Yesterday was my fourth charter dive with the Sanctuary. I really enjoy and recommend this boat, the crew is supportive and willing to do anything to make the diving as best as possible. They can't help the ocean, conditions will vary and yesterday the weather wasn't good enough to get to the best sites but diving Monterey is one of those activities where you just keep coming back until you hit amazing conditions. Thanks for all your good efforts Sanctuary! read more

I didn't dive with these guys but I'm a diver, I encountered them while kayak fishing at Carmel. They came in less than 50 yards of us and circled around going about 10 knots, I shouted for them to watch their wake. The captain responded, "this is the ocean, buddy!" Such an A-h013. Such an unsafe operator. I should have called the Coast Guard. My other kayak friends have had a similar encounter before read more

This review is for a Memorial at sea we scheduled with Sanctuary Charters on 8/12/18. Mike's team was amazing and they showed our group empathy, care and kindness. Our loved one recently passed on July 9, 2018 and we decided to book a private boat with Sanctuary Charters to drive out near the John Denver Memorial beach, which was her favorite spot to wish her love and peace. We threw roses in the ocean, read poems and speeches and played music in her memory all while Sanctuary Charters assured we were in the right spot to say our "see you again and love you" speeches. Although we were going out to sea for a memorial, it was such a peaceful and beautiful boat ride! We were in great hands with the captain and crew, thank you Sanctuary Charters for making a sad and anxious day beautiful and seamless. My family and I will book with you again in the near future. read more

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Great boat and crew! They only take 6 passengers/divers so great experience. They offer tanks on boat so you don't bring any and since they are steel 85 you can take lots of weight off! Nice cabin with galley filled with hot and cold beverages and snacks, including home made brownies. Capt Mitch and Tyler were awesome! Would dive with Sanctuary again! read more

Had a great time this weekend doing 2 dives in Monterey bay. Crew is highly competent and boat is was spacious. I'm looking forward to my next outing on The Sanctuary! read more

Great customer service, had to cancel due to change of plans and it was done promptly, I regret that I couldn't make it

The best diving boat in Monterey -- small load, 6 divers, personal care from the captain and crew... my favorite read more

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I booked two dives for Sunday with tanks and weights. I had to cancel the evening before and never expected a refund. Mike emailed me a refund and spot on a future dive. Above a s beyond customer service! I can't wait to dive with them in the future. Great job Mike read more

They Crew was amazing. Good site info as well as helping divers with gear and getting into and out of the water. Safety was always the priority. I am fairly new to diving and they kept the sites to a max of about 60'. I will be booking with them again. Just an amazing experience for me. We had great visibility was between about 40'. The boat was really nice and had a good assortment of snacks and drinks as well. read more

AVOID this complete jalopy of a dive operator at all costs!! It was the absolute WORST diving experience I've ever had in my life. My dive partner and other divers on the trip that day also had a terrible experience. In June of 2015, I went out with these incompetent bozos and made the unfortunate MISTAKE of hiring one of their dive guides to take me & another diver out to explore a couple of local dive sites near Carmel. We both have over 100 dives each and have never had problems with any dive operators before this disaster. The first problems became evident when the crew of Sanctuary's clearly too-smalla-boat-for-the-task made a bad decision to navigate into an endlessly churning, nauseating southerly path which got so choppy we almost capsized before they reluctantly turned back for calmer surface conditions. By the time we finally got to calmer water, I and other divers were already completely seasick and not in the best condition to dive. So I sat there throwing up and waited for the other nervous divers to jump in for Dive#1. After finally jumping in and now feeling all set to make the best of it, our dive master signaled to go down which I did to 15 ft only to see her frantic hand signals motioning for us to surface immediately. Unsure as to what was going on, I complied and when I re-surfaced, she said she forgot her dive computer and asked us to swim back to the now-rocking boat some 50 feet away. Really?? With the ferociously strong current lashing us and our air tanks wasting precious psi capacity, it was almost impossible to make any progress toward the dangerously bouncing boat. At this point, I lost all confidence in our guide and the crew for being reckless, incompetent and just plain FOOLISH to get us into such an uncomfortable position in the first place!!?? I told them I'm done with your BS & don't want to dive with you ever again and please take me back to dry dock because not only am I not enjoying my experience but you worry me and the other divers with your surprisingly bad judgements and unprofessional behaviors...So, to anyone looking to find a good dive operator in the area, I highly recommend looking elsewhere for your diving reservations in Monterey, CA as this subpar outfit needs to better learn the ABC's of how to provide both a safe, commercial service and a positive personal diving experience that doesn't leave such a bad taste in your mouth at the end of your journey!! It's true in every respect that the BOZO patrol at Sanctuary Charters is indeed out of control... read more

The captain and crew of this boat don't care about safety. My buddy and I where kayak fishing in the Carmel State Beach area on 4/2/16. The captain motored directly towards and circled us very closely not once but twice. The boats wake could have easily capsized us. I should have called a PanPan to the USCG about his unsafe actions. I have heard other kayakers tell the same story about his disregard to smaller boats. read more

My two kids and I had two excellent dives with Sanctuary yesterday. The crew was friendly and professional, and helped us out with gear setup issues and some fitting problems (we rented from Aquarius). They provided just the right amount of help and advice - enough to help us be safe, learn and advance, without being preachy or talking down. I'd say that these guys are an excellent choice for divers who may need a little more help and oversight than a larger outfit can deal with. Professionalism, care and diplomacy. Nice job - my kids and I had a lot of fun. read more

Two weeks out from our dive date, I was having a hard time finding a boat with openings. I happened upon Sanctuary Charters. I haven't gone diving in Monterey since I was a kid and that was from Breakwater Cove with my very experienced father so I wanted to do a boat dive with a guide to ensure an enjoyable experience. I originally had a group of 4, when one dropped out there were no issues over changing the reservation to 3. I had paid the extra money for a dive guide because Monterey can have low visibility and a few of us only have about 30-40 dives. Our Captain was Mitch and our dive guide was Danielle. Were were getting ready to head in and Danielle and I noticed a hissing sound coming from my rig. Turned out the secondary reg on my rented gear was free flowing. Danielle did her best to fix the issues but in the end it was decided it would be unsafe to dive with the amount of air it was dropping. One of us would have to sit the dives out. Once in the water, Danielle was very patient with us. Helping talk us through adjusting to the shock of the cold water (one of us had never dove Monterey before), relaxing and taking our time on the descent because the body naturally stresses out a bit when such temperatures hit your face. We started our descent, at about 50 feet I was having serious trouble equalizing. I had to ascend a bit, and kept trying, but my ear was just not cooperating. In the midst of all this my weight belt started slipping over my hips! I pointed to the weight belt and Danielle quickly retrieved it. We couldn't get it back on in the water so I had to get back on the boat and make adjustments. I was a bit annoyed and flustered. Mitch helped me sit down (I need a LOT of weight in Monterey, so movement above water is quite cumbersome), and made sure I was calm and relaxed before I got back in. I decided to try descending again. My ear just wasn't having it and after 4 (very patient on my buddy and Danielle's part) attempts, I had to abort the dive. I told my buddy and Danielle to go on with out me. I came back aboard and Mitch genuinely felt and understood my disappointment that I would not be able to dive that day, he was very kind and sympathetic. Since my friend and I are both about the same size and weight, she took the gear I wouldn't be able to use and got a dive in. She ALWAYS has trouble equalizing and can take quite a while to descend. Danielle was very attentive and helped her through it, again being very supportive and patient. She was the perfect guide, never trying to rush us, explaining ways to help us relax and letting us take all the time we needed to adjust to the frigid water and enjoy the dive. Mitch was a wonderful Captain and host. The boat is small but incredibly comfortable even with 6 divers aboard. In the end, though I couldn't enjoy the dives, I enjoyed the experience and would definitely book with Sanctuary again. read more

Sanctuary Charters is my favorite boat in Monterey. I know it's not nice to pick favorites but it really is no contest. With spots for six you will never be fighting for a place to sit or feel crowded, as you get ready to dive in the beautiful Monterey waters. Captain Mike and his crew are always professional and very helpful. They even help you get your gear to the boat on their some what mangled cart. The boat is warm inside and I swear the boat has the nicest head I have ever had the pleasure of using. I love going out with these guys and try to book this boat anytime I am up for some diving in Monterey. I always have a safe, fun time and can't wait to come back!!! read more

Many thanks to Sanctuary Charters for introducing me to the glories of Monterey Bay diving. The boat is small and personal and the dive guide very knowledgeable. My favorite sites were still in the Bay-- gorgeous anemone-packed pinnacles sparkling with life. It took me a few tries to get accustom to the murky drop down, but truly worth it once the bottom opens up. read more

I've had wonderful experiences with all the dive boats out of Monterey, but yesterday was my first trip aboard Sanctuary. All the dive boats are wonderful, but when you charter Sanctuary it's the difference between flying coach and first class. Mitch, our Captain, and Paula, our very serious and competent Divemaster made the day absolutely perfect. They are very experienced and know all the right places to dive for the current conditions. They are very attentive to all the divers and put safety first. Then, after your first or your last dive, go into the comfortable and warm Salon and enjoy some fresh brownies or a bag of chips or a head that looks like a beautiful bathroom in your own home. Oh, did I mention the hot water shower on deck? Yeah! There's that too. I know I will be chartering Sanctuary every month unless I'm diving somewhere else on earth. You should really check out Sanctuary! read more

Took this charter 8/27 sat. had a great time 2 tank dive laid us right on top of great spots thanks i will be back. Great crew

My family of four used Sanctuary Charters for our dive in Monterey. It was our first cold water and ocean dive. Mike and Paula are experienced divers and they were very helpful in accomodating our lack of experience. We had a GREAT time. Thank-you Mike and Paula for your professionalism. read more

I was on the Sanctuary last weekend. I've got something going on with my ears so couldn't dive but went on the boat anyhow as I had planned the trip with a friend. The boat, the day, Mike, everything was fabulous. As the other reviews say, this is a small boat, seats six, but unlike many small boats, it is extremely comfortable. There is a lovely inside cabin where you can sit between dives if your cold, or just to get out of the sun, wind, waterever. There is a warm shower and a real head, coffee and snacks and Mike is really the best. My girlfirend is a fairly new diver and Mike took great care of her. I look forward to going back and getting off the boat and into the water next time. read more

Unbelievable! The crew was fantastic. I can't say enough good things about Sanctuary. I don't want to ever dive another boat in Monterey again read more