I've lived here in Gloucester for close to 20 years now. I used to live in too many parts of Boston to remember. I grew up to 15 in the suburbs of Sharon, to boot. We lived about 45 minutes to the Atlantic Ocean. I have no idea why, but we had an atrociously beautful "Whaling Museum" that I used to go to class fields trips to when I was young.
I saw at least one closely (if not fully) complete whale skeleton hung in the air above our heads. I remember feeling sadness and pity, though I would not know how to label 'pity' at that age. Then all of the students would be hustled into the room where the massive scrimshaw display was located. jeepers, I didn't know what to think.
Google scrimshaw if you don't know what it is.
To summarize Cape Ann Whale Watch: I've been on approximately 40-50 whale watches in my life, many with Cape Ann Whale Watch. I would never pick another company or another crew. They are very professional and safe. I think I've been out with them 10 times and we only had to come back early once because of dangerous weather conditions.
You get more time with the whales and a "sight seeing" guarantee. You can't beat that!
P.S. In all the years that I've gone, I've only seen Humpbacks. I have no idea why. But I'll keep hopping on the Hurricane II at least once a year every year until life pulls me to a different stretch of the New England Coast. I'm thinking Portland, ME?