Book your Monterey Bay tour today and get closer to whales, dolphins, and unforgettable ocean wildlife.
Small vessels, big adventure. Sanctuary, Ocean Spirit and Meridian are run by experienced captains with 30+ years on Monterey Bay, focused on getting you the most wildlife action possible.
Guest count is set by each departure. The boat never feels crowded - there is always room to move and find your angle.
Every trip carries a working marine biologist as your guide. We never know what we will see, but our naturalists can tell you all about it.
Our captains have 30+ years on Monterey Bay, making sure you see as much wildlife as possible on every trip.
From the stable, spacious Sanctuary to the fast, low-riding Ocean Spirit RHIB and the private, luxury Meridian — we have the right boat for every trip.
Fresh wildlife reports from Monterey Bay, posted after recent trips.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Glassy conditions off Moss Landing set the stage for eighteen humpback whales, dynamic lunge-feeding over anchovy bait balls, and an active pod of one hundred long-beaked common dolphins.
Read more →★★★★★
“I've been whale watching out of Moss Landing many times over the years, and Sanctuary Cruises is always my first choice. After taking several trips each year with different operators in Monterey Bay, they continue to stand out as the best whale watching experience to my satisfaction.. Captain Joey and the crew are knowledgeable, passionate, and genuinely dedicated to finding whales and providing the best wildlife viewing opportunities possible. They're willing to head offshore when needed, which has led to some amazing encounters. I've had multiple close-up sightings of orcas, along with blue whales, fin whales,, dolphins, and many other marine species besides the most common humpback whale sightings. The trips are well organized, and I really appreciate that they limit the number of passengers so the boat doesn't get overcrowded. The best part is being right next to the underwater canyon where you can literally be seeing whales within several minutes into the trip! And the new Ocean Spirit is real fun with only 6 passengers! If you're looking for an exciting whale watching adventure in Monterey Bay, I highly recommend booking a trip on the Sanctuary or the Ocean Spirit out of Moss Landing!”
— Google · Aug 7, 2026
“We opted for the 6 seat boat which offered fantastic flexibility and maneuverability (note: no potty on board this new vessel of their fleet, so plan ahead). Captain Mike is phenomenal and we caught plenty of whale, dolphin, sea otter and sea lion sightings. Fantastic experience!”
— TripAdvisor · Jul 27, 2026
“Joey and Luke were incredibly welcoming and fun!! I'm glad our group chose this smaller boat rather than a larger option. We were able to see almost 30 sea lions and 8 humpback whales teaming up to catch anchovies and it was incredible!! Super unique to get to see this before our eyes! The sporty conditions made this experience even more exciting, we felt like we were on a rollercoaster! Thank you Joey for being an excellent captain, and Luke for your warmth and knowledge - plus he's an author! Crazy!”
— Google · Jul 16, 2026
Reserve your seat aboard Sanctuary today. Whale season is now - and dates fill up fast.
