Princess Monterey Whale Watching Cruises

This is a well-run operation. The ship left the dock on time and treated all aboard to a fantastic sight of humpback and blue whales. The crew was very helpful and the resident whale expert very knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and came away with a greater appreciation of these graceful gentle giants. Thanks again.

We saw two Blues and many humpbacks. Good commentary from the naturalist.

Thank you for providing us with a lifetime of memories. My wife and I have been on whale watching excursions before, and without a doubt this was absolutely and positively the best so far. Your captian was extremley pleasant (I met him before the trip had started) and the crew was just as nice including being helpful and watchful over the passengers. My wife and I were just thrilled to see a BLUE WHALE; something that we both thought would never happen in our lifetime! We actually saw two of them including the most Humpbacks I've ever seen in one area. Even something more amazing (for us at least) was seeing and capturing on camera, the fluke of one of the Blue whales. I have and would recommend Princess Monterey Whale Watching Cruise to anyone interested in a fantastic and memorable time. P.S. Go now! Catch the Blue Whales while you still can and be amazed. Our cruise was on July 29, 2010. Thank you Princess Monterey, Captain and Crew.

The day was as expected for the coast... a bit foggy, chilly... but beautiful...compared to the hot Central Valley. Your directions were perfect! We found parking in the first row which was excellent! Had to find restrooms quickly, though. Saw signs at the Museum for them and hurried there... to find the door open (which was excellent...) but no lights were on... hmmmmph...!!! . If you expect tourists to be there early, rrooms should be available, too. It's expected of travelers. Checking in was good, although we were told to wait for a few minutes... why?? after i got the boarding passes finally, my elderly husband and I STOOD on the asphalt for 45 minutes! this part of it did NOT make me happy... we could have easily boarded and at least SAT for that time. The captain and crew didn't seem to think much of us waiting.... like it was no big deal. it WAS a big deal... my feet hurt the rest of the day because of this. The boat did NOT leave at 10... it was more like 10:15. We DID see the whales, though... moreso the humpbacks than the greys... and no dolphins. it WAS very cool!!! we both enjoyed the trip...just NOT the waiting... the ticket price was okay, i guess... could I have made reservations and paid the fare there and saved the convenience fee? I was pleased to note than noone in the front of the boat became ill. I liked the height of the rails, too... there was one of the other boats i saw that the rail was lower than waist high... seemed a bit unsafe. I have shared the pics and info with many... you should be getting more bookings. anyhow, it was an enjoyable, it tiring day trip.

The staff was great and the boat clean. We felt very safe. The only drawback was the amount of people on the boat. It was difficult to find a good viewing spot because of the crowd. Other boats in the area were much closer to the whales than our boat was. All in all it was a good trip, just wish we were taller and could have seen more over peoples heads.

This event was enjoyable and family had a great time. Seen some whales, but it seemed that there were too many people. Was about three people stack to the rails; mostly seen back of peoples head.

The whale watching trip was fun though I wish we had gotten to see some more whales or other sea animals while out there. I know the company cannot always make that happen but it would have been a lot of fun to get up close to some of the whales in the same group that we kept following! Was fun and would recommend it to friends going to that area.

All expectations met.

This trip was great! We saw so many whales that it was unbelievable. I had no idea what to expect, but this way exceeded anything I imagined. The whales are such beautiful, graceful animals. I was surprised that they stayed on the surface so long, they seemed to enjoy their audience as much as we enjoyed seeing them. I would highly recommend this tour.

This was my first time whale watching, so I was quite excited. Hours before, my girlfriend and I had just visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium to prepare us for the main course. We arrived a bit late to the show, but did not have a problem getting our tickets and joining the crowd for some safety tips. The boat was spacious and clean, which was a plus. Both of us took the maximum dosage of dramamine, so the ride out to sea wasn't a problem. Prior to the trip, I had read reviews urging future passengers to sit on the RIGHT side of the boat. Apparently, everyone was aware and immediately filled up those seats. We spent about an hour and a half looking at blue and humpback whales. The great part of the experience was just seeing so many whales. I was shocked as to how many of them were out there, considering that 4 other whale watching boats were touring the area. Oddly enough, though, it seemed as if we were the only boat keeping our distance. Some of the smaller ones probably got within 50 yards of the whales. My major gripe has to be with the decision to position the boat to favor the right side. I can't imagine that it would be too difficult to give equal treatment to the left and right. It was a bit disappointing in these regards. Overall, I would hesitantly recommend this company. If I were to go whale watching again, I would consider one of the other vessels that got much closer to the whales. The experience was definitely positive, but it just made me jealous watching other tourists getting the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with such magnificent creatures.

Amazing experience. Loved it!

Great experience! Saw a lot of Humpback and Blue Whales! The guide was very interesting and informative! I want to go again next year!

It was interesting hearing information about all the sealife in Monterey Bay, and seeing whales breech and dive. However, we were so far from the whales that all we could see were parts of their bodies when they were out of the water, and their flukes (tails), when they dove. It wasn't all that exciting.

This was my third whale watching attempt but my first when I actually saw whales. The staff were well organized, quiet and calm, except for the naturalist, whose job it was to be excited. We saw about 16 whales altogether, 4 blues and the rest humpbacks. I really want to complement the thorough information on the company's website, which covered what we should wear, what we should bring, availability of parking, and even included a suggestion that we bring our own snack (though they sell some) and check the marine weather forecast (with a link to the page) if we are concerned about the size of the waves! My 15 year old French guest was thrilled with the experience. I would like to ask them (and maybe I will) whether they have video of the trip available for purchase, because it was a bit difficult to take photos or video and watch for the whales at the same time. I would go with this company again.

I loved this trip and would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't so crowded. Just 20 less people and it would have been more accessible. The guide was great! She knew so much and was simply put, a kick in the pants and the rest of the crew were so kind.