Awesome whale watching trip. They seemed as determined as we were to find whales. Spotted 2 blue whales loved thus trip Thanks for making it fun. read more

We had an amazing time whale watching with Next Level Sailing. The whole experience was fun and their team made it even better. We also appreciate it being dog friendly so we could share in the fun with our dog. Being able to whale watch on such a beautiful sail boat is truly extraordinary. We would definitely recommend them to anyone. read more

We have done many experiences in San Diego but this one is the absolute top of the list. Wow! The captain and the crew were incredible. The schooner is beautiful. We saw a hump back whale that they said was 11 meters. It had a net around the tail and we were helping Sea World and the Coast Guard spot the location. Sadly the whale went into Mexican waters and we didn't get the outcome we wanted but the experience was once in a lifetime. I just loved this experience. Thanks Next Level Sailing! Everyone should do this. read more

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We went out today on the America sailing ship and enjoyed a great voyage....Captain Troy let us know that whale sightings had been spotty the last few weeks but we saw several pods of dolphins and a few sun fishing hanging on the surface....but the real treat was sighting a few Blue Whales!! several spouts and a beautiful up close fluke as well calf sighting! Crew was fantastic!! read more

We had a wonderful day Sailing on the America, the Captain guided us to 4 Blue whales . Can't wait to see what our next adventure with them brings. read more

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Wonderful experience for a family! The friendly crew, sharing delightful stories and facts and entertaining along the entire trip. They are also careful with social distancing and making sure everybody on the ship maintained the COVID-19 guidelines! We spent an awesome time on the ship, with a great weather, spotting whales and dolphins, having snack and drinks. And take layers to fight the wind, even if it's sunny. Highly recommended! read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

Couldn't recommend this crew and outfit more. This exceeded expectations. From initial emails to Captain Troy to onboarding through to the crew making sure we got to see the wildlife we came for. They made the severity of the endeavor clear, but also emphasized all the fun and the sights we got see in the bay and out on the ocean. Everything was explained to us adults at the perfect threshold of information overload (there's a lot when you come from landlocked America and know nothing about the sea or its creatures). Even for the kids there was a lot to keep them busy for four hours. Towards the end of the tour, just when the kids (I had three little ones) needed something to get them over the finish line, they did story time and told them about all the whales and dolphins we saw and could see. I got a little teary eyed honestly. The America and this San Diego Whale Watching Cruise rules. The crew was amazing. The boat is gorgeous and such a pleasure and honor to be on. Go: do it. read more

the female crew members were excellent. The lead tour guide was superb. Her excitement was palpable when the blue whale surfaced. Even the captain made sure how rare our trip was. The refreshments were good and the blankets were necessary. All in all, a great sailing trip. Thanks read more

The crew was great and very knowledgeable! We ordered the sandwiches and they came with chips and a wonderful cookie. We saw fin whales!!

Next Level Sailing's whale watching trip is spot-on with its schedule, taking off at 11 am and returning by 3 pm. However, it turns an exciting chance to see whales into a bit of a drag, stretching what could have been a cool 2-hour trip into a longer, 4-hour one. You do get to see a whale, but from pretty far off, and there's a fair bit of downtime. They offer snacks, but overall, it feels overpriced--costing about 50% more than other options, it just doesn't seem to hit the mark on value for money. read more

Next Level Sailing - View - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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The San Diego Whale Watching Cruise was fantastic! The crew was incredibly courteous and exceptionally knowledgeable about the sailing ship and all the marine life and attractions along the way for whale watching. We were fortunate to spot a Blue Whale, along with Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, submarines, and various other military sea craft. The cruise itself was very smooth. This experience was well worth the price paid and comes highly recommended. Tel # (702) 648-5873 read more

This was such a cool experience! The staff is very knowledgeable of the area and did everything in their power to ensure our health and safety during the tour. Since there were multiple groups taking the tour at the same time we all had a different section of the boat assigned to us so that we were able to take off our mask while also social distance. We were able to see some cute dolphins and sea lions on the tour as well as some beautiful views of the coast. Our guide shared some historical facts and local tidbits with us send me the tour very enjoyable. The only reason why I'm giving them four stars and not five is because unfortunately, we did not actually see any whales on the tour. Because of this, we were offered a complimentary pass to come back on the tour on another day, which I think is very nice on their part. It's not their fault we didn't see any whales, nature is nature at the end of the day. Highly recommend this excursion! read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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the crew were wonderful and salem was amazing and so informative. when weather got bad, they all bent over backwards to make sure the guests were comfortable. However, the captain chastised his crew right in front of guests- I felt that was quite inappropriate. He was audibly upset that one of the crew had to go to the bathroom- said that was some he could have done on his break? read more

We've been whale watching before - but never like this. BEAUTIFUL boat. GREAT crew. And, true to their promise, we saw three whales. We live in Utah so whale watching is something we can't always do. But when we are in San Diego, we will do it at Next Level. read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

Always a great time when sailing on the America!!! The Captain and crew are very friendly and see to your every need.

Our family of 12 had the greatest adventure on June 26, 2024 with Next Level Sailing. This company is #1, in customer service, finding blue whales, story n fact telling, and a creating a perfect day for our family. Thank you Next Level Sailing. We won't forget our perfect whale watching adventure! read more

We enjoyed the tour very much! Diane was amazing and attentive! She is the first mate and nurse as half the passengers had motion sickness the entire trip! While we didn't see any whales, sweet people were met and memories where made! read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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Originally booked to include young Grandchildren. Reconsidered after seeing the actual yacht deck layout. We went on our own without the young ones (they went to Balboa Park) and enjoyed the trip. Saw a Fin Whale, some common dolphins and a few seals / sea lions. Prepare for a considerable amount of 'just sailing' from the harbor to the whale travel path. Crew was very knowledgeable of the history of the area and the biology of the sea life. One of those 'do something for the first time'. They also have a guarantee regarding whale sightings. read more

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The Captain and crew care about your safety,comfort and the value for your money. They absolutely stand behind their guarantee that whales will be sighted on your trip or you can visit again - We saw Minke whales and a grey whale along with dolphins. They also love to share information about the animals sighted. - Highly recommend read more

What a wonderful day. Great crew and so informative and we saw whales!!! Captain stayed out longer than scheduled to make sure we saw whales. We saw Blue and Fin whales read more

Next Level Sailing - The America - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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The crew was awesome took amazing care of us, I got nauseous and filled 3 puke buckets but the crew was gracious I'm highly appreciative of it, the captain was awesome. We saw a mother/calf blue whale, a rare Tale flip, sea lions, navy ships, dolphins, brown pelicans, it was an incredible and we had an amazing experience. read more

We had the most memorable experience today. Saw many many blue whales- probably 10! Right next to the boat! Saw many dolphins. This was the most memorable whale watching trip we have ever been on. The crew was fabulous. I have nothing but great things to say read more

Next Level Sailing - Just a small example of what we saw. We also saw about 6 tails!! - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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We had a great time. It's a unique experience to be able to go out on a great sail boat. The crew was wonderful and a big shout out to the lead crew woman who provided much of the narration during the trip. She was very knowledgeable and kept us all engaged. The ship was exceptionally well taken care of and clean and with the smaller number of passengers we could easily move about to see things. We did spot a humpback whale in a couple of spots and had the good fortune to come across a large group of dolphins including many youngsters. I'd recommend this tour for anyone looking for something different than the usual whale watching tour groups. read more

Fantastic! What a FUN afternoon. We saw a group of three fin whales. Huge. We also saw some unusual behaviors - rolling onto back, showing tail fin. Really cool. The weather was good - the wind made it cold. The crew is aces. Experienced, kind and engaging. TAKE the "wear layers" instruction seriously. read more

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Amazing! We didn't see any whales but the Stampede of Dolphins made up for it! Hundreds of dolphins leaping out of the ocean was truly a once in a lifetime experience! And the best thing we get to go back for free! The crew was so nice and the Captain the best! Enjoy! read more

A good experience, even in bad weather. If you are heading out to sea whale "hunting" you can do it in the Hornblower mega-boats with another 50+ people, or you can pay much more for a smaller vessel like this one. The smaller vessel offers a more relaxed experience and sailing on the deck of this ship is pleasant. Even in gloomy weather. Whether you see or not see whales (and whether you get a good view or not) has much more luck in the equation than I like. I was not satisfied with what I saw (just tails) but I recognize this is neither the Captain's or crew's fault. It's part of the 'hunt'. (No star penalty for this) Part of what made the experience enjoyable is the fact that all passengers help scout for whale sign or whale tails. This will help the Captain determine the whale's bearing and helps time go by. I would have liked for the Captain to sail, though. Despite being on board a FANTASTIC sailboat (The America) we used the two motors all the time. It was a pleasant trip, but I didn't get to sail which was the first reason I picked this boat over the more commercial ones. (I took away one full star for this missed expectation.) I wish I had done this in better weather. I chose the B&W pictures to reflect the gloomy mood. The day I went was overcast, drizzling, and cold. The crew did what was in their power to keep passengers comfortable (warm blankets and hot chocolate), and this was nice. Thank you all if you, the crew, read this. read more

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What a fantastic experience! The boat was beautiful and we saw several blue whales and megapod of dolphins! The crew was fantastic and there were snacks and water on hand. Highly recommend! If you are in SD don't miss this special activity! read more

We really enjoyed our Charter aboard America for our company team building event! The crew was very friendly and the scenery and experience were a joy for all of us. She is a beautiful classic yacht kept up to the highest standards. She is very stable and smooth underway. Thank you Capt. Troy and crew! read more

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I must admit that the thought of whale watching made me think of a lovely day sailing on the water and seeing a whale tale in the far distance to get the check in the block for "whale watching." We've got a 10 and almost 7 yr old who were excited to see whales, and I was trying to figure out how to explain that you don't see whales the entire time. HOWEVER! we saw several Fin Whales (never heard of them before) which are second in size to the big Blue Whale. The captain had to through the boat in neutral no less than two times to avoid hitting the "mighty fish" (according to George Castansa) because they were so close. HOWEVER! Al (the one doing most of the talking) said that in 13 years of doing this, he had never seen that many so close to the ship, so don't get your hopes up! He works in the maritime museum too and was very knowledgeable and kept the trip amazingly fun! Overall this was one of the most amazing experiences I've had in my life! I hope that everyone who reads this has the same amazing experience! read more

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The crew of The America provided an epic day for us. Saw a pod of 20+ blue whales, the largest they've seen in nearly a decade!! Crew was friendly, knowledgeable and went above and beyond to provide stellar service. read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was a great tour. All of the staff was friendly and helpful. They offered blankets snacks and drinks throughout the trip. We saw a few blue whales, which was a very cool experience. The boat is awesome and the captain was full of knowledge. I 100% recommend this trip! read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

The crew and the ship took many precautions to keep everyone safe for Covid. Frequent wipe downs of all touch points and masks were required while moving about the yacht. We were all assigned an area that kept us distanced from other passengers. This was the closest I have ever come to a blue whale-highly endangered and she came right up to our beautiful hull. She probably thought we were a hunky male. The skipper and crew were so calm and took spectacular pictures for us so we could enjoy the moment. What a surreal trip that helped us forget about Covid. It was fun and safe and we had a spectacular time. I can't wait to go again. read more

Next Level Sailing - The Schooner America - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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The cruise was awesome. We didn't get to see any whales. Instead there was dolphins, which put on a show for us. I had never been on a sail boat let alone on the ocean. This land lover was afraid to leave shore but husband convinced me that I would be okay. Sure enough I was, no sea sickness and I loved every minute of it. We can't wait to return next year. Oh yes, the cruise was very educational as well. One of the crew members taught us what kind of whales we might see and about the dolphins that swam beside us. Loved it! read more

I booked this this adventure with the expectation of luxury, awesome views, whale sightings and friendly staff! Next level sailing NAILED IT! The boat was amazing, everyone was so knowledgeable and they all worked well together to provide an excellent and exciting experience! We had PLENTY of whale and dolphin action. If you want an EXPERIENCE this is where it's at! And trust me I'm hard to please LOL I loved everything read more

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This was an exceptional experience! The crew is friendly, engaging, attentive and create a welcoming environment for everyone. We were able to see a mama and baby blue whale and a pod of dolphins. Dress in layers as it does get chilly in the wind. Check in was simple, right across from the Best Western. The crew offers water, soda, and snacks on board. The water was mostly calm, and I didn't see anyone get sea sick on board. This trip was one of the most fun and special times we have had in san diego. We have done whale watching from the larger boats but never experienced it to close like on this vessel. Worth every penny! We also got a great deal on the family special for the day. read more

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My girlfriend and I had an amazing time. Fathom made the whole thing really come together. The Captain's knowledge of the boat and local area was an great benefit to the overall experience. The all members of the crew were very skilled and polite. The trip was great. Next Level Sailing made a special day very memorable. read more

Next Level Sailing - Massive main sail - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

It was a very enjoyable experience. The captain and crew were very helpful and knowledgeable.

A friend and I made the trip from LA. Best trip ever! Thank you to the team for making this a very enjoyable experience! The crew is very friendly, and Diana is incredible! Her passion and excitement for marine life made the experience all the better! They are very covid conscious and did a great job making us feel safe. I think I might have to make another trip to see the blue and grey whales with this crew! They are delightful! Thank you!! read more

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A fantastic day on the water! Troy, Diana and the crew are fantastic! Informative, attentive and knowledgeable a must do in San Diego!!!!

Amazing experience! Captain Troy, Fathom, Mile, Diana, and Kevin are amazing. They take such good care of their guests and go out of their way to make sure you have a great trip. Nature is unpredictable and they do everything they can to ensure you see one of these majestic creatures! Even if you don't get to see a whale the America is a beautiful ship and Fathom is an amazing guide!!! So glad that I did this trip read more

Next Level Sailing - Boat Charters Near Me - San Diego, California

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