On the Lookout for Whale Wonders with ORCA

The thrill of spotting whales and wildlife transforms an ordinary cruise into an extraordinary voyage. Picture yourself standing on the deck of Ambition of Ambience, the salty breeze blowing gently against your skin as you scan the horizon. Suddenly, a majestic humpback breaches the surface, its massive form breaking through the waves in a display of raw power and grace. It’s moments like these that remind us of the untamed beauty of the ocean and the wonders it holds. So there’s no expert better than ORCA to tell us more about what may be spotted on a voyage with Ambassador Cruise Line.

What species of whales are commonly sighted during Ambassador voyages?

The most commonly sighted whale during all the Ambassador voyages whilst ORCA Ocean Conservationists were on board is the humpback whale, with the common dolphin topping the charts for the most sighted dolphin species.

During the Ambassador cruise, the sperm whale topped the leaderboard for the most frequently sighted whale followed by the Bryde’s whale followed closely by the fin whale – the second biggest animal in the world. The most numerous dolphin species seen on the world cruise is the striped dolphin with 373 animals recorded, followed by spinner dolphin 240 animals followed by the bottlenose dolphin with 193 animals sighted.

An exciting first for ORCA was the recording of the Gingko-toothed beaked whale, sighted between New Zealand and Australia.

FYI: ORCA Ocean Conservationists track and document whale sightings using our OceanWatchers survey app. These effort-based surveys involve collecting environmental data every 30 minutes as well as recording any whale, dolphin and porpoise sightings they observe.

Are there specific regions or routes where whale sightings are more frequent and do you have insights on why these species are found in these specific habitats?

We tend to see more whales in cooler areas in the summer and early autumn, such as cruises to Iceland, and Greenland, but we record lots of minke whales on UK itineraries.

Whale and dolphin sightings specific to the Ambassador world cruise include lots of different dolphin species as Ambience sailed through the north-east Atlantic. Dolphin sightings were highest around the Iberian Peninsula. This area is characterised by seasonal upwellings and highly productive waters supporting a high biodiversity of cetacean species including large baleen whales such as the fin and sei whales.

Whale sightings were particularly good around the waters of Sri Lanka including multiple sightings of sperm whales. Bathymetric and oceanographic features drive primary productivity and this helps create nearshore habitats for a diversity of cetacean species including the vulnerable sperm whale.

This area is also an important area for feeding and breeding of the spinner dolphins.

Read More: Uncharted Waters: Ambassador Cruise Line and ORCA's Anti-Whaling Campaign

What measures does Ambassador take to ensure responsible and sustainable whale watching practices?

ORCA Ocean Conservationists are trained in the best practice measures for responsible whale watching using international guidelines. Our Ocean Conservationists often accompany Ambassador passengers during their whale watching excursions and by using a responsible whale watching scorecard. Data collected is used by ORCA to help whale watching operators know what to do to ensure their whale watching activities are having a minimal impact on whales and dolphins.

Are there any particular times of day that are optimal for whale sightings during the cruise?

The probability of spotting whales and dolphins at sea is linked to whether a ship is transiting across a whale and dolphin critical habitat during daylight hours. In marine environments and especially pelagic (offshore) areas, the location of these hotspots can vary substantially due to the waves and tides operating in the ocean, particularly underwater bathymetry, or the depths and shapes of underwater terrain. The abundance of dolphin and whale sightings Ambience guests observed around the coast of Sri Lanka is linked to a number of bathymetric features such as underwater canyons that create habitats for a diversity of cetacean species, rather than daylight hours.

Can passengers actively participate in whale spotting efforts, and if so, how?

Yes, absolutely. The Ocean Conservationists on board the shops run daily deck watches and actively encourage guests to get involved. Participation could be as simple as helping the Ocean Conservationists out on deck to spot any movement or splashes in the ocean to actively getting involved by carrying out their very own survey using the OceanWatchers apps. ORCA’s mission is to give everyone who cares about whale and dolphin conservation an active role in safeguarding their future.

How does ORCA collaborate with Ambassador to promote marine conservation awareness during the cruise?

The Ocean Conservationists on board Ambience provide talks, workshops and interpretation for passengers as well as the daily deck watches. They provide expert knowledge on the astonishing marine wildlife in the different oceans that Ambience is sailing through during the world cruise as well as highlighting the many conservation threats many of these species now face. The surveys that get undertaken on board involving significant Ambassador guest involvement, will continue to help ORCA develop a programme where citizens can truly inform and contribute to wider protection of whales and dolphins.

Read our blog for more stories that bring the spirit of cruising to life, whether it’s hidden gems in port, life on deck or expert insights like these.