One word - unbelievable! I joined 15 other passengers for a five day trip to Guadalupe Island to get close and personal with Great Whites. Mission Accomplished.
This was a trip on the Horizon. Great boat, great crew, great food, well planned.
The good: Excellent clear blue water made for great photo ops; The crew worked non stop to bring the sharks right up to the cages by working the lines with tuna heads. If folks were in the cages, crew was working the lines. This made all the difference in bringing the sharks in to point blank range; The trip included all gear needed, including near new wetsuits, DUI weight harnesses, and masks if needed. The crew kept all gear organized and helped with donning; Originating in San Diego meant minimum luggage handling; Food: fresh fish including sushi every day in addition to steak and other meals all well prepared; A great informative lecture about the sharks was given by a local biologist. The group included ~5 non divers, all of which were given personal assistance and made comfortable in the water; Given 16 passengers on a boat that holds much more, there was plenty of room.
The not-so good: It's a 28 hour cruise to the destination. But boarding and leaving the night before helps. I don't think the boats originating out of Ensenada will save much time; Cost - it is an expensive trip. But I think the overall value was there.