Speedboat or RIB whale watching from Funchal: which of the four tours should you book?
Updated October 12, 2026 · 5 min read
For most visitors: book the RIB Whale Watching Cruise and Optional Dolphin Swim. It costs €54 for 2.5 hours and scores 4.7 from 580 reviews. Cheapest: the Whale and Dolphin Watching Speed Boat Tour is €47.30 for 2 hours, 4.6 from 639 reviews. Best rating, but it starts in Calheta: the Whale and Dolphin Watching RIB Boat Tour is €60, 4.9 from 367 reviews.
Four fast-boat tours compared
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIB Whale Watching Cruise and Optional Dolphin Swim | 2.5 hours | €54 | 4.7 (580) | A small-group ride with the most reviews among RIBs |
| Whale and Dolphin Watching Speed Boat Tour | 2 hours | €47.30 | 4.6 (639) | The lowest price |
| Guarantee Wild Dolphin and Whale Watching by RIB | 2.5 hours | €54 | 4.9 (75) | The same price with a free second trip |
| Whale and Dolphin Watching RIB Boat Tour, from Calheta | 2 hours | €60 | 4.9 (367) | Anyone staying in the west of the island |
These four are the fast-boat end of Funchal’s whale watching. They differ less in what you see than in the boat, the length of the trip and what happens if the animals do not show.
The RIB cruise most people should book
A RIB is a rigid inflatable boat, and the description calls this a small-group ride along Madeira’s south coast. Its 580 reviews make the 4.7 hard to dismiss. The dolphin swim is optional, and the listing does not show what it adds to the €54, so check that on the booking page before you count on it.
Check dates and prices for the RIB cruise with optional dolphin swim
The speedboat: the cheapest, and the shortest
The €47.30 speedboat trip is €6.70 cheaper than the RIB cruise and half an hour shorter. Its summary says that if no whales or dolphins are sighted, a second trip is offered free. With 639 reviews it has the largest base of the four, though its 4.6 sits at the bottom of the group. Choose it when the budget decides.
The “guarantee” RIB at the same price
The €54 trip for 2.5 hours carries the same time and cost as the main recommendation. The difference is in the description: if no animals are sighted, a second trip is offered at no charge. Despite the title, that clause is a repeat trip, not a promise of sightings. Its 4.9 rests on 75 reviews, so the evidence is thinner than the 580 behind the 4.7. If the free repeat reassures you, this is the version to book at the same price.
Look at availability for the RIB trip with a free second trip
The Calheta departure
This RIB is the best scored at 4.9 from 367 reviews, but it sails from Calheta, on the island’s south-west coast, not from Funchal harbour. For anyone based in Funchal that adds a transfer you must organise, and the description does not mention a pickup. Book it if you are staying in the west.
Who should skip which
Skip the fast boats if you would rather be on a catamaran; our comparison of the catamarans shows what separates the €35 and €79 trips. Smaller boats feel the swell more, so if you are prone to seasickness, ask a pharmacist before sailing. None of the four descriptions gives a minimum age; look at the booking page if you are bringing children.
Our recommendation
Book the RIB whale watching cruise with optional dolphin swim for €54. If a free repeat trip would settle your mind, take the €54 trip with the second-trip clause instead; if every euro counts, take the €47.30 speedboat.
