We went on a whale watching cruise with the aquarium team. It was a fantastic cruise and comfortable ride. The whale sightings were amazing! read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I love being on the water, so anytime I visit a place that's on the water, I naturally have to take a cruise (or be on the water somehow.) Booking this was super easy through my CityPass. We were already next door at the aquarium so it was very easy to get here. The line was a bit confusing because they said that they would tell us where to go but I had to go to the box office to find out. She was actually quite rude and not helpful, so we ended up just joining the line we saw because we figured it was it. It was, so all was well. The boarding process was easy enough and we boarded the ship pretty quickly, even with the photos being taken at the beginning. The boat itself was a little bit worse for wear and smelled weird but we went up top on the highest deck so we were outside. The chairs up there were also pretty worse for the wear but it was good enough. I loved the guides dad jokes and weird humor. He made it all better and I appreciated that. To be honest, weird jokes make it much easier to remember the historical facts and my husband is still spouting some it it to this day. read more

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I was super excited to visit the East Coast from Maine to Boston with the hopes of taking the old man to see some whales! Guess what, whale watching season had not started as we came to early. Good news we avoided the crowds, bad news some things were not open. Arrive into Boston and look at taking a tour and lo and behold, that weekend is the first weekend for Boston! So, we book those tickets for that morning and are out on the boat in less than 1 hour from start to finish. Waiting in line, a breeze! Getting tickets, a breeze! The crew was amazing and happy to see all of us (it was the first weekend of whale watching)! Our captain took us out and spent the longest time with us on the water as it was difficult to catch those whales! We were able to see a couple of brief glimpses, which really made the entire trip worth it. As we were going back to shore, we were told that our tickets would be reissued for another tour with them since we had really seen whales on the tour. That was amazing! Best part of the trip, the lovely Linneea who seriously had the best voice and demeanor for talking about the whales. You could really feel her passion and empathy for the creatures through her voice! WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. I was even out on the side and the captain peaked over to say he was hoping that we would find some whales today! They really do care about the experience but also about the sanctity of the whales and their environment. PROS Good sized ship Good areas to whale watch Restroom facilities Food/drink available Depending on the time, take a sweater BEST CREW AROUND CONS Parking to get to the boat! read more

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We've done the historical harbor tour twice now, though the first time was several years ago and I had luckily forgotten all the jokes. The tour is a fun hour, a relaxing cruise out toward the ocean for half an hour and back in while the tour guide points out the fun facts of the city. Did you know the Cask of Amontillado was real? Or the Molassecure? Buy double priced snacks and beers, enjoy the breeze and sun, and take a break from the city hustle. The boat is...old. Don't expect luxury. it's a $50 tourist trap, and if you know that going in, it'll be fine. read more

Ruined my senior trip by not allowing us on the boat when we were having issues with the other school who was being racist, ablest, being inappropriate towards our female student, and being flat out disrespectful. They allowed these disrespectful students on their trip and not us. The cruise staff handled the situation in the worst way possible and do not deserve your business. read more

Deeply Disappointed by Lack of Basic Compassion I rarely write reviews these days, but our recent experience with Boston Harbor Cruises left my family and me truly disheartened. We had tickets for the 2:30 PM ferry to Spectacle Island this past Saturday. I arrived at the dock at 2:25 PM--five minutes before departure--and saw hundreds of passengers still boarding. I explained to the gate staff that my husband was just seconds behind me, running with our toddler in a stroller after dealing with traffic and parking delays. I begged them to wait just 20-30 more seconds--as we could all literally see him approaching. The staff, led by Guest Services Manager Nicole Yeager, acknowledged seeing him but still chose to close the gangway at 2:35 PM, five minutes after the scheduled departure. My husband arrived mere seconds later, breathless and confused, only to find the boat still docked. We fully understand the importance of sticking to a schedule. Had the boat left at 2:30 PM sharp, we wouldn't be writing this. But it didn't. And the decision to deny us boarding--when a 30-second grace period would have made no difference to operations--was unnecessarily rigid and frankly inhumane. Because of this, we missed an event we had planned for weeks. Policies are important, but so is discretion and basic empathy. This experience showed none. I hope Boston Harbor Cruises reflects on how small moments of kindness could transform--not ruin--someone's day. ***Update*** Here's the thoughtful, personalized response I received from City Experiences after explaining how their staff closed the gate five minutes late and refused to wait an extra 20 seconds--while watching my husband run toward them with a toddler. No name, no real apology, no explanation, no refund--just a beautifully vague form letter signed "Guest Services." Truly a masterclass in customer care. If their goal was to create an "unforgettable memory," mission accomplished--but probably not in the way they intended. *********** Hello , We are following up on your feedback from your experience. We want to apologize for your experience and thank you for taking the time to provide us with this feedback. It seems that we did not meet your expectations. We strive to provide our guests with an unforgettable memory and while we may have done so, it was not in the positive way we want. We have shared your feedback with our on-board team from that cruise. Thank you again for your feedback and please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns. Thank you, Your Guest Services Team at City Experiences read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Here's the thoughtful, personalized response I received from City Experiences. - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

First let me say that the cruise delivered on all that was promised. Nice ship, friendly crew, lady narrator was great. I just feel that Boston has so much to offer on land, that the cruise wasn't really worth my time. The scenery was beautiful, and the view of the USS Constitution from the water was defenitely a highlight, but for me, the experience was just average. read more

The Sunset Narrated Historical cruise was amazing !! Our narrator, David, was hilarious and extremely knowledgeable. Additionally, he was an incredibly nice gentleman. Highly recommend arriving 20-30 minutes prior to boarding time ( depending on how busy it is) . This will allow you to get the best seats available read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We did the sunset cruise and it was amazing. Very knowledgeable narrator, I think his name was Dave. I learned a lot about how Boston came to be. The sunset ceremony at the USS Constitution was amazing and I highly recommend it! read more

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Boston Harbor City Cruises offers a variety of experiences to explore the city's beautiful harbor. I ended up doing a 60-minute narrated tour that covers Boston's history and landmarks, including the USS Constitution and the Old North Church. read more

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We loved our Boston Harbor Historical Sightseeing Cruise Experience. Liz was an excellent guide, pointing out so many excellent sites around the Boston Harbor and making the experience so much fun - including providing insight on which planes were flying overhead as we passed by the airport.  One of our favorite experiences in Boston - can't recommend it enough. Excellent experience with the NE Aquarium and Boston Harbor Cruises whale watching expedition. Our guides were amazing, providing insight into the whales we were seeing and the other wildlife we could encounter on our trip. They did a great job ensuring both sides of the boat had opportunities to have a clear view of the whales we encountered and did a great job spotting them for us! read more

It is an hour trip visiting the harbor of Boston. There is a narrator explaining some interesting facts about Boston. They sell some snacks and drinks. It was a great trip with my family. read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - View - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We used this company on two separate occasions. The first experience was the Boston Harbor cruise. I had a good time and learned a few things about Boston along the way. David Coffin the guide was hilarious, but educational at the same time. Only complaint was it was cloudy out so the views weren't as spectacular as they could have been on a clear day. We also used this company to take a trip over to Salem a couple of days later. Luckily, it was a much clearer day. My wife and I spent the entire trip on the bow just enjoying the ride and views. There was a guide, but I wasn't really paying too much attention. It was an awesome experience considering I don't get much opportunity to get travel by boat. read more

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We scheduled our cruise, leaving space for lunch after our flight first, and there was a spot to leave our luggage on the boat, so we could wander about. Check in was a little confusing, but there were plenty of people to ask, who were happy to help. It was an hour around the harbour, with lots of sites pointed out. It was a pretty cool orientation, at least to the shoreline. I'm glad we did this first. read more

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Got to take the historic tour as it was part of the go city pass. Went on a beautiful day at 4 pm and got great views. Great way to get beautiful angles and pictures of the city and learn about its history. 2 thumbs up read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Boston - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Booked a 1-hour history cruise with Boston Harbor City cruises through CityPass and had a fun, informative time! The boat is big enough to not feel the rough of the waves, and there is ample seating on both levels of the boat. Our narrator/tour guide, Kevin in the purple sunglasses and khaki kilt, was amazing! Not only funny, but relayed a lot of information in the 1 hour boat ride. We will be checking out Boston Harbor City Cruises for whale watching next time we're in town! read more

This was our second time on the Christmas Eve Cocoa and Carols Jazz Cruise. This was a much larger boat than what we were on last year. Music was great and the harbor walk views from the water were stunning under the night sky and lights of the city. I prefer the smaller boat but there really isn't anything that feels more Christmasy than this! read more

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I typically have a lot of great things to say about these water cruises. Not so much in this case. I booked two tickets to go to Salem. The hours were severely limited, and as a result, we chose to not return via the ferry but the train instead. That's not an issue though. Those things happen and we may have been off-season. What was a tad strange was the layout on getting to the dock. Apparently they have several boats and the Salem boat wasn't clearly marked. I guess this isn't as popular as I thought it'd be and it showed. Still, the ride to Salem was nice. Just not living up to other tours I've had in other cities. Mainly thinking of the ones I've gone to in San Francisco and Seattle here. read more

Very disappointing!! After lining up today at 10:30am (the advertised boarding time) with ~150 other passengers to board the boat for the11am whale watch tour from Long Wharf in Boston, we were told that the boat would be a little late - making for an 11:15 departure. A short while later, we were told that the boat had no working toilets and someone would be fixing them before departure. At about 11:25am we were told that the whale watch was cancelled. What's appalling is that no one took the time to inspect the boat - after it was docked for the night yesterday - and fix the toilets. Very bad management - that we and the City Cruise workers today had to live with. BTW we didn't hear an apology from anyone. We will definitely hesitate to use City Cruises again. read more

I knew I was going to Salem for a day, I decided to take the ferry for my mode of transportation. I found great a rate of $27 each way via Viator.com with various times for round trip. The dock is very well marked at the harbor. The ferry has two decks, the lower deck is enclosed verses the open upper deck. The day I went, the weather was on the cooler side, so I opted to grab a communal table which a group of six women had joined me. Luckily, the water was very calm. The ship's captain was very informative of points of interests. There's plenty of refreshments available to and from Salem. Overall, the staff was very friendly and helpful. I would recommend taking the ferry to Salem since the ride was so relaxing and I was able to see Boston from the water. read more

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Really enjoyed the whale watching trip I did with them today. The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the marine life we saw. The boat was also very clean and well maintained. There are snacks and drinks for sale on board, they took cash or credit cards. The ginger candies they give out for motion sickness were a lifesaver as I never once felt nauseous and I am prone to getting sick. The staff will also hand out vomit bags if you need them. The wind was a bit rough at times so plan your outfits accordingly. read more

Was 1 minute late and no accommodations to wait for 5 minutes or to transfer tickets to a reg cruise (which was cheaper) . I paid $171.12 for 2 . They should have accommodations for people that are just a minute late. No excuse but I left an hr early and made it but had to park for a minute & come to find out that they wouldn't wait. So disappointing! read more

An amazing tour! They made everyone feel included and were great narrators! They were so nice to our child and made us feel safe! read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Made our day! Our narrator was amazingly kind to our child and made the tour really fun!! - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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WHALES AND DOLPHINS!!! Wow!! I am amazed at what we got to see. When we got to the location we saw a mom and baby whale couple immediately and we stuck with them for a very long time! Then we went out a little more to see more whales but they were a bit far. When we made our trip back to Boston we came across a HUGE pod of dolphins! I was so surprised because there were so many dolphins and we went towards that pod! I loved how they made a detour to give us a better view of the dolphins and we even made it back home in time at the 4 hour mark. The view was great and there is lots of room to see the whale at all angles. My suggestion is to always make reservations. When we got there there was so many people trying to buy tickets but they were all sold out for the day. Of course with any event when it's crowded and busy things get hectic but overall it was a god experience you just need some patience. read more

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Great whale watching experience here with Boston Harbor City Cruises. Easy to call and make a reservation or to do it online. We left on time and made it to the observation spot efficiently. The crew was awesome! Clearly knowledgeable about the whales in the area and we learned a lot about the whales' behavior, their names, and different facts about whales. We even had a chance to touch some baleen which is the keratin-derived material that makes the "gills" in the whales' mouth which was cool. We saw a lot of whales on our tour - of course you can't predict this day to day but the captain did a great job of navigating us to the areas with the most sightings. Also they do have a policy that if there are no whales to see, you can come back without paying again for a future tour. read more

Booking tickets was a bit of a hassle online as it gave me a pricing error but customer service was able to resolve it within 20min. This was an amazing experience to go on. The number of whales you see varies by trip but the guide and staff were very knowledgeable on marine life. They were all so enthusiastic about sharing more information about the whales. We went on a sunny day in early July so here are my tips for the trip- arrive during boarding time and have like an umbrella or something for shade. It gets wayy too hot waiting in line. Not sure what are the official rules but bring water-for when you're in line and for the trip itself. Don't wanna pass out due from a heat stroke/dehydration. I wish I brought snacks with me on the trip. Some group brought on chic-fil-a and we were so jealous. Don't wear a skirt/dress, it's gonna be super windy whenever you step out on the deck and you don't want to be kept inside just bc of your clothes. Wear sunscreen since you will probably be outside most of the time. Lastly, if you get cold easily bring a water proof jacket or something. The boat itself has enough seating for everyone on board (in case you're worried). They're not the most comfortable but it's like a public bus kind of seat. The total trip was about 1-1.5hr each way and we stayed out at sea whale watching for about 1.5hr. So our trip was from 3:30-8pm ish. Don't go whale watching if you're in a time crunch. read more

I had a very wonderful experience. Our tour guide was absolutely amazing, and she was a wealth of information. On my recent trip to Boston, I really wanted to do some touristy activities. Found a Groupon deal for this harbor cruise, and jumped on it right away. I was able to make a reservation on their website which was quick and easy. They do not pick up their calls, so the best way to make a reservation is through the Internet. I rode a bicycle over to the boat dock toward the boat. The boat was large, had a lot of seating, clean and comfortable. The boat wasn't super new but does the job. Our tour guide told us stories, gave us a lot of information about all the buildings we saw in the harbor and around the harbor, provided us a lot of historical contacts, and even educated us on some of the historical events. I found it very educational and informative. I really love the funny stories, and some of the changes that has happened over the years. I felt like the boat took us all over the harbor and we saw a lot of things. The cruise was very well ran, and the staff was very professional. Highly recommend! I learned a lot about the history of Boston, and enjoyed it very much! read more

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As part of the City Pass experiences, I chose the Historic Harbor Cruise. The guide was very informative and talked the entire hour about the buildings and history of the shoreline. All of the employees were super friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this excursion as a first time to the city. read more

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Can not recommend this company enough. Yes the tickets are pricey, but the Provincetown Ferry to and from Boston is worth the trip. The MC for the ship was kind and funny. He is also the concierge and happy to tell you all about what to see and do in the island. Additionally, we hit some rough water on the return and he came around and personally handed out ginger candies to everyone to try and ease the journey. read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Open seas one the 90 minute ferry ride - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Such a great whale watching cruise. I did the sunset cruise on a Sunday night. The cruise is long, it takes about an hour and a half to get out to the area with the whales and about four hours round trip. On the ride out there, the naturalist comes around and tells you about the types of whales we could possibly see and she had a lot of fun facts about the whales as well, such as they eat a million calories a day. Our naturalist told us not to expect any whales, as it is possible and they give you a voucher to come back if you don't see any. However, when we got the area, it was non-stop whales. There were many groups of whales and there were also dolphins, which is rare. Our naturalist said in her three years of doing the tours she had never seen dolphins and whales. There were also baby calf's that were playing with the dolphins. It was so cute. We were probably out there for an hour just watching whales in all directions. It was a very cool and unique experience. read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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First let me say we were 5 minutes late to the boat due to traffic and a hickup with the parking. Had they left on time I would just be a bit sad and move on. But they were late themselves and didn't finish boarding passengers until a few seconds before I arrived running with a toddler in tow. My wife was at the gate and they even confirmed they saw me coming but they were going to pull up the ropes up nonetheless. This is unbelievable. It was really just about 20, perhaps 30 seconds later that I got to the gate. I find it hard to believe that an extra 30 seconds on top of their already delayed departure would have made any difference to them or the people on the boat. Alas it made all the difference to us as it made us miss our event on the island. They are within their powers to make rules for their business, but just know who you are dealing with. read more

We took two whale watch cruises with this organization; they have a partnership with the New England aquarium. To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. If you want to see whales, I highly recommend that you take the commuter rail to Gloucester (an hour away) and go with the Seven Seas Whale Watch instead. The Boston cruise had multiple problems: the boats are large and extremely crowded. The ride is quite rough; multiple people were sick at the back of the boat. It takes about 60-90 minutes to even get to Stellwagen Bank from Boston; once there (both times) this boat cruised around a little bit just hoping to get lucky and possibly see whales. We saw 0 whales on the first cruise and 1 on the second. In contrast, with 7 Seas, the captain announced there specific sites that they would be visiting. They worked with other boats to pinpoint locations, and we were able to see 5 whales and 2 basking sharks on that Gloucester cruise. The other challenge with the Boston cruise was that the captain and crew were so excited to see the one lone whale that, once they had found it, they constantly positioned the front of the ship (where they were seated) to face it, which guaranteed that very few of the guests could even get a peep at that whale. They had blocked off the front of the ship, and the guests were all left trying to peer around the side toward the front of the boat, or waiting for the whale to outmaneuver the captain and inadvertently give the guests a chance to see it. All in all, both tours were pretty terrible. If you have never been on a whale watching cruise, you may think all of this is totally normal, but if you make it out to a quality operator in Gloucester, the contrast will be so apparent. read more

Great experience, I got a great time on my birthday. Food was great. Everyone was very friendly.

My friend has a mobility scooter and the staff were so helpful at accommodating her. The ferries are clean and many good and drink options onboard. read more

The lady giving all the great historic info,fantastic. The crew also fantastic. Unfortunately,the one we went on, there was a decent sized group of foreign high school students from France and they would not keep their volume down so everyone could actually hear. The narrator very politely asked ,but they just got louder. We had been looking forward to this for months and that was such a disappointment. I'm still giving 5 stars because it wasn't the fault of the crew in the least. read more

Wow sometimes there is just nothing like a cruise around Boston Harbour! The ship felt very sea...well harbor worthy, with my anxiety let me tell you I was scared getting on a boat. But all worries were allayed, the ships are, if you will Ship-Shape! The only thing more refreshing than the brisk breeze that day was the incredible customer service delivered by Marelena and Dominic! I wont burden you with the details but let me tell you there's a new dynamic duo! Step aside Batman and Robin, Marlena and Dominic are heroes!!! read more

We took a ferry to Salem in October and it's definitely a great way to see the city and get to Salem! Crew was super nice and we loved that there were refreshments to purchase on board (even spooky themed drinks!). However, if you're motion sick this is not for you! The day we went was very choppy and rocky so I was a little sick, but I don't regret this mode of transport! read more

Boston Harbor City Cruises - Boat Charters Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I had and amazing time! It was wonderful! Liz was very knowledgeable and funny! Liz was polite and helpful!! I thought it was a very well-rounded cruise. A lot of history along with new information! Beautiful tour!! read more

Went on an evening neighborhood cruise a few nights ago. I recommend City Cruises based on this trip. It was really nice. Tickets are by phone, in person or internet. Best is to purchase ahead. The Frederick Nolan is an 82 foot vessel, with 3 decks. This is not a fancy vessel like the Trilogy (see my review of Trilogy on Yelp), Odyssey or Spirit of Boston, but it gets the job done and is not as expensive. First, they timed it right for the sunset and fantastic views of the city at dusk. East Boston waterfront looks like a quaint fishing village, (see photo) lots of opportunity for photos. You will find the top deck set up with chairs, s no canopy so bring a hat and your sunscreen. The second deck has booths, the windows open here and you get a very good view and the breeze also smaller outside viewing areas at bow and stern set up with chairs. The lower deck has booths and an open area, as well as windows, the windows don't open, some need windex. The kids seems to enjoy the open area on the lower deck for playing, It is carpeted as well as 2nd deck. Lower deck has a snack bar and drinks, or beer? Not sure. The ease of getting on the vessel was excellent. Some folks came on deck with walkers, rollators, canes and yes even wheelchairs, it is accessible, but you need to climb stairs to get to the other decks, you can also sit comfortable and enjoy the cruise on the lower deck if you can't do stairs. I would def. still go. Crew seemed busy the whole time, cheerful and helpful as observed. The night air was refreshing and the cruise was smooth. They even took us under the Mystic Bridge, up the river a bit before they turned the vessel around. read more

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I booked a Boston dinner cruise with City Cruise for May 18th for my wife's 50th birthday. I must say I took my daughter on the lunch cruise last year and it was fantastic. Unfortunately our dinner cruise experience was not the same. A college grad party reserved the bottom level of the boat, which was fine. We couldn't go down there. Dinner was great but after dinner the grad party seemed to take over the boat. Completely filled the dance floor all night. They were screaming the whole time and we could not find a spot on the boat to escape them. Me and my wife felt as if we were at someone else's party where we didn't know anybody. It was awkward and unenjoyable. read more