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Choosing & Booking a Charter
Choosing & Booking a Charter

A straightforward guide to finding and booking your perfect charter experience with Waterhorse Charters.

Karina Weisman avatar
Written by Karina Weisman
Updated over a week ago

Activities

Public Trips

๐Ÿงœโ€โ™‚๏ธ Certified divers, including locals, travelers, and dive clubs (ride-alongs are welcome, snorkelers in select trips).

Exclusive access

Access to exclusive, boat-only dive sites like Wreck Alley, Point Loma, and the Coronado Islands. We ensure a top-notch diving experience with a skilled crew and quality amenities (hot shower!) aboard our boats. Non-divers, freedivers, and snorkelers can also join select trips.

Unparalleled convenience

Tanks and weights are included and will be waiting on board along with hot soups, snacks, and beverages. We'll help you with your gear, proper weighting, yolk, and DIN valves, and pair you up with a buddy if needed.

Private Dive Charters

๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธ Dive shops, dive clubs, groups of diving friends, and scientific, government, and military groups.

Small and large groups

For those seeking a personalized diving adventure, our private dive charters offer flexibility and privacy. Our boats can fit groups of up to 21 divers and offer the same high-quality service and amenities as our public trips.

Cost-effective, easy to organize

Booking a private dive charter can reduce the cost per spot by approximately 25%. For your convenience, secure your charter date with a $189 deposit and pay the remaining balance at check-in. We also offer payment-splitting options then.

Mission Bay Boat Rentals

๐Ÿ’ƒ Young adults, bachelor and bachelorette parties, family reunions, and corporate teams.

All things celebration

Our private Mission Bay cruises are the perfect choice for anyone looking to celebrate in style without overspending. These cost-effective cruises offer a unique celebration venue on the water.

No booze surcharges

With our BYOB option, you can enjoy the freedom to party your way. Choose from our fleet of 3 party boats, each ready to host gatherings of up to 12 or 24 guests. For larger parties, opt for a 'flotilla' or a 'boat raft' by reserving 2 or 3 boats simultaneously to amplify the party.

We cover the basics

Tailor your cruise with options like Mission Bay tours, cove stops, park views, ocean sunsets, and even fireworks on special dates (based on SeaWorld's schedule). Our crew's dedication to fun and safety ensures your cruise is a hit from start to finish. Each cruise comes with ice, a cooler, a Bluetooth speaker, a paddleboard, and bean bags for your fun.

Hourly prices, easy to organize

Prices stay the same, no matter how many join. Choose a 2 to 5-hour cruise, tell us when, and we'll quickly provide a quote, ensuring an easy and memorable celebration planning. Secure your party cruise with a $189 deposit and pay for the charter at check-in. We also offer payment-splitting options then.

Private Ocean Safari

๐Ÿค“ Researchers, families, groups of non-diving marine enthusiasts, and snorkelers.

Catered ocean activities

Offering snorkeling, marine research, whale watching, and shark encounters, this experience connects you with the ocean in a uniquely San Diego way. Our knowledgeable crew, divers passionate about the ocean and its inhabitants, will guide you through an experience entirely tailored to your group.

Small and large groups

This activity is suited for groups between 2 to 24 guests looking for a unique marine adventure. If you need to go out to the ocean - whatever your reason - one of our 2 ocean-going boats can take you there.

All-inclusive experience

While we canโ€™t guarantee sightings of specific species, we craft each safari to make the most of current conditions and aim to fulfill your group's wishes. From snacks and beverages to the full gear needed for snorkeling, weโ€™ve got everything covered for a hassle-free adventure.

Easy to organize

To book this personalized experience, simply request a private charter and secure your date with a $189 deposit. Balance due paid at check-in and we offer payment-splitting options.

Activity Fine Print

Certification

For safety, we match activities to experience levels: no uncertified scuba diving, snorkeling in challenging spots, freediving in deeper areas, or open water divers on advanced trips, unless part of an advanced class with us.

๐Ÿฆญ Individuals or groups of snorkelers can also join select trips without any diving certification.

Accessibility

Our shop and boats are equipped to assist guests with special needs. If that's your case, please contact us in advance so we can ensure your experience is comfortable and accessible.

Waitlist

If your date is booked, join our waitlist here. Weโ€™ll contact you if a spot opens up.

Booking Policy


Add-ons

๐Ÿคฟ Air tanks (LP steel 85s or AL80s) and weights are provided for all scuba activities. If you have a specific preference, please bring 1 tank/dive.

Enhance your diving experience with our range of add-ons, designed to make your adventure with us even more memorable:

Rental Gear

Comprehensive gear available, including regulators with computers, BCDs, 7mm wetsuits in various sizes, hoods, gloves, booties, fins, masks, and snorkels. You can guesstimate your sizing and we'll prepare a bin for you to try everything on at check-in. If any item doesn't fit you well, we have a whole selection of alternatives for you.

Nitrox Tanks

Enhance your dive with 32% Nitrox tanks, blended and banked in-house. Available for $17 per tank for certified Enriched Air Nitrox (EAN) divers, with a limit of 2 per diver. They are not mandatory in any of our trips.

1-Day Scuba Certifications

Aside from our multiday certification options, you can complete one of the following certifications in just one boat trip with us: Boat Diver, Nitrox, ReActivate (refresher), or Underwater Photography certifications.

Purchase them online, and weโ€™ll connect you with one of our crew instructors to guide you through the process, including the eLearning portion you'll need to complete before your dive. Come for your trip and leave certified, with your certification card sent directly to you, plus a complimentary dive membership pass, which will guarantee you the most affordable San Diego boat diving rates.

VIP: Guided Experience

While on board, our captains and deckhands provide detailed dive briefings, but our dives are unguided. Experienced divers, especially those confident in their navigation abilities, may choose to dive without a guide.

Choosing a VIP guided experience means getting the most out of your dive, with safety and enjoyment as top priorities. For a personalized experience, we strongly suggest considering a VIP guided dive, particularly if you:

  • Are new to diving or haven't dived in salt or cold water before.

  • Prefer not to be paired with someone you haven't met before.

  • Are diving in a kelp forest for the first time.

  • Feel unsure about your navigation skills.

  • Looking for expert insights into the dive site.

๐Ÿ‘ฏ We're always ready to pair you with a compatible buddy if needed, ensuring everyone has a partner.


Prices, Deals & Promo Codes

Our charter pricing is transparent and all-inclusive. No fees will be added at check-out. They also vary depending on booking time, occupancy, seasonality, and day of the week.

๐Ÿ‘‰ Request a quote

For a detailed overview of our base prices and our active promo codes refer to the PDF linked at the end of this article.

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