| Rating |
Date Attended [v] |
Reviewer |
Gender |
Age |
Where From? |
Group Type? |
|
Fun family experience
|
| Sun, Jan 4 1:30 PM |
DMcCormick |
Female |
40-49 |
Local |
Family With Children |
| Great family day. We were lucky with super weather. The guide on board was great and made the kids feel comfortable. The boat had good seating for all. |
|
Beautifully marine.
|
| Sun, Jan 4 10:00 AM |
DawnColler |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Individual |
| If you do not know the area, taking the Princess Monterey Whale Watching is a fun introduction. How else can you get a boat ride to view the blissfully blue mountainous shore while having whales and other sea life pointed out to you? Despite later research revealing condemnation for boats getting too close to sea life and stressing it out with noise, the trip was valued highly by this myopic solitary ignoramus. Groups with goals of protecting the species viewed by the Monterey Princess urge viewing the whales from the shore with binoculars.
Although the directions from the computer were O.K., GPS would be a better idea. The drive from the north to the Monterey Princess is spectacular and comforting. You get a whiff of garlic traveling past Gilroy. You proceed in busoms of green while warming to mellow sunshine passing through forests on a curvaceous and rolling highway before spotting the waves breaking on the scalloped beach below and endless blue delta like terrain devoid of civilization. The naturalness is amazing.
The crew of the Princess Monterey are the nicest, smartest and most fun of people. The skipper used to be with the Coast Guard. The tour guide is fun to listen to and informative if you are ill informed at least. Courteous and caring describes the crew.
Although a warm coat is advised, you can stay inside a windowed area to stay warm and feel safe. No toilet facilities were noticed on board but snacks are sold within the windowed area. The seasick are instructed to stay at the back of the boat outside. Benches and rails along the outside of the boat allow breathing the air while watching the whale spouts, tails and bodies pointed out plus dolphins, albatrosses and other sea birds visible on that day. During the few hours out we saw many whales, dolphins and rare seabirds.
There is also plenty of parking at Princess Monterey's wharf. All you need for the trip is available for cheap prices on the wharf along with some great sea and other food to eat. There is even an ice rink at the base of the wharf! It is pretty and fun to run around the area before or after the whale watching trip. |
|
|
Outdoor Funs dependent on weather
|
| Thu, Jan 1 1:30 PM |
LennyLaw |
Male |
40-49 |
Local |
Family With Children |
| Outdoor Funs with friends and family but is dependent on weather. |
|
|
Fabulous Way to end the year...........
|
| Wed, Dec 31, 08 1:30 PM |
ThatGirl |
Female |
50-59 |
Local |
Family With Children |
| We took the afternoon Whale Watching excursion. It was fabulous weather. Sun Shining all afternoon. The young lady, the guide, was knowledgeable and extremely excited to see that we had a great experience. The children had a great adventure. They were 8 and 10 respectfully....We were fortunate to see some dolphins out and about and I saw two whales in and out quickly out of the water....Would I do this again, without a doubt...............thank you so much...........................Sally |
|
|
Good time
|
| Tue, Dec 30, 08 1:30 PM |
john1967 |
Male |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family With Children |
| Saw two groups of gray whales. Wish the boat could have gotten a little closer though, and this is only drawback to the trip. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, and answered any questions that came up. Crew was great also. A few people got seasick, so stay away from the back of the boat later in the trip:) The views from the boat are killer themselves: otters, sea lions, pelicans, and beautiful costal scenery. Kids had a blast just being on the boat, wanted to go again the next day. Recommend this trip for anyone who won't get seasick and has patience. Kids won't be bored and candy is available. Dress in layers and bring sunglasses. Enjoy the sea spray and fresh air. You will have a good time. |
|
|
wonderful trip
|
| Tue, Dec 30, 08 10:00 AM |
squissa |
Female |
30-39 |
Local |
Family With Children |
| We loved seeing the gray whale, jellyfish, and sea otter! And just the boat ride was lovely too. We were worried about seasickness, and took medicine (bonine) beforehand, which did help prevent seasickness (we only saw one kid really suffering), but it did put us to sleep for the rest of the day! We hope to go again in a different season, but will try to just bring ginger gum and candy, and hopefully that will do the trick. Also, we wore enough warm clothes for an arctic expedition, and we were comfortable, unlike some of the cold people around us! |
|
|
Very interesting and educational experience.
|
| Mon, Dec 29, 08 1:30 PM |
RBehan |
Female |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family With Children |
| Our group ranged in age from 7 years to 52 years old yet everyone enjoyed the whale watching experience. We actually saw only one whale, but there were plenty of dolphins and sea lions to entertain us and the guide was very knowlegeable. |
|
|
Fun Trip
|
| Sun, Dec 28, 08 10:00 AM |
wnnedpu |
Male |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| Once the boat left the wharf (about 20 minutes late) the trip was fun. The woman who was the biologist abord was really outgoing and informational. Luckily the seas were calm that day, and the skies were clear and beautiful. We were only able to see two gray whales, and those were at a distance. We also saw a school of dolphins (about 50 or 60) that came up to the boat and a few rode the wake briefly. Overall, I'd give it an 8 out of 10. The temperature on the water was in the high 40's with a sight wind chill, so heavy jackets were a must. |
|
|
Amazing experience
|
| Sat, Dec 27, 08 1:30 PM |
gsamson |
Male |
30-39 |
Combination |
Group of Friends |
| The three hour whale watching trip was amazing!!! The crew took us close enough that we could see a group of killer whales hunting sea lions.. |
|
|
Great Trip!
|
| Fri, Dec 26, 08 10:00 AM |
beckylace |
Female |
20-29 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| We had a great time - the boat crew was very helpful and knowledgeable. The only downside was that while we did get to see whales, technically, they were so far away that all we really saw was one tail. Hard to control however! All in all, a great trip that I would definitely recommend. |
