San Diego Whale Watching Cruise
Overview
Available languages
3 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Each year approximately 20,000 gray whales migrate from the Bering Sea to the lagoons of Baja California and back again. Come witness this amazing journey off the coast of San Diego on this educational whale watching excursion.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Chances of spotting a whale are exactly the same, whether you choose the morning or afternoon departure. Whales don't wear watches.
Same goes for the days of the week. Each day has an equal chance of sightings. Whales do not have calendars.
In the unlikely event that your departure is cancelled due to poor weather conditions, we do our best to contact you in the morning at the phone number you provide. We will reschedule your tour for another day if you like or provide you with a full refund—your choice.
Guests with wheelchairs can access the vessel and interior main deck. However, the exterior top deck and the restrooms are not ramp accessible.
No touching the whales. No feeding the whales. No petting the whales. This is whale watching. We watch with our eyes.
Indoor and Outdoor Seating
.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Enjoy breathtaking view of the beautiful San Diego Bay before departing out into the ocean where you will have the chance to see whales, turtles, dolphins and so much more! Please not the bathrooms are not accessible for wheelchairs. Flagship's whale watching cruises are educational and fun for the whole family. The incredible connection with nature will leave a lasting impression. Reservations recommended.
What‘s Included
Indoor and Outside seating
We suggest dressing in layers. The temperature and winds can be unpredictable even if it's sunny out.
warm clothing
medication - If you may be prone to seasickness, plan ahead. Medication only works when taken BEFORE boarding the vessel. Wristbands for motion sickness also can be effective. Either can be purchased at any drug store.
Snacks
Food and Drinks
Options
1:30pm Weekend Whale Watching
9:30am Weekend Whale Watching
1:30pm Weekday Whale Watching
9:30am Weekday Whale Watching
Reviews
672 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
What a great experience.
A4852JNnancyr,,Feb 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Although we didn't see whales "close up and personal" we could see their spouts. Dolphins swam around the ship. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed meeting other people on the cruise too!
This trip was canceled...
Jean T,,Feb 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
1.00This trip was canceled due to mechanical problems. How do I get my money back… At the ticket office they said I had to go through Viator
The whale’s tail!
Amelia G,,Feb 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A wonderful day on the water, February 2026, we saw at least ten gray whales and tons of dolphins and sea lions. It was a great trip and Lyla the naturalist was awesome. So much fun with a little education to boot!
Excellent experience
wlaj1960,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time on our whale watching adventure. We got to see grey whales, sea lions and dolphins. The staff was awesome and kept us informed when they saw whales and also brought the boat closer to them for all to see. I got videos of the whales however I couldn't get them uploaded.
We got to see Whales, Sea...
Laura W,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We got to see Whales, Sea Lions, Dolphins. We got the jackpot. The staff was wonderful, they kept up informed and went towards the whales.
Whale watching
kiransN4862BK,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Easy boarding and great commentary
Amazing whale watching trip!
R5131DAtracyw,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the most amazing time! We went on the 9:30 am tour. The naturalist was super friendly and informative. We were able to see breach, blow, and fluke! Even if we hadn’t seen anything this would have still been a wonderful trip. It was a different perspective of seeing San Diego and we would definitely do this trip again.
Good times even in bad times.
Daniel M,,Feb 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Folks were friendly on our trip. US veterans or foreigners all good company for the most part. Some folks were unfortunately not friendly but overall, good ride. Crew were all friendly and we met so many friendly folks besides a few who, well. You can tell from beginning. Got lucky with whales- it was a solid 1.5 or 2 hours of whales popping up! Good stuff. Will do this again. Overall, your crew is amazing! As are 99999999999999999999999% of passengers. Im glad I met an old navy vet who spoke with me and was able to experience this.
No food on board, just very few snaks
DanielaMaria S,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Lovely experience, but bar on board did not have any sandwiches or minimal hot food (hotdogs, burgers), considering we were on board from 9:15 am until 1 pm.
No Whales in Feb 2026
558naveenr,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00Didn't see any whales even though we went on Feb which is supposed to be a good time to see whales.
From US$54.00
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