FAQs

Weather and Cancellation Policy

Legacy Whale Watch strives to offer you the best overall experience possible, we are sometimes forced to cancel a trip due to weather conditions. Often times these conditions come without ample warning. We will always do our best to cancel a trip due to weather with ample lead time, but this is not always possible. If we cancel a trip due to weather you are eligible for a full refund or you may reschedule your trip at that time. Although not often, Legacy Whale Watch also holds the right to cancellation due to under subscription of the excursion.

Do You Guarantee Whales?

We will try our hardest to find whales and dolphins for you on every trip we make, but if we happen to fall short on our goal of finding either, we will provide the guests of that trip with a voucher for a free ride to be used on a later cruise.

Will I Get Seasick?

Everyone has different susceptibility to motion sickness. The Legacy was built in and for use in the Pacific Northwest where the ocean is generally more turbulent and we are confident in the stability of the vessel, but if you are one that has motion sickness in the past, we urge you to utilize a solution for this trip. There are many options available, ranging from wrist bands, over the counter medicine, ginger root, and prescription medication. Some medicines work better if you start them an hour or more in advance. We have had great results with ‘Bonine’ which is available for purchase at the office when you check in or on board.

Are Infants Allowed?  Discounted Rates?

Infants are allowed.  Infants aged 0-2 are free.  Youth aged 3-15, Seniors aged 62+ and Active Military are discounted rates.  Please select the appropriate number of Adults, Seniors, Youth, Active Military and Infants during checkout.

Do You Have Any Age or Pregnancy Restrictions?

We do not have any restrictions on age or status of pregnancy.  Of course we do recommend anyone pregnant to confirm with their healthcare staff that they can be out on the water, away from emergency services for an excursion like ours.  In regards to passengers of all ages, you will be on a moving vessel on an ocean that creates a moving platform.  Please always keep at least 3 points of contact on the boat.  Please avoid running, jumping or any other hazardous activities.  Always travel with enough adults to keep very close attention on each of your children and use this as an opportunity to educate them on ways to stay safe on the ocean.

When is the Best Whale Watching Season?

Although the Legacy goes whale watching year round for many different species; the best California Gray Whale season is historically December-April. We see a lot more Blue Whale, Minke Whale, Finback Whales, and Humpback Whales in the warmer waters of the Summer.

How Do You Know Where the Whales Are?

Our captains and naturalists work together in developing strategies based off migration habits, water temperatures, chlorophyll levels, and other objective measurements. Experience on the water plays a large part in developing our strategies for finding wildlife.

What Else Can You See Besides Whales?

There is plenty to see on these tours besides whales. There are numerous species of dolphins and porpoise as well as sea lions. San Diego County has over 500 species of birds in it’s county. The Audubon society states that San Diego has more species of birds in a single county than any other county in the United States. It also has more species of bird than any other place in the United States of comparable size.

What is Your Cancellation Policy?

All cancellations must be done over the phone, during business hours.  You cannot cancel your trip via email or any kind of digital messaging.

You may cancel up to 24 hours before the departure time of your trip for a full refund minus 10%.

What About Parking?

Park at 1717 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109

We have free parking available in the lot here at 1717 Quivira Rd.  The neighboring businesses to either side of our lot are towing aggressively.  Please do not park in Seaforth Boat Rentals, Seaforth Marina, Marina Village parking lots, or you do risk being towed.  The only place that we recommend parking is in our lot at 1717 Quivira Rd (Seaforth Sportfishing) or out on ‘Quivira Rd’ where it is designated.  Although we have a large parking lot, on certain days at busy times, it will fill.  We recommend getting here for your trip early.  There is almost always parking available, even on the public street, a short walking distance away.

If you have any questions as to where to park, please call us on the phone ahead of time (619-309-1680) or confirm you are in a good spot when you check-in at the front desk inside Seaforth Sportfishing.

Can We Bring Food and Drink on the Boat?

You are welcome to bring food and drink on the boat, with a few restrictions. No alcohol, coolers, or glass containers. Also, please be aware of your fellow passengers; please don’t bring foods with strong offensive smells. We also ask you not to chew sunflower seeds on the boat.