This review is specifically for the Pride fishing vessel and crew. Wow! I recently went on their 2…read moreday trip on 7/17 to 7/19 and what a trip it was. Captain Michael, 2nd captain Max, galley cook and deckhand Ayden, as well as the other 2 deckhands John and Cooper made it an amazing trip. Not only did they put us on the fish, but they helped recommend the proper tackle tips, ensured we had minimal tangles, and had the gaf ready for each fish that made it up. The meals included in our trip price was very good. Kept us fueled as we were putting major time at the rail fishing. I will definitely be booking another trip on this boat before the season is over. Thanks again Pride crew

I rarely leave negative reviews, but after my overnight trip on the Freedom out of San Pedro from…read moreJuly 7-8, I feel other anglers should know what to expect. The trip got off to a bad start with an unexpected fuel surcharge, even though fuel prices have recently dropped. That immediately left a poor impression. The captain's attitude throughout the trip was disappointing. Instead of helping anglers improve or offering constructive advice, he often blamed passengers for losing fish because of their drag settings. At one point, he even commented that he doesn't like eating fish and was only there to make money. That isn't something you want to hear from the captain of a sport fishing boat. The crew also seemed disorganized. There were three deckhands, but they weren't wearing sport fishing shirts or uniforms, making it difficult to tell who was working. Two of the deckhands appeared to be very new and inexperienced. Rather than training them professionally, the cook, Eduardo, publicly scolded one of the new deckhands in front of all the passengers because the wrong sodas had been stocked in the refrigerator. It was uncomfortable to watch and embarrassing for the young employee. The food was another major disappointment. The tacos were bland and lacked any seasoning. The breakfast burrito I received contained undercooked eggs, and I even found eggshells in it. The way the bar tab was handled also raised concerns for me. I personally drank two beers the first evening and four beers the next day, but I was charged for nine beers. Since Eduardo handled the tabs directly, I questioned the charge, but it left me feeling uncomfortable and with little confidence that the tab was accurate. The captain announced that Eduardo would make a "last call" for food before the kitchen closed. That never happened. My brother and I went to order cheeseburgers while the kitchen was still open, the food was still out, and nothing had been cleaned up yet, but Eduardo refused to cook for us while he sat on his cell phone. When we brought our concerns about Eduardo to the captain, his response was essentially that nothing could be done because of Eduardo's family connections. That was frustrating and not the kind of accountability customers should expect. Throughout much of the trip, the captain and co-captain spent their time fishing instead of assisting customers. They kept the fish they caught and never offered any to the passengers. The ride to San Clemente Island was smooth, but the fishing itself was disappointing. We left the fishing grounds earlier than expected so we could return to the dock by 7:00 p.m. When it became apparent we would arrive too early, the boat slowed down and took a longer route around Catalina Island, making it feel like time was simply being wasted. Overall, this trip felt more focused on collecting money than providing a quality fishing experience. Between the captain's attitude, the inexperienced crew, poor food, questionable bar tab, and lack of customer service, I cannot recommend the Freedom. There are many excellent sport fishing boats in Southern California, and based on my experience, this would not be one I would choose again.

I took the 2 1/2 hour Whale Watching & Dolphin Tour. I've always wanted to see a whale…read more When you check in you get a paper ticket and they tell you which dock you go to then you line up. There was a lot of people in line. I was in the middle and thought I wouldn't get good seats, but I ended up sitting outside in the front. The boat is really nice and big. The front is the best place to sit with a good view of the whales and dolphins. The inside was packed and you don't really see a lot and sitting outside in the back you could smell the fumes from the engine. I did see dolphins and whales - the mom and the calf. They had a couple of experts talk about the whales and dolphins. We were past Newport Beach when we finally saw the whales. We spent a good amount of time seeing them. Then we went back. It's gets windy. It was a fun experience.

When you say the trip is at 3:15...and you don't start loading UNTIL 3:15. It is currently 3:30 and…read morewe are still just BAKING IN THE HEAT!!!!! LAME I realize there is a downstairs that I could sit in-WHY WOULD I DO THAT??? 3:32 Finally started the engine.

POSITIVES +1) The crew was very friendly…read more+2) The boat was very clean. Especially the galley and restrooms. +3) The narration from tour guide was informative and easy to hear over the loudspeaker. +4) I appreciate them taking precautions with COVID like requiring masks and having a separation window in the galley. +5) The galley snacks are reasonably priced. You can bring your own snacks if you like. We did. +6/-6) The crew does accept tips. For our experience I would absolutely have tipped. But because of -2) below I did not because that had my unused $40 ticket fee already that was not refundable. I felt that was my tip instead. See below. NEGATIVES -1) The access to the boat IS NOT handicap accessible. I did not see this warning on their webpage when we ordered a ticket for our 75 year old mother. If I missed the warning I apologize. -2) Tickets are non refundable once you order. This was noted on their website. We ended up loosing (1) $40 ticket cost because our mother was not able to go. It would have been nice to have been offered a voucher to come back at a later date considering, A) you had our money already, B) 1 return voucher would have obviously turned into other purchased tickets and not just the one person and they would have gained more fees. -3) Because tickets are non refundable I do not recommend buying them in advance. Although you save $5 by buying early you may end up loosing out if your whole party doesn't end up going like we did. Just get there at least 30-45 minutes early and get in line. You'll be fine.

We did the Harbor tour and really enjoyed it! A nice way to take in some fresh sea breeze. The…read morestaff was super nice and knowledgeable. My main complaint is that I wish they wouldn't blast music the entire time, esp as it sort of ruins the experience. I took a tour a year back and there was no music. I also wish there was a little less chatting through the intercom and more time for quiet to enjoy the scenery. Other than that we enjoyed it!

I recently charted a yacht for employee appreciation week at the company I own. We all had a…read moredelightful time, except for the Executive VP who barfed into the harbor--an unlikely and smelly chum--and caused the fish to start floating belly up in the water! (AG, you know who you are, lol). Other than that mishap, it was a fantastic experience, and it made me consider participating in a yacht timeshare myself. Boating makes me want to quit my career and travel the world by sea. But alas, Wifey likes her diamonds, and I like my luxury cars...

Poor customer service and poor quality of boat. I have to…read moresay it's difficult for me to write this review as my family and I were very much looking forward to spending a beautiful day on the bait to celebrate my dads birthday. And all though we still made the best of it it really did not live up to what was promised and the amount of money we paid. So let's start with m: 1. The address did not match what was listed on their Yelp page and created a lot of confusion and frustration especially since we had kids with us. I had to text the owner, Mario, and he gave us another location to charter form which was not at all what was listed on their page. 2. Not sure if the captain of the day,Noah, was having a bad day or what but he was definitely not in the mood to greet us properly. He was very short, not so friendly and barely spoke to us during our ride. 3. The boat was not like the photos they presented or posted on Yelp. I even texted the owner and asked him to send me a few photos of what the boat will look like. It was definitely dirty, the coaches were so damaged and dirty they had black clothes over them. One of inside couches was wet, my uncle sat on it unknowingly making his pants wet and him uncomfortable for the rest of the ride. 4. The table surfaces were all damaged & chipped. We had to be careful for the kids not to get splinters when they would approach the table to grab something to eat. 5. Worst of it all was that we only watched cargo shipments for 2 hours!! On our phone call with Mario mentioned we can go through the canals and even get a far glimpse of the Queen Mary but we didn't. We even asked Noah to take us the other way around into the open water and he said no he needs to this way first (meaning by the cargo shipments). It was very disappointing since it was my dads actual birthday and the experience was completely robbed from us. It's very sad that we wasted over a thousand dollars and didn't receive what we had paid for. And I even texted Mario afterwards telling him our concerns but didn't get a reply back. Poor customer service.

I had a great time with Captain Steve. I actually did two whale watching trips this January hoping…read moreto see the orcas. The first time, I went with Harbor Breeze on their big boat, the second was with SoCal Whale Watching on a much smaller rigid inflatable boat. The pluses are that you covered more ground and therefore have a chance to see more animals. I think Captain Steve covered about x5 the distance on his boat in comparison to the much slower big boat. You are also down low and next to the water, which means you can see the animals up close. The main downside is that it is not as comfortable as the bigger boat and you have to remember to bundle up really warm. Don't worry about getting sea sick though. Big boats tend to roll a lot, whereas this little boat was surprisingly smooth. You have less of a chance of getting sea sick on this little boat. We had some chop and a fair swell, and it didn't affect me at all. It is not uncomfortable or bumpy, but there is no cabin or restroom like on a big boat. Captain Steve was friendly and knew his marine biology really well. He answered questions and explained things as we went. On our trip, we got to see a giant pod of common dolphins, a big fin whale, and the two gray whales. We started out due west and made it about halfway to Catalina, and then went northeast and ended up off of Palos Verde. We covered a lot of square miles. Unfortunately, no orcas, but I was very pleased with the trip.

Phenomenal experience! They gave us memories for a lifetime. We saw multiple whales (although we…read moreknow this cannot be guaranteed), and so many dolphins. They were very knowledgeable and worked hard to ensure they delivered a remarkable experience.

Jake is so kind, knowledgeable, and accommodating. His vessels are also well-maintained. I highly…read morerecommend.

We drove two hours in Friday primetime traffic just to do this sunset tour with Glass Bottom Boat…read moreand it was so worth it. Our group was 4 adults, 4 kids, and our dog and everyone had a blast. I had done one of those regular glass bottom boats before and it was honestly boring. This one is way different. The boat has two levels. You start on the top deck cruising King Harbor where you get to see sea lions, and then go downstairs into this cozy underwater room with huge windows on both sides. You can sit right next to the glass and watch fish swim by like you're in a tiny underwater aquarium Captain Erik was amazing. He was hilarious, super interactive, and thoughtful. He noticed when one of my friends didn't have a jacket and made sure she wasn't too cold, let the kids try on the captain's hat, and somehow made everyone on board, including a few strangers, feel included. The sunset was beautiful, the ride was smooth and easy for kids and dogs, and it was way better than we expected. If you're in the South Bay and think you know what a glass bottom tour is, this one will surprise you. I get TERRIBLE seasickness and I did not feel sick for a second! Totally worth the traffic and we'll definitely be coming back.

This was by far the worst whale watching tour I've ever taken. I've done whale watching multiple…read moretimes before -- in Boston and other locations -- and every other tour actually went out into deeper waters where whales are usually found. This tour, however, barely left the coastline. If whales could be seen that close to shore, I could have just stood on the beach and saved my money. The trip was advertised as 2 to 2.5 hours, but it only lasted about 1.5 hours. Most of that time was spent heading back toward the harbor, and then we sat near the harbor entrance for around 20 minutes just watching sea lions. I honestly don't understand why anyone should pay $50 per person just to look at something you can easily see from the shore. It felt misleading and disappointing. The boat never seriously attempted to go offshore, where whales are actually located. What made this even more frustrating was that I specifically asked the staff before booking whether we were likely to see whales, and they assured me we would. Do not waste your money on this tour.

After stumbling across Captain Erica Tik Tok's page, we wanted to book an adventure. We have been…read moreon other whale watching adventures in Newport and Newport Coastal Adventure is by far the best. We are hooked and will ONLY go on their adventures now. Went on a 2 hour tour with Captain Erica and Molly, down in Newport Beach. They were absolutely the best. Captain Erica was knowledgeable and friendly that we were able to enjoy the whole ride. We saw a momma grey whale and baby and hundreds and hundreds of bottle nose dolphins. As Captain Erica said, we must have had lucky people on board to experience both on the same tour. Molly got some awesome and amazing shots that she was able to share with us. We thoroughly enjoyed the surfing dolphins that were created by the wake from our boat. The conditions were perfect, and the experience was worth every penny. We're already planning our next tour for the upcoming season and can't wait to book an Oxnard adventure with them. Hopefully we can get this dynamic duo again. Can't speak highly of Captain Erica and Molly. Total worth it. See you guys soon.

There are two options to get to Catalina island: ferry or flight…read more We bought a one day two way ferry ticket from Long Beach to Avalon. The weekend tickets sells out fast, please reserve at least one month ahead. I could not find any regular tickets by the time I booked our seats and had to change our plan to a Sunday with inside cabin seat. I had seasickness while seating inside and had to come out to the desk to sooth myself. The regular open air ticket costs about $88 but the inside cabin is about ~$134. The inside cabin ticket includes a free drink and a small snack ( cookies vs pretzels). There is restroom conveniently located inside. Staffs are courteous and friendly.

The ferry ride itself was well managed and smooth. The terminal itself…read more... Overall the building is just meant to sell tickets for the ferry and a place for passengers to gather and wait. The building is showing it's age, especially inside. The bathrooms are downright scary. The people are nice though. You pay for parking before leaving, but they only have one machine to do so, the line tends to get long as people try to figure it out.

Incredible, epic time out on the water with Newport Surfrider and Captain Dustin. Weather was…read moreperfect and being out on the ocean just is amazing. We had fun the entire time and can't wait to do this experience again in the future. Saw so many dolphins and a huge sun fish. Highly recommend A+++

Captain Dustin was the best! He navigated us right into a massive dolphin pod and was also very…read moreknowledgeable about the surrounding area and marine life. 10/10 experience!

There are two major cruise ship ports in the L.A. area: Long Beach and the Los Angeles World Cruise…read moreCenter in San Pedro. Carnival sails out of LB while Princess, Crystal, and NCL sail out of this one. Both terminals have their pros and cons, but I slightly prefer the San Pedro port over Long Beach for several reasons. First, parking here is super easy. There's a large open and uncovered parking lot that has plenty of spaces. Expect to pay around $23 per day to park. It's easy to drive here, but the surrounding area is pretty industrial. It's safe, but those vacay vibes don't kick in until you're actually on the ship. Check-in can be a mixed bag. When it's organized, it moves quickly and smoothly. When multiple ships are leaving at once, it can feel crowded and a little chaotic. Security and boarding are fairly standard, but this port employs an outside private security company. That means the employees can often be surly and downright rude. I guess it's good they keep us all safe, though. If you arrive before your specified time, be aware that you WILL be standing outside in the direct sun. There is no shade, no overhang, and no seating. It's best to arrive late rather than early. Once you are inside the terminal, there are rows and rows of chairs where you can sit and wait to board the ship. The terminal has restrooms and usually cups of tap water are provided while you wait. Boarding the ship (especially Princess and NCL) is pretty painless and simple. Of course, it helps if you have an elevated repeat customer status on a cruise line because you'll get to bypass a lot of the lines (but only inside the terminal). Dropoff and pickup via rideshare is also easy, and there are plenty of porters waiting and eager to take your luggage. Be sure to throw them a tip if you let them take your bags! Traffic folks keep the flow of cars moving pretty quickly, and it's so much more efficient than the total clown show at Long Beach. Overall, the LA World Cruise Center is functional and no-frills, and that's all it needs to be. Not exciting, not awful, and just a reminder that the real vacation starts once you step onboard.

$23/day for parking. Just a lot, no garage like the Long Beach cruise terminal…read more Tap your credit or debit card when you enter and tap when you leave.