Marine Discovery Tours
Marine Discovery Tours
4.7
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About
Welcome aboard Marine Discovery Tours - Oregon's #1 Whale & Sea Life Cruise! Whether you're traveling solo or with a group, we'd love to share our "Floating Adventure" endorsed by the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Teams of professional and friendly captains and naturalists tell stories that range from gray whales and other coastal sea life to the seasons of Oregon's largest fishing fleet! Fun activities await, as "volunteer deckhands" help with catch and release crabbing, plankton pulls with microscope viewing and navigation lessons. We are local experts who are passionate about delivering a fun, safe activity - you can count on our captain's seasoned knowledge to find the calmest routes on our ocean, bay and river ecosystems. We specialize in marine education field trips for over 7,000 students, annually. Tour groups love our "stretch limo" vessel with a heated cabin for all, seating and complimentary coffee and tea! We're happy to offer exclusive charters for Special Events from reunions to Celebrations of Life/Ashes at Sea - take over the Discovery as your own! Our cruise season is March - October - advance reservations are always a good idea!
Newport, Oregon
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.7
201 reviews
Excellent
162
Very good
26
Average
8
Poor
2
Terrible
3
tarit
2 contributions
Sept 2021
This is a must if you're visiting Newport. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Emma and Captain Nick were amazing. We learned so much about sea life, birds in the area and learned about crab boats, shrimp boats and so much more. Emma was very knowledgeable. We were fortunate to see a whale and it was fabulous. Captain Nick spotted it and cruised towards it and as we waited patiently it surfaced and blew through its hole 3 times then went under the water giving everyone on the boat a good wave with its tail. Even if we didn't see a whale, the tour was amazing. We will definitely be doing this cruise every time we visit Newport.
Written September 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary H
5 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We booked our outing on a whim and could not have been more pleased. The weather was splendid and the educational items were interesting. We were lucky enough to spend the majority of time in the presence of a magnificent gray whale. The captain relayed his own personal story about this particular whale which was good to hear firsthand knowledge as well as the information from the two marine biologists on board.
Written July 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nancy S
Langlois, OR2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
The ship itself was clean and pleasant - well cared for. The Captain was excellent, striving to show us as much wildlife as possible. He also gave you a sense of complete trust. The 2 young Scientists that handled the activities were completely genuine. They were very accommodating-great with the children and adults! Knowledgeable, pleasant and kind. Yes, it's a bit 'spendy' but worth it in my pinion.
Written August 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nanasnest
Spokane, WA121 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Excellent tour enjoyed by all of our family group ranging in age from 7-81. We were fortunate to see a large number of whales. The grandkids loved the activities put on by the naturalists. Dropping crab traps in the water on the way out and checking on them on the way back. Holding the crabs content in knowing that they were going back in the ocean. A fun day had by all.
Written September 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sven S
2 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
We went with our 2 kids. The team made the best out of a stormy day, which was why we couldn't go out to the sea. Trip on the river was nice. Kids got to see and touch some crabs and more. For that kind of a trip, I feel it is quite pricey though
Written July 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry T
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Friends
This trip is advertised as being a whale watching cruise. As we took off from the dock, we were told we were lucky as the water was fairly calm and the fog was not hugging the shore. We were told the whales stay close to shore this time of year and that we had a good chance of spotting some whales. The captain ventured out into the ocean and we traveled parallel to the coast looking for whales. After 30 minutes, he decided to give up on the whales and proceeded to cruise the river for the remaining 1-1/2 hours. Very disappointing and a waste of money for anyone hoping to see whales. I feel that this captain made very little effort to give us a whale watching opportunity.
Written July 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer M
7 contributions
Jul 2020
Our family had an incredible experience on the 2 hour excursion. We saw gray whales, porpoises, birds of prey, seals, and of course crabs. Delpha was always willing to answer our questions and help us have a great experience. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to get out on the ocean and see marine wildlife in it's habitat. We went during the summer of Covid and were very comfortable with the social distancing and disinfecting processes that they had in place.
Written July 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellijenn
Washougal, WA83 contributions
Aug 2020
The boat and crew were top notch. A little more crowded than we would have liked during covid. Some family groups just did not give enough space. The ride and guide information was great. We were able to spend time in the Pacific ocean and the bay. We did not see any whales on this trip, but did see a porpoise, seals, and plenty of sea lions.
Written September 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan B
Bangkok, Thailand2 contributions
Sept 2022 • Couples
An excellent impromptu excursion! We walked by the storefront and ended up on a wonderful two-hour cruise! The service was excellent. The gal at the front desk was smart, friendly, informative and not at all pushy (I hate pushy). The crew and boat felt very safe. The captain of the boat was skilled and welcoming. The naturalist, Emma, was knowledgeable, great with kids, engaging, clear and obviously felt a deep connection not only to the marine wildlife but to the nautical traditions of Newport and the current commercial fishing community.
Written September 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sumlee69
United States14 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
We had a great time! Captain Charlie was amazing and great with the kids. We got to catch and release crab, and saw a whale as soon as we left the harbor. The whole trip was amazing and well worth the money.
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How often do the tours run? And do I need a reservation?
Written November 1, 2018
I don't remember how often the tours run. It seemed like there was at least a morning and afternoon?? but maybe they go out more often than that during the busy season. Same as MrBill we had a large group so made a reservation a month or so in advance. I would make a reservation, even if it is just a day or so ahead. Our boat was full.
Written November 3, 2018
how many people are on a typical tour? one of tbe pictures show quite a large group.
Written February 19, 2018
AnchorPierTeam
Newport, Oregon
Thanks for the great question! Our boat cruises with a minimum of 15, to a maximum of 49 per departure. Please keep in mind that we have seating inside our spacious cabin for 49, as well as upper and lower outdoor decks with additional seating.
Our season runs from mid-March through the end of September - reservations are highly recommended. Give us a call at 541-265-6200 - we'd love to welcome you aboard!!!
Written February 19, 2018
We'll be on Oregon coast July 4th week. Are there whales to see? Asking from Colorado where surprisingly there are no whales to see!
Written June 2, 2017
AnchorPierTeam
Newport, Oregon
Thanks for the great question from Colorado and comments by Nancy P! We know that gray whales migrate in the spring, then feed during the summer and fall along Oregon's coast line. We have seen an increase lately with the wonderful ocean conditions that allow us to linger on the ocean. Nancy's comment is true - we love exploring a combination of our lovely ocean, bay and river systems with a team of naturalists aboard who tell great stories and present activities that are fun for volunteers of all ages. All in all - a terrific introduction to our Splendid Oregon Coast... hope you can join us on your visit :)
Written June 27, 2017
AnchorPierTeam
Newport, Oregon
Indeed, as one of our nice guests replied - the Discovery has a modern marine "head" - visualize a compact RV. "We never leave home without it"!
Looking forward to welcoming you aboard :)
Written May 27, 2017
Hello!! My family and I plan to head out to see the cost and my mom really wants to go whale watching. So I was wondering what your prices are? There will one kid under 12 and a 15-year-old, and hopefully two adults, (dad does not know if he can make it. My mom is coming for sure.)
Written March 31, 2017
AnchorPierTeam
Newport, Oregon
Hi - Delighted to hear that you want to visit our spectacular Oregon Coast! We are a perfect family activity... something for all ages to enjoy: Largest passenger vessel on the coast with inside seating in a heated cabin + double decks outdoors. We have the best & friendliest team: from the front desk... marine naturalists & professional captains = Great Vacation Experience! Our captains set a safety route on ocean, 4,000 acres of salt water estuary & up to 6 miles of inland river - different sea life, stories, activities in each area makes it always fun (and safe!).
Our family priced tickets are: $40/Adults - ages 13 & older; $25/Youth - ages 4 - 12; Free for toddlers 3 & under.
Please call us for final reservations at 541-165-6200. We'd love to welcome you aboard!
Written April 5, 2017
AnchorPierTeam
Newport, Oregon
Hello! Thanks so much for your interest - we offer two hour programs called a Sea Life Cruise. We have three rates: $40/Adult - ages 13 & older; $25/Youth - ages 4 - 12; Free - ages 3 & younger.
Please call us at 541-265-6200 for more questions & reservations - plan on exploring the Oregon Coast aboard the biggest passenger vessel (seating for all in a heated cabin + double outdoor decks) with friendly naturalists and fun stories and activities. We cruise from March to October - great idea to make reservations! We'd love to welcome you aboard :)
Written April 5, 2017
It is our anniversary on the first of April. How much does it cost?
Written March 18, 2017
It cost us around $40. Weather changes so much out there. The Harbor Captain is the one who decides if ANY ships can go out. The Coast Guard is ALWAYS out there watching. That's a good thing!
I hope you're able to spend it out on the ocean. It's worth it. At least I thought so.
Written March 20, 2017
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