Cetacea and two (external) limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not as flexible or agile as seals, cetaceans can swim very quickly, with the killer whale able to travel at in short bursts and the fin whale able to cruise at . Dolphins are able to make very tight turns while swimming at high speeds. The hindlimbs of cetaceans are internal, and are thought to be vestigial. Baleen whales have short hairs on their mouth, unlike the toothed whales. Cetaceans have well-developed senses—their eyesight and hearing are adapted for both air and water, and baleen whales have a tactile system
Toothed whale typically cruise at 5–15 knots, or ; the sperm whale, in comparison, can travel at speeds of up to . The fusing of the neck vertebrae, while increasing stability when swimming at high speeds, decreases flexibility, rendering them incapable of turning their heads; river dolphins, however, have unfused neck vertebrae and can turn their heads. When swimming, toothed whales rely on their tail fins to propel them through the water. Flipper movement is continuous. They swim by moving their tail fin and lower body up and down, propelling themselves through vertical movement, while their flippers are mainly used for steering.