Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure from Vancouver
5
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LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure from Vancouver
By Prince of Whales Whale Watching
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About
Watch for orcas, humpbacks, and other marine wildlife on a half-day whale-watching tour from Vancouver. Unlike open-air speed boats, this heated catamaran has indoor and outdoor viewing decks so you’ll enjoy a comfortable trip in any weather. Onboard naturalist guides will fill you in on animal identification, natural history, and more, all while you soak up the idyllic Pacific Northwest scenery.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 95 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Snap wildlife photos from the open-air viewing decks
- Stay warm in the boat’s interior, heated cabins
- Sip included tea, coffee, and hot chocolate on the boat
- Convenient downtown departure point close to top sights
Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
2024
- Free photo package of your trip & wildlife, with personal photos of you and your loved ones
- Educational materials on board
- Complimentary tea, coffee & hot chocolate
- Two washrooms
- Lifetime Whale Sightings Guarantee - return tour from any of our locations until you see whales!
- 95-passenger vessel featuring indoor, heated cabin with floor to ceiling windows and open air decks
- Captain and expert crew of 3-4 guides/naturalists
- Digital Language Guides available (German, Dutch, Spanish, English, French) More coming soon...
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Excludes taxes and fees for Lifetime Whale Sighting Guarantee
- Start:
- 1666 Duranleau St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Y1, CanadaPlease remember to check-in 30 minutes before your adventure, At 1666 Duranleau st on Granville Island behind Bridges restaurant. We will not hold the boat for late guests.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5882P9- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, an alternative or full refund will be offered
- Operates in most weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Service animals allowed with proper documentation and life jacket
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 95 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5882P9
From
C$235.99
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- JeanneR5950 contributionsGreat ExperienceI really enjoyed the whale watching tour and would recommend it to anyone who has a soft spot for the sea and its inhabitants. The whales were simply impressive and breathtaking. The tour was very well organised, the people from Prince of Whales were all exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable. They patiently answered all our questions and shared their knowledge with us. I liked the fact that you got the feeling that the animals' welfare was also taken into account and that they were not “hunted” with the whale watching boat. A great experience all round.Written September 17, 2024
- kinmontwillie20200 contributionsVery enjoyable few hoursGreat afternoon with our infectiously upbeat skipper George on the Zodiac rib. The weather was glorious in the afternoon which helped and we saw orcas from a distance and some caught a glimpse of a humpback. The sea lions and single sea otter were unperturbed by the rib and we got fantastic views of those. Thoroughly enjoyable 3.5 hours or so with real enthusiasts. Highly recommended.Written September 16, 2024
- machinmad0 contributionsTruly amazing tour …We’ve done lots of rib-rides around the world and thought this one would be similar … but how wrong we were! Yes we got to steam out of the harbour and see the city of Vancouver from the waterline. We also got to see some basking seals and posh houses in the expensive suburbs. We zoomed round anchored oil tankers and admired the natural beauty of Vancouver Island. But the best was still to come …. Fortunately our guide on the day was Captain Jake. Jake is very much attuned to the local environment and spotted blow holes as we raced around the bay. He calmly headed towards to spouts and got us close to four hump back whales feeding in the bay with a calf. ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT. Jake’s commentary and great knowledge enhanced our excitement and understanding of these beautiful creatures. A wonderful trip, thank you Captain Jake.Written September 14, 2024
- 462samw0 contributionsBeautiful ExperienceMy wife and I were visiting Vancouver in late August and we took a sunset whale watching cruise with Prince of Whales. We were hoping to see maybe 1-2 whales if we’re lucky but this trip completely exceeded our expectations. It only took around 20min until we saw the first whale. The staff was very polite and knowledgeable about the whales and other wildlife around Vancouver so it was interesting to learn about how the animals behave and what the conservationist do to protect them. At one moment, we even saw a group of 5-6 whales together which was so beautiful. We had a fantastic experience and we will definitely go whale watching again in future.Written September 11, 2024
- 988alliej0 contributionsA Whale of a time !Alex, Tobin , Yaz, Karl and Petra were an amazing professional crew. I Attended the Salish Sea Dream Trip on September 6th 2024. We had an amazing day viewing 5 hump back whales showing playful behavior. I loved Christy island and the seals along the shore. The boat is amazing ! super fast but windy. Nice places to sit and lots of room to move around if you want a different view. I found the boat to be clean and stoked. The coffee and tea is a nice touch and tasty. The front of house staff is great too i believe the names are Ella and Fawkes as i came in on two separate days for assistance. I would say the only feedback is to sell binoculars even cheap semi good ones with some marketing on it. I saw someone with it and thought that was a great idea, maybe even some sweaters, jackets, beanie, or blankets. It was a beautiful day but when the boat got going my hair was everywhere and it was cooler then i had dressed for. Especially as a tourist i wouldn't think to pack something like that for one random part of my trip.Written September 9, 2024
- AnitaH7960 contributionsFirst rate outfitWe had a great experience with the Prince of Whales. This group cares about what they are doing and strive to give you an interesting and educational experience. I love that they don't try to nickel and dime you once you are on board. Free coffee and hot chocolate and a really nice feature is that they have a photographer who is taking pictures of the whales for you. They email these to you for no charge after the trip. This takes a lot of pressure off so that you can better enjoy the experience. It is still nice to try to get some videos or photos of your group and your own photos of the whales for that matter, but remember to enjoy the experience. We saw one humpback who was identified as Zoro who winters in Hawaii. We also saw three different pods of killer whales. It was a great trip even though it was raining.Written September 7, 2024
- alyssao4630 contributionsAMAZING tripOur tour was amazing. We saw everything we could’ve possibly seen: orcas, humpbacks and sea lions. Quite literally the best day ever with my friend! Sam, our guide, was the best!!!Written September 5, 2024
- mariaanneLondon0 contributionswe saw orcas and humpbacks! And the staff were really knowledgableIt was great! We saw a pod of orcas AND two humpbacks! I also really appreciated the "if you don't see whales we'll give you another trip free" guarantee -- made all the difference. The staff were great! Roisin and Maurice were really friendly, and Jake had loads of interesting facts and answered all our questions. Recommended! If you go, don't stress too much about where you're sitting -- you'll end up moving all around as the trip goes on.Written September 4, 2024
- 546sierraj0 contributionsBest Birthday Ever!This trip made for the absolute best birthday experience ever. The orca behaviour we saw was straight out of national geographic, beautiful! The crew was so fantastic and passionate, thank y’all for the amazing day.Written September 3, 2024
- JamesNoonan0 contributionsA must do!Amazing trip, highly recommend! The views were incredible, the staff were great and so knowledgeable. We saw humpbacks within an hour and orcas in Howe Sound. Will be bringing any friends who come to visit on this trip againWritten September 2, 2024
- 877liamk0 contributionsVery Enjoyable & Seen Several WhalesVery enjoyable, plus we seen several whales. Our German guide was passionate about whales, shared all kinds of interesting facts and answered all questions.Written September 2, 2024
- D407RYjamesg0 contributionsFirst time to go see whalesMy date what to go her friends was not albe to go with her so I had some days off so It work out great & we both had a blast got to see alot the weather was good look like everyone had a great time I would love to go again this was my frist timeWritten August 30, 2024
- 604hammadg0 contributionsIt was cool…but no orcasIt was amazing see humpback whales! However, I was supposed to get pictures from the staff members that were on but didn’tWritten August 30, 2024
- Vikki730 contributionsUnbelievableAbsolutely amazing trip. Humpback Whales, orkas all performing for our trip. So many photos & videos -Memories we will never forget.Written August 30, 2024
- sophiavux0 contributionsAwe-inspiring! 5 stars for humpbacks!Absolutely F*ing amazing. 2 hours of humpbacks circling our boat — epic and life changing!! I think we got REALLY lucky though. So, five stars for the humpbacks. I would have loved more information and "touring" from the guides — like while we were on our way to the area, that would have been nice to learn a bit more about what we were going to see.Written August 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
3,335 reviews
Excellent
3,119
Very good
146
Average
41
Poor
11
Terrible
18
David
Vancouver, Canada1 contribution
Jul 2020
Unbelievable Experience travelling with our Son: the best scenery, and the marine life we saw was just amazing. We saw three sets of humpback whales ( one a mother with her calf ), sea lions, seals, porpoises, and bald eagles. Very impressed with the professionalism and knowledge of the naturalists and crew (very kid friendly). The vessel was a dream riding on the water at eye level, well kept, and extremely clean. The whole experience was so memorable, I will be inviting my elderly mother on a special trip to join us on this excursion again. The whole Whale Watching Adventure from start to finish really showcased that this company really knows what they are doing, and I highly recommend this excursion and Prince of Whales.
Written July 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello kitscoffee,
Thank you for your wonderful review and recommendation! We are so happy to hear that you got to see humpbacks, sea lions, seals, porpoise and bald eagles and had memorable experience. A big thank you for your kind words about our hard working crew, we love to hear that our hard work pays off :) Please join us again soon!!
Written August 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bosmanne
vancouver bc3 contributions
Oct 2020
The crew on this adventure was the most awesome Captain Anthony, first mate Sandy and Naturalist Whalema and James.... so much knowledge and the whole time they kept us excited about what we were seeing and doing.
The captain made sure we saw as much of the humpbacks as possible, he did try to take us where the orcas were but we didn’t get to see any. Whalema and James identified the tails and had stories about each one, it was so interesting. They made sure each passenger was taken care of and during this time of COVID made sure everything was sanitized. We could tell they truly LOVE their jobs and the whales in particular. I would and will pass this on to my B.C. friends.
The captain made sure we saw as much of the humpbacks as possible, he did try to take us where the orcas were but we didn’t get to see any. Whalema and James identified the tails and had stories about each one, it was so interesting. They made sure each passenger was taken care of and during this time of COVID made sure everything was sanitized. We could tell they truly LOVE their jobs and the whales in particular. I would and will pass this on to my B.C. friends.
Written October 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Bosmanne,
Thank you so much for your fantastic review of the Half Day Adventure! We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed your trip with our amazing crew and that you felt safe with our Covid-19 protocols. Our crew is so passionate about their jobs and they love what they do and I am glad that translates! We hope to welcome you back out with us in the future!
Written October 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tina Xiao
Honolulu, HI3 contributions
This activity was ok. We were lucky enough for it to not have rained, but I feel a bit disappointed with what we saw. We drove out for about 2 hours with nothing in site. After “seeing” armless seals, the captain turned around to head in another direction (for another hour) because they heard from another boat that there were whales south of wherever we were. We saw two whales’ dorsal fins and tails and watched them for half an hour, but no water from the blowhole and they didn’t surface. I guess I expected too much out of the tour? I’m just a little shocked that this is one of the most popular tours in Vancouver.
The cruise ship was comfortable and they had an insulated lounge below deck to warm up. They offered complimentary coffee and tea I believe. There were snacks offered for $3 each which goes to a whale foundation.
Overall, I wouldn’t book again or recommend just because I feel like you could spend 5-6 hours doing something better.
The cruise ship was comfortable and they had an insulated lounge below deck to warm up. They offered complimentary coffee and tea I believe. There were snacks offered for $3 each which goes to a whale foundation.
Overall, I wouldn’t book again or recommend just because I feel like you could spend 5-6 hours doing something better.
Written June 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
t_xiao22,
Thank you so much for your review! We apologize for your disappointment in the tour, we unfortunately cannot control whether whales breach or not as they are wild animals. We are glad you enjoyed the ship; we do what we can to make the experience a comfortable one for our guests. Our year-round whale sighting success rate is ~95% (averaged across all of our adventures) with chances being even higher during summer months, so we hope you book with us again and that your next tour can be a 5 star experience!
Written June 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
xerexes
Vancouver, Canada38 contributions
Jul 2021 • Solo
Highly recommend this tour. Leaving from Granville Island is very convenient and it’s a great day out on the water. Even if you don’t see as many whales as you are hoping for, the scenery is worth it. And, if you don’t see any whales at all, you can rebook another trip for free!
The entire team were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Wilma, and the other naturalists were very enthusiastic and engaging. They really made an effort to educate everyone about what we were going to see, and what we were actually witnessing, as well as answering questions. They actually went around the boat, sitting with groups and individuals.
What you should know in advance:
1. The tours are not allowed to approach the whales, and must stay at least 200m away. This means that the whales are really far off in the distance. Phone cameras aren’t really going to give you the best pictures, luckily, Prince of Whales provides you with professional photos of the wildlife spotted on your trip. If you have a camera with a long lens, go for it. Otherwise, just enjoy the experience and don’t worry about taking photos.
2. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks. Do so. It’s a long trip, and there are bathrooms and tables on board. Granville Island has lots of places to pick up food, if you’ve forgotten. There is coffee, tea and hot chocolate available onboard but the snacks were not available on my trip.
3. It does get cold and very windy if you’re sitting outside. Hold on to your hats! However, the boat comes to a stop, slow cruise once whales are spotted.
4. It takes about an hour and a half before you reach the first whale spotting location. Enjoy the views.
5. They had phone chargers onboard, if needed.
6. Bring and use lots of sunscreen. It’s intense on the water and you can get a really bad sunburn. Take advantage of the covered areas onboard.
Overall, it’s well worthwhile! Have fun!
The entire team were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Wilma, and the other naturalists were very enthusiastic and engaging. They really made an effort to educate everyone about what we were going to see, and what we were actually witnessing, as well as answering questions. They actually went around the boat, sitting with groups and individuals.
What you should know in advance:
1. The tours are not allowed to approach the whales, and must stay at least 200m away. This means that the whales are really far off in the distance. Phone cameras aren’t really going to give you the best pictures, luckily, Prince of Whales provides you with professional photos of the wildlife spotted on your trip. If you have a camera with a long lens, go for it. Otherwise, just enjoy the experience and don’t worry about taking photos.
2. You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks. Do so. It’s a long trip, and there are bathrooms and tables on board. Granville Island has lots of places to pick up food, if you’ve forgotten. There is coffee, tea and hot chocolate available onboard but the snacks were not available on my trip.
3. It does get cold and very windy if you’re sitting outside. Hold on to your hats! However, the boat comes to a stop, slow cruise once whales are spotted.
4. It takes about an hour and a half before you reach the first whale spotting location. Enjoy the views.
5. They had phone chargers onboard, if needed.
6. Bring and use lots of sunscreen. It’s intense on the water and you can get a really bad sunburn. Take advantage of the covered areas onboard.
Overall, it’s well worthwhile! Have fun!
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
xerexes,
Thank you very much for your 5-star, detailed and engaging review!! It means a lot that you took the time to recommend us & to recommend important points to future guests. I'm sure they will be just as appreciative of this review as we are! We hope that you will join us again soon for more fun :) Until then, take care & best fishes!
Written July 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stephen M
Newport, UK49 contributions
This was a great morning out with the Prince of Whales crew on their catamaran. Booking was really easy a day or so before the trip. We turned up at 8am and got on board. Nice welcome and a safety talk then off.
We saw humpback whales, mainly one in particular with a distinctive tail marking. Lucas our nature guide was able to tell us from their photo book which named whale it was. Lucas talked to us throughout about different aspects of the whale’s life including how it feeds, sleeps, migrates, mixes with other whales and sea life. All really interesting and delivered with great knowledge and a lot of humour. Also a lot of info about nature in the area, and how it was dealing with humans. We had a load of opportunities to see our whale blowing and then surfacing, with its tail fully on show. We then saw other sea life including Steller sea lions and harbour seals, before turning for home.
The trip took about 4-4.5 hours and was worth ever penny/dollar. The crew were so friendly and helpful. We had one kid who got a bit seasick, and the crew just sorted it all out and looked after him brilliantly.
We were visiting from Wales, and had been whale and bear watching on a zodiac boat in Tofino the week before. This was different but just as good and I’d highly recommend this trip. Make sure you’re well wrapped up as the boat goes out into exposed waters! Thanks Prince of Whales.
One really nice touch is that after you get back, they text you a link to the photos the crew took during the trip (far better than anything I could take) so you have a free set of memories from your day.
We saw humpback whales, mainly one in particular with a distinctive tail marking. Lucas our nature guide was able to tell us from their photo book which named whale it was. Lucas talked to us throughout about different aspects of the whale’s life including how it feeds, sleeps, migrates, mixes with other whales and sea life. All really interesting and delivered with great knowledge and a lot of humour. Also a lot of info about nature in the area, and how it was dealing with humans. We had a load of opportunities to see our whale blowing and then surfacing, with its tail fully on show. We then saw other sea life including Steller sea lions and harbour seals, before turning for home.
The trip took about 4-4.5 hours and was worth ever penny/dollar. The crew were so friendly and helpful. We had one kid who got a bit seasick, and the crew just sorted it all out and looked after him brilliantly.
We were visiting from Wales, and had been whale and bear watching on a zodiac boat in Tofino the week before. This was different but just as good and I’d highly recommend this trip. Make sure you’re well wrapped up as the boat goes out into exposed waters! Thanks Prince of Whales.
One really nice touch is that after you get back, they text you a link to the photos the crew took during the trip (far better than anything I could take) so you have a free set of memories from your day.
Written September 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello,
Thank you so much for this brilliant review! We love to hear stories like this, and we love that we could share such a great experience with you! We are so happy that Lucas and our crew could provide such a knowledgeable and humorous trip for you! We hope that you can join us again soon, so that we can have another great trip with you!
Written September 17, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
nmcneil0703
Kitchener, Canada3 contributions
Jul 2020
My self my daughter and grand son are really glad we went on the whale watching tour. Travelled a says out and were starting to think we would see nothing my daughter and grand son saw the spouting they up came Heather and her calf. That was amazing but they didn't stay long. We turned onto a different direction and it wasn't long before we saw a party of five orcas. Boy it was like a party the bigger ones were splashing their tails onto the water jumping out and flipping over. We watch them for over half an hour and they were still playing when we left. There is nothing like it. People have to book and go see themselves. Crew were amazing and knowledgeable and safety for covid was explained and followed. Thankyou.
Written July 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello nmcneil0703,
Thank you for taking the time to review your experience! We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour and got to encounter Heather the humpback and her calf, and a pod of orcas. Sounds like you even got to see some epic surface behaviour - very cool! Thank you for coming out, and we hope to see you again :)
Written July 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris Jones
Glyndyfrdwy, UK50 contributions
We (me, wife kids 7 & 9)went on this tour on the morning of Saturday 23 August. It was a gorgeous day, but you really do need to wrap up warm if you want to sit out in the deck, as the wind makes it cold. Even though it was a hot day, I wore trousers, a hoodie and a wind proof coat on the coat.
We had a European lady who was our guide and she was great, bring so knowledgable about everything we saw. We managed to see loads of harbour porpoises, sea lions, seals and golden eagles. However we didn’t see any whales (but the trip was great even without this)! With this tour, you have a listing guarantee that you can keep going on the trip for a small cost (fuel surcharge), so we booked on the very next day.
The second trip was in the afternoon and our guide was Tobyn who was equally knowledgable as the lady on the first trip. We saw seals once again and this time we saw a hump back whale. We were able to watch it for around 30 mins which was great and exactly what we were hoping for.
The crewe take loads of photos and email them to your afterwards, so you don’t need to worry about trying to capture a good shot.
The trip takes between 4-5 hours and according to my GPS watch you cover between 75-100 miles. There is some beautiful scenery and I would highly recommend going if your thinking about it!
We had a European lady who was our guide and she was great, bring so knowledgable about everything we saw. We managed to see loads of harbour porpoises, sea lions, seals and golden eagles. However we didn’t see any whales (but the trip was great even without this)! With this tour, you have a listing guarantee that you can keep going on the trip for a small cost (fuel surcharge), so we booked on the very next day.
The second trip was in the afternoon and our guide was Tobyn who was equally knowledgable as the lady on the first trip. We saw seals once again and this time we saw a hump back whale. We were able to watch it for around 30 mins which was great and exactly what we were hoping for.
The crewe take loads of photos and email them to your afterwards, so you don’t need to worry about trying to capture a good shot.
The trip takes between 4-5 hours and according to my GPS watch you cover between 75-100 miles. There is some beautiful scenery and I would highly recommend going if your thinking about it!
Written July 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chrisbutch,
Thank you so much for this incredible review! We are so grateful you and your family joined us on board. Seeing so much vast wildlife is incredible, and we were so happy you were able to see whales on the second trip out! Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to see you again soon!
Written July 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ka.Reau1973
Vancouver, Canada2 contributions
Jul 2020
After a disapointed trip last year from Victoria, the weather conditions were against us, my daughter and I decided to give a second chance on July 5th, 2020. OMG! we had the most unbelievable whale watching day EVER! We saw two packs of killer whales mingling together and they came so close to the boat, along with not one but two Humpbacks joining the packs. Something rarely seen before. They gave us quite the show!
Shoutout to the crew, they were amazing! I also want to mention that I appreciated the fact that they are respecting the wild life to the fullest. Stopping the boat motors showed me how professional they were and how much they care. They don't stressed the animals and we can watch as long as possible.
Unfortunately I can't post any pictures cause all I have is an iPhone. This is one of those time where I wish I'd have a GOOD camera! Took great videos though.
Thank you, thank you, thank you :-)
Shoutout to the crew, they were amazing! I also want to mention that I appreciated the fact that they are respecting the wild life to the fullest. Stopping the boat motors showed me how professional they were and how much they care. They don't stressed the animals and we can watch as long as possible.
Unfortunately I can't post any pictures cause all I have is an iPhone. This is one of those time where I wish I'd have a GOOD camera! Took great videos though.
Thank you, thank you, thank you :-)
Written July 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Kareau1973,
Thank you for taking the time to review your experience. We are so glad that you gave it a second chance and got to see such a rare interaction between the killer whales and humpbacks - what a great, once in a lifetime experience!! Thank you for you kind comments about our crew and the way we value our wildlife inhabitants:) We hope to have you out again in the future!
Written July 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kenneth dia
2 contributions
Sept 2020 • Couples
What a day it was on September 20,2020. We got to see about 8 orcas, and 3 giant humpback whales and sea lions, overall was about 4-5 hour trip but it was amazing the crew was very welcoming ,knowledgeable and extremely passionate Wilma and James were extremely spectacular with their superb understanding about the whales
And our surroundings and We couldn’t have been more blessed to have them as our guides. The captain Anthony was great captain and knew exactly where to be. I truly
Recommended this tour as you will enjoy this experience as I we all have . Make sure to dress properly and bring some snacks along the way due to covid and again thank you for the wonderful experience.
And our surroundings and We couldn’t have been more blessed to have them as our guides. The captain Anthony was great captain and knew exactly where to be. I truly
Recommended this tour as you will enjoy this experience as I we all have . Make sure to dress properly and bring some snacks along the way due to covid and again thank you for the wonderful experience.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello kenflip988,
Thank you for your wonderful review and recommendation! We are thrilled that you got to see so many whales, and had a good time onboard with our rock star crew :) Great recommendation to dress warm and bring snacks, it does get cold on deck and because its a long tour snacks will really make a difference! Thank you for joining us and we hope to have you on board again in the future :)
Written October 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
403dave
Toronto, Canada6 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
I can't say enough about our experience on the Prince of Whales half day whale watching Adventure. Amazing experience and amazing staff.
It was supposed to rain all day and yet it was completely Sunny which of course they had nothing to do with but we apparently set three whale watching records on our journey.
We saw the most whales ever (a total of 7 humpbacks during their pre Mexico Feeding Frenzy), we got the closest they had ever been to a whale (about 20 metres) as the whales kept coming closer and closer to our boat despite trying to get away from them and we saw lunge feeding where the whale a bunch of fish from below and then opens his mouth wide and almost leaps from the water.
The staff was fantastic, extremely knowledgeable and possibly more enthusiastic than the passengers. They were yelling and screaming along with us. I would love to give a shout out to specific staff members but the only one whose name I can remember was Wilma who is from Austria and had an accent that made her sound like Werner Herzog narrating one of his incredible documentaries. It just made the whole thing seem that much more important. The captain had excellent instincts with regards to which direction to face the boat and also had the sense to kill the engine entirely when we were close to the whales. There is absolutely nothing like the silence that is broken by the sound of a breathing whale. Who knew that whales also trumpeted a little bit like elephants to sometimes show their displeasure about what another whale is doing.
About the boat itself, it is extremely fast and smooth despite choppy Waters and very quiet and comfortable inside. Lots of room on the fore and aft decks for viewing the animals. Extremely convenient departure location on Granville Island. We also got to see sun-basking sea lions and because we were almost bored from seeing so many whales even went to find bald eagles but there were none.
Simply an incredible experience which had a lot to do with the company, boat and staff but of course it all depends on whales and weather showing up.
It was supposed to rain all day and yet it was completely Sunny which of course they had nothing to do with but we apparently set three whale watching records on our journey.
We saw the most whales ever (a total of 7 humpbacks during their pre Mexico Feeding Frenzy), we got the closest they had ever been to a whale (about 20 metres) as the whales kept coming closer and closer to our boat despite trying to get away from them and we saw lunge feeding where the whale a bunch of fish from below and then opens his mouth wide and almost leaps from the water.
The staff was fantastic, extremely knowledgeable and possibly more enthusiastic than the passengers. They were yelling and screaming along with us. I would love to give a shout out to specific staff members but the only one whose name I can remember was Wilma who is from Austria and had an accent that made her sound like Werner Herzog narrating one of his incredible documentaries. It just made the whole thing seem that much more important. The captain had excellent instincts with regards to which direction to face the boat and also had the sense to kill the engine entirely when we were close to the whales. There is absolutely nothing like the silence that is broken by the sound of a breathing whale. Who knew that whales also trumpeted a little bit like elephants to sometimes show their displeasure about what another whale is doing.
About the boat itself, it is extremely fast and smooth despite choppy Waters and very quiet and comfortable inside. Lots of room on the fore and aft decks for viewing the animals. Extremely convenient departure location on Granville Island. We also got to see sun-basking sea lions and because we were almost bored from seeing so many whales even went to find bald eagles but there were none.
Simply an incredible experience which had a lot to do with the company, boat and staff but of course it all depends on whales and weather showing up.
Written October 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello 403dave,
Thank you for your glowing review! We are so happy that the weather cooperated, you got to encounter friendly humpbacks and enjoyed your tome onboard with our staff! Thank you for coming out with us and we hope to see you again in the next time you visit :)
Written October 22, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We booked a tour and it looks like it will be raining that day. Will the tour still be operating? Is it a good idea to go during the rain?
Written June 11, 2023
The boat has a very nice inside with big windows for viewing. It takes almost a little over an hour to get out to the whale area so you could get relief from the rain. If it's just drizzling bring a thin rain jacket. Once they spot the whales you can go out and view. That being said if you think you personally won't enjoy it then see about a refund. But I would say Vancouver is called Raincouver so they are used to doing fun stuff in the rain.
Written June 12, 2023
We are looking at doing this between checking out of our hotel and picking up an RV so will have all of our luggage with us. Is there anywhere secure we can store our luggage while on the trip?
Thank you
Written June 21, 2022
I did not notice a place for this certainly on the dock or the boat and am not sure about the excursion office...
Written June 22, 2022
Hi, I'm planing a trip to watch whales from Vancouver departure, I need to travel from Edmonton AB, guessing I will arrive 1 day before the tour. I wonder what time is the return to decide if I can flight back same day or I need to stay other day? do you do pick up from any hotel or some specific area.
thank you for you attention and answer
Sandra
Written July 13, 2021
We are coming (family of 6) from Ontario the week of May 2 - 9/2021 and are wondering if all is operating due to COVID?
we would like to book this tour but just wondering if it is operating then.
thank you
Shannon
Written March 27, 2021
Hi, that I don't know as I was in Vancouver last August which was great viewing for the humpback whales. I was just in Puerta Vallarta for Humpback whales. I was at the Westin and saw them from my room. Had I been at the beach the whales were as close as being on ship/boat. It's funny because they were breaching, too. Everytime I asked about whale watching in Puerta Vallarta I was told January and February are great months for the whales! Enjoy your journey!
Written February 26, 2020
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.