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Bleik or Andenes whale watching tour: speedboat or a bigger boat?

These boats head for the same deep water off Andøya, but the day on board is not the same. This Andenes whale watching tour comparison sets the Bleik speedboat against the two Andenes boats, listing by listing.

Check availabilityfrom $201 · free cancellation possible

Editorial team, bleikwhalewatching.comUpdated October 20, 2026Read time: 6 min2 sources

Bookable here: the tour Bleik speedboat whale watching with puffins 4.7 (400 reviews) 3.5 hoursMax. 12 guests on the RIBFlotation suit, tea, coffee and muffins from$201per person Check availabilityFree to cancel until 24 hrs ahead

Quick answer

01Bleik: RIB speedboat, max. 12 guests, 3.5 hours, from $201.
02Andenes catamaran: A heated indoor cabin, a Whale Pass, 4 hours, from $174.
03Andenes M/S Reine: Whale exhibition entry included, 4 hours, from $179.
04Families: The Bleik RIB is not for children under 10.
05Same water: Summer safaris all aim for the sperm whales off Bleiksegga.¹

Same canyon, different boats

Bleik and Andenes are neighbours on the northern end of Andøya: the Bleik trip's own listing puts its marina a 10-minute drive from Andenes. In summer the boats from both places head for the same feeding ground. Visit Vesterålen says the summer safaris go out to Bleiksegga, where the sperm whale is the main species.¹

The difference is the ride. From Bleik you go out in a RIB, a fast, open inflatable speedboat, with no more than 12 guests. From Andenes harbour you board a larger vessel: a classic catamaran with a heated indoor cabin and a deck outside, or the M/S Reine, whose trip includes a visit to a whale exhibition.

Neither is the better trip for everyone. Some travellers want the wind, the spray and a low seat close to the water; others want a warm cabin and room to move. The sections below set out what each listing actually states, so you can decide on facts rather than on photos.

Your Bleik trip

From the marina and back again

Arrival

Meet at the marina

Skipper and guide wait at the Green Gold of Norway sign.
On shore

Suit up

Warm flotation suits and life jackets are handed out.
Out to sea

Across to the canyon

The RIB heads out over the Bleik Canyon.
On the water

Whales and birds

The guide explains what you see and takes photos.
Back on land

Tea and muffins

Tea and coffee while you change, within the 3.5 hours.

The Bleik speedboat

The Bleik trip lasts 3.5 hours in all, including getting into warm flotation suits on shore before you leave and tea and coffee while you change afterwards. Its listing gives departures at 10:00 and 21:00 from Bleik Marina, where the skipper and guide meet you at the Green Gold of Norway sign.

On board there is a skipper and a guide, and the guide explains the wildlife and takes photos for you to keep. The listing names sperm whales, pilot whales, orcas and minke whales, now and then Risso's dolphins and fin whales, and puffins, eagles, gannets and harbor seals. Muffins, tea and coffee are part of the deal, as the trip's own title promises.

It is the most reviewed trip in this comparison, with 400 reviews and a rating of 4.67. The low, open boat is the point of it: you sit near the waterline, and the RIB covers the distance to deep water quickly. The flip side is that you feel every wave, which is why the listing asks that all guests be in reasonable physical shape.

Guest ratings

Average rating of the Andøya trips

of 5

Averages as listed on GetYourGuide: 400, 18 and 198 reviews.

Side by side

Bleik and Andenes boats compared

Listing	Bleik speedboat	Andenes catamaran	Andenes M/S Reine
Duration	3.5 hrs	4 hrs	4 hrs
Group size	max. 12	not stated	not stated
Check-in	meet at the marina	30 min before	45 min before
Warm gear	flotation suit	heated cabin	thermosuit in winter
On board	tea, coffee, muffins	soup, drinks, biscuits	coffee, tea, biscuits
No whales	not stated	free rebooking	not stated
Price	from $201	from $174	from $179

Everything as each GetYourGuide listing states it; prices are from prices for one adult.

Your options

Pick your boat

Bleik: Whale Watching by Speedboat with Puffins and Muffins

Most reviewed

Bleik speedboat

RIB from Bleik Marina

Duration: 3.5 hrs
Group: max. 12 guests
Children: from 10 years

See the trip

Lowest price

Classic catamaran

From Andenes harbour

Duration: 4 hrs
Cabin: heated seating
No whales: free rebooking

See the trip

Exhibition entry

M/S Reine

From the Andenes whale centre

Duration: 4 hrs
Check-in: 45 min before
Extra: whale exhibition

See the trip

Decision helper

Speedboat or bigger boat?

Pick what matters most on your day out

Bleik speedboat

No more than 12 guests on a RIB.

Andenes catamaran

Indoor heated seating and an outdoor deck.

Andenes catamaran

Its Whale Pass gives a free rebooking.

M/S Reine

Entry to a whale exhibition is included.

An Andenes boat

The Bleik RIB is not suitable for them.

Bleik speedboat

Its listing gives a departure at 21:00.

The classic catamaran from Andenes

Arctic Whale Tours runs its Andenes whale watching boat from a black reception container beside the large red harbour buildings, near the ferry to Senja. Check-in is 30 minutes before departure, and the listing gives the trip as roughly 3 to 5 hours depending on the weather and where the whales are.

The boat is built for comfort: an indoor heated seating area, an outdoor deck for viewing, hot soup, warm drinks and biscuits, and a crew that includes marine biologists. Guides speak English, French and Polish. Touching marine life, alcohol and intoxication are not allowed on board.

Its strongest selling point is the Whale Pass: if the boat goes out and no whales are seen, you may join another trip free of charge, subject to space. It has 198 reviews with an average of 4.40, and its guide scores 4.6. Transport to the harbour is not included, and parking is a few metres from the reception.

Price check

Price each trip for your group

Choose a boat and the number of people.

Bleik speedboatRIB, 3.5 hrsfrom $201 Andenes catamaranWhale Passfrom $174 Andenes M/S ReineWith exhibitionfrom $179

People 2

Total from$402

per participant from $201

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Each total starts from the lowest GetYourGuide price of that trip and is shown in the currency you pick, using the European Central Bank rate; the booking page has the final sum.

Video

What a whale safari from Andenes is like

Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.

The M/S Reine and the whale exhibition

The third option sails on the M/S Reine with Whale2Sea and Hvalsafari, and adds entry to a whale exhibition, with lectures in the whale centre during the peak season. Its listing asks you to arrive at the centre 45 minutes before departure to check in.

The trip typically lasts 3 to 4 hours, with coffee, tea and biscuits on board. Children get a life vest, and in winter a warm overall or thermosuit is provided; dogs are not allowed on the boat. Guiding is in English.

With 18 reviews and an average of 4.54, it has the fewest reviews of the trips on this page. The exhibition is a good fit for curious children and for a grey day, since it gives the trip a land-based start before the boat goes out. The same listing names June to September as the peak summer season.

Comfort, seasickness and who can come

Age and health limits differ more than anything else. The Bleik RIB is not suitable for children under 10, for anyone under 140 cm, or in pregnancy, and it lists back, heart and breathing problems, vertigo, claustrophobia and recent surgery among its exclusions. The Andenes catamaran lists pregnant women, people with mobility impairments, people prone to seasickness and babies under 1 year.

Seasickness is a real issue on the open Norwegian Sea. The catamaran's listing strongly advises guests who are prone to it to take medication before departure. On a RIB the motion is sharper but the trip is shorter and you sit in fresh air with a view of the horizon. Know your own stomach before you choose.

Clothing works differently too. On the Bleik speedboat the flotation suit is part of the trip, worn over your own warm layers. The Andenes listings name no suit for a summer trip, so bring a hat, gloves, rain gear and waterproof shoes, as the catamaran's packing list suggests.

Price, rebooking and cancellation

The prices are close. The Andenes catamaran starts from $174, the M/S Reine trip from $179 and the Bleik speedboat from $201. Each of them lets you reserve now and pay later, and each can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours ahead.

What happens when the whales stay away is where they differ. Only the catamaran's listing states a free rebooking if no whales are seen. The Bleik trip's inclusion line speaks of high chances to see whales, puffins and more wildlife, and no listing here guarantees a sighting.

Weather is the other factor. The catamaran's listing says its trips depend on the weather, may be cancelled at short notice for safety, and are then refunded in full. Whichever boat you choose, plan your first try early in your stay so there is time for a second date.

Which one to book

Choose Bleik if you want a small group, a fast ride and the feeling of being right on the water, and if everyone in your party is at least 10 years old and fit for a bumpy boat. In midsummer the 21:00 departure goes out in full daylight.²

Choose the Andenes catamaran if you want warmth, space and the safety net of a free rebooking, or if you travel with young children who are too small for a RIB. Choose the M/S Reine if a whale exhibition and talks in the whale centre appeal to you as much as the boat.

If you cannot decide, compare the dates first. A trip that fits your calendar and the forecast is worth more than a small difference in comfort, and every one of these boats is heading for the same whales. Whatever you pick, dress in layers, eat a light meal beforehand and keep your camera in a pocket you can reach with gloves on.

Pick your date