Princess Monterey Whale Watching Cruises

Very much enjoyed the ride and seeing the whales. Was short on warm clothing. The shop had plenty to spare at reasonable prices. Website was very helpful, especially the record of what recent trips were seeing.

Been on 3 different whale watching excursions in Monterey and this one is our favorite. Personal touch, very friendly and warm...More than anything else, however, very professional from the captain down to the galley worker. They occasionally had a volunteer guide on board that was very knowledgeable and friendly but perhaps the economic downturn saw that disappear...It's missed, to be honest. Captain even made it a point to pick up debris from the water so as to preserve the ecosystem...Always nice to see a business caring about the environment, particularly one that actually caters to it. And the sea life, of course....I can't imagine the excursions on the different boats are all that much different in that we all end up near one another when we're at sea anyway...The last time we came we saw more humpback whales on this 4 1/2 hour trip than I did the entire time in Kauai lthe previous year...Very impressive This time around, we saw what many in the area rarely see and that's Orcas...We'd been going for years now trying to get a sighting and this time, we spent the entire trip just around a pod of at least 5 Orcas...Amazing experience. I think the experience then ends up distinguishing one from the other...Personally, I found the Princess Co. was quite professional, informative and warm. Only suggestion would be that 'sea legs' are important to consider otherwise it can be a miserable experience...Makes the rest of the trip pretty painful, I'd imagine...And remember, this isn't going out on the lake with the family boat, this is the ocean...Waves are a part of it and it'll rock pretty good for a lonnnng time....Plus, prepare for the elements...Dress warmly even on a day that you believe will be warm enough...The wind alone will make it colder and if you aren't properly dressed, you'll spend most of your time in the interior of the boat and miss out on everything...Bring some snacks with you or water as it's only minimal concessions on board.

No problems

i feel since we only saw 3 whales and they were so far away, that it wasn't worth the money we spent

Day was perfect. Good photo ops. clean boat. Would do it again and we are planning on it.

Celebrating our daughter's birthday with our family, all adults. Had a wonderful time and couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. The trip was a blast!

From start to finish, I felt like I made the right choice in tours. The guide was informative and had matchless energy and enthusiam. We enjoyed watching several Gray Whales and a Humpback. Some tours will see more and some tours will see less - it just depends on weather, season, and luck. The guide likened the tours to treasure hunts, and although they can't gaurantee sightings, they seemed pretty good at finding the right places, spotting whales, and helping us have a comfortable viewing experience. The guide took the time to find out that I was interested in birds (as well as whales), and pointed out Black-footed Albatross, Rhinoceros Auklet, and Common Murre. I even saw a Harlequin Duck. I'd like to go again.

It was an enjoyable experience.

Great trip watching whales and enjoying the beautiful coast and ocean. Saw a sperm whale which was incredible. Great crew and a wonderful tour. You've got to do it!!

I saw a sperm whale and an albatross bird which the crew said was a rare happening. I was excited and amazed at the sightings and the information that the crew provided. I love mother nature and all she provides. Getting to be part of that rarity on the Princess Monterey made me feel like a princess myself. Thanks to the crew my trip was more than I expected. Meeting the owner of the boat was a special treat, also. Thanks, again, Princess Monterey crew!

This excursion was pleasant enough. The captain and crew were well informed and pleasant. The boat was comfortable and we were fortunate to have excellent weather. We sighted 4 whales, but the boat didn't approach to closer than about 150 yards of them. Not having binoculars, the views were distant and scant. All in all, a pleasant experience, but have some binoculars to get a better look at the somewhat distant whales.

A whale watching trip is also an opportunity for birders. There are many of us and business would pick up considerably if at least one member of the crew knew who to identify the seabirds seen from the ship. The captain did point out the cormorants at the end of the Coast Guard wharf and did point out an albatross but the rest of the time was devoted to chasing whales.

my family and I had a wondeful time, the staff was experienced and friendly! It was a great way to spend time with the family

This was a company group event and everyone in our group was very pleased.

This sounded fun, but in reality, it was disappointing. The crew of 2 seemed knowledgeable and were friendly and approachable, but actual sightings are going to depend on a lot of luck. We were taken to an area where there were sightings, and we (and those on another boat) were able to see several spouts. I imagined that we'd actually see the animals, but that wasn't the case. We chose this company based on price, and had no complaints. Others have written reminding potential customers to take motion sickness pills - this saved me that unfortunate discomfort! I would only do this again if there was overwhelming evidence that there were lots of whales and dolphins around, and that they were actually being seen.