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Catalina Island Semi-Submarine: Underwater Viewing Adventure
4.3
504 Ratings
Avalon
Dive into Catalina’s underwater world on the SS Nautilus semi-submarine. Experience marine life up close without getting wet. Book your adventure now!
Dive into Catalina’s underwater world on the SS Nautilus semi-submarine. Experience marine life up close without getting wet. Book your adventure now!
Duration:
45 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Catalina Adventure Tours - Explore the Catalina Island’s amazing undersea gardens by venturing on an exploratory mission aboard the semi-submersible SS Nautilus. Designed after the USS Nautilus, America’s first nuclear powered submarine, this 45-minute 6-feet underwater journey departs from the Green Pier and will cruise to a marine preserved…
- Catalina Adventure Tours - Explore the Catalina Island’s amazing undersea gardens by venturing on an exploratory mission aboard the semi-submersible SS Nautilus. Designed after the USS Nautilus, America’s first nuclear powered submarine, this 45-minute 6-feet underwater journey departs from the Green Pier and will cruise to a marine preserved sanctuary known as the Lovers’ Cove. Equipped with torpedo buttons, adventurers can create a feeding frenzy right from their viewing porthole for an additional charge. On the way back to the marina, enjoy breathtaking harbor views on the top deck of the submarine. Weather permitting, undersea garden tours depart hourly year round from mid-morning until an hour before sunset. **we highly suggest you secure transportation to Catalina island prior to booking tour to confirm you can get to the tour as the boat to the island sells out quickly. Catalina Express or Newport Flyer for your transportation needs.
What's Included
- English guide
- English guide
What's Not Included
- Fish food offered at additional charge during tour. Cash only.
- Travel To Catalina Island is not included in ticket price. Tour is located on Catalina Island.
- Transportation needed by Ferry to Island -Catalina express or Newport Flyer to get to Island.
- Fish food offered at additional charge during tour. Cash only.
- Travel To Catalina Island is not included in ticket price. Tour is located on Catalina Island.
- Transportation needed by Ferry to Island -Catalina express or Newport Flyer to get to Island.
Additional Information
Come aboard Catalina Island’s newest semi-submarine, the SS Nautilus, and enjoy a deep sea adventure 1,000 leagues beyond your imagination. The main attraction of this unique vessel allows six feet underwater viewing while staying dry so eager seafarers can get up close and face-to-face with schools of fish anticipating treats fired away from custom…
Come aboard Catalina Island’s newest semi-submarine, the SS Nautilus, and enjoy a deep sea adventure 1,000 leagues beyond your imagination. The main attraction of this unique vessel allows six feet underwater viewing while staying dry so eager seafarers can get up close and face-to-face with schools of fish anticipating treats fired away from custom designed fish food torpedo buttons. Designed after America’s first nuclear powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, the 45-minute journey is the destination itself as our captain and his crew ventures out on an exploratory mission to the undersea gardens of Avalon Bay.
- We are located on Catalina Island, You must secure transportation to the island to take the tour. There are no refunds if you miss the tour
- Not wheelchair accessible. Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair
- Your tickets will be held at the will-call window for collection on the day of the tour.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Infants (2 years old and under) must be ticketed on a USCG vessel; fare is free-of-charge but fees apply
- You MUST arrive 15 minutes prior to boarding to check in. We leave promptly at the scheduled time and cannot wait. When booking travel to the island please make sure to give enough time from arrival to island to get to tour departure location.
- Late Policy: The Nautilus expedition departs from only one location. If you arrive late, we are not able to provide you with a refund. Our tours are scheduled to provide you with the best experience possible, and we are not able to make any exceptions if you are late.
Location
Green Pleasure Pier
Welcome to Catalina! Find us at the Green Pleasure Pier. Check in at our booth at the end of the pier—our ride boards just behind it! Bring your sense of adventure!
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(504 Ratings)
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Jessica_s
Oct 15, 2025
A must do! - Highly recommend this excursion. It’s for all ages. Rich and Brad did an amazing job explaining everything that was going and identifying the fish. If you are highly sensitive to sea sickness I would take a Dramamine beforehand. The motion messes with your head at first with being underwater and not seeing land. We purchased the $20 fish food deal. But honestly you don’t need that much if at all as long as others around you have purchased food.
Review provided by Viator
Rhonda_r
Oct 12, 2025
Fun - It was fun and great that you get to feed the fish. I just wish it was a little longer. A little tip, sit on the starboard side facing the tv screen.
Review provided by Viator
Regina_k
Oct 8, 2025
BUY Some Fish Food!!! - BUY SOME FISH FOOD!!! I was just on one of these in Aruba and it was TERRIBLE!!! The windows were sooooo cloudy you couldn't see anything... NOT the case with this tour!!! It was really fun!!! Buy a bit of fish food.. Especially if you have children with you!!! LARGE and CLEAR windows made picture taking possible...
Review provided by Viator
Dansk4793jm
Oct 7, 2025
Another Fun Day at Catalina - This was a very fun excursion. It was well presented and enjoyable. The fish were plentiful, and it was fun feeding them and watching them swarm around the porthole. I would recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gary_k
Sep 22, 2025
Fun submarine ride - Fun submarine ride on a sem-isubmersible. The narrator was entertaining and the fish food "torpedoes" were addictive to use, LOL.
Review provided by Viator
208lynng
Sep 19, 2025
Family fun! - This is just good family fun, here! It's great to see what is under the water and when you feed the fish, it's a feeding frenzy! So fun! Very cool!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
H2351iadavidb
Sep 19, 2025
Fantastic Voyage !! - This is a GREAT once in a lifetime experience!! Everything they say is accurate. As soon as you are in your seat there are fishes outside the window. The sub made 3 stops where you can shoot food out to the fishes and they really swarm around the window. Very nice underwater kelp beds looks like an underwater forest. I recommend getting the 22 food shots for $20. you will not be sorry and you can split the shots with your partner (11 each). I highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jlahmann54
Sep 13, 2025
Fun trip under the sea! - Great fun. The water is so clear and allows you to see the kelp and tons of fish. The option to shoot food out of the sub is great because the kids love doing it and it brings so many fish up to the windows. It’s amazing the number of fish we saw and the guides running it were very friendly and made the experience unforgettable. The dub is very steady and doesn’t cause any sea sickness. I highly recommend this activity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mitzi_w
Oct 5, 2025
Not much to see. A lot of... - Not much to see. A lot of two types of fish that were nothing special. Saw several of the orange state fish that were pretty.
Review provided by Viator
Dlacativa
Oct 5, 2025
While I considered this... - While I considered this expensive and repetitive (seeing same fish 3 different locations not interesting), kids would love especially sending food out to the fish (costs extra). We had a beautiful sunny day making underwater views clear.
Review provided by Viator
