Whale Watching in Cabo???

[TeacherJenn]

Has anyone gone on the whale watching cruise from NCL in Cabo? I am going on a cruise in December and it is prime time for whale watching. Just wondering what the boat is like as we have our 2 1/2 year old son. He loves animals, but I want to make sure it is not on a tiny zodiac or something like that. Also is it worth the $$?

 

Thanks!

[Caro C]

NCL uses a double decker boat for their big boat whale watching (Cabo Sol, Cabo Mar, Caborey, etc.) All have a capacity of 150+ and are geared towards more sedate crowds - some play music, some have comentary, most have domestic bar. Small children are not allowed on their zodiac whale watching. That is a tour for people who want to get upclose to the whales and have more interaction with them - the guides give more one on one info about the whales. Both are very popular and both good tours but totally aimed at different crowds. You will probably see whales in December but early February is the prime time here in Cabo.

[TeacherJenn]

Thanks that helps. It says in the description December to March, but if February is the primetime, that helps me make a decision.

[SDPadreFan]

The whales are present from December - March (sometimes arriving a little earlier, sometimes departing a little later).

 

We've found early February to be the best. Unless you get tired of seeing the whales jumping and splashing around constantly. It is a slightly more difficult time to just see a graceful tail raising and then disappearing into the ocean. It happens, but they do seem more playful in February.

 

Here is a link to my pics shot from the Catamaran Pez Gato in early Feb 2008. We saw the whales so much that it ALMOST became boring to see them again when we went on a Sunset Dinner Cruise on SunRiders the next evening.

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562535753iirWdb

 

Depending upon the port times for your ship, you could easily book the excursion on your own. Figure the cost to be $30 - 50 per person depending on the type of ship. Could be less for children. There are many great catamarans and traditional boats like SunRiders, CaboRey, etc. in Cabo. We like the catamarans best for the whale watching.

 

Your son will also get to see the sea lion colony out by the Arch. In this case, the bigger boats will have to stay slightly further away from the rock the sea lions call home. The catamarans get a little closer, the small boats (zodiacs, glass bottom boats, water taxi's) get the closest to the sea lions.