San Diego Whale Watching Cruise and Maritime Museum Entry
San Diego, United States of America
Jump on board the world-famous America sailing schooner for a once-in-a-lifetime whale watching experience. The only whale-watching sailing trip in San Diego, a cruise on America is the environmentally-friendly and most personal wildlife experience in town. Complete your nautical day with a visit to San Diego Maritime Museum any time you like.
Whale sightings are guaranteed on your San Diego Whale Watching Cruise. If no whales are sighted on your cruise, you will be welcomed back free of charge on another day the same season.
When boarding the 139ft luxury sailing schooner America you'll be taking a step back into history. Sailing's prestigious America's Cup is named after the vessel which raced from 1851 - 1945. Receiving a $6 million rebuild in 1995, the luxury schooner owned by Dennis Conner is now ready for you to get on board for a relaxing half-day cruise.
With the wind in the sails you'll cruise effortlessly on the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego in search of migrating gray whales and playful pods of dolphins. With no noisy diesel engine, the boat can get up close to the marine wildlife giving you unbeatable photo opportunities. With low sweeping decks offering fantastic uninterrupted views and a deep keel for stability, the America offers whale-watching at its best.
Snacks and drinks (non-alcoholic) are offered during the cruise, however you are welcome to bring along a picnic lunch or favorite bottle of wine to enjoy on the expansive decks.
In addition to whale sighting guarantee, the America gives a unique 'No Seasickness' guarantee. Should seasickness spoil your day the crew will invite you back to sail free of charge on another day, or issue you with a gift certificate for lunch at the famous San Diego Fish Market. With no diesel engine fumes and a gentle sailing pace, the crew are confident this cruise will be gentle on your stomach.
To complete this great value for money package, you get admission to San Diego Maritime Museum. The museum has one of the world's finest collections of historic ships, including the world's oldest active ship Star of India. You can visit San Diego Maritime Museum before or after the cruise, the choice is yours (must be on the same day as your cruise).
A must do, bucket list trip to do. The crew are extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. It was a cold windy but beautifully sunny day. The seas were 1 meter plus but with all the sails we were skimming across the swells.One of the crew came with a blanket for me, I thought that was so thoughtful of him. Crew also got guests involved in putting up the sails and once these were all aloft away we went! We did see mother and calf grey whale after a crew was hoisted up one of the sails for whale spotting duty! There were plenty of savoury snacks and drinks, cheese and biscuits plus danishes. Then the crew decided they would make us a hot chocolate on the way back to harbour, it was divine as was so warming, dont know if this is part of the experience but was most welcome. The facilities were clean and fresh albeit very cramped but we are on a racing yacht ok! For the experience of being on a fair dinkum sailing ship, plus the experience of seeing whales the trip is exceptional value for money. Go do it.
Review by: Courtney I, February 2018
Had a great time on the ship. Saw some whales and lazy seals. Beautiful day and great crew on the ship. Had a lot of fun.
Review by: Debra B, February 2018
I'll start at the beginning. I called to confirm trip, as was stated, in bold print, on my confirmation. I was told that it was not necessary but since I booked with a third party it said to do that. I asked if it was bogus and he said I should have booked directly. Of course I never would have found it that way. The forecast called for rain and so I asked about the weather forecast. I was given a lecture about rain prediction which went on and on. I finally said never mind. I think an answer should have been, if it's cancelled we will call or text and we have blankets on board. The boat was beautiful and the 2 young crew members were very kind. It was windy and rough. I saw a tail of a whale but I could not stand because of the rocking of the boat. I am in my 60's and husband is in his 70's so we do not want to fall on a sailing ship. Blankets were offered by a young crew member to us about half way through. That was a big help. 90 of people were not offered. Then it rained. Started slow and got heavy. All visitors headed downstairs. It was pretty much wall to wall adults and children down below. It was by that time very cold. My husband was standing next to a space heater which he turned on. At that point the captain came below and was quite upset that people who were dripping were standing on the carpet. He felt the carpet and said not to stand on it and felt the carpet again. He was also mad about the space heater and said that we were not to touch it and asked who had turned it on. We acknowledged that it was us and he told us not to touch it again. He said it had stopped raining and we could go upstairs. We did, however, the seats of the boat were very wet and we could not sit down. About 10 of us proceeded back down. He came down a couple of times to see if anyone was on the carpet. No one was. Part of the problem was possibly that a person on the trip had lost a boarding pass and someone was onboard that had not paid. We were all asked toward the end of the trip to verify that we had paid. I do not know what happened to the intruder. Maybe the plank that I feared after the heater incident. Oh well. Maybe without that incident all would have been in a better frame of mind. The snacks were chips and they did sell beer and wine onboard. I did go on a wonderful sailing trip in Los Cabo so if you are looking for one and find yourself there it was great. This one was a bit disappointing.
Review by: K W, January 2018
A must do experience - fantastic._br/_ The wooden sailing ship is amazing and we followed a whale for ages which was a beautiful sight. It was much appreacted that the crew took professional photos which they published much better than I could have managed which allowed me to sit back and just enjoy the experience and enjoy the photos on my return. Being out on the water was really relaxing and I wouldnt hesitate to book this again!_br/_ The museum was inter sting and had lots to look at and climb aboard. I especially liked the Star of India which had a wealth of information displayed below and The Surprise from Mastercand Commander a film I really love.
Review by: Gary W, October 2017
We had one of those perfect San Diego days on a beautiful ship. The captain and crew were friendly and sailed the ship perfectly. The crew found a Blue Whale floating on the surface to everyone's delight.
Review by: Donald H, August 2017
A great trip. We saw a mega pod of dolphins. As far as the eye could see dolphins swimming around the boat.
Review by: Susan Y C, August 2017
We were lucky enough to find ourselves in the middle of what the guide called a megapod of dolphins. Hundreds of dolphins jumping and feeding. It was wonderful,
Review by: leonard o, February 2017
Spectacular trip, many whales and dolphins. We saw whale behaviors we had not seen before in 40 years of whale watching Our Guide Al was tremendous. Must See.
Review by: CANDACE C R, February 2017
It could have been better because we didn't get to go! Bad weather kept the boat from going out.
Review by: Pamela N, February 2017
Had a beautiful day, great privilege to be on the America schooner with owner/captain Troy Sears at the helm.
Review by: Lauren M, January 2017
My son got seasick and a little girl vomited and vomited. Not sure how they can have a no sea sickness guarantee. It was a perfectly still day, so little wind, the motor ran the whole time that was really disappointing to me! Also be warned, 4 hours is a long time. It was really nice that they provided snacks and drinks and the guide was pretty good. I went on a whale watching tour off half moon bay that was a million times better in that the guide was a naturalist and provided tons of facts on whales and the ocean. Also, the captain got much closer to the whales than the captain of the America. We only saw whales from a very far distance. I was a bit disappointed, honestly!
Review by: Henk S, January 2017
A great tour on a gorgeous sailing boat. We were close to whales. The weather was very good too.
Review by: Rebecca P, January 2017
The Maritime Museum consist of about 5 different ships so I would suggest arriving early so you will have time to explore each of them. The whale watching on the sailing ship was very good. Saw lots of whale tails. Drinks and snacks were provided and the staff was friendly and informative. The only suggestion I would make would be to have a naturalist on board. No motion sickness and it was very peaceful when we were on wind power only.
Review by: kim l, April 2016
The bestt adventure in San Diego
Review by: Donny B, February 2016
Had a great time. Crew was great and we saw whales.
Review by: ralph j, June 2015
We saw very small whale, but lots of dolphins. Al was great.
Review by: Rachel K, April 2015
We loved the whale watching cruise !
Review by: Monique E, March 2015
This trip a must for locals and tourists. We live in the area and have whale watched before, but this boat and crew made the experience spectacular. We saw a lot of whales and one of the crew shared history and pointed out things about the history of San Diego and the US Navy sites that we had never heard before. This is a must for something different and a good relaxing informative experience.
Review by: Esther I, March 2015
An outstanding day and experience! Great crew, great ship and the whales were out in their full glory that day. The best tour we took on our 50 day trip.
Review by: darrell m, March 2015
very informed crew, saw quite a few whales, overall a great day
Review by: James R, March 2015
I would absolutely recommend taking this tour if you are in San Diego during the whale migrating season. The crew was amazing and took us to several spots to see the whales. At one point we saw a group of 5 whales. I wish the tour had been longer!
Review by: James G, March 2015
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Tami H, March 2015
Al was fantastic! The whole crew was friendly and shared their sailing knowledge with us. We saw a humpback, dolphins and many blue whales. So fun!
Review by: Heather B, April 2014
This was a wonderful trip. The passenger numbers were below capacity so there was more room for us all and we had a great day on the water. We did see a whale and calf but, given that it was at the end of the season, everyone was satisfied with that. There were also dolphins and seals so it was well worth the effort. Crew members were helpful, informative and interacted well with the passengers. This was a very enjoyalbe day and is to be recommended. Well done!
Review by: Barbara S T, April 2014
It was amazing to be on a schooner, sailing out on the Pacific! The passengers helped raise the sails as we got underway and we covered our ears as the horn blasted out the start of our adventure. As we cleared Point Loma we hit open water and it was exhilarating to be racing on the waves and feeling the wind and salt spray as the search for whales began. We did see whales, following them for 30-45 minutes,an unforgettable experience!! The captain and crew were excellent,mindful of our safety and comfort, but also encouraging all of us to enjoy this once in-a-lifetime outing! The kids on board got special attention from Captain Al as he explained a lot of the history of whaling and sailing. As we said goodbye to the whales, the crew opened up the last sail and we winged back San Diego, passing the schooner Californian with a cheer! Lots to see in the San Diego harbor, from the Navy warships and submarines, to a glimpse of the USA 11 . As we pulled up to the dock, all aboard agreed that it was a memorable experience, thanks to the crew and captain, and of course, the whales!!!
Review by: Dennis S, March 2014
Great cruise... very calm day. Only saw two whales and they weren't very visible but the cruise alone was worth the price. Plenty of snacks and drinks. Great crew and captain.
Review by: KEVIN C, February 2014
This was a great cruise. The crew were very friendly and helpful. We saw a lot of whales and the sailing was wonderful. The ship was kept up very well. It was the best day of our trip. It is worth the price.
Review by: Zach P, January 2014
Lovely. Great experience, very fun guide, so much better than the noisy motor boats.
Review by: Stephan, March 2013
Wonderful tour. It was run for so long, were found to whales and dolphins (approx. 6h)
Review by: Diana, March 2013
We spent a wonderful day on the water on this beautiful sailboat. Luck was with us that day as we saw 2 humpback whales cavorting along with their dolphin traveling companions. It was quite a show! Then we also managed to see a fin whale! The boat was comfortable and the narrator/guide was a delight--knowledge and humor. Thanks Viator!
Review by: Belljxj, August 2012
This was a fabulous sailing adventure - only saw one blue whale, but it swam next to our boat for more than 20 minutes, feeding, spouting, rolling over, etc. More than exciting! Crew was very knowledgeable as well as courteous and helpful. Great for kids as well as adults.
Review by: Destini K, August 2012
The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because we didn't see any whales!!! The "pirate" guide was funny and entertaining, especially for the kids. It was so nice to lounge on the deck of a schooner and just enjoy the gorgeous day. My favorite part was when they turned off the engines, and we just sailed on the wind-so quiet and peaceful. We really felt that the captain and crew tried hard to locate sealife, and we're guaranteed a free return visit since we didn't see what we set out to see. To me, that's great customer service!
Review by: Neasa O, July 2012
We unfortunately saw no whales on our trip but it was a very enjoyable cruise none the less. We saw dolphins which were incredible and we get to come back for another tour whenever suits. I'd definitely recommend this. Whale sighting or not :)
Review by: Jodi C, March 2012
We had a wonderful time on the boat. The crew and Al, the "host" were all fantastic! Our original trip date was cancelled and though we had to run for it we were able to make a different cruise and it was wonderful. I would absolutely recommend this trip for someone looking for a little something different. Even had we not seen any whales (which we did) it would have been a wonderful day at sea.
Review by: William H, February 2012
Very nice sail boat ride. Well worth the price.
Review by: William H, January 2012
Very nice sail boat ride. Well worth the price.
Review by: Colleen H, May 2011
My family enjoyed a fabulous day sailing with this crew in San Diego. The experience was a dream. I would do it again.
Review by: Gerald L, May 2011
It was a wonderful experience to be on an authentic schooner. Without a doubt I would do it again and take our guests out on the trip.
Review by: Charles M, May 2011
This was an experience my wife and I will never forget. The Ship was amazing, as was the captain and crew. They worked their tails off to get us to the whales. They ran so quietly under sail that a whale swam right under us and surfaced 20 tds ( or less) from us. We are planning another trip to San Diego and have already decided to set sail on the "America" again. Even if we don't see another whale on that trip it will still be well worth it.
Review by: Colleen H, February 2011
My family enjoyed a fabulous day sailing with this crew in San Diego. The experience was a dream. I would do it again.
Review by: Gerald L, January 2011
It was a wonderful experience to be on an authentic schooner. Without a doubt I would do it again and take our guests out on the trip.
Review by: Charles M, January 2011
This was an experience my wife and I will never forget. The Ship was amazing, as was the captain and crew. They worked their tails off to get us to the whales. They ran so quietly under sail that a whale swam right under us and surfaced 20 tds ( or less) from us. We are planning another trip to San Diego and have already decided to set sail on the "America" again. Even if we don't see another whale on that trip it will still be well worth it.
Review by: La Rae J, July 2010
We had a wonderful time, we had a great captain who tried to show us the most whales available.
Review by: Anonymous, February 2010
We had a wonderful time, we had a great captain who tried to show us the most whales available.
Review by: La Rae J, February 2010
We had a wonderful time, we had a great captain who tried to show us the most whales available.
RSS Feed