spent with this group was wonderful. Frank, captain and all the crew are great. It was a perfect day....and even more perfect with the whales. A must do????????

Ed Doyle

(Translated) Excellent tour (Original) Excellent tour

Alison Choi

Fantastic tour! Highly recommend! We were here for the Victoria Day weekend and it was cold but spectacular. Will be back for sure on our next trip! The boat tour is very informative and beautiful. Even the shuttle bus pick up was fun. The restaurant at the dock is also excellent. Easy to get to from St. John's. Boat cabin is heated and cozy, but make sure you dress in layers for when you're on deck. Lots of icebergs and birds on Gull Island (although the puffins were being shy). Scenery is just lovely.

John Glover

Good tour. Great play by play of the interaction between different bird species

Debby Yannakidis

I've done 2 tours with O'Brien's and both exceeded my expectation

merriday02

The best whale watching experience we could have asked for. We saw dozens of whales. Guides and boat were excellent.

Andy Davies

Great trip seeing seabird colony and beautiful coastline. Late in the year for whales, apparently.

Jason Penney

Great tour out of beautiful bay bulls

Elaine Kingsbury

Great crew had a wonderful time.

Nicole

My boyfriend and I came to St. John's and he remembered a whale tour he had done years ago when he visited with his family. He was sure it was O'Briens and so we decided to look it up and it was the highest rated one we found so we decided to give it a try again and see if what he rememebered was true..let me tell you: the ratings don't lie. This was such an incredible, enjoyable experience. We saw more whales and puffins than I could count and Joseph our guide was friendly, personable, knowledgable, and hilarious. He sang us a song, informed us about whales and birds, and made it feel like you were touring with an old friend. Definitely recommend this company if you want your moneys worth!

Jean Templeton

The bird tour was so amazing. Justin was an excellent Guide! It was late in the season so no whales This operation was very professional and fun!

Candace Warden-Luloff

An amazing trip! Knowledgeable tour guide, got to see whales too!

Carly Altomonte

It was such a nice tour. These guys know exactly how to run a good tour. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is looking for a excellent experience.????????

Amanda P.

Really good toor! Tour guy was very entertaining. Also got to see a whale right next to the boat.

Andrew Behm

Excellent. Friendly staff. Comfortable boats. I especially appreciated the engaging expansion of sea birds and the singing. Best thing I did in Newfoundland.

Megan Marcotte

We went out on a rough day and it rained for part of the tour and yet we loved it. Our guide Matt was a bloody legend--hilarious and super knowledgeable. I felt that he and the captain really wanted us to have a great experience. The birds were awesome and we even happened upon a humpback whale before it was whale season. Highly recommend!

Jibran Imtiaz

This was a surprisingly enjoyable experience! The boat even at max capacity was not crowded at all, the puffins and other birds were close to the boat and swarming all around - great experience overall.

Cathal Power

My dad tommy power was there 2 years ago he loved it thanks joe(a.k.a owner)for a great trip and the glass of whisky.waterford ireland.

matt leclair

Absolutely amazing tour not even 20mins into the tour and we were on whales the host Matt was amazing and narrated everytime we seen a whale or sea bird what a great experience!!!!

Bernice D'Souza

Great experience, great crew! I highly recommend this company to anyone that visits Newfoundland