Tours/Newport Beach/Luxury Whale Watching: Fewer People, Extra Speed, Expert Staff
Viator · group up to 40 pax

Luxury Whale Watching: Fewer People, Extra Speed, Expert Staff

4.6(193)Newport Beach1 hour
VIATOR4.5(86)TRIPADVISOR4.7(107)

Description

Onboard our 50’ pristine Catamaran Yacht, our always low passenger capacity makes for an intimate at sea experience. The luxury whale watching cruises feature a perfect balance of gorgeous nautical details, and spacious viewing areas which allow you and your family to get up-close views of wild marine mammals including giant blue whales, humpback whales, mega pods of dolphin, and so much more. The unique 360-viewing walk around feature, allows for a perfect view from almost any vantage point onboard and means you’ll never miss a moment. Our favorite spot onboard is up front, where you can gaze down at bow riding dolphin, which will glide just below your feet on one of the dual bows, so close they are almost within arm’s reach!

Tour Options

Luxury Whale Watching: Fewer People, Extra Speed, Expert Staff

Itinerary

Admission included30 min

All guests will check in at Davey's Locker and pick their boarding pass up from the office. The office will then direct all guests to the appropriate line where the crew will grab all guests and direct them to the vessel.

Highlights

Landing and facility fees

What's included

Included
Landing and facility fees
Not included
Alcoholic Beverages
Coffee and/or Tea
Snacks
Binoculars
Parking

Traveller Ratings

4.6
193 reviews
5
153
4
21
3
6
2
4
1
9

Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Arrive 1 hour or earlier during peak summer months for parking
  • Parking Fees located at Balboa Pier Municipal Lot and public lots
  • Trolley Information for the Balboa Peninsula can be found at the City of Newport Beach website
  • Trolley runs seasonally and not year round

Reviews(193)

P
Pamela_E
June 28, 2026
Wonderful birthday experience

I had an absolutely amazing birthday, and I couldn’t have asked for a better whale watching experience! From start to finish, everything was outstanding. The crew was friendly, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make the trip memorable. The service was exceptional, and seeing the whales made my birthday truly unforgettable. Thank you for such a wonderful experience—I highly recommend this company and would give them 5 stars without hesitation!

A
albertcA6485NO
June 21, 2026
Resolved a security problem

I had a problem checking in and one of the Hard Rock staff named Faye went above and beyond to help with my check in. I did not have the reservation number and Faye remembered the birthday reservation for my party and resolved the security checks for me. She should be recognized by Hard Rock management for her perseverance and dedication to excellent customer service.

X
X1648SJkimberlye
June 20, 2026
Go watch whales with these folks!

Jill was knowledgable and it was obvious that she is passionate about sea life - especially whales! She and the boat captain (Terry?) made a great team. saw a humpback whale multiple times and hundreds of dolphin, in addition to anchovy pods, several sea birds and a seal.

E
E6026QQsteveb
June 14, 2026
great saturday

we went out on june 13 on the 9am sailing. three humbacks and plenty of dolphins. captain and first mate top notch. coast guard asked our captain for advice

J
Jay_L
June 12, 2026
Amazing experience. We...

Amazing experience. We saw a massive pod of dolphins and 2 different kinds of whales. Worth the money!!!

K
kevin m
June 11, 2026
Was there effort?

It started off pretty rough with our Google Maps taking us to the Ferry. While we were waiting in line we were also on hold to find out if we indeed were to cross on the ferry. Parking was a nightmare. They ask that you are there an hour before the tour. Due to the traffic and Google’s directions we were cutting it close. You know it’s not going to be a “whale watching tour” when the captain and mate announce for everyone to “enjoy the boat ride”. There was no warning to the people up front that they were going to get wet. They were soaked. Since we saw no signs of whales the captain took us to a kelp patch in hopes of seeing something. We saw nothing. So we headed for a buoy that had several sea lions on it. It’s understood that nature is unpredictable- however it seemed like the hosts didn’t even try- and that was disappointing. They did hand out a free coupon for another date.

C
Corine_S
May 27, 2026
We saw an incredible...

We saw an incredible amount of common dolphins, truly magical. No other whales unfortunately, but they gave us a coupon for next time. Only disappointment was that the 2-3 hours was that it was exactly 2 hours and he didn’t take the time to look for whales after the dolphins.

S
Steve_H
May 25, 2026
Captain, Danny and crew...

Captain, Danny and crew were awesome. Got to see two species of whales next to each other a Fin whale and Minke whale and a ton of dolphins. A must do while in newport.

D
Diana_T
May 24, 2026
Yesterday we spent an...

Yesterday we spent an amazing day in the ocean. We were searching for Moby Dick, but unfortunately we didn’t find him. Still, the hours spent in the ocean were absolutely unforgettable. The ocean is magnificent, breathtaking, and beautiful. To feel its power and strength is truly priceless. I will definitely come back to meet Moby Dick one day.

F
Francis_C
May 23, 2026
Best experience!

Great! We saw dolphins and a whale. The staff was great! They were friendly and informative. It was bumpy but overall a great experience.

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