New England Aquarium Whale Watch in partnership with Boston Harbor City Cruises kicks off 2024 season

BOSTON, MASS. (May 15, 2024) – The New England Aquarium Whale Watch in partnership with Boston Harbor City Cruises (BHCC) will kick off another season of cruises beginning May 16, 2024, giving guests an up-close experience with whales and ocean life off the coast of Massachusetts.

*PHOTOS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE, WITH CREDIT TO BHCC*

New England Aquarium naturalists serve as guides onboard the whale watch cruises as passengers see the wildlife in Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a feeding ground for many whale, dolphin, and bird species. Passengers have the opportunity to learn about these marine animals and their behaviors from the naturalists who set sail daily.

“The start of whale watching season is our favorite time of year here at BHCC,” said Bob Lawler, BHCC’s General Manager and Regional Vice President. “Together with the New England Aquarium, we’re thrilled to continue to provide the unique opportunity for Boston-area residents and visitors to see and learn about whales in their natural habitat. Each year, we welcome thousands of passengers aboard for an experience they’ll never forget, and we look forward to another spectacular season ahead. Out of a shared goal to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, long-time partners BHCC and the Aquarium delayed the start of the New England Aquarium Whale Watch until the right whales had migrated north out of Cape Cod Bay.”

“At the New England Aquarium, we aim to inspire everyone to form a deeper connection to the ocean and take action to protect it. Education is at the core of our mission, and these whale watches provide a wonderful opportunity to experience the wonders of our blue planet first-hand,” said New England Aquarium President and CEO Vikki N. Spruill.

Departing from Boston’s Central Wharf, the whale watches run three to four hours on high-speed catamarans with outdoor viewing decks and indoor spaces with large windows. A full bar is available onboard along with light snacks for purchase. BHCC has also taken steps toward reducing single-use plastics onboard whale watch vessels, including the removal of plastic water bottles.

Backed with 7 years of experience at BHCC and a degree in Marine Biology, Linnea Mayfield starts the 2024 season in her new role as Head Naturalist. “I’m super excited to get back out to Stellwagen Bank and see familiar flukes,” she reports. “Each year, one of my favorite questions is how much do whales eat? My answer always gets wows because it’s 1 million calories a day! That’s the equivalent of a human eating 16 Oreos a minute, every minute, 24 hours a day!” Linnea is available for expert commentary and trip guidance upon request.

BHCC will be running multiple whale watch cruises a day. To see the schedule and learn more, visit the New England Aquarium Whale Watch on CityExperiences.com: New England Aquarium Whale Watch in Partnership with Boston Harbor City Cruises

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Darren DeLuca, Boston Harbor City Cruises – darren@luca-pr.com; 603-489-7624

Pam Bechtold Snyder, New England Aquarium – psnyder@neaq.org; 617-686-5068