Princess Monterey Whale Watching Cruises

Very kind, useful

I have been whale watching in three locations: Juneau, Maui, and now Monterey. The trip out of Monterey is the longest out of the three and the most rocky. This is to be expected I guess since the other two locations are a lot more shallow and protected. Just be warned, that you may get a little sick. It took some time to find the whales, about an hour and a half, but once we did, it was amazing. We saw five humpback whales doing pectoral fin slaps and tail slaps. There was a moment when three whales swam toward the boat as well. It was a great experience, but I think the wife and I are going to take a break due to the rocky ride.

Whale jumping I am barfing!

We followed a small pod of 3 humpbacks who put on a continuous show for us. They came very close and breached near the boat. This continued for on hour and probably went on far beyond our viewing. On the way back we saw a large pod of Pacific Grey dolphins. The guide was very knowledgeable and the captain obviously knew where to go and what to do to get the best views. Please note that it is cold out on the water. I recommend gloves and layers including a neck scarf. Also be aware that once you get out into the bay, the water is quite rough and the boat get tossed about. I saw several children and elderly people really struggling when the captain quickly turned the boat to get better views of the whales.

We didn't get a chance to go on the tour because we got there 10 minutes late due to traffic. We left San Jose, CA at 10:30AM and were hoping to get there around 11:30AM, or an hour before our scheduled tour, but we got stuck in traffic for an hour. We did everything we could to arrive early, but it wasn't enough. The company has a stiff policy of not granting refunds or allowing rescheduling. It states: "Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded and cannot be rescheduled because your space is being guaranteed at the event." I understand about the non-refundable part and I believe it maybe asking for too much, but I think they should at least allow people the flexibility to reschedule the tour at least once for whatever reasons. Overall, I give them one star for having an inflexible rescheduling policy. One thing is certain, I will not be booking another tour with this company and will enthusiastically NOT recommend it to anyone of my friends and family members.

We love it . I was with my family 2 kids & mom Dad we had great time :)

On recent visit to Monterey Peninsula,booked whale watching excursion on Princess.Great experience,the whales were cooperating!Saw flukes, fin slapping& complete breeching! Spent 6x the money in Alaska 2 months prior& didn't see the amount of activity! Remember you are viewing wildlife,so go with an open mind & hope the whales are cooperating.It is a great way to spend 3hrs...layer clothing as it is 10-15 degrees cooler on the water.

Were able to watch several whales, friendly staff

On my trip I had the opportunity to cruise on the Greatland & view many sea lions & humpback whales. It was my first time whale watching and it gives you a whole new perspective rather than staring through a glass aquarium. I recommend this to any one looking to go on a group activity with friends or with a date.

It was amazing! We saw tons of whales and sea lions. They came a lot closer than I expected!

We saw loads of whales (humpbacks), close into the bay. This means that of the 3.5hrs we spent nearly 3hrs watching whales. If the whales are further out you spend more time travelling. Whales were very mpressive and the tour guide kept up a discrete commentary through out and pointed out other wild life.

When you check in you are told that there is an additional $20 fee to use the upper deck. Well, everyone pays then it is more crowded than the lower deck. Also, unlike other whale watch trips I have been on where they make sure both sides of the boat have a chance to see the whales, the captain of this boat not only kept the whales on one side but turned the boat so that the whales were pretty much only in the 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock position. If you made the mistake of choosing the wrong side of the boat when you got on, you had to look over the heads of three row of people. Often the whales couldn't be seen because the pilothouse was in the way. There were many unhappy folks near the stern and on the port side of the boat.

Whales everywhere!!

My husband and daughter and I live local. Saturday, Sept 1, was my birthday and we had out of town friends and family. Since they are all from dessert communities, we thought a day on the water would be perfect. The weather and the whales were certainly on our side. We have never seen so many whales on any tour, including Alaska. A dear friend did get a little seasick tho. The crewmen were over the top helping us. A young woman inparticular, Jackie, was indescribibly helpful and nice. She never left us and was so sweet and thoughtful. By thge time my friend was feeling better, she still stayed with us and got us off of the boat first. A very special employee if there ever was one.

Safe vessel, competent staff. Saw dolphins & hunting sea lions and a group of humpback whales.