Such a great experience for our first Whale Watching trip, great even with our 3 year old! Worth…read morethe cost, we were out for a bit over 3 hours. Check in process was easy, just follow the email instructions, all very clear. Bring sunscreen, a hat or sunglasses. You can bring your bags and snacks. There is plenty of space under the benches for your belongings. Lots of options for seating all around the boat, both inside and out. Also 2 restrooms available. As well as a Galley with snacks and souvenirs! I didn't realize, but they also sell photo packages of the wildlife from the trip. So you can focus on documenting your group and the good time, They'll capture the animals! :) This crew was Captain Vanessa, Naturalist Ruth, Deck crew Colleen and Sara, and Galley Oscar. They were all so helpful and accommodating. I cannot tell you how warm and inviting they all were. You could definitely tell they loved their jobs. For me...So, despite Dramamine and sea sickness bands I got really nauseous; and I think my 3 year old did too but couldn't verbalize, because she passed out about 1.5 hours into the trip-so I was just kind of sitting towards the back holding my toddler mid trip. Which is about the time when the whales appeared! (Up to that point we saw different birds, pods of dolphins and sea lions.) So these whales on our trip were on the starboard side when they appeared, but I was on the port side, kinda stuck sitting with my sleeping toddler. At one point Colleen came and asked if she could help me move to see the whales, but that was easier said than done, especially not feeling well. I let her know she was sweet but we were okay. Well as the boat tracked the whales, I guess Colleen and Sara both mentioned to the captain that we were kind of stuck in the back on the Port side and the captain ended up turning the boat towards the whales so I could see them. It was the sweetest thing and I felt so seen as a mama. :) I didn't know how a whale watching trip could go above and beyond, but they did! We did a 12:30pm tour on a Monday and there seemed to be a good crowd, but they were not at full capacity, which meant moving around was an option for those that wanted to. We will be back, this was a great choice!

Overall I come away from this whale watching group less than fully impressed…read more It had both positives and negatives. The positives of the trip were that it left on time, the price was reasonable, and that the boat was clean. However, one significant negative is the crew, both on the boat and on land. The entire crew is white (all of the owners and managers probably have not even realized this fact until this very moment). On the boat, there were three blue-eyed blondes (one male and two female), and a guy with brown hair. One land there were two brown-haired females. Every single person is white. How about hiring a person of color? There were tons of customers who were persons of color (myself being one of them), why can't you hire a minority? Your staff is a reflection of you, your biases, and your business. I would strongly encourage you to to take a company picture, then see if you can find a person of color in the picture (you could think of it as an employee game of "Where's colored Waldo?"). Even though the trip is officially called "Whale Watching", we didn't see any whales on my recent trip. Since that's not entirely in the hands of the operators, I'll give them a pass on this. We did, however, see a lot of dolphins, and many were very active. In order to possibly makeup for the trip having not seen any whales, the tour operators get VERY up close and personal with the dolphins. A bit too close, because some dolphins, including baby dolphins, were forced to swim under the boat (which had two large size propellers blasting). A number of passengers expressed concern about the safety of the dolphins with the boat being so close. Wildlife can get injured by humans getting too close. That's what we all hear about when large ships and container vessels get too close to whales and other marine life. If it got out in the media that some tour operator got too close to the wildlife and injured the wildlife (which, to be clear, did not appear to happen here), the PR crisis would be severe. It would go viral instantly online and the whole world would scream, "Don't get too close to the animals/wildlife." That's what happens at National Parks, and it's bad PR. So, here's a rundown of what could be improved regarding the animals: 1. Hire some people of color. I realize you probably terrified of us, but we're not going to steal your family members, your boat, and/or your money. We're also not going to scare you so much that you end up jumping off your own boat, Skipper! 2. Not seeing whales is not justification for getting too close to dolphins and putting their well-being at risk. Anybody, yes, anybody, with a hint of common sense would know that having infant dolphins swimming so close to 2 fully-horse powered motorized propellers is not safe. Maintain a safe distance. You did a good job by offering to rent out binoculars. Good job on that one Skipper!

We came here on a Sunday evening for a tour scheduled from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Boarding ended up…read morestarting closer to 6 PM, which wasn't a big deal. The boat has seating downstairs, upstairs, and outside, so there are plenty of options depending on whether you want shade or to be out in the open enjoying the views. There's also a bar on board with drinks (including alcohol) and snacks available. The prices are definitely on the higher side, but that's pretty expected for this type of experience. The crew members were awesome - friendly, organized, and made the trip really enjoyable. The views were beautiful, especially being out on the water during the evening. Overall, we had an amazing time, and it was a really fun way to spend part of the night.

A fun and easy casual boat outing around Mission Bay. I booked a sunset cruise and enjoyed the…read moreexperience. Few things to note - it can be windy and cold on the return portion of the cruise so layer up to be cozy/comfortable. Also note that seasonally in SD the months of May and June typically have a marine layer overcast so it may be a gamble. The staff were the nicest folks and are very friendly and helpful. There are drinks and light snacks (think chips) for you to enjoy onboard. Overall a fun way to spend an evening in SD!

Went whale watching last Friday and while I was not really excited to go it was a great time…read more We saw a fin whale and a humpback whale and hundreds of dolphins. The three hours went fast and the bigger boat did not make me seasick

We paid citi cruises for a whale watching cruise 3 days ahead of time they canceled the tour and…read moredidn't tell anyone alot of mad people no refunds at the ticket booth The hornblower was the boat we came just for this from Minnesota Canceled charge on my card poor business and customer service in sandiego at pier 2 The hornblower don't book this tour

The good: Sully was super nice and funny. He was late…read more The bad: The boat was filthy and rundown. There isn't even a proper building--just a sandwich board where you stand around waiting for someone to show up. No one seemed to know what was going on. We asked a couple of nearby businesses for help, and they clearly were not fans of this company or the constant questions about it. We still ended up having a nice day on the water, but for the price, these boats should be much better maintained. The cup holders were filthy, the floor was filthy, the seats were filthy, and the inside walls looked like something had been splattered all over them. It was really unfortunate.

We have a tradition of renting a Duffy every year before school starts and it's such a fun…read moretradition. We've been renting from them for years and everything is always great. The guys at the dock also make everything so fun--with jokes and just being warm and making the kids feel welcome. He taught my daughter how to tie a half-hitch and let her tie the boat up at the end and was so sweet and patient. (bring cash for a little tip if you want!) The boats themselves are so fun and so easy to drive. Mission Bay (technically sail bay) is super calm and easy to navigate. We did 90mins today but we wish we had done 3hrs. If the weather is nice it goes by really fast. Highly recommend the Duffy experience and SDEBR! Just go! Have fun! And if you're worried about operating the boat, it's super simple. So don't be intimidated. Even if you don't have a lot of experience on the water.

Great concept! Had a wonderful time with Captain Mike and the other couple we were on the water…read morewith. For only being in town a month, Mike sure knew his stuff! He was a wonderful host, offered to take multiple pictures of us before and during the cruise. We got to see some sea lions up close and personal. The wine was good. There were a few different choices, the cheese, salami with crackers and grapes were also very nice and fresh. A great way to spend a nice afternoon on the water. Thanks for the great kick off to the weekend!

Spence was our captain. He was pretty awesome! Took as many pictures as we wanted. Provided…read moresunscreen. Thank goodness since we just ran out hours earlier at the beach. The boat ride was so relaxing and nice. We passed by some sea lions. Spence told us some facts that I barely remember now. He also pointed out good hang out spots for sunsets or late night outings. We got a few cheese fruit plates along with 2 bottles of wine. The spread was cute. Didn't do too well in July heat. But Spence brought it out a couple at a time and kept the rest in the fridge until we were ready for more. The wine was also kept out of the blaring sun. So it tasted great! The boat can fit 6 people. We rented out the boat for the four of us so we didn't get a random couple cruising with us. We rode by engine, not by sail. I wish we could have seen a bit of sailing in action. But I'm sure it causes more of a liability, especially if the passengers are drinking. Overall, I would repeat this again. The price wasn't crazy ridiculous as I have seen. Service was nice and so was our captain.

We had a beautiful memorial/ ashes at sea, for my son. Art and Spencer took wonderful care of us…read more After we spread his ashes, we were able to fish. They knew where to take us and we caught two yellowtail! We are grateful for their support at this difficult time and efforts in making this a memorable experience.

Celebrated our 25th anniversary with a few friends last evening and it was PERFECT. The boat,…read morestaff, music, lights and weather. Art was super host and was very flexible with schedule. We were running late but he didn't complain at all. We had the best time in this boat with very close friends and have made memories for life. Art took 360 videos from a small boat for us to capture memories from every angle. The food recommendations were very good. Christina and her staff were awesome.

Do yourself a FAVOR & BOOK THIS YACHT!!…read more We had the best experience with the Champagne Yacht! The entire crew was absolutely incredible and made the whole trip so fun, relaxing, and memorable. Brittany, the bartender, was especially amazing -- she was so hands-on, attentive, friendly, and truly went above and beyond to make sure everyone was having a great time! The captain was professional and made us feel safe and comfortable the entire trip, and deckhands Jeff & Drew were awesome as well. Everyone on the crew brought such great energy and hospitality. You can really tell they care about creating an unforgettable experience for their guests. Highly recommend Champagne Yacht for an amazing day on the water! A day I will cherish forever & wish I could relive again & again!

this is the second time i've celebrated a friend's birthday with champagne yacht. their crew is the…read morebest. they're beyond nice and attentive. when it was time to dock, the yacht was cleaned up and everything was packed for us to take home. the yacht itself was super clean and well kept. brittany was one of the crew members that remembered my friend and i from the first time we attended a friends birthday party. looking to book my own birthday with champagne yacht next year because of the service !

I visited San Diego for a girls trip recently and we took a sunset cruise with the Pretty Pink…read moreDuffy Adventure and it was a blast! I mean, how cute is this boat?!? It was so fun and easy to take the Duffy Boat out and drive it around the bay ourselves. We brought our own snacks and drinks and had the perfect sunset happy hour. The booking process was simple, the staff were great and the price was very reasonable. They also have bigger pontoon party boats that are driven by a skipper and I definitely want to come back and book one of those with a bigger group next time. 10/10 recommend the pretty pink boat company whether you're local or visiting SD.

Such a fun and unique experience with Pretty Pink Boat! From the moment you step on board, the vibe…read moreis everything--the colors are adorable and make the whole experience feel extra special and photo-worthy. Our captain was fantastic--friendly, professional, and made sure everyone was comfortable and having a great time. And the views? Absolutely beautiful. It's such a fun way to take in the scenery and enjoy being out on the water. Highly recommend for a girls' day, celebration, or just something different. Would definitely do it again!

If you're in between this and SeaForth for renting a pontoon...STOP LOOKING!…read moreThis was such a great experience!!! From Nic and Tanya being super awesome to the amazing boat you get to float the bay on to the good times had by all. GIANT boat but super easy to drive. All of the amenities make this boat the perfect daily rental for floatin' around on the bay. I don't have one bad thing to say about this whole experience! We will definitely rent this boat again :)

WHAT a BLAST! Sunset, cookout, a few beers, amazing Sunday. We just spent an afternoon cruising on…read more"Glenny"- one of the best days of summer. Our dog Ziggy loved the shady accommodations. We explored mission bay for a full day rental, which was the most affordable in the area. Grill, potty, dance floor, cabana, and plenty of seating should you need it :) will rent again soon.

I surprised my boyfriend with tickets for Tiki Time Bay Tours for his birthday and had a couple…read morewere friends with tag along as well. Whether you're a local or visiting San Diego this is a really fun activity on the weekend with yummy drinks and good vibes. Originally we were booked for a 10:30am tour that goes out to watch the sea lions out on the bay, unfortunately not enough people booked that one so it was cancelled. Even though our original plan was cancelled Tiki Time Tours went above and beyond to make sure we had a good experience and not only complimentary upgraded our tickets to a more expensive tour, they also gave our party a free round of drinks for the inconvenience! I think this speaks a lot about a company; anyone can be happy with customer service when everything goes according to plan, but the most important times to step up is when plans get cancelled/changed and that's exactly what they did for us! Instead of the sea lion tour we ended up doing the Tiki Live! tour at 3pm. This tour is about 2 hours and while you're out on the water you mingle with everyone else and play games that can win prizes for yourself, your party or the whole boat! The games were fun, interactive and silly. At some points we got close enough to shore and made people on land be a part of our games! Donny was our tiki tour master and he was really funny during the whole tour. In between games he just let the music play so we could enjoy the atmosphere and drinks. My entire group left with nothing but great things to say about the whole experience. My friend even won a free tour for another time so we will definitely be returning for more tiki fun.

RANDOM SUNDAY -…read moreStunning Views - Drinks + shots - Stunning views - chances to win money and prizes My friends randomly saw this boat and said we should do it for fun. Tickets were around $47 per person for a 2hr water tour around the Bay in a boat decorated in tiki decor. For tourist this tour is great with a ton of fun information about San Diego and stunning views in the water. Minimum 8 people on the boat or there may be cancellation of the tour. PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS. The guide will have some friendly trivia for a chance to win good cash prices, free drinks, gift cards, etc I think that was pretty fun to include in while getting a tour. If you are sensitive to getting seasick, I would recommend a Dramamine beforehand. Although the boat was spacious, it still felt the wakes from the other boats and you can go rocking. In addition there were slow times of moving and turning. Or you can just chuck down a few drinks and feel numb to it all! They have a Tiki Bar with a drink menu (no food) to purchase from and if you bring snacks to eat - you can't eat it on the boat. Drinks were good but their "house" made shots were pretty good! We had a couple rounds of those while on tour - paid round by a passenger or a free shot in the house by the staff. The awkward but not so awkward would be mingling with other folks on the boat that you don't know. One of my friends kept interjecting with another party and while they seem to not mind I could tell they were being polite but if it were me I'd probs be annoyed if someone kept interjecting while I'm having a good time with my friends. Although we all got along and occasionally shared cheers with shots. Luckily the boat was near empty with just a few of us to have some space to do your thing. Overall, nice little 2hr time in the water. Would highly recommend the later session to catch the sunset. Until the next review....