Marissa Charters is hands down the best dive boat and crew in California! We have been diving with them for over 10 years, and keep coming back. The dive sites they find are incredible, whether you are looking for tiny creatures or some of the bigger fish. The crew is very helpful, safe and fun. Captain Lora and Divemaster Chris are proactive in helping in every aspect. Doggies Captain and Scout are so much fun on the boat. You get plenty of tea, water etc. and lots of snacks in between dives - and STICKERS! These are collectibles! Marissa Charters are consistently awesome. read more

The good captain (and the goodest Captain) and Chris will take excellent care of you! The double HMCS Yukon trip is an awesome time and you should definitely book one soon. read more

Great operation. Great crew. Spacious boat. Hot coffee/tea and plenty of snacks (get a banana before they're gone). The only drawback on the day I went was the visibility in the water but that was not the fault of the crew. I will return to hopefully get in the water with better visibility. read more

Marissa Dive Charters was fantastic. They're really responsive communicators, including over text, which helped us plan some complicated and last-minute logistics. They also offer nitrox and even have a compressor on the boat to do nitrox refills between dives. While they mostly offer aluminum 80's, they also have a couple of steel 120's that you can request ahead of time. My air consumption is usually the worst in the group, so for a dive like the Yukon, the extra bottom time I got by using a nitrox 120 was perfect! If Marissa runs out of 120's, the dive shop House of Scuba has some steel 100's available for rent too. They provide a lot of snacks and water in between dives, and they even serve hot soup and tea, as well as handing out bags of hot water as hand warmers. I was colder than I expected to be after our first dive, and all the hot items were crucial for getting me warm enough to do the second dive. Finally, they have a super cute dog that comes along for the ride. 5 stars! read more

The crew was very helpful, especially with entering/exiting the water. They were also very knowledgeable about the dive sites.

Start diving with them since Lois Ann now gone. Crews are very nice, attention to details and helpful in everyday. They have nitrox and compressor onboard, so you don't have to switch tank between dice. I was fortunate to follow a DM who happen fove that day. As a result I saw more than I could by myself, several eels were sighted beside several varieties of nudibranch, etc. read more

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Great crew and boat for diving! Lora, Chris and Rodd are super friendly and helpful. Although the boat could have more divers, they only take 8. So loads of space instead of tripping over each other's fins. We have a fantastic Sunday with 2 dives. They offer nitrox and air, they refill your tank in board, so only 1 tank to bring. And the snack-bag is delicious. We will book this more often! read more

Today was my first time on the Marissa. I'll be back. They do a great job of creating a fun environment without sacrificing safety. And, ummm, the snacks are great. We had to great dives and I'm looking forward to my next. read more

Everything went well. Great crew, great boat with the best portfolio of dive sites in San Diego.

A real treat to dive with Captain Lora, Chris, and Scout. They went above and beyond to make my experience enjoyable, safe, and comfortable. They'll be my first choice for San Diego boat dives from here on out. I highly recommend them! read more

Excellent dives and crew! We have been trying to dive with Marissa for a long time and for one reason or another, we kept having to cancel or vice versa. I am so happy we finally got the experience. We dove Chris' rock and strawberry ledges in Point Loma, and both dives were amazing! (Seriously, you should book these dives right now.) Captain Lora and Chris were very helpful and accommodating, and the boat is quite comfortable. I could tell they cared about our experience, and made every effort to make it an enjoyable one. Also, Captain and Scout are incomparable whale watchers! Can't wait to dive with these guys again. I have done boat dives in Tahiti, Hawaii, Galapagos and one other in San Diego, and I really think this was among the best. I HIGHLY recommend! read more

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Lora (Captain and owner) and Chris run pretty much the best dive boat you are ever going to experience. I recently went on a dive trip on the Marrisa and don't believe I have ever seen such a wonderful example of a business strategy based around good humans simply out to do the better thing in every way possible. In addition, Lora and Chris are both highly skilled and competent in running the boat and enabling easy, safe diving experiences. The small number of people on her trips means everyone is watched after with a great deal of personal attention and care. The boat is equipped for every level of diving from beginner to extreme technical. Very easy to move around, get on and off of, with all sorts of snacks,water, etc. The dive sites are both great and greatly varied. Both Lora and Chris are great people to be around and will make sure you have an exceptional experience. Outstanding in all respects! read more

Marissa Dive Charters does an excellent job on their boat dives! They are very helpful explaining each dive site, and helping you to get in and out of the water. The captain and crew are very friendly which makes for a great experience! read more

As always, an epic adventure with Captain Lora, DM (soon to be Captain) Chris, and Scout. Great dive locations, always friendly and informative leadership on the boat, and little snack packs with stickers in them. Who could ask for anything more? If you're a diver in the San Diego area, even just for a visit, you need to check out Marissa Dive Charters. You'll thank yourself! read more

Just dove from The Marissa over the 4th of July weekend, and they were awesome! Captain Lora and crew are extremely professional, knowledgeable, and caring. I've been diving for a lonnnnng time from many boats, and they rank at the top. Can't wait to dive with them again! read more

I have been on this charter many times!! Always a great experience with Captain Lori and the crew.. the crew includes Chris and 2 cute little beagles that make sure everyone is safe onboard. Sometimes they help with the dive briefing by spotting incoming dolphins . I have been to some really unique spots that other charters never go. The Seapickles dive club highly recommends this boat. Kyle Walker read more

A group of 5 of us went out and dove the Yukon twice. It was epic! Marissa and the crew were very friendly and professional. The snack bag was delicious and the crew prepared hot tea and warm water bags which were a live saver. Definitely booking with them in the future :) read more

Outstanding crew. Captain Lora, Captain Ron, DiveMaster Chris. They are the best dive boat around!! Great customer service, fun and friendly! read more

I have been diving all over the world. The Marissa is top of the list. Great customer service prior to dive trip, during, and after. I must say, Scout and Captain make the trip better. Who doesn't love dogs on a dive boat?! Shout out to Captain Lora and Chris. They made everything easy and fun. Would dive with them every time I'm in San Diego! read more

I've dove all around the world for the last 24 years doing photography/ leading out dive tours...by far Captain Lora & Divemaster Chris truly runs a smooth, organized & enjoyable boat...after diving on charter in Catalina earlier in the week, which was the worst experience I've ever had...to finish the trip with this great team...truly memorable for all the right reasons... I can not thank Captain Lora enough:). If you're coming to San Diego...you MUST find a way to get on charter with this amazing team:) read more

Our experience with Marissa Dive Charters was incredible. They were efficient, helpful, and FUN. When in San Diego again, I will definitely try to get a dive in with them. read more

Amazing crew! super nice and helpful. The snack packs were incredible! Ive never been on a dive charter where I get my own crate full of goodies! The boat is outfitted with a dive compressor setup and makes filling tanks right there on the spot super handy. Totally coming back here again and using this charter! -(Big Ace Films) read more

Good day of diving. Very friendly staff and a lot of repeat customers on board, which says something about the service. read more

Marissa Charters - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Diego,, California

I had an amazing 3 day weekend wrapping up my ccr class. Lara was amazing and Chris was always willing to give a hand and help out as needed. read more

Online booked a two tank dive out to the sunken Yukon. Everything went smooth with online booking process. Super detail oriented website and automated email system. If you read through the communications you will have all the details and knowledge you need. Believe me all questions are already pre answered on website or booking confirmation emails. On the day of diving: Be sure to set enough time to get to the marina as traffic and parking can be tricky. Arrival to the boat on the dock. The Marissa is an incredible, and updated dive boat. Lots of space and everything one wants or could expect from a day trip dive boat. Amazing captain (Laura) and crew who are knowledgeable and super friendly. The crew is super organized and prepared to take you on a diving adventure. Boat features onboard air and enriched air (Nitrox) fill stations. Crew will fill tanks between dives. Water entry off bow of boat that features a swim fin exit ladder. Pay attention to crew dive briefs and safety instructions on board for a good trip. Be aware that two (2) cute and super friendly beagles (dogs) are onboard and are considered part of Marissa crew. They may try to give you a welcome back on board lick (kiss) after the dive. Overall great charter, great crew, great time diving!! read more

Lora, Chris and Captain are as good as it gets! Excellent and personalized service makes the trip extremely enjoyable!

Today was yet another great trip, this time to Fishermen's Failure and Connor's Canyon. The first site we'd not visited before, and it is fantastic. It might now be one of my Top 3 for the Point Loma Kelp Beds. As always, Capt. Lora and crew were the best. Thanks! read more

Awesome boat, awesome crew. It's always a pleasure being with this crew. Lora and Chris leave nothing to the imagination when I comes to customer service. Awesome day. Awesome dives. read more

The boat and the staff were fantastic! The scuba puppies will give you love on the surface interval. I Loved that the boat wasn't packed full of people (10 divers for a 2 tank morning @ Chris's rock and strawberry ledges.) The doggy bag with snacks was fire and a nice touch! ''Twas a perfect day and we shall return for more! read more

What a great way to spend a Friday! Bonus to get to dive a new site. Strawberry Ledges was nice!! So much to see; I forgot to be cold. Great snacks. A hot drink and a bag of hot water to hold between dives helped a lot. And, I saw 19 different nudibranchs! That's pretty solid!! read more

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Had a great day on the Marissa dive boat. Captain Lora and Divemaster Chris were friendly, very helpful and well organized. The labled, well filled snack bags and water placed in color coded crates for your dry gear, was a nice personal touch, and the 2 dogs, Captain and Scout were adorable and friendly as well. I have to thank Captain Lora for going above and beyond, by ordering me a new dive bag that the puppy ( Scout ) chewed the zipper on, before the boat even got back to shore !!! Heading back out with them in two weeks ! Would definitely recommend this boat to all intermediate to advanced divers. Very satisfied customer !!! read more

Marissa Charters - Scuba Diving Near Me - San Diego,, California

So turns out Bonine has an expiration date and if you try to take one that is 1.5 yrs stale on your drive down to San D, it will mostly crumble in your lap... I've managed ok unmedicated on Sundiver but Marissa was a smaller boat with a choppier (if shorter) ride in a claustrophobic face mask. Captain, Lora, and Chris took great care of me after my brief visit to the Yukon... Tons of gear assistance, sea bands, a hot water bag I clung to for dear life while shiver jackhammering violently for remainder of the trip and wondering how David Goggins does it. I sat out dive #2 but my buddy joined another group and said Lora's pick of the Ruby-E was even more scenic. Good covid and safety procedures, nice crew, can nitrox fill on board. Parking is tough in the marina, get there early. 2pm charter for 2 dives got back around 7. read more

I purchased a 3 tank dive ticket during the holiday season. Ticket was to be used on any available 3 tank trip by the end of June. Due to COVID-19 the business was shutdown and not offering trips. As a result I never had the opportunity to use my prepaid ticket. Before the ticket expired, I emailed Captain Lora directly and requested a refund as she could not legally or safely offer the trip I purchased. I received no response to my 1st email. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, and to let them get dive trips up and running again. Once they did, I emailed Lora a second time. She told me times were too tough for them and they will not give a refund. Plus they said it had been too long since my purchase. Umm... Hello? I emailed her before it expired and she ignored my email! Email them again and it's, "I hope you also understand what a difficult time this is for businesses like mine. We were completely shut down for 3 months due to the lockdown and refunds from 6-8 months ago just aren't reasonable for me to consider. " She said herself, they were locked down. Bottom line is, I paid for a service upfront, that they were unable to provide, and no longer offer. No different than buying a ticket to a concert that didn't happen. Not reasonable for her to consider?! How about considering times are tough for everyone, not just Marissa Charters. How about considering good business ethic? How about considering after your rude response that I would never want to dive on your charter again. read more

Captain Rod and his team did a great job taking care of us on our two tank dive. Great choice of sites with excellent vis. Way to go Captain Lora in putting together a great team. read more

Having lived in San Diego for close to two years now we finally decided to check out some of the local dive sites. We were concerned about how the covid safety was being dealt with onboard, but we needn't have been. The covid measures onboard the Marissa were second to none and we felt very safe the whole time. The Marissa operates with only half the normal passangers and provided individual goodie bags including facemask, hand sanitizer, personal divemask shampoo and snacks. The crew were extremely friendly and helpful, and went out of their way to make sure everyone had a good time. When I was freezing between dives the divemaster gave me a hot water bag. We will definitely dive onboard the Marissa again. read more

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THE BEST BOAT The Marissa is the best dive charter I have found in Southern California, and I say that after diving many times on many boats from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Captain Lora Meyer runs a great operation, with a friendly and helpful crew, excellent attention to health and safety issues, and a nice choice of dive sites. If you're a local diver or looking to dive in the San Diego area, I recommend you try the Marissa. read more

Once again, a fantastic dive trip with these folks. Captain Lora and her crew (Chris today) are completely professional and great fun to dive with. They absolutely know their business and the best dive spots in the area. Their "boat Beagles",Captain and Scout add fun dimension to the trip. Equipment, snacks and drinks are perfect for the trip at hand. We have been diving with them for years and they are our first choice for every trip. Be sure to give them a try, you'll be hooked. read more

I dive with Lora and Marissa charters often, both for fun and when teaching. Its a very safe, comfortable, well run and flexible operation allowing me to use any configuration I need including rebreather, side mount, tech, dpv and more support. Dive sites are always dropped in on exactly where they need to be and the whole trip from dock to dock is fantastic. Highly recommended! read more

The Marissa is a great time. Captain and crew are extremely professional and safe while also creating a comfortable environment. They take the safety of all personnel very serious. They front load all divers with safety information but will remind, if necessary. They are very helpful in gear management and transitioning in and out of the water. The charters provided a relaxing environment between dives while the crew efficiently refills tanks. The captain and dive master provide all pertinent information regarding the dive sites and seem to be more than happy to provide any further insight if you have questions. I can't say enough good things about Captain, Captain Lora, and Chris. read more

Captain Lora, Chris and Rod are amazing. I dove with them for three days over the Memorial Day weekend and I have to say you would be hard pressed to find a crew that is as personable and helpful as the Marissa crew. They are a well run operation with a good attention to safety and give solid dive briefings. The crew is very willing to jump in to help you get off and on the boat with your gear. They even provide snack bags and something hot to warm up with after getting out of the cold water. And to top it off, they are just great people to interact with. This was my first time diving with them and I will definitely use them again the next time I'm back in San Diego to go diving. read more