Beautiful day out in Monterey. Was able to mommy and calf…read morepop up.a few times. The crew was very informative. Learn a lot!! Looking forward to going again

We had a great time and we saw three whales. One of them hung out with us for quite a while. We…read moremoved a bit farther out and we saw a mother and her calf swimming nearby. The calf surprised us by coming up right next to the boat. We got a great look but we weren't quick enough to snap a pic. Emily, the naturalist on our ship was wonderfully knowledgeable. All in all, great day. Highly recommend!

Picked this company because of the reviews and everyone was right! After booking they provided a…read moredetailed list of everything we need, including parking and clear directions. Because of their location in Moss Landing, we saw several whales within minutes of leaving the harbor. In addition, we saw otters, sea lions, and dolphins. Both the captain and guide were professional and checked on us during the excursion. Also very knowledgeable and shared lots of great info. The boat is not as big as some of the tours we saw, which was nice because we all got a great view without being on top of each other. Highly recommend for all those reasons. The big plus is location. Don't have to deal with traffic getting in/out of Monterrey.

I've tried out various whale watching tours in the Monterey Area & I always choose Blue Ocean over…read moreeveryone else. Why? 1. Capt Kate is so knowledgeable about everything we are seeing 2. Capt Kate doesn't book the boat full this way everyone has a great view 3. The boat itself is more suitable for an optimal viewing experience 4. Capt Kate will seek out various viewing opportunities. 5. Capt Kate keeps a respectful distance to the whale and never chases them 6. It's out of Moss Landing which is right where the activity is. Most other whale watching companies go out of the Fisherman's Wharf which means you have to spend 30-40 minutes traveling just to spend 35 minutes with the whales and then spend another 40 minutes it's traveling back. Bottom line you get more bang for your buck with Blue Ocean and it is truly a whale watching EXPERIENCE rather than a boat ride.

This was our first whale watching experience and it was wonderful. We did 8am Mother's Day morning…read moreand spent a little over 3 hours on the water. We seen 4 different species dolphins, 2 baby humpbacks near the harbor and a trio of full grown humpbacks further out. Chase was great and even let our little one go in steer the boat on the way back. We bought one of his framed photos before leaving and would for sure do this again. The smaller boat allowed them to get the dolphins to "surf" along the bow and that was a super fun experience.

I have gone on many whale watching trips in this region, and today was honestly beyond wonderful…read more Sanctuary cruises does it all well! Brian was super helpful and kind with our booking and called us back promptly. The captain Joey knew right where the action was, allowing us to spend a whole hour watching two families of Bigg's Orca whales celebrate a successful hunt with breaches, tail slaps, and other incredible acrobatics. We also watched humpback whales put on a show and lunge feed off to the side of the boat! Naturalist Luke shared fascinating stories about these amazing creatures. I have regularly taken my science students out on this boat because they always provide personalized, phenomenal service, and make everyone feel at home and safe. You won't regret booking a trip with this outfit!

When I tell you, this is the BEST whale watching experience you could ever have, I mean that!!…read moreIsaiah, Kayla (probably not spelled right) and JJ was the MOST amazing team you could ever have!! They were just awesome!!! They cared so much about the passengers and went above and beyond to search for the best whale watching experience and it was hands down the best experience!! We saw so many humpbacks and they sought out my absolutely most desired, the orcas!! Again, above and beyond team. EVERYONE should book this trip over others!! I can't recommend them enough.

We had an amazing trip 3/28/26 We saw 400-500 pod of…read moredolphins and 10 Humpback whales!!! Beautiful day , took a lot of pictures and videos !!! Would do it again in a minute!!

Amazing experience. Guide was very skilled and knowledgeable. Being so close to the water on a…read morespeedy boat was fantastic!

Absolutely incredible experience with Fast Raft Ocean Safaris & Captain Kate!…read more If you're anywhere near the Monterey Peninsula, local or visiting, you must experience Fast Raft Ocean Safaris. We had the privilege of heading out with Captain Kate, and what unfolded was truly beyond words. We witnessed countless humpback whale calves breaching all around us-so many that we didn't know which direction to look-left, right, behind the boat...it felt like nature's ballet on full display! The raft itself is impeccable-comfortable, smooth, and incredibly close to the water, which makes the encounters feel all the more intimate and powerful. It's small-group, thoughtfully guided, and environmentally conscious. Captain Kate's knowledge, passion, and deep respect for the ocean and its creatures created a sense of reverence and wonder that elevated the whole journey. This is not your average whale-watching tour-it's in a league of its own. A soul-stirring, jaw-dropping, life-affirming kind of outing. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Whether you're a local looking to reconnect with the majesty of your own backyard or a visitor hoping for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, this is the one to book. Truly unforgettable.

We had the best experience with Captain Joonya and were so lucky to see so many otters, seals, and…read morebirds on our trip. We even saw multiple groups of mating otters & a mother and baby!! The boat is so comfortable and beautifully decorated. My 99 year old grandmother had the best time & appreciated the extra blankets provided on board and how comfortable Captain Joonya made our family feel! We will definitely be back for another charter in the future!!

Fantastic trip on the slough to see otters. Great boat. Great staff. Definitely recommend.read more

What's not to enjoy about a chill boat ride with both John the naturalist and Roberta the captain…read morespittin facts and calling your attention to all the cool wildlife around you. They were super engaging and informative. There was a sneak attack of cookies and hot chocolate for the ride back which was a touch of whimsy that was appreciated. Tiny marshmallows for the win!! Great way to spend an afternoon.

My family highly recommended this tour to me for years and I had wanted to go here so badly! Today,…read moremy husband and I finally went aboard for a tour of Elkhorn Slough on one of the most beautiful and warm spring days I have seen in the Monterey Bay! The tour lasted an hour and a half and during that time our captain Roberta and our fabulous naturalist shared a plethora of knowledge on the birds and mammals we observed, took pics for us and even gave us coffee and delicious cookies! It was so relaxing being out there on calm waters. Getting amazing pics of California wildlife made this a day I will always remember. I loved this experience and can't say enough positive things about it. You must do this boat trip/tour!!

Overall, I had a really great experience with Oceanic Expeditions. I went out recently while…read morevisiting the area and after following them on social media for years, knew I wanted to book a trip due to the small boat size (only 6 people max). I went on the 9:30am trip with two couples and we were lucky to have great weather and overall calm waters. We were lucky to see many humpbacks and several breeches and to see humpbacks relatively close to the shore. The reason however I docked a star is that we were back at the dock after 2.5 hours, when the trip was very clearly listed as 3 hours. Given that this was a pretty expensive experience, it left me feeling a bit confused and cheated. Even though we had seen a lot of "action" and I had a wonderful time, I still feel that we should have been on the water for the amount of time the tour was marketed for - if it was 10 minutes short I wouldn't have been as bothered losing half an hour is a significant portion of the trip. I have been on many whale watching tours and they are typically marketed with a range of hours or a minimum amount of time, and the duration has always met that minimum. I do think Oceanic Expeditions would be better marketing this as 2.5-3 hours if they are not going to be on the water for the full 3 hours.

Booked with them for my bf and I's 3rd anniversary. I was hoping to see Orcas but because of the…read moreprice point we booked the normal whale watching experience. They called to have us move our date a week before, due to not enough people being booked on our boat. While this was clearly stated on the website it was a bit disappointing as we had already booked our hotel in the area with that date in mind. Maria was so nice and we were able to join the orca expedition the following day at a slightly discounted price. I was able to move the hotel reservation for a small fee, but was excited at the prospect of seeing orcas. The boat was quite small, which is great for an intimate experience, but not great if you suffer from bouts of seasickness. I took every precaution I could and ended up in the back of the boat feeding more fish than I saw. Unfortunately no orcas came out that day, even after sailing the full 6 hours. We saw many beautiful humpback whales and the people working the boat were very sweet. While I understand orcas are not guaranteed, it seems you might be just as likely to see them no matter which tour you buy, it just depends on the luck of the day. I will not be going again anytime soon, but if you can handle being on a small boat in rough waters, I would recommend them!

The Best! Quiet electric boat. So comfortable. Aaron our naturalist amazing. Knew so much about all…read morethe animals and plants of slough. Took and answered everyone's questions. Captain friendly and careful. Have taken other tours, this is the one.

Excellent tour. Boat is silent. Seals aren't…read more Restaurant at the dock is good too My 12 lb calm little dog was welcome too

Otters, sea lions, whales with a beach and bench to watch the ocean. Well worth your time…read more Port a potties only. Uneven sandy trails but amazing views. Not wheel chair accessible. But sea otters! Sea lions! Whales!

Elkhorn Slough is a great place to visit on kayak - or even by foot if you enter the path across…read morethe road from the Elkhorn Yacht Club to view wildlife from two big viewing platforms. I went on for two kayak trips over the weekend -- Friday mid-day was choppy and windy, ebb tide with a LOT more animals and birds. Sunday early morning started out flat water at flood and got a bit windier as the ebb started. Fewer animals than Friday but more tourists, and also, jellyfish that blew in with the flood. Keep well clear of the animals - the guidelines I learned this weekend are: - keep 100 ft away (5-8 kayak lengths) - if a seal or otter is looking AT you - you are too close! - if a seal or otter takes evasive action, you are too close Just go out, keep your voices down (they carry well over the water and scare animals and birds) and enjoy watching nature!