After 6 months we were finally able to book a cruise. The experience itself is definitely 5*. Unfortunately, the consistent aggravation of trying to schedule the sail with a Groupon definitely brings a negative to the experience. The calendar is posted but more often than not booked solid the same day posted. Supposedly the boat accommodates 30 people. I don't know how. The night we sailed, 16 people did not make it in time, probably due to traffic and the equally frustrating endeavor to find parking near the marina. 15 to 18 would not be overcrowded on the boat. Tip, evidently it is common to have people not show up in time. If you have a Groupon you'd have better luck showing up at the staging area as a Standby $45 for two people is a fair price for this experience. At $90 each , it would be extremely overpriced Because of the negatives I would not sail with Bay Breeze charters again. If the business were run with more focus to open communication and customer service they could book 7 days a week. Captain Pam is a great experienced captain and mariner, but not a business savvy manager. Too bad. read more

Yes, we also had difficulty in scheduling a Groupon cruise--so much so that I contacted Groupon which sent it on to Capt. Pam and she advised me to try the site right at the beginning of the month. I think the problem could be solved by incorporating the date selection at the time of purchasing the Groupon just as Goldstar does. That said, when my wife and I went on the cruise we were delighted. It was under sail shortly after we left the dock and although Pam kept the motor on at a low pace, we really had a sailing experience especially with some pretty strong swells just east of the Golden Gate bridge. We covered much of the bay in the nearly 2 hour cruise with a beautiful sunset visible through the towers of the Golden Gate bridge. An unadvertised treat was complimentary wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks. Pam's helper on the cruise, Clay, was courteous and helpful. Summary- If you're a Groupon customer, look forward to a hassle on booking your cruise, but if and when you're successful, you'll be rewarded for your efforts. I assume full-paying customers find it easier to book their cruise. read more

Captain Pam was amazing! We had the most amazing day and our corporate outing was a huge success thanks to Captain Pam and her crew. We got to see a unique perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge and a wonderful view of both Alcatraz and the San Francisco. We looped around Angel Island to finish our Bay tour. A lowkey, relaxing tour that I would recommend to anyone. read more

We bought a grupon. Made the reservation got lost because we are not from the area and traffic. I called the day of and no one answered. No way to leave a message as their vm box was full. Tried calling again the next day same thing, finally was able to leave a message did not get a call back however I went on their website & sent message. Did get a prompt response however it wasn't very nice. The captain that replied gave me some very stupid responses for my voucher being used at time of reservation whether I made it or not. read more

I bought tix before I read the reviews here. I too had difficulty booking when I purchased tix on Tuesday the last week of October. The price & boat ride was 5* but the booking process is really poor. Hence i give it 3*. The reason I was actually able to book for the ONLY dates available (Thanksgiving weekend) was bc most ppl were out of town or w family and I was flexible & willing to take the holiday weekend availability. It wasn't my top choice but I didn't want to deal w the aggravation to chase after dates daily as ppl echoed. Fortunately, the weather cooperated. That weekend was nice. The day was sunny during hte day. I made sure I had THREE hours to get there from sf. Arrived 2.5 hrs early. At 2 hours prior to boarding, another couple arrived and we were figuring out where to meet and "sign in". we approached 330pm, wind picked up n it got cold. Shortly after 3:30pm, Pam arrived and put out her sign. It would have been more helpful to have the sign out there much earlier. Most of the ppl on the boat arrived by then (for 4pm departure). We checked in around 4pm. Make sure you have the groupon either hardcopy or on your phone. Having the email confirmation would not do it for check-in. Because some patrons did not have the groupon accessible and ready, it caused squandering of time. Even w/ a long sleeve polyester base layer topped w long sleeve fleece and a thick down jacket it was really cold & gusty (chill factor). Make sure u bring mittens and a hat n face scarf just in case. Be prepared for cold weather. It gets much colder on the water! The sunset was awesome since it was a clear day. I don't think the problem is ppl not showing up causing problems w booking (it was a full attendance). The predominant problem Lies with the specials that are run continually, without a break. If they stagger the special across the yr this will allow the 1000 tix (2000ppl) (now 5000 tix) to actually get booking spots. If u do the math there r only 3 departures a week, if there are no private parties, only 2 of which which working folks can possibly go to-- this is 2x (departures) x 25 ppl x 4 weeks =200 if there is no private bookings. It would take a year for the current buyers to exhaust the tix... So really the specials shd be run every few months or more departures needed or increase price or all of the above Would love to take my family but won't b worth the stress and hassle most of the reviewers went through. Plus my parents schedule is not so flexible. Would love to go when weather is warmer in summer or spring read more

It's a shame that the Groupon crew has driven down the rating on this business. Pam (the owner of the company and captain of the boat) do a really great job, the directions/instructions on the website are very clear... ...and the experience was amazing! It's a pretty small boat (51 feet), so there were only about 25 of us onboard for our Saturday sunset cruise. Pam has complimentary snacks, cookies, hot chocolate... and each guest also got a free beer. They have blankets as well for the (ever-present) under-dressed passenger. Of our 5 days in San Francisco, our 2 hours on board the "Glory Days" was certainly a highlight. I wish Pam and her crew the very best! read more

I celebrated my birthday sailing around the SF Bay with Bay Breeze Charters. Captain Pam is the best of the best. She was so very helpful with everything with set up and I think it was best birthday so far. She gave us clear directions on where to meet and was also available by cell phone. We had the boat all to ourselves and we were able to pick our own drinks and music. It was also a great deal compared to other companies. I can't wait to sail again. Thanks Captain Pam! read more

How can the whole month of Aug be booked solid? I checked in middle of July. Zero seats available? I bought my tickets via GroupOn like many of the Yelp Reviewers. I am really disappointed at this sham deal and will request refund from GroupOn. read more

Terrible company... After getting the deal on Groupon I thought that this would be a fantastic way to see the city and the bay area in general. Boy was I wrong... I immediately booked my sail date was excited to go on my trip until something came up and I had to reschedule my sail date. They advertise that it is easy to change your reservation as long at it is done so within a certain period of time...ie 1 week. I've been trying to change my reservation with this company for the last month and have yet to get a response from the booking agent. I've sent multiple emails, called numerous times and haven't heard a word back from Bay Breeze Charters. My last ditch effort was to contact Groupon too see if they could get a response and change my reservation date...and guess what? The date I wanted to change to was overbooked because the whole process took so long. Now it's just matter of me fighting to get my money back! Never again will I book with this company and I would advise you to do the same! read more

Got the groupon 2 for 1 deal (Paid $40 for both of us), as a gift for my husband for Father's Day. We waited until August to use it. I booked about one month in advance, and booked the "Sunset Cruise"... had no issues with our booking. We arrived on early, since they paperwork stressed that they would NOT wait for late-comers! Their website states: "Come and sail the San Francisco Bay and watch the sunset under the Golden Gate Bridge and see Alcatraz Island up close. We board the yacht at 7:15 PM and depart at 7:30 PM and return to the dock at 9:30 PM." I think THEY were a bit late, with getting us on board, but it all worked out. There was a sign that asked passengers to "wait behind sign" -- so that is what we did, plus another nice couple. Then, as everyone else started arriving, they couldn't "wait" to board, and would read the sign, and walk past it, right down to the dock, and then back again. Everyone kept cutting in front of us (by the sign that we were told to wait behind). When the girl came to collect our tickets, she just started taking them from the people scattered all over the place. We were no longer front of the line :/ It was a bit chaotic, and I think they should instead, walk over to where the sign is (telling us to wait there), and ask everyone to line up behind the people waiting where they were supposed to, in single file. We felt like cows being hurded through a small gate, instead. Everyone boards, and finds a spot to sit (hence, if you arrived as the first ones there -- it's nice to have first "pick" of where you want to sit) -- but, that won't necessarily happen (see above ;) lol We were blessed with a BEAUTIFUL day. It was so warm, and sunny out, that I decided to leave the extra long-sleeved shirt, and sweater in the car, and only took one light jacket. MISTAKE!!!!!!! The first 10 minutes, it was breezy, but still beautiful, and didn't need our jackets on. The couple in front of us were cuddling into one another, and enjoying the views, and the beautiful day... snapping photos of the views, and each other -- and I offered to take one for them also. The guy that was part of the two-person crew, offered to bring us drinks -- very nice. I had a warm apple cider, and my husband had a hot chocolate. (1 glass of wine or beer was also incl., but we didn't bother). THEN about 15 min's into the ride, the wind was picking up quite a bit, and the couple next to us, asked if we would like OUR photo taken -- so I stood up, and held on tightly, trying to hold position, while my husband was trying to stand up, as he was blowing in the wind, spilling his hot chocolate all over the place... it was a sight to see. The wind kept picking up more and more... jackets were promptly put on, and the weather went from "beautiful" to FREEEEEEEEEEEEEZING in a matter of moments. The romantic couple in front of us, has seperated, so her guy could take some good photo's of the Golden Gate Bridge, and in the meantime the horrible wind had started up. She looked like she was hanging on for dear life, and her guy was doing the same, on the opposite side, getting spashed by the water, and looking like a wind-blown, drowned rat, at this point. On the calmer trip back to dock, we had some good laughs together, recalling the vision ;) About an hour into the ride, I HAD to escape below to where there were snacks, warm drinks, and the restroom, and HEAT to warm up. It had a mildew smell down there, but I was very content in the warmth, and joked to the couple that was already down there, that they would have to "drag me back up, kicking and screaming" ;) I think I stayed down there for a good 40-45 mins. My husband came down to check on me, and said that it was warmer up there than before, so I should come back up to see the views. It wasn't "warm", but it was much calmer, and definitely tolerable again. At this point it was much darker out, than when I ventured below, and the city lights, and Golden Gate Bridge lit up, were beautiful. Overall, I think I "enjoyed" about 45 min's of the 2 hour sailing trip ;) An hour trip would have been ideal for me :) Or, 1.5 hrs at the most. Not sure if I would go again, but I sure am glad I didn't pay full price for this experience. I do have to say that on board the crew was very nice!! read more

Booking was somewhat of a pain, we purchased through groupon, but it was definitely worth it. The view was great! They take you right under the Golden Gate Bridge and near Alcatraz. We didn't speak to Captain Pam aside from checking in, but Clay was very nice and helpful! There were 7 other couples but the seating was fine and everyone had their own quiet conversations. Overall, it was really nice! read more

Bay Breeze Charters - Boating Near Me - Sausalito, California

I have had Capt Pam twice before and absolutely loved her cruise. Bought 4 (two groupons) again for friends visiting from Germany. Amazing. Love the trip.These people who can't do it i am thinking just didn't figure out the website and calendar, et al. read more

cap'n pam knows her stuff. i've been on several bay cruises with her and have always had a great time. the boat's very comfortable & together. she offers nice hospitality and is a great sailor... valentine's day... fourth of july... golden gate bridge 50th anniversary... my wife & i had a ball every time. read more

Great experience and great service. We arrived a few minutes late for our schedule cruise. The boat was already preparing to take off but they tied it down and still let us board. The boat is a little small so seating can be tight but we still found a place. Views of the bridge, city, and Alcatraz were incredible (we were lucky enough to have a sunny day). They also serve light beverages and snacks which was a nice surprise. I would definitely recommend this to other tourist and natives. Just make sure you bring plenty of warm clothes. Even when it's warm on land it gets cold on the water read more

Waste of Money. I really wanted to do this, but you can never book it. The entire month goes fast or they don't have enough space available for Groupons. read more

What a beautiful way to see the city & surrounding Bay Area. Highly recommend the sunset sail. Comes with a glass of wine and knowledgable crew! read more

Captain Pam and her crew are friendly, warm, and professional. My husband and I did the Valentine's date sail. Chocolates, stawberries and champagne AND ambience? wonderful. It's definitely chilly, so dress warmly, but they also had extra jackets and blankets in case we needed more. Beautiful sail, fresh air, and an unparalleled alternative view of the SF skyline. Small enough boat ("Glory Days") to be intimate/exciting, but big enough to feel comfortable and safe. read more

Wow is what I can say! This was a very romantic cruise. But it wouldn't have been so, if it were not for the skipper and her mate. They made this a very memorable time for my wife and I. Thank you! You two are the best! read more

We had a great experience with Captain Pam on board "Glory Days!" The Groupon was purchased back in November (a Christmas present that just kept giving), and yes, it was difficult to find a date that worked, but I'm sure every sail needed both full-paying and Groupon-paying customers to make it worth Capt. Pam's time. As it turned out, our entire boat was a Groupon boat, but it was the last day to use the certificates so I think she made an accommodation for us all. The boat holds 30 passengers, plus the Captain and first mate. Our guy was Clay, and he was great! Good sense of humor, very attentive, and very personable. He came around with our complimentary beverage pretty quickly after launching, and the snacks were in the cabin below. The wine was good, beer selection was nice, and the snacks were chips, nuts, and fruit. Capt. Pam was very personable, very no-nonsense, very down-to-earth. She knows a lot about boats, sailing, the Bay, etc. I wish I could have talked to her more on the 2-hour sail, but the couples that sat in the steering area monopolized her the entire time - 2 full hours. I got a few minutes of her time as we were disembarking, though. At any rate, the cruise was awesome, the views were beautiful, the experience was one of the best we've had on the Bay (we've done 2 different sailing charters out of the SF side of the Bay). We did read all the literature prior to going (what can I say, we're both teachers and were good students all through school!), so we knew where to park, where to wait, what shoes to wear, knew to bring blankets because they may run out, knew to dress warmly because only a tourist doesn't dress in layers in the SF Bay Area. I think the people that had a bad experience either didn't read the information sent out to them (whether in bullet form or narrative form, just read it), expected a different experience, or expected Julie from "The Love Boat" to be on board attending to their every need. It's a small sailing boat. It's very close quarters. It's very personal. It's also pretty awesome, and I'd definitely not only recommend Captain Pam and Bay Breeze Charters to friends and family, I'd definitely go again. read more

We had a great time sailing with Cptn Pam, not even the wind could stop us from having the time of our lives. The crew was just lovely, so informative and hospitable. I'm bummed to see so many people had trouble booking, as I purchased the voucher 2 weeks ago and was able to book yesterday which worked out perfectly for us. The reservation process was easy, all you need to do is read the directions thoroughly as the website clearly explains how to reserve seats. This is not a ferry with a bunch of seats so I think it's fair to require some planning, book a few weeks early and you will not be disappointed. Looking forward to sailing with bay breeze again soon! read more

Bay Breeze Charters - Boating Near Me - Sausalito, California

I bought a GROUPON coupon and have yet to be able to book my cruise. I have sent mutiple emails and left voice mail messages. Now my coupon is expired and I was never able to book a tour. A total rip off and unprofessional business. Do not waste your money. Very frustrating. read more

Had their Groupon x 3 months. No available slots to book online. They offer very limited days to the Groupon certificate holder. They decline to help over the phone. never replied to emails. I returned the Groupon and will never use them again. do not waste your time. read more

My husband and I went on the sunset cruise this past Saturday 8-20. It was fantastic! The directions to the harbour were clear as long as you read them carefully. Easy to find the starting point, and Capt. Pam and Clay were there to greet all of us right on time. The trip was absolutely amazing, definitely chilly but the website made it very clear to dress warmly and bring layers. They served wine and beer, shared stories and history and made us all feel right at home on the ship. If you're looking for a unique and fun experience, definitely give Bay Breeze Charters a try. read more

Great trip. Nice people, great crew, and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. Will try to make this event a regular! Relax, look, bring layers for warmth, and enjoy being close to the water. FIVE STARS FOR SURE! read more

I purchased 2 tickets so my wife's step father and mother could celebrate his birthday. We were told that if there was any bad weather we'd be contacted to tell us if the trip would be cancelled. It was raining this morning (Easter Sunday, the day of the trip) so after receiving no call we tried to call Bay Breeze several times ourselves (voice mail box full as many others have already stated). After getting no response and no call or email from them to say it was canceled we resigned ourselves to driving my wife's parents down to Sausalito assuming the trip was still on. We got there and there was no sign to wait by (as instructed). We eventually found the boat still moored with no sign of anyone about to ask. So in summary Bay Breeze cancelled the trip but obviously didn't feel the need to tell any of their customers they were doing so, added to that they're incompetent enough to have no method for you to contact them yourself as they appear to never answer voice or emails. I wasted my Easter Sunday this year thanks to their laziness and my father in law had a very disappointing 70th birthday present. Personally, as a very unhappy customer (I hesitate to call myself customer as that would imply I actually got something for my money), I will be avoiding this company at all costs in the future. read more

We got a groupon for their smallest houseboat for this past weekend. It says it sleeps up to eight people but it's more like 6 people. It was perfect for us as we are a family of six and we were comfortable. Upon our arrival the staff was very nice and greeted us with great service at the office, store, and dock. Long story short we had a blast and well worth it. We also had a ski boat and it was so much fun pulling the kids in a tube. The lake water levels are pretty low and when you dock for the night you have to step in the clay that's quick sand like. The houseboats should come with a ramp. The only other complaint I have is that the fuel is way over priced and made our trip more expensive than anticipated but it was a blast. I highly recommend to do this at least once. read more

Wife dragged me on this tour after she found a Groupon. The tour was great. I am a native San Franciscan and have never been on the bay and I am glad i did it. Beautiful views and and the Captain and deck hand were both very friendly. Highly recommend read more

I purchased a groupon back on 1/20/2016. I've made several attempts to book a reservation. I followed their instructions about going on their website to book. The cruises are always full. I recently sent them an email, because the voice mailbox was full. I'm waiting on a reply. I will update my post If and when I hear from them. My next step is to report them to Groupon to see if they will be banned from posting. read more

What a wonderful day on the water, and I'm not a a water person! We left on a foggy cool morning on the water. Our crew offered us some blankets until the fog burned off, very attentive to the comfort of their passengers. Our captain, Pam and crew were extremely capable, personable, fun and shared their knowledge of the bay. What a bonus to have the American Cup boats were out on the water along side us. Very exciting. Great views of Golden Gate bridge, Alcatraz, Sausalito and a totally different view of San Fransico! A "must do" for your San Fransico visit! read more

Wish I could give negative reviews. Horrible!! Not answering calls and not responding msgs for Groupon holders. Groupon too is not refunding the money...and asks to contact them. What a vicious circle. Don't waste your money and time read more

our family celebrated dad's 65th birthday and my 1yr anniversary with hubby, with this weekend's 2-hour sunset cruise that would take us along the golden gate bridge and close enough to Alcatraz Island. i've gone sailing before (a weekend trip on a boat) so i knew what to expect when the wind would pick-up (e.g., boat tilt at a 45-degree angle). captain pam and her assistant provided clear instructions before we de-barked the harbor slip and provided amenities (e.g., extra fleece blankets, snacks, drinks, etc.) to make our trip quite comfortable amidst the february cold evenings on the Bay. we were able to take awesome shots of the Bay, the Bridge, SF, and Alcatraz. though it got pretty chilly on the way back to harbor, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and was entirely worth the cold face/fingers and $$$. the sunset cruise was memorable and we've got BBC to thank. read more

Excellent sunset charter! Pam and clay are well seasoned, calm, informative and fun! Layer up!! The bay is windy and can be a little chopy. sunset and bay is beautiful. read more

I forgot I had purchased a groupon cruise until a month before it was to expire. Unfortunately all the cruises were fully booked due a number of folks in my predicament. I contacted them via email and Captain Pam gave me an extension but not without a snippy attitude. Yes, my fault and thank you for accommodating. We read and followed all her lengthy instructions on the website - pages long! Her instructions were very helpful and to the point; although, I wished they were better organized and in an outline/bullet form. With her instructions, we easily found the destination and parked for free. We arrived early and waited. We sailed out minutes behind schedule but she honored the two-hour cruise. I found Captain Pam to be very straightforward and down to earth. She's very kind to accommodate a girl in heels despite many reminders about attire - no heels or black shoes that will scuff! She wore 4 inch heels and, by her own admission, was aware of the rules. Serious? Deck hand, Jeffrey, was busy the entire time but felt genuine. We chartered the cruise on a cozy sail boat in which we all sat on the top deck. We were left to enjoy the view and our company's conversation. We saw seals and dolphins. Also they offered drinks and light snacks. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the service and experience. The only con was the difficulty of getting a hold of anyone prior to the cruise and the website needs updating/streamlining. The day before my cruise date, I felt unsure bc my order status remained "processing" and I never received a confirmation reminder as stated on the website. Is everything set or not? Anyways, once the day of the cruise came, I can see why there was a lack of communication/service. She's a one-man show; she wears many hats and she only responds to relevant concerns/issues. I'd do it again but with sunscreen and a hat the second time around. read more

I bought a cruise for two on Groupon. It seemed a good deal. Unfortunately, Bay Breeze only posts the next month's schedule just a few days before the end of this month. By the time I could communicate with the other person, it was 4-5 days. When we tried to schedule for a day that seemed good, two days later we got the response that the cruise was already full. We then tried again with the same result. By that time every schedule had been filled. This happened twice. So we decided to wait for the next schedule with similar results. The website schedule doesn't show full, not is any accommodation made that would allow for use of the Groupon tickets. I'm sure, from the other reviews, that the skipper is good and that the cruise would have been fun, but it seems to be oversold and without accommodating Groupon tickets. If this information had been available, I would not have purchased. It casts a bad light on Groupon as well as an incompetent management on the part of Bay Breeze. read more

My boyfriend and I went on the sunset cruise on a Friday evening. We weren't lucky enough to have clear weather, but it was still a beautiful view of the city/golden gate/alcatraz/bay bridge in the sunset/twilight hour. It was cold, but anyone who's ever been on a boat in the bay before should know to always dress in layers! We had some wine and light snacks and enjoyed ourselves. I used the groupon I purchased in June for an October sail. It books up fast, so make sure to plan ahead! Overall it was a great deal and we really enjoyed the trip. I'd definitely do it again, maybe a daytime or full moon cruise would be fun. Very convenient location with all kinds of things to make a day or evening of the trip in Sausalito. I'd recommend it and will definitely go again! Maybe even take a big group! read more

DO NOT BUY ANY GROUPONS OR SERVICES FROM THIS COMPANY!!!!! If I could I would give this business a negative star review! I was very disappointed with my experience because I had a very nice evening planned for me and my husband to go on a romantic sail under the golden gate bridge and sip on champagne and eat chocolate covered strawberries... but sadly instead we sat around waiting by the harbor for 4 hours in the cold wind :( I tried calling both of their contact numbers but I could not reach any humans to answer my questions. I kept getting a long voicemail message and no where to leave a message because their mailbox was always "full". How convenient for them, so if they don't feel like answering questions they don't have to. I feel like they made their business sound a lot nicer than it really was. Their boat was small and filthy and it didn't look very safe. Since they never showed up we went out to their boat and climbed aboard and had our own little photo shoot! Haha :) So it wash't a complete waste of the evening :) I would like to give them some advice: #1 Get a bigger and nicer boat to take people out on tours because even if they did show up I would never get on that piece of junk! #2 Don't post on your website that you're going on a full moon sail on 11/28/12 and never show up! Also please post what time you will be departing for a cruise so that we are not sitting around with our thumbs up our butts waiting for your crazy ass to show up! #3 Maybe you should answer your freaking phone calls and empty out your full voicemail box if you would like to have a successful business. You should also reply to emails everyday so that the people trying to contact you can make reservations. If you follow these tips maybe you'll be able to get a nicer boat and maybe an extra one, who knows? Groupon is awesome but you guys are not utilizing what that business does for you! You're wasting good media and advertisement and it's only going to give you bad publicity in the end. If you would like to have a better year next year I suggest you get your act together and stop misleading hardworking folk. We work hard in the service industry and obviously you do not! So when we have time to go on vacation we like to be waited on with good service and don't appreciate being jerked around by amateurs. I would really like to come back next year and take a sail hopefully :) read more

Had a great time on the cruise this past Saturday! Sat right next to Captain Pam. Got the Groupon which was a great deal. Fast e-mail response and friendly service in person. Don't forget your jacket, it can get a little chilly! They do provide hot cocoa, blankets and jackets for all the passengers though. read more

Had a wonderful afternoon on the Bay. Our group was a little worried about the wind and if it would be too rough. But, Captain Pam knows her stuff. She found smooth sailing and gave us a great trip. Both she and her husband Clay made it a trip to remember. read more

Essentially, this is a racket and they steal your money. I bought a $45 Groupon for a evening cruise. It is not even that days are sold out. You have to sign up from their calendar, which does not even show any days they are scheduled to sail. Nobody from Bay Breeze Charters will even call you back. This should be stopped, but I do not have the time to stop this racket. read more

The experience was amazing. Instructions for arrival were well written out and the onboard team was extremely kind and informative. I would certainly book this boat for a future private or personal sail. read more