Princess Monterey Whale Watching

What Princess Monterey Whale Watching does

Princess Monterey Whale Watching is a privately-held whale watching tour operator based at 96 Fisherman's Wharf #1 in Monterey, California. The company runs year-round daily departures on two US Coast Guard-certified vessels — the 110ft Princess Monterey (250-passenger capacity) and the 100ft Atlantis Monterey (150-passenger capacity) — both equipped with heated indoor cabins, restrooms, snack bars, and limited VIP upper-deck seating. It is owned by Benji Shake, who has 40+ years of experience in the local sport fishing and whale watching business.

The core product is a 2.5–3 hour narrated whale watching cruise, supplemented by Killer Whale Adventures, Sunset Bay Cruises, Specialty Cruises, Private Charters, and K-12 Marine Education Field Trips. All tours are narrated by marine biologists or naturalists, and the company reports a 98–99% whale and dolphin sighting success rate year-round, backed by a rain-check guarantee. Trips target tourists, families, and educational groups visiting the Monterey Bay area.

The business runs a direct-to-consumer model: ticket sales flow through the FareHarbor online booking platform embedded on its website, supplemented by phone reservations and walk-up sales at the dock. Marketing is conducted through educational SEO content on marine species, social media (Instagram, YouTube, X), and review-driven channels (TripAdvisor, Yelp). Revenue is generated primarily from per-ticket cruise sales, with secondary streams from VIP upper-deck upgrade fees, private charters, and onboard snack bar purchases. The company has no identified parent, private equity backing, or institutional investors.

Name

Princess Monterey Whale Watching

Legal name

Princess Monterey Whale Watching

Website

https://montereywhalewatching.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Princess Monterey Whale Watching is a privately-held Monterey Bay tour operator running year-round whale watching cruises aboard the two largest vessels in the local fleet, serving tourists, families, and school groups through direct-to-consumer ticket sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Wildlife Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA), Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Whale watching tours
• Marine wildlife cruises
• Ocean sightseeing excursions
• Monterey Bay cruises
• Marine biology tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Monterey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Whale Watching Tour Tickets: Revenue generated from ticket sales for whale watching cruises. Standard tours run 2.5-3 hours. Additional revenue from VIP upper deck seating upgrades, private charters, and group bookings. Snack bar on board sells food and beverages.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Princess Monterey Whale Watching operates narrated whale watching cruises from Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf aboard two vessels — the 110-foot Princess Monterey and the 100-foot Atlantis Monterey. Its lineup includes standard whale watching cruises, Killer Whale Adventures, Sunset Cruises, private charters, and educational school field trips, all narrated by marine biologists.

Product overview

Princess Monterey Whale Watching operates as a whale watching tour company offering multiple cruise experiences from Monterey Bay. The core offerings include standard Whale Watching Tours, Killer Whale Adventures, Sunset Bay Cruises, and Specialty Cruises. The company also provides Private Charters and Marine Education Field Trips for school groups. They operate two vessels: the 110 ft Princess Monterey (250 passenger capacity) and the 100 ft Atlantis Monterey (150 passenger capacity), both featuring heated indoor cabins, restrooms, snack bars, and outdoor seating. All tours are narrated by marine biologists/naturalists, and the company maintains a 98-99% success rate for whale sightings year-round.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whale Watching Cruises Standard narrated whale watching cruises aboard the 110-foot Princess Monterey or the 100-foot Atlantis Monterey, departing from Fisherman's Wharf. Cruises are narrated by marine biologists and feature onboard amenities such as a snack bar, restrooms, and optional VIP upper-deck seating. Designed for individual tourists, families, and small groups seeking a guided marine wildlife experience in Monterey Bay.
• Killer Whale Adventures Specialty cruise focused on locating and observing killer whales (orcas) in Monterey Bay, departing from Fisherman's Wharf on the company's vessels. Targeted at tourists and marine wildlife enthusiasts seeking a focused orca experience rather than a general whale watching cruise.
• Sunset Cruises Scenic evening cruise experience on Monterey Bay timed to the sunset, departing from Fisherman's Wharf on Princess Monterey's vessels. Aimed at tourists, couples, and small groups looking for a non-whale-focused scenic and atmospheric experience.
• Private Charters

Quantifiable outcome

• 98-99% success rate for whale and dolphin sightings year-round

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Captain Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari: Dana Point, California operator of whale watching excursions serving the Southern California coast. Comparable business model with marine biologist narration and underwater viewing, but operating in a different geographic market.
• Island Packers: Channel Islands / Ventura operator running whale watching excursions to view gray whales, humpbacks, and blue whales. Similar California coastal whale watching model but anchored in the Southern California island ecosystem.
• Dolphin Excursion (Hawaii Ocean Project): Hawaii-based operator offering marine biologist-led dolphin and whale watching tours. Similar marine biologist-narrated tour model targeting eco-conscious tourists, but operating in Hawaiian waters rather than Monterey Bay.
• Newport Coastal Adventure: Newport Beach, California operator offering small-group whale and dolphin watching excursions. Comparable narrated marine wildlife tour product targeting families and tourists, but serving the Orange County coastal market.
• Harbor Breeze Cruises: Long Beach, California operator offering whale watching and harbor cruises from the Southern California coast. Similar narrated boat tour business model but serves the LA-area tourist market rather than Monterey Bay.

Emerging players

• Point Reyes National Seashore Association (whale watching tours): Operates seasonal whale watching and naturalist-led tours out of Point Reyes along the Northern California coast. Comparable educational wildlife tour model but at smaller scale and a more seasonal offering.

Direct peers

• Monterey Bay Whale Watch: Direct competitor operating whale watching tours in Monterey Bay from the same Fisherman's Wharf area. Competes for the same tourist customer base with similar 2-3 hour narrated cruises and overlapping seasonal product.
• Sanctuary Cruises: Moss Landing-based whale watching operator on Monterey Bay offering narrated wildlife cruises with catamaran vessels. Direct competitor targeting similar eco-tourist and family segments in the same bay ecosystem.
• Blue Ocean Whale Watch: Moss Landing operator running small-boat whale watching tours on Monterey Bay with marine biologist narration. Competes in the same bay with a more intimate-capacity vessel experience targeting similar eco-tourist customers.

Broad incumbents

• Oceanic Society Expeditions: Established nonprofit running whale watching and marine wildlife expeditions globally with naturalist-led interpretation. Comparable educational/eco-tourism positioning with broader geographic reach and conservation mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pmww
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC37xbpHiOIw63Sw_V2Locjw
• Facebooktripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32737-d561108-Reviews-Princess_Monterey_Whale_Watching-Monterey_Monterey_County_California.html
• Instagraminstagram.com/princessmontereywhalewatching
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/princessmontereywhalewatching

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Princess Monterey Whale Watching