Baja Cruise Reviews

John K. - Albuquerque, NM

"Beautiful Ship & a Wonderful Crew"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

We did the Loreto to La Paz cruise aboard the Westward in December 2018 - January 2019, with a 2-day rock art trip before the cruise. It was an excellent trip, with a well-maintained, comfortable, beautiful ship and a wonderful crew. A local resident in Loreto recommended the ship. Everything was wonderful!

[I most enjoyed the] rock art: the great mural site is gorgeous, both the hike to it and the images. Swimming with whale sharks: we had an unusually good experience, the sharks are really impressive; snorkeling over schools of sardines and colorful fish; some gorgeous hikes. We did a number of hikes, three or four kayak trips, and three snorkel excursions (fish watching; swim with young sea lions; swim with whale sharks in the La Paz harbor). Hike lengths were up to about 2 miles, on good trails. An advantage of a small boat is that it can anchor quite close to shore, so kayak trips and skiff trips to the beach are shorter.

The boat has snorkel gear and shorty wet suits (with shoulders; if you buy your own, shoulders help keep you warm). You typically spend 2 to 4 hours off the ship during a day; the Westward has an excellent library of several hundred books (field guides, natural history, history, adventure, travel, fiction) covering Baja, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest (if you like to read, you'll find lots to choose from).

Accommodations Review

Staterooms on the Westward are comfortable; choice does not matter much (we spent little time in them except for sleeping or resting). The enclosed fantail is a great place to watch the scenery. The mid-ship parlor is also very comfortable.

Meals Review

Tracie does an excellent job accommodating dietary needs (we had one pescatarian; most dinners had fish appetizer or soup and main course), but needs details in advance. Portions are moderate and satisfying (not huge). Excellent use of fresh produce and fish. We tend to eat much more simply; I enjoyed the fine cuisine, but my wife would have preferred a simpler cuisine.

Traveler Advice

There is no wi-fi availability for almost the entire trip, so be prepared to enjoy not being connected! We liked the north-to-south trip, as highlights of the trip (swim with sea lions and whale sharks) came at the end.

Crew & Guides Review

Captain Bill is warm, friendly, interesting, and does everything he can to ensure that passengers have a great experience. Chef Tracie is a talented cook, with many years of experience (some in outstanding restaurants), who prepares excellent food, including 3-course dinners, nicely presented, with wine pairings. Our naturalist guide Carlos was born and raised in La Paz, speaks excellent English, and knows the fauna and flora very well. He was exceptionally helpful to my wife, who is less mobile than were the other guests. He also prepared a video with highlights of still photos and videos, distributed to guests as we left. Carlos is exceptionally knowledgeable, good humored, helpful. The thumb drive he gave us has a really wonderful selection of photos and videos (he uses an underwater go-pro, so there are great videos of schools of fish, seal lions, whale sharks).

Carol M. - Colchester, UK

"Special Trip with Special People"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

"Age is just a number” and so 70 new things to do before I reach 70 is my quest. I found the perfect answer with AdventureSmith Explorations. Plenty of relaxation, wonderful food immaculately presented, not to mention the exciting activities. I kayaked, snorkeled with whale sharks feeding on plankton, swam with playful sea lion pups, got close up to a baby grey whale, spotted birds plus five types of whale, hiked round cactus, ate marshmallows round a camp fire and only fell off the stand-up paddle board once. So close to nature. So far away from the rest of the world. This was a special trip with special people.

Accommodations Review

The trip of a lifetime on “Westward” ticked at least 20 first time experiences -the main one being living aboard the most beautifully restored 84 year old 87’ Historic Registered Vessel. It felt rather like being transported back to the 1930s as a guest on a friend’s yacht.

Crew & Guides Review

Bill, Tracie and Carlos’ love of Baja and all its wildlife is outstanding. From details of the largest creature on earth, the Blue Whale, to the life of the tiny Lion ant all imparted informally, no lectures. With such a small group and no fixed itinerary Captain Bill can allow for interests, preferences, photo opportunities and can make the best of the weather; you are at sea after all.

Mark & Jeane Z. - Calistoga, CA

"Exactly As Advertised"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

This trip was exactly as advertised – among the great whales, so close you could literally touch them. The ship and food were excellent with a superb, very attentive staff.

Accommodations Review

The room onboard was small but very comfortable.

Meals Review

We really enjoyed the local and organic produce, fresh pastries, and great wine list.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

AdventureSmith did a great job, we felt very prepared heading into the trip. We were absolutely delighted with this trip and would not hesitate to book another expedition in the future.

Kaye L. - Olympia, WA

"Great Snorkeling, Great Food, Great Crew"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

Great snorkeling, great food, wonderful beverages, great whale watching, great crew.

Accommodations Review

I thought our cabin was in the perfect location. We had a gorgeous view and no one could walk past our window. We were also close to the lounge and dining room.

Meals Review

Snacks at 4 pm instead of 5 pm or 6 pm would have been nice.

Crew & Guides Review

Jeremy did a terrific job of organizing our activities. Getting small groups into snorkeling, or kayaking, or hiking, or scenic boating was amazing! We felt very safe snorkeling.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Your packing list was fine but the boat provided binoculars and water bottles so we didn't need to pack them. [Our Adventure Specialist] was very helpful in choosing a cabin.

Jeff B. - Santa Fe, New Mexico

"Prepare for a Real Adventure"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

I truly don't think it could have been better.

Meals Review

Excellent. They were kind enough to meet my vegan requests!

Crew & Guides Review

All superb...especially appreciated Merith and Mike. Also, the on-ship personnel were great, in particular Jennie and Josh, stewards.

Itinerary Review

Liked them all! [I most enjoyed] hikes on the islands and skiff tours. Made most everything available to all.

Traveler Advice

Prepare for a real adventure, geared for most 'age groups'!

Rich H. - Las Vegas, NV

"Our Whole Family Enjoyed the Experience"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

4 /5

Meals

4 /5

We most enjoyed swimming with the Sea Lions, watching our kids play with them and the trip to watch the whales. And the snorkeling. And the hiking. And the burro ride. And and and.....

Crew & Guides Review

Jeremy, Sara, Lindsey, JP, Megan. All very professional, safety conscious, informative, and FUN. It was special seeing familiar faces in the crew and enjoying new ones. Our whole family really enjoyed the experience.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

As always everything was great. Thanks! We're ready for the next one.

Baja Cruise Reviews

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