Whale Watching Trip on Monterey Bay

We chose the perfect day! Calm waters and lots of whales. We were able to see Orcas, Humpback Whales, and Gray Whales. Even saw a whale breech! How exciting! We brought sandwiches, fruit, water, and pretzels in a cooler for lunch. My husband and I, along with our son and daughter-in-law loved it.

Wonderful staff and day trip! We got to see three types of whales, up close! I would recommend to all.

I took my granddaughter, who is 7. She loved the white caps and excitement of being on the the boat. We didn't see any whales, but had a wonderful time and a rain check to come back and try to see the whales again.

On the day of our trip a storm was due in the next day so the captain decided to go out an hour earlier to avoid possible waves ,However the phone call we recieved was about 17 min before departure and since I didn't recognize the number and we were getting ready i didn't answer phone felt if it was important a voice message would be left.we arrived at the office and were told the boat was getting ready to leave and we missed it and there was nothing that could be done but we can rebook again sometime during the year as next trip out wouldn't be til Saturday and today was Monday too long for us to wait My granddaughter was upset as this was the reason we came to Santa Cruz and with cost of hotels and gas etc well no one was happy.We where able to get back the 1 day from hotel as we had planned to stay a few days so that was good and we then went to Monteray (half way there I did get the voice message explaining the early departure to late to help us) we were able to go out on another boat while it was a little chilly and it wasn't too rough we did have some waves but was handled very well by the captain so ride wasn't too bad about what I expected being out in the sea only 1 passenger felt a little sea sick and the crew took care of her doing what they could to make her comfortable we had a nice trip the crew was very informitive and we saw whales !! and my granddaughter saw dolpins she was all around the boat since wasn't crowded and so excited she got wonderful video of the sightings as they came real close to the boat we saw tails and.spouts and it looked like one rolled over so the day was saved so can say The princess in Monteray was a good trip We will reschdule our trip and hopefully it will work out and be just as nice as the one we were able to do

I don't think I can give Stagnaro's all the credit for a humpback whale, out of season, jumping out the water directly in front of the boat, and then giving us all a few fin waves, but still, without them, I wouldn't have seen it at all! The crew was great. The on-board naturalist was very friendly and enthusiastic, as well as knowledgable. Extra kudos to the captain, who extended the cruise a bit so we could keep watching the humpback pair, in case they started breaching again. They let you bring your own food on board, so it was a very budget friendly outing.

I have been whale watching up in British Columbia, down in Baja, and many places in between along the west coast. I have been out with Captain Ken, Maureen, and the rest of the crew of the Velocity several times and we ALWAYS have seen whales. On this trip we saw Gray Whales and California Sea Lions, but the highlight for me was the humpback that breached right next to the boat. AWESOME!!! Stagnaro's has the best whale watching trip anywhere. Go for it. Do it. You'll be pleased that you did.

My friend had one big wish during her trip to California: to see a whale. Thanks for making that come true!

I live about 2 hrs from Santa Cruz, and had a friend come visit for the weekend of Feb. 10. She has never been whale watching, so we decided to go try and see some CA Gray Whales, as they are the species with the highest sighting expectancy this time of year. We were in for a treat when our captain found us 2 Blue Whales! This was an unexpected sighting since they are so rare to see, and usually not in these waters until June. That was our trips highlight! They were a beautiful sight to see! The staff and volunteers were very nice and informative, going around to each person talking about whales, and showing photos. The captain did a fantastic job keeping track of the blue whales so we could observe them for a long time. He also discussed information about the whales, and pointed out "tail prints", etc. while we were out on the water. This enriched the experience. The boat was nice and clean, the food looked good, and though I did not eat, many people were enjoying the food, and drinks served on board. The boat had a good size crowd, but not over crowded. Everyone could see the whales easily. The only bad thing I can say is the sound system was clear at the front of the boat, but terrible at the back, and it sounded like he had marbles in his mouth. I could barely understand anything he was saying. That was annoying, but it was a beautiful day, I can now add Blue Whales to my sighting list, and a fun time still! Personal note: I've been one many whale watching tours in San Diego, Monterrey, San Juan islands, and Hawaii. As an overall score for all categories I talked about above, I would give this trip the highest rating, except for the sound system, and the weather in Hawaii which is hard to beat!

My husband and I went on a whale watching tour with Stagnaro Charter Boats. We arrived early, excited to start our day. The entire experience was carefully planned and we had a wonderful time. The boat was clean and in good working order. The crew was knowledgeable and personable. Overall, I would pay to whale watch with the organization again.

Our whale watching trip was a real pleasure.The weather was beautiful. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. The whales, dolphins and hundreds of jellies we saw were truly majestic. It was a real thrill to see them in their natural environment. I would recommend this trip to everyone. Dress warm!!