Such a great time on our June 11th tour with Capt. Dani and her crew. We has a very successful trip seeing 3 species of whales (humpback, fin, and minke), tons of common dolphins, 1 sea lion in the water and many of them on a buoy. All throughout, Dani was aptly guiding the vessel and explaining the strategy of her decision-making from protecting the whales to not encouraging the common dolphins to unnaturally ride with the boat by slowing down to let them pass. Though success is not guaranteed, this crew knew where to go and how to navigate it! We chose the mid-level cruise option and loved it. read more

This was by far the worst whale watching tour I've ever taken. I've done whale watching multiple times 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. read more

We saw nothing and didn't feel like they cared. Unprofessional. You're better off finding a different company. Trust me.

Our experience was so excellent! Dani, our captain, and Jill, our guide, made this whale watching cruise unforgettable. We saw ridiculously scenic coastline views, which added to the magic of the trip. While we only saw bottlenose dolphins (tons of them), the cruise was still spectacular and definitely worth the ticket price. Plus, due to a last minute change on their end we happened to get upgraded to the higher end smaller boat with less people. There were lots of moments of sheer joy (we geeked out pretty hard) at getting to visit the dolphins up close in their natural environment. Others around us expressed feeling similarly. What also set this cruise apart was Dani and Jill. Their extensive knowledge about local marine life and its patterns enriched our experience significantly. They shared fascinating and often hilarious insights (Jill is a character - in all the best ways) about the dolphins and the surrounding ecosystem, which made the cruise both highly entertaining and educational. Their genuine excitement for marine wildlife is so evident and it really made the experience all the more enjoyable and fun. We had a great time, and we can't thank Dani and Jill enough for their dedication to making sure everyone had a memorable adventure. Highly recommend this cruise to anyone looking to get out of their head and spend time soaking up amazing views! Ps. Don't be an idiot like me - remember to wear sunscreen because a boat can't outrun the sun (obviously... ‍) Pss. Rent the $5 binoculars read more

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We went on a half day fishing trip. Our experience was not good and I wasn't going to review but they keep sending me reminders to review, so here it is. Disappointed, trapped, wasted money, nickel & dime, rude crew, would not have given one star but you have to click at least one. We booked over the phone and the person was very nice. We asked for upgraded rods and she said everything was included. Thankfully we showed up really early. We went to check in, received our "upgraded rods", which were the same as everyone else. That was a waste of $40 per person. Then they asked if we wanted hooks. Ummm, we are fishing and we were told that everything was included. We were misinformed and it wasn't included. We were charged for hooks, weights, & lures at check in - an extra $150 we were not expecting. These were actually cut off our rods at the end of our trip and kept by the crew. We are all about reusing but we are all paying full price. Once on board, nothing was said on what to do. We fish a lot so we knew but there were people on board that have never been. Instead of giving instructions, the crew went around hollering at people & telling them what they were doing wrong. Kind of rude. It got worse from there. At one point, they called another passenger a "dumb ass" as well as other things. Very rude. You also need to pay $3 a fish bag per person, we were not planning on keeping any fish (catch & release) but we still had to purchase. If a crew member took a fish off, we said we didn't want to keep. They would put it either in our bag or someone else's. At the end you pay for them to filet your fish. The price per fish is vague. I understand it is a profit business but it was one thing after another, this isn't included and you have to pay for it, even if you don't use it. The crew looked miserable and the rudeness towards passengers was terrible to watch. We just tried to keep to ourselves. One of the crew members had their kid on board and he was running around knocking things over. It didn't bother us but it did bother other passengers and one of them actually asked him stop. We also had to sit for an extra hour to wait to go in so the crew to filet fish - some that passengers felt obligated to filet so they weren't wasted. The passengers next to us were really uncomfortable as there was no comfortable seating. Another thing...bathrooms were so gross - go before you get onboard. Like I didn't shut the door to go in to rinse my hands off. We ended up paying over $700 for two adults and two kids for a couple hours of actual fishing. We made the best of it but if this helps anyone else - try a different fishing company. read more

This is a must if you're in Newport! Newport Landing Whale Watching blew me away such an unforgettable experience!

Whale watching, deep sea fishing, harbor tours, and holiday light parade cruises. On the waterfront in Newport harbor next to the ferry landing on the Balboa peninsula read more

My 2 daughters and 2 grandkids and I were on the Ocean Explorer today and loved it. Whales were few (2) but we also saw dolphins, sea lions, pelicans, and cormorants. It was nice to have VIP seating on the upper level and we all enjoyed ourselves out on the water on a beautiful day. Staff were friendly, guide was informative, and I highly recommend this outfit. (And apparently the margaritas from the galley were good too, they tell me!) read more

Newport Landing Whale Watching has been offering whale watching cruises for over 20 years from Newport Bay. The primary whale watching ship was built just for whale watching with unobstructed views from almost any location throughout the ship. The Captains are great at locating whales and dolphin and along with the ship crews. This whale watch is just fantastic! The scenery is beautiful when you are in the channel between the Orange County coast and Catalina island. We saw Sea Lions and hundreds of Pacific Common Dolphins. But you have be lucky enough to see the Whales! read more

Newport Landing - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Great experience whale watching a few weeks ago, we unfortunately didn't see any whales but saw tons of dolphins that made up for it. I was initially worried about being late since the instructions advise arriving an hour early, but we got there & checked in only 5 minutes before and were fine. The guides are very friendly and great at pointing out where to look. There's a bathroom and bar with drinks available for purchase on board. Overall a really nice experience! read more

Newport Landing - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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They are running a false advertising scam. On Facebook they claim to offer Whale watching for $20. Then I'm the same advertisement, they say $22. Now if you click on it and try going to their website, they now want to charge $23 if you use their special promo code of Whalewatch 22. But that price of $23 now only applies to the 8:00 a.m. boat. If you want to go on any other boat the price jumps up significantly. Nowhere on their website or their advertisement does it say that that price is only good for the first boat. If you try and call them then they act dumb, they will tell you they don't know what is on their website and they don't know what is on Facebook. They will tell you that this is the real price and that's it They don't care that they are false advertising at all. I run multiple businesses and this was supposed to be an employee trip for my entire staff. If I ran my businesses like this, I would be out of business. read more

Newport Landing - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

They advertise you can catch Yellowtail Calico Sheephead and Halibut and Tuna. We went on the half day took us almost 2 hrs to get out and all we caught were SMALL 10" white fish! It was a joke!! They over charge for everything the crew working aren't friendly nor helpful. This is a waste of time and money. You're better off saving a lot of money and fish off the pier. If you really want a good experience go to Dana Point for Sport Fishing way better! I wouldn't recommend this company to anyone. Stay away from this charter. read more

First of all I have to thank the operators and boaters for their patience as they were able to hold the launch I had scheduled for a few minutes. I had to call ahead as I saw traffic would make me slightly late and I made it just in time! I opted for the intimate 15 person experience and it was worth the extra money! I felt as though we could get closer to the wildlife that we saw and it wasn't crowded! The boat ride itself was super fun as it could reach speeds up to 35 mph. 2.5 hours definitely leaves you feeling thay you get the most for your money! While we didn't see a whale, we did see various dolphins, sealions and even a school of Risso's dolphins which is a bit rare to see in our coastline. I will definitely be going back to hopefully have a whale sighting! read more

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It is not about what went bad on our 1/2 day fishing trip, but more of the previous experiences I have had at Newport Landing. I have had some really good fishing trips at NL. Yesterday's 1/2 day trip was not that. It was about a 2 hour boat ride followed by an hour or so of fishing, and then another 2 hour boat ride back to the dock. Please don't take this as the experience you will have, but just to say these types of trips can happen. This was to say the least a 1 star experience. Fishing is fickle and sometimes you get skunked and sometimes you kill it. I do understand that a catch is never promised, but ample opportunity is. I would fish with the NL outfit again just maybe on an overnight or all day boat. read more

I could do this every day! This will watching cruises one I repeat at least once to twice per year. I love this group because the narration is really great and everyone is friendly. The snack bar is loaded with all the things you love and they have many options to drink including a few alcohol beverages. The boat wasn't crowded which I greatly appreciated so that everyone had a great view. We saw lots of dolphins today no whales but they're not guaranteed and a 50% off coupon to return. This is a great company to cruise with and I highly recommend. Parking is the only thing that's tough but it's near the beach and that seems to be normal everywhere around here. We parked near the pier and walked over and that seem to be the best option to give us the longest amount of time to hang out afterwards for money. read more

Newport Landing - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

We had a fantastic time whale watching. The Legacy was a comfortable boat and the crew was friendly and did their best to give us a great time. We went out accompanied by schools of dolphins and plenty of sunshine. On the boat, the Legacy, they have a nice bar area that we took advantage of on the first deck and a partially covered deck up top. A real plus was having a drone photographer on board. She flew her drone above the action and made her great photos available to us for $20. Well worth it to see the aerial views of the huge blue whale we saw!! Check out Groupon for a pricing discount. read more

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Very fun activity to do while in the area. Was not able to see any whales but did get to see tons of dolphins! The captain will stir up the ocean as they sail and the dolphins will chase you along the side of the boat, makes for great pictures. Its a good 2-hour activity, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and they also have a small snack bar with drinks on-board. BEWARE of the cold during the cold months! read more

Newport Landing - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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Captain Hunter was rad! Great tour. No whales but saw dolphins. My only complaint was Bridgette at the check in counter. She was VERY rude to us and the other customers. She's very bad for business. She's the only reason why we won't go with this company again read more

Great price , Friendly, professional and accommodating! I appreciate their heads up about the parking.

Should be more Dauphins watching than whale watching, but that's not as fraudulent as the fact that their website states that it is FREE for Toddlers (Ages 0 - 2) (see screenshot attached) and when we were about to board they charged for our 1.5yo toddler AND for our 2-month old baby!! It was that or we were losing our tickets/money. Plus their staff will lie until you show them the webpage and then will somehow suggest that you're the one in the wrong for trusting the info on their own website. Terrible. read more

Newport Landing - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

Took the whale watching course on Saturday. It was amazing. The crew was very nice. Highly recommended Newport Landing to very one that would like to go whale watching. read more

Newport Landing - Whale tail, - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

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October 9, 2021 - We arrived for our reservation for our family group of 10. We were promptly greeted and after a few minutes we were shown to the zodiac. Assistance boarding was provided for those that needed it. Captain Rick and Delaney were great, we enjoyed their humor and knowledge. Unfortunately we didn't see a whale, but we saw lots of dolphins and took many wonderful pictures too. read more

I really hate writing a bad review but I have to get this off my chest. So I booked a whale watching trip for me and my family to celebrate my birthday. The morning of, my dog of 14 years died. My parents were kind enough to stay behind and deal with the situation while the rest of us went on the trip. I was obviously not in great spirits but I knew the tickets were nonrefundable and maybe some time on the water would make me feel better. When we arrived for check-in, I let them know that 2 of our 10 guests wouldn't make it and as expected they said I couldn't do anything except lose those two tickets. Not even exchange them for a different date. I wasn't bothered because 1) I already knew this was the policy, 2) losing like 40$ was the least of my worries at the time, and 3) at least I was supporting a business during covid. But then. THEN. We get on the boat and they announce several times that anyone who doesn't feel comfortable wearing a mask can get off the boat AND GET A FULL REFUND. Are you serious? I didn't have the heart to take it up with anyone at the time. But how unfair was that. Can't get a refund for someone who doesn't show up due to an actual emergency, but someone who simply doesn't want to comply with regulations can get all their money back. So upset almost a year later. Thumbs down to this business and their unfair practices. read more

Captain Andy was great!! We saw at least two whales (maybe a third) and some dolphins. He knew right where to go! The bathrooms were clean too :) read more

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Had an awesome time on the 3pm whale watching trip! We got really lucky and saw sun fish, dolphins, and multiple whales! Matt and Kayla made it a really great experience. Definitely worth it! read more

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Very fun experience today! Took my son for his first time, he wasn't feeling too good. Many deck hands and the captain talked with him to check on him. Very fun trip and helpful crew! Son started feeling better at the end and wants to go again. read more

Great time today with fishing crew and anglers on the Patriot. I booked the 1/2 day trip with zero experience ocean fishing, was looking for something different to do over the long weekend. The whole experience exceeded my expectations and was very enjoyable. Impressed with how organized it all was. The crew was knowledgeable, efficient, patient and above all fun. They set up gear and tackle, gave fishing pointers, untangled lines and helped everyone catch fish. We were pulling in sculpin and crew handled the prickly fish for everyone. I will definitely be doing this again. Be sure to bring your own drinks and snacks, layer up clothes if weather is cooler. read more

(TOUR WAS GREAT, JUST BE PREPARED) - I don't know yet about the whale watching. PARKING IS SPARSE AND TOOK US 45 MINUTES TO PARK. I've been looking forward to this weekend. So we'll see I guess. WILL UPDATE. .........., Here is the update with must knows: give yourself an extra hour to find parking (at least on the weekend). With COVID restrictions, there is only ONE PUBLIC TOILET BUILDING for the entire boardwalk - it is located on the corner across from the free public lot. $25 for all day Valet Parking in the parking garage. Now for the tour - A M A Z I N G!!! We saw a swordfish, multiple dolphin pods, sea lions, and one sneaky mink whale. Because we were on the smaller charter, we were able to boat along with the dolphins and they were swimming next to and under the boat!! read more

This is not a whale watching and I think it should be pointed out in the name and description. You won't find any whales, only dolphins which isn't bad but shouldn't be advertised as something different. Everybody in the previous reviews is correct. The boat trip is fun! I liked it. The dolphins are cute too. The person describing everything is also very helpful! I think that it is a little overpriced to what it is. You can probably see dolphins somewhere else. read more

Hands down ultimate fun! Rich, mark/Jessica were awesome knowledgeable and very funny! Took my 14yrold son and 11 yr old daughter and they had a blast! We took the Zodiac boat (36') a lil more pricey than the comfy ferry but we were closer to nature on the zodiac and it was a lot more personal cause only 12 passengers allowed. Mark air dropped us all the pics he took from the drone. Found 2 humpbacks and many many dolphins! We could almost touch them. Inches away! All in all I would do this again and again! Definitely great for any occasions : family fun, solo run, 1st date, 50th anniversary, just to kill boredom etc etc! STOP READING THIS AND RESERVE A SPOT! It's an awesome 2+ hr run. The zodiac is the one I recommend because you are closer to the water and sea life. read more

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Great experience from beginning to end. Parking on the street ranges from $2 to $3 per hour whereas the parking lot is $6 per hour. Checking in was easy and the knowledgeable staff tells you about the marine life as you cruise around the bay. Boat has a full bar, snacks, and bathrooms. On the 9AM cruise the boat was only 1/2 full and we had the chance to see 50+ dolphins swimming next to the boat. Kids are ready to go back. read more

Newport Landing - Dolphins - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Newport Beach, California

First time whale watching and had a blast. The crew was awesome and would recommend it. read more

It was such a fun outing! We went out on the Newport Legacy with Captain Dustin. We got to see many dolphins playing near the boat. We followed and watched a gray whale. Photographer Kristen sent out a drone and got great pictures for us. With the drone up you always knew where to be watching for the whale. Dustin would also let you know when the whale would be coming to the surface! Loved it and would do it again! read more

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highly recommend this to every family as a great and fun 2 and a half hour trip.. Well worth the value read more

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The trip is about 2h30. And we saw 3,4 whales & hundreds of dolphins Good experience read more

Took my special needs class on a field trip to go whale watching. It was such a great trip! They even offered a school discount where it saved us a lot of money. My students loved it! The captain was very informed and took us to a place that he knew dolphins hung out and where two gray whales were spotted! I definitely recommend this company! read more

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Did the fishing half day for my friend's birthday. After I ordered a cheese sandwich, I went back down to order more food and the cook told me that my friend grabbed the wrong order, and got a cheese sandwich and pastrami. I apologized and felt bad and said she was probably confused and offered to have him put it on my tab. He said he wouldn't. But later when I talked to my friend she said she asked him 3x if it was the right order, to which he confirmed yes. She said he then chased them down for the sandwiches and they offered to give it back. Seemed like a strange and uncomfortable situation. Staff overall didn't seem friendly either, rather gruff and cranky. We paid $600 online for our party of 6, another $100 for bait/weights, and adding food and fish scaling, $800. Seems like you would expect a better experience after paying $800. Wouldn't recommend it, especially for first-timers or if you have any kids. Would probably look for another place in Newport or Long Beach. read more

I don't know who our captain was, but his jabs at the other boat were so funny! It was extra entertainment. Chelsea got some AMAZING photos and she also shared a lot of information with me while she was snapping away. The bar is WAY overpriced, so bring your own snacks. Paid $17 for a mediocre Bloody Mary :/ Make sure you wear sunscreen and bring layers. I brought a windbreaker and a sweater and never took the sweater off, but did occasionally take the windbreaker off as I got pretty warm in the sun. I also highly recommend wearing sunglasses because there is a significant glare off the water. I recommend going on the first trip out. That's what we did and the boat wasn't crowded. When we came back in, the second group of the day was already lined up and there were a LOT more of them. Overall, the experience was certainly 5 stars. It was a really fun way to spend a couple hours on a Sunday morning and the crew was fabulous. read more

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Had a awesome time fishing on a half day fishing charter. Everyone caught fish and our 8 y/o daughter Gracie girl won the$140 JACKPOT!!! One of the coolest deck hands Oscar Rodriguez took such great care of us. Oscar did everything from fixing our rigs, helping with bait, cook lunch, and clean our fish.... all with a smile. Best customer service ever and made sure to take care of the 3 kids we had with us. We will definitely come back. read more

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The experience was great! We got to see a blue whale several times during our trip. The crew was great and attentive. I highly recommend them for whale watching. read more