Princess Monterey Whale Watching - Monterey, California

Christopher Well

Princess Monterey Whale Watching tours are the best way to experience the beauty and wonders of Monterey Bay. We saw a multitude of humpback whales, sea lions, and birds. It’s magical to be so (safely) close to the whales that you can hear them blow and swim amongst their feeding grounds. Bring a camera as you’ll have many opportunities for an unforgettable photo.

The entire staff was great from check-in to goodbyes. Organized, on-time, and professional. We also enjoyed the onboard experts who described the sea life, history, and what we were seeing.

Highly recommend Princess Monterey for your next adventure at sea.

Ghezal Asghari

Me and my husband celebrated our 3rd year wedding anniversary with a whale watching experience, and what an amazing experience. The crew members were nice and friendly, and the commentary was helpful. We got lucky and watched about 9 to 10 humpback whales. We would definitely visit again. ?

Youlonda V.

Whale watching is a great experience. Princess Monterey Whale Watching experience is what I recommend. The crew was nice, professional, and knowledgeable. The ride is about 2.5 hours. It was the season to see humpback whales. We were able to see 9 whales. The naturalist on the boat had a wealth of knowledge about humpback whales.

NAS AL

Disappointing Experience with Princess Monterey Whale Watching

I recently went on a whale watching tour with Princess Monterey, and it was a complete disappointment. Despite the promise of thrilling whale sightings, we barely saw any whales. The brief glimpses we did catch were far from the exciting encounters we had hoped for.

The worst part of the trip was the motion sickness. The rough seas left many of the guests, including myself, feeling extremely nauseous. Half of the group was knocked out for the majority of the trip. Unfortunately, there was no heads-up about the potential for severe motion sickness. A warning or some advice the day before would have allowed us to prepare and possibly mitigate the discomfort.

Overall, the experience was terrible. There was nothing intriguing about the tour, and it certainly wasn't worth the cost. I regret spending my time and money on this trip and wouldn't recommend it to others. Save yourself the trouble and find a more reliable and considerate whale watching operator.

Aryana Imani

Amazing experience! Saw 10-15 humpback whales close up, so majestic. The team was very friendly, welcoming, and informative. We got lucky with a calm day on the waters. If you are prone to motion sickness, take proper precautions.

Please ignore the reviews about motion sickness and their lack of warning. They do a very good job warning for it and providing instruction and aid against nausea: bags, motion sickness pills, where to sit that has the least movement.

It is out of their control for the weather conditions AND how likely it is you’ll see whales.

Do your own research to prepare for favorable weather and call them with questions, rather than expecting them to control the elements!

They are very knowledgeable and knew where the whales would be, and shared so much info about their feeding habits, migration, fun facts, and more. Such a beautiful experience!

Pete Mulvey

Great day watching whales. Staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Luckily, we had a calm day and saw approximately 25 whales. Awesome experience.
Like all trips out on the open sea, you must be prepared for indifferent weather conditions. People who give 1 star reviews because they felt unwell, should not blame the operator for the weather. If you don't have sea legs, check the weather before you book.
We were well advised what to do if you felt unwell, but luckily, it was a good day.
Put it on your bucket list.

Annapurna Muthuraman

We went whale watching on 21/7/2024 through the princess Monterey.
Was an amazing experience
Could spot quite many humpback whales and sea lions besides birds like cormorants and pelicans. Were delighted to see the tail flips and the breaching acts by the whales. Also got to experience what the back breath of these beasts smelt like ?
The only dampener was that instead of clear blue skies we got a gloomy cloudy one!
About sea sickness …. It is better to take the pill atkeast half an hour before you hit the rough seas. We were absolutely fine with that and hence enjoyed the tour without any discomfort. It gets cold and chilli out there and you might want to wear a few layers.

The narrator was very helpful in spotting them and also added apt details about the magnificent sea giants! Totally worth it

P J

Fantastic team at Princess Monterey whale Watching who do everything they can to ensure you have a fun and safe trip.
Of course they will never guarantee sightings or activity, but they are so informative throughout the trip you are learning as you go regardless.
We were lucky to see dolphins and whales on our trip which was incredible!!
Tips.
No matter how warm take a waterproof jacket and layers as the wind cuts across the boat and you WILL feel it!!
If you are not a good traveller then get some sea clams to ease you especially if it's choppy.
Other than that, listen, look and enjoy it .