Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel
4.5
Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel
By Orca Spirit Adventures
About
from per adult
C$171.15
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 75 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Features animals
Live guide: English
More
- Driver/guide
- Professional guide
What's not included- Food and drinks (available to purchase)
- Gratuities
- Departure details
- 146 Kingston St, Victoria, BC V8V 1V4, Canada Please come down to the Marina Level of the Coast Hotel & Marina by APA.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 7111P3- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Operates rain or shine, please dress appropriately
- Most travellers can participate
- 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 tour/activity will have a maximum of 75 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- How much is Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel?
- Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel price starts from C$176.61. Discover and book Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel on Tripadvisor
- What is the Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel cancellation policy?
- Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel?
- Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel is hosted by Orca Spirit Adventures. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Orca Spirit Adventures on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel on Tripadvisor
- How much time do I need for Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel?
- On average, this experience will take approximately 3h. Discover and book Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel on Tripadvisor
- 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: 7111P3
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About the operator
- Treker65000A Must Do!This was the highlight of our trip. A pod of killer whales, including a baby!!! We were so close I could have thrown a stone and hit one of them. To watch the adults teach the baby to hunt was fascinating. The bull was huge. It was an unforgettable experience, absolutely AMAZING! We also saw humpback whales so close to our boat that when it unexpectedly came up for air its massive body created large waves which added to our excitement, a sea otter, porpoises, and sea lions (boy, do they smell). Our captain was well educated and shared so much information with us that I thought I was taking part in a National Geographic documentary, LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF OUR TOUR! Well worth the money.
- UNSTOPPABLEStacey00We'd do it again...rain or shineWe L.O.V.E.D. our Orca Spirit Adventure! The rain was falling lightly on the morning of our tour...and we were hesitant to go. But the lovely woman at the desk reassured us by showing us the flotation suits we'd be wearing. Like a huge snowmobile suit! So we decided to JUST DO IT, and we're so glad we did. Our skipper, Nick, handled the Zodiac skillfully! It was easy to trust his navigational skills. He explained how we didn't get too close to the whales for proper animal tourism ethics and Canadian law. We saw a huge male Orca and followed him as he hunted the shoreline. Then we went to see two different groups of humpbacks. Of course there were Harbor seals and sealants to see as well. Nick is a fantastic educator and naturalist guide. The equipment was top notch and I felt safe the whole time. Even on our crazy Zodiac ride on the way back to Port. we got great video of the wild ride! Thanks, Orca Spirits Team!
- stuarts23100Trip of a lifetime.Me and my wife went on a whale watching trip for the first time as part of our delayed (covid) honeymoon. We have to say that we had the most amazing experience seeing humpback whales and sea lions. The environment is completely mesmerising and beautiful. The guide Jake and Ryan were so knowledgeable and interesting. The whole team have a passion for the wildlife and area. I would definitely recommend a trip with Orca Spirit.
- KazJohnston00Wildlife zodiac tourHad a great tour with an informative and fun guide, great service. Saw humpback whales, sea lions and seals as well as other wildlife. Unfortunately didn’t get to see Orcas. Enjoyed our tour
- NorthStar3553488972100Amazing!What an absolutely amazing experience, with people who are so passionate about their environment. We were lucky enough to have Jake and Sophie to explain the tour and to shed some light on the marine wildlife in the waters we would be in. We had incredible weather that made the day even more special. We saw a pod of Orca feeding, which was just incredible to witness, followed by humpback whales, lots of sea birds and the seals and sea lions that call this place home. The tour was for 3 hour, but it felt like it was over far too soon. The staff all made the trip such a remarkable experience with their enthusiasm and knowledge of the wildlife,along with the history of almost losing these amazing animals in the past. They explained the efforts to reintroduce the wildlife to the area, this has been a huge success, but there is still more to do. Orca Spirit Adventures supports organisations to benefit the environment by providing a percentage of the ticket price to them. They are also 100% carbon neutral. Their philosophy is sound. We would highly recommend adding this company to your itinerary if whale watching is on your agenda.
- Excursion82612700Great whale watching trip from Victoria!We had a great trip with Orca Spirit. The rib boat was comfortable, and felt safe, and we were given plenty of information by our captain. We were lucky to see about 3 or 4 different humpback whales, including a mother and calf, and one whale quite close to our boat. Prior to the trip we were contacted by Orca Spirit to change the time of our booking - they were very helpful with this, and quick to respond to phone calls and emails.
- J8239SOlarryb00A wonderful experienceThis was a wonderful opportunity to see orcas and whales in the wild. We were amazed at the number of different animals we saw and were lucky to have perfect weather. The skipper was very respectful of the whales. To see such beautiful animals behaving in the wild is a privilege inspiring us to do our bit for conservation.
- John S00Whale watching with Orca SpiritWhat a fantastic trip we had, loads of whales and sea lions. Brilliant crew, knowledgeable, friendly and fun to be with.
- patriciagG3105AP00Amazing adventure!What an amazing trip. We were able to see whales which was so much fun. Took some great pictures. And it was an experience we won't forget, what fun. The staff on board were great. They had so much knowledge and shared this with us. The were friendly and made sure we were comfortable.
- 72ruthb00BrilliantA brilliant experience with an great guide. He was sensitive to the requirements of wildlife watching while giving us the best views possible
- alrH4320BI00Way to expensive!!!!Overall it wasn't bad. They put us on whales in a short boat ride out. Was it worth $336? NO. They did say $4 of the tickets go towards whale research. A whole $4!!!! I understand there is a cost to staff and boat but come on. Would I recommend it? Probably not.
- Safari2089269083500Amazing experienceHad to change ships at the last minute(our choice) customer service was so good to work with. The actual trip was awesome, crew was professional and entertaining. Highly recommend using these guys. Saw a bunch of whales.
- Navigator3391217707300Well worth it!It was a blast going on this trip. The crew were fantastic and knowledgeable. It was a perfect way to spend 3 hours on the water. Highly recommend.
- Dave W00Flying whalesThese guys were really interesting to listen to and able to get us to where they know the whales are feeding. They remained respectful of the distance we should keep from whales and seemed to be very happy in their work. We were lucky enough to find a calf that was playful and jumped clean out of the water
- P1384MWvictort00A Whale of a Time!Fantastic trip. From the admin staff to the ships crew, they all gave us an amazing experience. Jake, Griffin and Ryan were very knowlegeable and ensured that had an enjoyable trip. The office staff, Rachel, Hayley and the gentleman in the front office were very friendly and helpful. We are glad that we went with Orca Spirit Adventures.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
211 reviews
Excellent
161
Very good
22
Average
11
Poor
5
Terrible
12
RealWelshAle
Monroe, GA106 contributions
May 2022
Went on the 3hr evening trip last week. The only wildlife we saw was a small island of Sea Lions and one bald eagle after a very choppy ride of more than an hour to this location. Boat did ride around to some other open sea locations but no whale sightings. I am not sure if this was because this was an evening trip or what percentage of trips don't see any whales. We booked with our cruise line ~ $128 / person and all we got was an expensive 3hr boat ride and a disappointing experience. I know one is always at the mercy of nature but I do feel there should be some discount or guarantee if no whales are seen as "Wale Watching" is what is being advertised. I felt the trip should be advertised as a 3 hr boat ride with the chance of some possible whale sightings. Might be helpful if they posted the successful sighting percentage. Sorry but we felt rather ripped off by the high cost and disappointing experience. Even the Zodiac boats saw no whales that evening. Would not recommend this trip at this specific time and we would rather have stayed on our ship than wasted our money n this excursion.
Written May 23, 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.
Megan D
1 contribution
Jul. 2023
This was heavily implied to be THE tour to see orcas, they named their tour Orca Spirit Adventure and highlight them, wording their pitch in such a way to imply that it’s over 95% that you will see them. They want you to believe this will be an adventure and you see whales all over. We saw one humpback they basically decided to keep the boat there the whole time, not even really trying to find the orcas. We drove away once to see sea lions and then came back to the same humpback whale. When we asked about orcas from the various staff, we got different responses. The one guy said it’s unlikely because they move around. Another guy said no very likely, we saw one this morning. These varied responses make me question the validity of any of it. As others stated, the boat left late and came back early. It felt like once they saw one whale, we were stopping because they met the lowest threshold possible and they won’t have to honor people wanting to come back. Honestly, it was incredibly boring. In contrast, we had just done whale watching in Juneau. The guides there gave out a wealth information, took us to several spots to see several different whales, and made the experience something to remember. Save your money for a different company. This isn’t it. If it hadn’t been for my experience in Juneau, I would think whale watching was a rip off in general because this sure felt like a money grab.
Written July 24, 2023
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 mmd616,
Thank you for taking the time to write to us about your recent experience. We are very sorry that the whales that were spotted during your tour were not the ones you were hoping for and that you did not enjoy your experience with us.
Orca Spirit Adventures is one of Victoria’s first whale watching companies and boasts an incredible history of success in spotting whales in the Salish Sea. Our company whale sighting success rate in our peak season which we are currently in, between May-September, is over 90%. It is the time of year when there is the greatest number of and different types of whales in our waters, however, the wildlife we view is wild and cannot be planned. The tours that we are offer are whale watching with other wildlife encountered along the way and although Victoria is famous for having orcas, we cannot guarantee or emphasize one certain species over others. Spotting humpbacks in this region is incredibly exciting as they have made a huge return after the whaling era where they were down to populations as low as 2,000 in the whole Northeastern Pacific. These gentle giants come to our waters to feed on small forage fish, like krill, in the warm summer months before they go to warmer waters in the winter where they can lose up to a third of their body weight.
Orca Spirit Adventures is part of a large spotting network that is made up of local fishermen, the other local whale watching companies, marine research vessels, and a number of other resources that are in constant communications with one another as per the location, direction of travel, species, and number of whales that are in our area. During your tour, your captain was monitoring this network for animals that were coming into range and different species. If orcas had been within range, your captain would have shared this experience with you. Our tours are not about ticking boxes, we do our best to provide excellent experiences to our guests on board and bring their whale and wildlife watching dreams to life. Our tours do not operate on a set route just as the wildlife are not on a schedule. The captains and crew are constantly communicating with the other vessels on the water to the location, direction of travel, species, and number of whales that are in our area.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly at whales@orcaspirit.com if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Hailey
Sales Manager
Written August 3, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Laura S
8 contributions
Jul. 2023
We had to phone on the morning of our booking as the promised details about our collection from the hotel hadn't come through. We arrived with our trip advisor booking, were scanned onto the system and told that the sailing would start about 30minutes late as the morning trip had overrun. That wasn't a problem, we popped to the shops and were back in plenty of time. We stood for the briefing and then were told to have over our sailing passes before boarding - we hadn't been given any, they hadn't been mentioned, so my husband had to run back inside to get them so the boat didn't leave without us.
The boat was clean, spacious and comfortable. The crew were nice, and they injected a lot of humour into the very dry safety briefings.
However, the biologist we spent the majority of our time with seemed hung over, at best. He had to keep checking the information he was giving us, with the sailing crew over the radio. We had a lot of "I heard about this one time" type anecdotes and not as much marine or animal biological information as we'd expected.
Most disappointing was the fact that, having started half hour late, we were still brought back to dock at the scheduled finish time, having not seen whales. We paid for a 3 hour tour and got 2.5 hours, which was even more galling when we were made late because the morning tour overran, so its obviously something the tour CAN do. We were told, because we hadn't seen whales, we could book back on to another tour, free of charge - whether that was in 2 days time or 20 years. We were only in Victoria for two days, and we are from the UK, so whether we ever get to go back I'm unsure, but I feel somewhat sceptical that if we turn up in 2053, we're going to have that honoured. Not seeing whales was always a risk, they're wild animals, I understand. But cutting the tour short when we hadn't felt very unfair.
The boat was clean, spacious and comfortable. The crew were nice, and they injected a lot of humour into the very dry safety briefings.
However, the biologist we spent the majority of our time with seemed hung over, at best. He had to keep checking the information he was giving us, with the sailing crew over the radio. We had a lot of "I heard about this one time" type anecdotes and not as much marine or animal biological information as we'd expected.
Most disappointing was the fact that, having started half hour late, we were still brought back to dock at the scheduled finish time, having not seen whales. We paid for a 3 hour tour and got 2.5 hours, which was even more galling when we were made late because the morning tour overran, so its obviously something the tour CAN do. We were told, because we hadn't seen whales, we could book back on to another tour, free of charge - whether that was in 2 days time or 20 years. We were only in Victoria for two days, and we are from the UK, so whether we ever get to go back I'm unsure, but I feel somewhat sceptical that if we turn up in 2053, we're going to have that honoured. Not seeing whales was always a risk, they're wild animals, I understand. But cutting the tour short when we hadn't felt very unfair.
Written July 31, 2023
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.
Pathfinder599532
1 contribution
May 2022
We enjoyed out trip very much! It was a cool, windy afternoon but we dressed warm and were able to warm up inside out of the wind before venturing out again. We spent about an hour watching a Grey Whale coming to the surface and diving. Magnificent. We also saw sea lions and harbour seals. The captain and crew were friendly and knowledgeable.
Written May 23, 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 Pathfinder599532,
Wow! Thanks so much for leaving Orca Spirit Adventures a glowing five star review on your recent whale watching tour from Victoria.
We love hearing about our guests experiences on the Salish Sea and it sounds like yours in one for the books! The semi covered vessels are great for windy days on the Salish Sea; having complimentary tea and coffee to sip on while warming up in the heated inner cabin.
We are thrilled that you were able to watch a Grey Whale surface and dive in to the unknown depths below you.
We hope that you enjoyed the rest of your time in Victoria and hope to welcome you on board with us again soon!
Best regards,
Hailey
Sales Coordinator
Written June 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brian K
1 contribution
Jul. 2023 • Family
Booked this excursion through our cruise ship and needless to say it was great! Stayed inside most of the time but we still saw lots of stuff and Ryan always made sure to check on everyone inside even though he was constantly talking on the mic. Can't wait to see the photos!
Written July 28, 2023
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.
Orca S
Hello,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us!
We are so happy to hear you had an incredible day on the water with us. Being able to provide experiences like this, is why we do what we do. We are so lucky to be able to showcase these amazing animals and share our passion with people from all around the world!
Don't forget that you can look at the photos that our naturalists took on our Flickr page! They are available to download at no additional cost. Just search "Orca Spirit Adventures" on Flickr and all of the albums are organized by date and tour time.
Thank you again for choosing Orca Spirit Adventures and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
All the best,
Hailey
Sales Manager
Written August 22, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Eileen248
Scottsdale, AZ36 contributions
Jul. 2022 • Couples
We took this wonderful tour off of our Oceania cruise and loved it! I regrettably, don’t remember our captain’s name but he was great at navigating the waters to locate whales for viewing! Our guide, Jake, and assistant, Sarah, we’re also great at sightings and describing in detail what to expect to, hopefully, see and the science of it all. We knew going in that the ride would be bumpy and possibly wet from splashes… it was that and cold with the wind blowing as we rode on top of the boat. That said, we had a great time and highly recommend this company!
Written July 22, 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 Eileen248,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave Orca Spirit Adventures a five star review on your recent whale watching tour.
We are so happy to hear that you had a wonderful tour after disembarking your cruise ship. We do have some of the best crew in the industry who are not only incredibly passionate, but incredibly knowledgeable about the surrounding areas and wildlife and they love being able to share their information with their guests.
Thanks for mentioning the cold weather! Despite it being warm on land, it always cools down significantly on the water, so extra layers are always recommended.
Thanks again for recommending Orca Spirit Adventures to our future guests. We hope to see you on board with us again in the future!
Best regards,
Written September 1, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Graham D
1 contribution
Jun. 2022
Just brilliant. From our initial enquiry to the end of a memorable experience, the team was considerate, knowledgeable and fully engaged with the guests and the adventure. Captain Jordan found a humpback, killer whale, 3 species of seals AND a sea otter. And not forgetting the bald eagle. Lori was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic, managing to answer all questions, pin point the wildlife and photograph them all. The complimentary teas and coffees were much appreciated as the weather closed in but that could not dampen the extraordinary experience provided by the Orca Spirit team and our fellow guests.
Written June 5, 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.
Hi grahamdY854PB,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with our future guests on your recent covered vessel tour out of Victoria.
Thank you for mentioning our crew. We take pride in providing the best customer service to our guests. Wow! Being able to see two different species of whales; Humpbacks and Killer Whales, as well as, seals and a Sea Otter is an experience one will never forget. Lori is incredibly knowledgeable and she loves sharing her passion and information with her guests.
Thanks again for leaving a five star review for Orca Spirit Adventures. We hope that you enjoyed the rest of your time in Victoria.
Best regards,
Hailey
Sales Coordinator
Written June 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Andy Richmond Hill Ontario
8 contributions
Aug. 2022 • Family
We had a great excursion with Orca Spirit. Initially we saw two humpbacks and then after a while our guide Jake said we were moving on to see something else. This turned out to be one, or maybe two pods of Biggs Killer Whales (a sub species of orca), about 6 or 7 animals in total. What a fantastic experience! We were almost to the coast of the US where we saw them, so the crew had taken us a long way, which I appreciate very much. Jake was very knowledgeable and also very entertaining with his jokes! I would highly recommend Orca Spirit for your whale watching experience.
Written August 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.
Maxine H
Tamworth, UK18 contributions
Aug. 2023 • Couples
Orca Spirit is a very professional and experienced organisation. The staff were very knowledgeable about the whales and able to answer any questions. Safety was a priority and all the information needed to keep safe was explained fully before we started out on the water. We were able to access the photographers photos post trip via the website ...... just in case we were too busy watching ourselves and forgot! 😊
I would definitely recommend this organisation if you are thinking of going whale watching, they know their stuff! Thank you for a lovely experience.
I would definitely recommend this organisation if you are thinking of going whale watching, they know their stuff! Thank you for a lovely experience.
Written August 20, 2023
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.
Orca S
Hi,
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your recent whale watching tour!
It sounds like it was nothing short of an adventure! We are so privileged to be able to showcase these wonderful creatures to our guests. Thank you for the mention of our crew.
Thank you again for choosing Orca Spirit Adventures, we hope to see you the next time you are back in Victoria!
Sincerely,
Hailey
Sales Manager
Written August 31, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rebecca S
1 contribution
Our guide, Jordan, was very knowledgeable and our captain, Bill, led us to all the best spots! We saw at least 10 killer whales and 6 humpback whales! They did not disappoint! Bill even got us ahead of a group of 4 killer whales, which swam within meters from the boat. Would highly recommend!
Written September 17, 2023
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.
we are booking whale watching from the Princess in Victoria in April. We are docking at noon and the whale watching starts at 1230, will we make it? Also, should I avoid if I get sea sick
658selmal
Victoria, Canada11 contributions
That is leaving too little time for your transfer to the other boat. When I went the waters were calm and no one was sick.