The whole process of buying tickets and the instructions for checking in and what to bring were spot on. The America is a wonderful sailing schooner. Captain Troy has an attentive crew of four who provide blankets if you are cold. Twice they take around snacks for everyone and have a cooler full of water and sodas. Beer and wine can be purchased as well. Fathom shares interesting information about the local bay area and about the sea lions, seals, porpoises and whales we will see. Then she comes around to everyone to show you the t-shirts and hats you can buy if you want to. When a blue whate started swimming straight toward the America, Captain Troy had to turn off the engine as a precaution and Fathom laid out along the bow of the America, took far better videos than we took and came around alter offering to text them to everyone who wanted her amazing videos! Then on the sail back, Fathom spent 15 to 20 minutes doing an educational time for the little kids on the cruise. My two granddaughters loved it. Everything was choreographed just right. I realize we were super lucky, even though we tried to keep our distance, to see one whale so close up while he/she was people watching, but we also saw several blue whales, plus a big sun fish and we sailed through a huge school of porpoises, and saw a few sea lions and seals. An amazing time!