Chardonnay Sailing Charters

My wife and I just took our first trip with this company and I can assure you that we will be back. The only thing I wish we would’ve done is dress a little warmer. It’s colder than you think out there, so bring an extra layer! The service and the food trays were outstanding. The bread and cheese tray was a real winner and both the fruit and vegetable trays were fresh and arranged beautifully. My only knock on the experience was the quality of wine… The Cabernet was very average. However, we will be back. Worth the price.

My husband and I went on our 4 year anniversary for the Thursday evening special as that was the day our anniversary fell on. It was a wonderful experience. My first time out at sea since I moved to the area in 1984. We will definitely be back and try one of the other featured sails. The crew was wonderful and the others who were on the charter with us all seemed friendly and to be having a good time. This night happened to be bring your own food and drink and we had come prepared. While we were waiting a couple of men we had been conversing with thought they were going to get pizza and beer, as had before. I told them that was a different night and they were able to rush up to the store and back to get some beer. Make sure you check out all the different special themes occurring each day or night, and come prepared. Aloha!

Absolutely spectacular!
I took my wife and kids out for the whale watching. It was so amazing. The boat is beautiful, the staff is so professional. It is such a first class experience I cannot say enough.
Treat yourself!

This was probably our 20^th time on the Chardonnay and it was as good as it has always been. We like the «Taste of Santa Cruz» sail on Sundays because they always provide food from a local restaurant or caterer and it is always good! Of course the beer, wine and sodas are included which adds to the fun. The cost for the value of the sail and food is well worth it and the crew always caters to its clientele. We’ve never had a bad trip. Thanks Chardonnay

I was disappointed with the experience. First of all, your directions to your locations were poor. I had done a sail with Team O’Neill a couple of years ago & I assumed your location was on the south side of the harbor, like their’s is. Fortunately I was 30 minutes early, so was able to get directions and drive around to your north side location. The sailing & the captain were fine, but the food & wine service was much slower than on the O’Neill boat & the wines that MJA picked were not nearly as good as what I have tasted in their tasting room.

Friendly and knowledgeable crew. Came around with food, champagne, whale artifacts and had some close viewings of grey and humpback whales… And sea lions of course! Great day!

Winw and cheese sail on fourth of July. i can’t say enough about our time. took two girlfiends from out of town. they had enjoyed so much. loved the music and Skipper Joe was so very nice.
everyone that santa cruz MUST a day of sailing on The Chardonnay.

The sunset cruise was amazing. Captain and crew were fun and professional. When in Santa Cruz I would do this again and encourage my friends if vacationing in the area. The boat was at capacity but did not feel crowded. Great wine and good snacks too!

We went on the Wednesday sail boat race charter and it was amazing. The crew was fun and super nice. There was plenty of pizza, beer, wine, and soda. Plus, apparently you can bring your own food and drinks too. The route was perfect, from the harbor to west cliff and the sights were breathtaking. I do have one small complaint though which is that the music seemed a little bit too loud, but still a 5 star worthy experience.

Last night we went aboard the vessel to watch the Monte Foundation Fireworks. The crew was excellent but the captain and route and viewing of the fireworks was awful.
We arrived in front of the fireworks just in time for the finale and struggled to see over the top of the bow bouncing and peoples heads to view them. The music was blasting on the vessel the entire trip so nary a water sound and barely a fireworks sound. All to turn around and meander in the dark back to port.
That is not how this event should have been experienced nor handled. It should have been a get there and watch event and instead it was anything but. I was lucky to see anything at all.
Awfully sad and frustrated I sat in the cold for nothing and missed fireworks for a year.
I have been on the vessel for a day cruise and it is a nice way to see Santa Cruz from a different perspective.
So you know the Chardonnay responded to me saying that this event was successful and that according to them how it was intended. Therefore I cannot recommend them.

My girlfriend bought us both a day sailing with some sushi for my birthday present. As we were getting ready, about thirty minutes before leaving, we received a call from Chardonnay explaining to us that the boat we were planning to be on that day was «broken». We rescheduled for the next weekend which was unfortunate for my gf because she drove all the way from Sacramento and was going to have do it again.
It was hard to find Chardonnay and took an extra 10 minutes or so.
The staff were all super nice and entertaining.
The sushi was not what we were expecting. It was kind of like they went and purchased three or four big sushi party size rolls and brought them to the boat. It was good sushi but pretty basic types: california roll, vegetarian, etc; we wouldve like to see more variety.
Sailing the Santa Cruz bay was spectacular! By far one of the coolest experiences my gf and I have had together. All together 3 stars because we were looking forward to the sushi and were kind of let down; everything else was great as expected

Went on the afternoon pizza charter. It was awesome and the day was perfect– warm with clear sunny skies while sounds from the 60s and reggae filled the air.
The crew was super awesome. The ladies were friendly, funny and attentive with beautifully strong legs (motivated me to work on my legs)! Our captain was so awesome. He was very knowledgeable and experienced. He allowed me sail for 45 minutes. He gave me some pointers, assisted me when I needed a little help but let me be a skipper!
The pizza was better than I had anticipated. They served pepperoni, tomato feta, cheese, and pesto. All of it was delicious served with wine and beer.
The overall experience: the crew, service, food, wine, weather and atmosphere was breathtaking.

2 hrs of fun, just don’t expect any real sailing, crew are great the sights are splendid, we saw sea otters, seals, sea lions & 1 whale
Wines were local & decent, food was Cheese & bread followed by Veggies & lastly fruit all eaten off a napkin

I’ve lived in Santa Cruz for over 10 years so when my parents suggested a Sunset Cruise with the Chardonnay II for my 30^th birthday, I almost turned it down for an alternate plan. I’d seen the sailboat cruising the bay in the past and imagined it to be a tourist-​trap I couldn’t possibly be excited about. Boy was I a Judgey-​McJudgerson. And wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.
Everyone in our group had a great time on the Chardonnay, even after the fog rolled in and the «sunset» part of our cruise quickly disintegrated. Instead, we saw whales! It was also very cool to see the sea lions at the wharf from water-​level.
Don’t expect the snacks to be a replacement for a meal, but there was enough for everyone. The wine was plentiful, I think they probably did four rounds of refills! The captain was a ton of fun and the crew were helpful and quick-​moving.
We were chilled and wind-​swept by the time we hit the dock that night, but all in all we had a great time and I would definitely do it again.

Fan freaking tastic!
We did the afternoon pizza tour. From a pure value perspective, they provided lunch, a bunch of beer and wine, and pizza! Honestly, a nice lunch on the town would have cost about as much as this sailing tour.
And we got to see whales! And dolphins! And kelp!
The folks running the ship were friendly and accommodating. It was a great day out on the water.

Was a fun time! We were taken care of by the staff who were friendly. The one odd thing is that the captain handed out his real estate card to quite a few of my fellow sailing buddies. Overall, though, a great time.

Sailing in general is a ton of fun, sailing with a crew that truly cares about giving their clients the best experience is what I call perfection sailing. Perfect Sailing was exactly what I experienced!!!
Whales
Sunset
Wine
Beer
Romance
Laughs
Beautiful shore lines
Etc etc

Wow! Wonderful experience! We booked a brewmaster sail last Saturday as part of our bachelorette weekend in Santa Cruz, and we were not disappointed!
The staff was helpful in the lead up to the event, calling to confirm the reservation, take payment and give us the run down of where to park and what to wear.
The day itself was gorgeous, perfect sailing weather (or so they said, I’ve never been sailing before), we didn’t even need the jackets we brought along in case it got chilly. This particular charter featured beer from a local brewery, Uncommon Brewers, and pizza from Upper Crust. The 11 of us girls posted up near the front of the entrance so we could secure the forward area of the sailboat. I’d definitely recommend getting on the boat first so you can take your pick of the seats!
The 2 hour tour took us north and stayed pretty close to shore, we even spotted some otters and sea lions along the way! During the tour, staff walked around the boat serving the beer and pizza, so we didn’t have to move much during the ride — which is good because it can get pretty rocky out there, and there is a fall risk.
Overall, I’d say it was a highlight of our celebratory weekend, and the whole party enjoyed themselves! If you’re looking for a fun group activity, I’d highly recommend Chardonnay Sailing for an entertaining, fun, and exciting way to get out and see Santa Cruz.

Let’s get the biggest criticism out of the way first: If you have a reservation for a sail then be sure to check your voicemail every hour or so the day before your float is scheduled. It is likely, especially in winter and spring months, that they will have to cancel your trip. Reservations aren’t firmed up until a certain number of people RSVP. Understandable. The galling bit is that Chardonnay staff will not email, text or use any other modern communications to reach you about cancelation. I showed up one Sunday morning with family who were visiting from out of town to find locked doors and a battened down hatches :-/
Miscommunications aside, It’s hard to argue with a day out sailing. The staff on the boat are terrific and they alone earn both of the two stars I’ve allowed in this review. Those crew members kept the wine, beer and food flowing. They’re cheerful and accommodating, all on a boat that is twisting and lurching beneath them.
Ambiance: Guests on the boat loosen up quickly. The craft becomes a floating party within 10 minutes of leaving it’s slip. The only downside from an atmosphere perspective was that music came in and out. The speakers were small and the music died down after 20 minutes. Music playing for the whole trip would have contributed to the festive vibe.
Cost: The price is right too. Buy three tickies and get fourth free. That allows you to have four people sail once or two people twice for well under $ 200. This is absolutely worth it. I would do it again and I plan to do it again.
A final word: chartering a smaller sailboat is more exciting and intimate. Check Unilocal or Trip Advisor to find choices. I went out last year on Christian Hestness’ Bella on the Bay in Monterey and it was superior. The price really wasn’t much more than the Chardonnay II. Music played loud and consistently. Whale watching was better because the smaller boat could tack faster. Sailing next to whales with a dozen other people makes for a sublime experience.
Have fun.

Impressively well organized and fun! Plenty of snacks and drinks. Worth every penny. All staff very friendly and helpful.
I loved that they did a safety orientation when we boarded. This is in reference to the Sunset Sail
*Dress warm: gloves, scarf, jacket