Overall, I had a really great experience with Oceanic Expeditions. I went out recently while visiting 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. read more

Oceanic Expeditions - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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Booked with them for my bf and I's 3rd anniversary. I was hoping to see Orcas but because of the price 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! read more

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We had an incredible day out on the water with Mike and Mary yesterday! It was my first time whale watching, and I was fortunate enough to get the complete experience. We saw over 10 humpback whales and got to view a full breach by one! We also saw 3 different species of dolphins. The boat was modern, well maintained, and very comfortable offering comfy chairs at the back as well as an indoor section (with seating) to protect from wind or rain. Mike and Mary are both very knowledgeable and friendly, and made sure we had an excellent time! read more

Oceanic Expeditions - Humpback whale - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

Way too expensive for what you get! For the money, the other whale watching trips out of Moss Landing are a much better experience! Note also Oceanic Expeditions require a week's advance notice if you need to cancel. So if you have a family emergency or get sick, you are out of luck, and out of a big chunk of your money. read more

I went on the extended tour on Apr 28th. And it was such an amazing experience. There are cheaper tours in Moss Landing & Monterey but I definitely see the reason for the price difference. Well worth every penny. Only thing I'd say is to manage expectations: The website says "whales guaranteed" but type of whale and whale behavior is not guaranteed. The extended killer whale FOCUSED expedition, does not guarantee orcas. They are the smartest creatures in the sea, ridiculously fast, & can be elusive. But Mark & Mary do a great job trying to track them & keep up with them when they are spotted. Ideally the whales will breach, but again there's no way to force it. So with expectations managed, it is a wonderful experience. The small boat and 6 pax max makes it truly personable. You're able to really get close to the whales. Mark & Mary are so friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible. Excellent customer service. I'm glad I traveled across the country and booked with them. It was everything I hoped it would be read more

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GREAT guides! Mary was fantastic at pointing out sightings and both were amazing at explaining what we were seeing! The fact that they took us in a whim to find the Orca's was the icing on the cake! We were lucky to be a small group and felt a little bad because we had one under the weather but she wouldn't have missed the tour for anything! We couldn't have asked for a better experience! The small casual group setting is top notch and I would recommend anytime over a large group tour!! read more

Highly recommend this whale watching expedition! It was a wonderful, personal experience. The smaller boat experience allowed to us to get up close to about 1,000 dolphin and we easily saw 20 humpback whale on our excursion. Great experience! read more

Oceanic Expeditions - Huge dolphin pod - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

Don't trust their website when you are booking. They said they're going to give you a 6-7 hour tour for an extended whale tour. In reality, you will experience the 4-hour 50-minute tour and still have to pay the full cost of it. 300(tour)+50(fuel)+tax=371dollars. When finish the tour, you're going to hear from the captain that you have to understand the short trip because anything can be happened in nature. That's ridiculous read more

Oceanic Expeditions - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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Captain Mike and Mary were incredible hosts- we booked an extended excursion and had the time of our lives. The boat is the perfect size- maxing out at 6 passengers was ideal for maneuvering toward the whales and dolphins. We got to spend over an hour with a mom and calf, quietly earning their trust and getting tons of close up encounters. You won't want to go on a big boat again after this experience! read more

Oceanic Expeditions - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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This is the best option available in Moss Landing! Mike and Mary are great!! The experience is personable, on a small boat that only allows for 6 passengers. We saw whales within 10 min of our adventure!! This is a must book adventure....you will not regret!! Laura and Emma Bankson read more

Awesome trip! Saw an Orca family feeding on a recent gray whale kill and some humpback whales...great perspective to be low to the water on a small boat, really gives a sense of the size of the whales! Capts Mike and Mary were friendly and informative and great hosts! read more

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While we can never predict if or when any free creature in the wild show up on these trips, what you can predict are the best hosts in the business. I have gone on whale trips with 5 different Monterey companies and Mike & Maria's Oceanic Expeditions is my personal favorite above the rest. This morning, we were surprised to be greeted by a pod of dolphins over 200 strong, swimming alongside and around us, checking us out! The fog was super thick but Mike and Maria applied their experience and knowledge and didn't give up searching everywhere to find humpbacks for us. Finally, we were greeted not by one, not two but three gorgeous humpbacks! Then Mike & Maria turned off the engine and let us hear the ocean and the awe-filled sounds of their deep breaths. Even though there is a place for narration and education, what I value most about this amazing husband and wife team, is that they gift us with quiet, inviting us to be present and have our own sacred experience with the majestic. No excessive narrations over a loudspeaker, only a depth of knowledge always available when asked. Maybe because I have been with Mike & Maria before so the experience was even richer. Mike and Maria feel like familiar friends inviting you into their family, their passion and love of the blue, matching your wonder and thrill of seeing whales with their own. If you want to feel like you're going out on privately chartered trip, not wanting to bump into a bunch of tourists trying to capture a good view, or be distracted by loud narration, then this the secret gem you have been looking for! Book immediately - Like me, you will keep coming back after you travel with Oceanic Expeditions. Thank you, M&M! read more

Super friendly captain and crew. Got us close up to some gorgeous humpbacks and gave us a smooth ride. Definitely recommend and will come back! read more

Lovely Captain and Crew. Felt super safe on the smaller boat and I usually don't like boats. Thank you for an amazing time seeing humpback whales! read more

I had a total blast with Mary and Mike! The couple is very knowledgeable about the area and the animals. During our trip we saw many dolphins, whales, otters... it was a memorable experience! It's clear that Mary and Mike love what they do, and it's just impossible not to have a lot of fun around them! I can surely say that this was a lifetime experience! Thanks Mary and Mike, I can't wait for the next whale watching trip :) read more

I just got home from a quick girls trip to Monterey and yesterday we went on the COOLEST expedition!! Mike & Mary are goals. They are so fun to spend the day with out on the boat. Very knowledgeable on the wild life around you & share great information. I love the smaller boat for the more personable feel and being closer to the wild life! I still can't get over how many different species we saw. Three different types of dolphins. Northern Right Whale Dolphins were swimming with our boat right under us which I didn't even know existed till yesterday. Multiple Humpback whales. A momma humpback whale and her baby that were so freaking cute. We ended the day with Orcas feeding on sea lions! That was my first whale watching experience and it did not disappoint. HIGHLY recommend and sending all my friends there asap. Definitely take Dramamine before hand!! I did get sick a couple times but the experience was beyond worth it I don't even care. Best day ever and thank you Mike & Mary for a trip with my friends I'll never forget! read more

Oceanic Expeditions - Me and my friends with our awesome hosts Mike & Mary! - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

I spent three days watching and photographing whales with Mike and Mary at Oceanic Expeditions. They provide an intimate, respectful and uncrowded opportunity you won't get with the big boats. And their genuine, unbridled enthusiasm only adds to the experience. I will definitely be going again. I would add that the negative review here is 100% inconsistent with my experience. I found Mike to be a responsible, experienced and safe drone pilot and captain. He's also an extremely respectful guy. read more

This was such an amazing tour! The boat fits 6 people, so I loved how intimate it was and how easy we were able to move around to find whales. And we saw SO many. Looking forward to next time :) read more