Sanctuary Cruises - Moss Landing, California

Aleisha K.

We had an amazing experience with Sanctuary Cruises! Even though we had a group of 5, they still took us out on our adventure. As we launched we were immediately greeted by sea lions and a mama otter with her young. Once in the bay we spotted humpback whales and actually witnessed a full breach. We also saw a few pods of gray whales that were migrating south and played with a pod of dolphins. It was fun to see our guides get just as excited as we were when we spotted the sea life. The guides were also very educational by providing information on the sea life we encountered. I would definitely book again!

Gregory T.

This was a one and a lifetime experience that me and my partner were able to go on. The captain and the marine biologist were extremely knowledgeable about the animals and the area.

We were able to get really close to the animals because of the size of the boat were as you could see some of the bigger boats having to keep there distance.

My photos and videos will never do this experience justice as I'm shocking at that kinda stuff but being out in the water was amazing.

Tom C.

I had high expectations and they were exceeded, by far! This was the best wildlife experience I’ve ever had. It all started while waiting at the dock before departure. About 6 sea lions were honking at each other and competing for a spot on a small floating dock. Once we got out to the bay, which is incredibly beautiful in its own right, we saw about a dozen humpback whales. They all came to the surface frequently. We saw their tails come out of the water a lot. We saw whales roll over and wave their fins around. We even saw a whale jump all the way out of the water and splash a ton of water into the air. On our way back to the dock we saw sea otters and a couple dozen more sea lions. Captain Chase is a biologist in addition to being a boat captain. He provided a lot of great information about the area and life. I highly recommend a Sanctuary tour.

Zhixuan C.

I had an amazing journey with Sanctuary Cruise! Just minutes after leaving the harbor, we were close to the canyon where we got to see numerous whales. It was a breathtaking sight to watch them jump out of the water and show off their magnificent tails. We even witnessed one whale slapping the water with its tail for a few minutes, which was a spectacular display of their natural behavior. The proximity of the canyon meant we didn’t have to travel far to see these incredible creatures. Highly recommend for anyone looking to experience the majesty of whales up close!

Dave M.

Amazing experience. We got to see two sets of whales. The first was a parent teaching its calf how to breach and the second was a group of whales feeding. I would recommend this cruise to anyone wanting a pleasant whale watching experience. The captain and crew were professional. This cruise certainly lives up to its hype.

Dana S.

The guide and captain were superb! They took us right to an orca pod consisting of 7 family members. It was quite a show. Then it was humpback time. We saw 30-40 with many breaches and pec flaps.
The only negative for some people may be the boat itself. It is outdated and could use some major upgrades.
I highly recommend it nonetheless. Consider calling in for reservations rather than using the pay portal. You may save several % points due to fees.

Sheldon L.

I'm a local (live in Santa Cruz) and if I'm interested in going whale watching in the Monterey Bay area, Sanctuary cruises is the only company I use. Chase is amazing at what he does. Very informative on the wildlife that you encounter, and gives really good photo tips on how to best capture the wonderful moments that you WILL encounter(they don't call it the Marine Serengeti for no reason, I've never gone whale watching and not seen whales). Also, note that the trench really is located in Moss landing so if you go whale watching from Monterrey or Santa Cruz, they are going to sail to Moss landing, so why not use a company based on Moss landing.

Brian L.

Easily the best whale watching tour I have been on! We went out the morning of 10/11/24 and encountered humpbacks, orcas, and dolphins. Chase and Captain Mike were fantastic and positioned us well for the best views.