I gave this four stars because it was well worth the price and the time. We went on 3/27. No whales for us that day, but one of the biggest pods of dolphin the guide had seen in more than a year, he said. The islands were great -- plenty of wildlife to see there.
Attention to detail was wonderful. If you forget binoculars, they rent them for only $5. If you are cold, check out a cozy blanket. If you are hungry, there is a great variety of food for what I thought were very reasonable prices, considering they had us captive there. We brought fruit to supplement, but the food was very good.
I took my visiting parents (mom, 70 and dad, 83) and it is definitely a LONG day. Be prepared to spend all day and get there early! We brought cards as other suggested, but there was plenty to see so didn't play much. Spent the majority of time inside, so weren't cold at all.
I gave everyone Bonine, and thank goodness I did. I would have been sick as a dog. My son got slightly queasy, but he took the pill late (it should be taken at least an hour before any travel, not when the boat is pulling away from the dock), so that was on us. The weather was fairly calm, but if you are on the ocean in a boat like that, you're going to rock and roll, no doubt. Take the Bonine to be safe.
Others have commented on the narration and the captain's willingness to go above and beyond to make sure everyone has every photo op possible. This is all true, and really is what makes the trip so long.
So, it was long and we were exhausted afterward, but very satisfied by a day well spent.

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After reading all the reviews, we made sure to bring warm clothing and chose seats inside. The seats are inside the "restaurant" and very limited. The ride was a little choppy so we were very grateful that we took motion sickness pills an hour prior to boarding. We parked on the county lot for $10 because we got there with little time to spare and since it was a holiday weekend, there were many tourists on the harbor.

We also brought sandwiches, snacks and water. My partner had to get a soda to calm her stomach because she felt sick even with the motion sickness pills.

Make sure to fully charge your camera because there are plenty of opportunity to take photographs. The captain made sure all sides of the boat had a chance to see. The narration was pretty good, he gave tons of information. They had a little tv sets for the young ones that may get a little bored on the way back.

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A really good cruise. The narration was terrific with lots of interesting information and history. More importantly, they get you close to all of the islands where you can almost touch the seals and birds yet keep a respectful distance so as not to disturb the wildlife. I just wish we could have traveled to and from the islands and San Diego a little faster. Maybe they were conserving fuel. This is a "must see" for visitors and even locals.

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This is the best trip out of the harbor. It is a wonderful way to spend the day on the water--great photo opportunities, interesting narration, and very informative. This is the second time we have taken the nature cruise and we will do it again. Each trip is unique, and it is really a wonderful experience.

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