Vancouver Whale Watch Review

So much fun! The guide was lively and knowledgeable and the boat had plenty of space. The boat hung out near the whales for at least an hour of the trip.

Great and knowledgeable people, and steveston is a lovely little town.

Such a positive experience. Our naturalist and our captain (Bryan) were fantastic. They were both so friendly and knowledgeable. I was so impressed with how much the two of them cared about the animals - ensuring they followed proper regulation regarding the safety of them as well as getting upset when another boat was not following proper protocol. Ellen (our naturalist) got to know each of us, answered questions and went above and beyond to make this experience positive. We were on the water for 4.5 hours and spent a lot of time with a pod of whales as well as some other animals. Loved every moment! Staff back at the site were friendly and helpful too!

it was great experience. I felt like I came close to nature never before

I've wanted to go whale watching my whole life. Today was one of the best days ever. It was a beautiful day and our Naturalist Nathan and Captain Brian were awesome. Nathan gave us lots of information about the whales we saw. I would definitely reccomend going
on this whale watching experience. Thank to everyone at Vancouver Whale Watch for making my birthday very memorable.

Fantastic experience from high speed boat ride to whale viewing close up. We'll worth the cost. Unforgettable and exhilarating

We had a great time. We got to see some Orcas, Harbor Seals and a couple of Bald Eagles! Captain Mike and Sue were pleasant and very informative!

The whales are very good and are very friendly. They gave me money. He suits richer than Jeff Bezos

Great experience for my kids last summer for sealion watching.

Took the zodiac excursion...was incredible! Got lucky and saw orca and a humpback but would have been awesome regardless just to be out on the water skimming across the waves...amazing. Highlight of our trip

This was an excellent experience, but make sure you listen to the recommendations provided, like be there an hour before departure; bring snacks and drink for yourself. One person in our group was walking with crutches and the staff was very friendly and accommodating, making this a non-issue. Naturalist Ellen was very informative and eager to answer questions. Captain James gave us lots of time and every possible opportunity to see whales. On the way home, he spotted a humpback whale. He promptly extended the trip by a good half hour to follow this whale, giving us the opportunity to see him dive & re-surface several times.

Very friendly hosts. They will get you to some whale no matter what. We took zodiac and it was nice but a 4 hr trip to the whales so in this circumstance a sheltered boat would have been better. For close whales zodiac would be better.

Great day out on the water! They had a boat out about an hour before we left port that had already spotted a group of whales, so we didn't spend a lot of time looking, and had that much more time to observe. As luck would have it, it was the K pod of southern resident orcas. Exactly what I hoped we'd see, I would have paid extra if they could guarantee southern residents. :) Took about 1500 photos, posted them down to about 60 that were good for identification purposes.

An adventure of a lifetime, Martha, you are absolutely amazing, Captain Mike, thank you for the most memorable ride I've ever had.

Generally good and did find whales. Little spoilt by problems with boat and the armada of competing tours.

Great experience. Friendly and helpful staff. Comfortable boats.
We came all the way to Vancouver, from Boston to see killer whales. Unfortunately, it was not in the stars. We did see a few humpbacks, seals, sea lions and eagles.
The small seaside town was fantastic and fun to walk around and grab some fish and chips.
Even though we didn't get to put that check mark next to "See Killer Whales in the Wild", on our bucket list, I would still highly recommend this whale watch to anyone.

I really think the advertising for this tour is disingenuous, it's like everything they said needs a big asterisk /caveat which shows it's not as good as it sounds. Here's an amended version :

1) "Discover Southern Resident & Transient Killer Whales, majestic Humpback Whales, bow riding porpoises, sea lions, seals, Bald Eagles and more" CAVEAT: no attempt was made to see humpback whales, they weren't even mentioned once
2) "Over 95% success rate sighting whales
Our Guarantee Should you not see a whale, come again for free until you do, for life, no expiry" CAVEAT: however, your view will always be limited to a minimum of 100 metres
3) "Travel through the spectacular Gulf and San Juan Islands" CAVEAT: it's pleasant but it's not spectacular
4) "Have a professional wildlife guide on board who discusses the marine ecosystem and answers questions" in fairness our guide was approachable and knowledgeable
5) "Complimentary water and snack" CAVEAT: NO drink provided and the snack is a $0.20 granola bar
6) "Hydrophones to hear the whales communicating" CAVEAT: No hydrophones used on our trip. Not even mentioned.

For the price ($160), I wouldn't recommend it. A big disappointment.

Quaint place with good craft beer and a fresh, well-rounded menu selection.

Fun day out, saw so many orca whales and other marine life. Staff were knowledgeable, friendly, and respectful of ecological rules. We were all comfy in the boat (this was early September) but really a good idea to dress in layers.

The whale watching was so much fun! The Zodiac style boats weren't as small as ones we got from Victoria City, but this is much easier to get to from Vancouver, and we still saw lots of wales closeup.

I loved going to see the whales with Vancouver Whale Watch. I would recommend to family and friends. The trip was organised, informative and comfortable. Had a 5yr old with us aswell.
Humpbacks jumping right next to the boat! Can't put video up!
Seems expensive but when you realise how far the boat travels to get to them you understand there is costs involved, probably lots of fuel! In my opinion it's good value

Had a superb experience. Watching the orcas so close was absolutely a delight.

Great experience! We took the afternoon tour, so they already knew where the whale was. So, they went straight to it! On the way, we also saw sea lions and bald eagles.

My husband and I used Vancouver Whale Watch while visiting Vancouver from Colorado. Everything was organized and easy! We rode on the smaller, red boat and the ride was smooth and a lot of fun! Our guide was knowledgable and gave us lots of details about the whales as we watched. We got as close as you would expect to the whales and saw a mother with her three babies! We would definitely recommend this group to anyone visiting the Vancouver area!

We were unlucky to not see any whales but overall it took a very long time to get from Vancouver over to the boats. We had to pay to be collected with others from the city and taken over. Our driver on the way home was great, he was very funny. Were out on the water for 4 hours which was very cold, even though most people had already realised we likely wouldn't see any whales after the first couple of hours and were getting cold/falling asleep. Lifetime return receipt offered rather than discount or refund which isn't that useful for people who have travelled a long way and are unlikely to ever return.

Amazing experience, great helpful knowledgeable staff....
We have seen everything: orcas, whales, seals etc...

We also booked small group and used shuttle services! Once we missed the shuttle due to our own fault, and they were super nice to cover the cost of a taxi....

Thank you!

No whales seen but well organized. Little bit pricy because no food or drinks included. Duration 5h. Voucher valid for lifetime

Absolutely incredible day and experience! Couldn t recommend this company enough. The whole day ran so smoothly & was really well organised. It was very relaxed and at no point did we feel rushed. The food provided by the deli was delicious too! Our tour guide (Sue maybe?) was brilliant and very informative and kept us updated at all times! We saw orcas and humpbacks which was incredible. They company really put an effort in to making sure we got to see as much wildlife as possible! Thank you so much

Wow. What day. Our captain Scotty and the guide Ellen were amazing. We saw four Orcas and three Humpbacks. Plus some sea lions.
So worth the money. I will for sure be back.
I also learnt so much about whakes, as Eileen has a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you for an amazing day.

Fantastic company and one that holds the enjoyment of its customers and the welfare of the animals in the highest regard. Unlike many other boats in the area, our captain kept the legal required distance from the whales we spotted and did everything not to interfere or disturb their natural behaviour. As we didn't get an unbelievable viewing experience, due to the whales being submerged for most of the time, they also offered everyone a free pass for another trip. So despite us seeing whales, so I wasn't expecting anything, the free trip was offered as the experience wasn't as good as it could be (due to the lack of activity, nothing to do with the company).
Boats were comfortable with great viewing ability and the staff knowledgeable and very friendly.

Very cool!! Great walk, especially if time and whales help xD

Amazing!! Staff was great and extremely friendly. Amazing experience.

Enjoyable Sunday morning tour with Captain Bryan and Joan, with the latter's knowledge really adding to the experience. Our trip took five hours, with the first few hours feeling like a bit of a slog due to the fog, and in total we saw 17 killer whales, a number of sea lions and Harbour seals, and a few porpoise. There were times when I felt woefully underdressed for the breeze though, so wrap up warm even on a sunny day! I'd also recommend taking some snacks and drinks, though the crew do offer complimentary bottled water and a cereal bar during the trip.

Magic experience, very nice crew and a lot of animals to observe !

Had great trip with captain Scotty! We've seen killer whales breaching. The weather was nice and all the staff were super friendly. Also the shuttle bus was nice and easy done. Plan and reserve this in this trip at least 2 weeks before you go!

Mike & Joan were amazing! They made our tour very enjoyable. They truly care about educating you about orcas and respecting their space. We knew there s always a chance you won t see anything, however we were lucky enough to observe the southern J pod and a transient pod with a calf. Thank you VWW for an awesome day!

I finally went in August 2016. Beautifull hot day smooth waters sunsine, wow.
The guide was great and friendly. She provided tons of information, pictures. She knew all the whales by name. Told us about new babies. I learned a lot, seen a huge male orca. Lots of smaller ones. It was fun. Really enjoyable time. I will go again in May taking some one with me.
Thank you for the great service and the wonderful experience.

Wow, what a trip. The shuttle from downtown Vancouver was excellent. Our driver Levi was extremely informative and very funny. He gave us so much information about Vancouver and Richmond over the bus's loudspeaker and kept us all amused. When we arrived we were given protective suits and we're swiftly loaded onto the boat. Our naturalist, Andy, was amazingly informative. She answered all of our questions on board and gave lots of information about the whales we saw over the tannoy. The boat was very comfortable and not too rocky, but we did have a beautifully sunny day. We were lucky enough to see 4 orcas and about 5 humpback whales. We also saw porpoise, bald eagles and loads of seals. An amazing trip, do it.

For all my years writing reviews on Google I rarely describe negative experience because most of business learnt how important it is. Here comes another one and hope it will make a difference too

I have never had a chance to embark on that adventure so this is a review of the CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY.

Firstly I made my way to the office to book the tour 5 day in advance for 2 adults and baby under 1yo. I went in person because I had time and there is no way to book online. I was told there is a convenient pick up from my hotel (fairmont) so decided to go ahead with that.

Then I come back to the hotel and the story unveils:

1) I find out they charged the full price for a toddler for transport which makes it equal to taking a taxi. I asked why and got some weird answer. didn't even bother to follow.

2) A day before the trip they offer more convenient pick up (directly from the hotel) rather than Canada Place (our hotel) -why TF they didn't offer it in the first place? I am on a holiday, don't check my e-mail every hour. so can't reply on time. And don't call me on a phone I came from Europe and would need to pay horrendous roaming charges (told them that too, but they call anyways).

3) Then the trip is cancelled due to the weather - fair enough. They say they will refund because that was our last day in the country. A week after I am checking my account and can't believe that they actually charged me in total and after all the extras and bank charges I am $25 worse. WHO ON EARTH IN THE HOSPITALITY AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY CHARGES FULL AMOUNT ON THE CREDIT CARD?? The are bloody morons!!! Instead of reserving the amount they took it all for which I had to pay to the bank + exchange difference. What a decent business does that knowing the risk of cancellation is high. YOU DON'T CHAGE THE CREDIT CARDS. YOU KEEP THE DETAILS OR RESERVE AMOUNT!!!!!

4) I wrote the complaint they replied twice politely but with no outcome (requested further refund) and no communication since then = middle finger.

That is my honest experience.

Nice experience. 3 stars only as i spent half of my day but just got to see orcas for literally 2-3 minutes in 10-15 times in total !!

Despite truly dreadful weather where we might have been drier in the sea than on the boat, the staff made the trip interesting and enjoyable. There is adequate cover in case of rain so you can venture out in truly poor weather. It is worth a look around the shop/booking office as there are some really interesting items on sale.

The staff here were great and they took us to see alot of interesting stuff. We got to see the orcas which was the reason why we went on this excursion. I was a little disappointed that no-one disclosed to me that we were not allowed to get within 100 metres of the orcas before I paid the $300. If I'd had known that before hand I would have put that money to better use. I understand that rule I just wish they would have told me before I paid.

A very helpful staff during the boat ride, with the guide passing along the boat to make sure everyone heard all the explanations, and answering all of my specific questions regarding the whales.
Our whale watching ride was really special, and we were glad we had this experience.

Wonderful experience with vancouver whale watching .Staff very friendly and knowledgeable.Went from Steveston to Sechelt saw harbor seals, orcas, and a humpback whale breaching.

One of my most memorable experience, when you saw killer whales jumping out from the water....

This started out very rough. We had booked at 9AM whale watch on Saturday.. they called a hour before we were suppose to be there and canceled because it was too windy. I rescheduled for the next day for the 2PM same boat as the day before. They called a hour again before we were suppose to be there and canceled due to some mechanical issues. As you can imagine at this point I was not very happy. I wasted my whole weekend on this. I told them they better figure something out because this was getting ridiculous. 10 minutes later they called and said they have room on their zodiac boat. I said ok. I was very nervous to go on the zodiac boat because I read other reviews before booking.

On just the zodiacs you wear a life floatation suit. The ride was not too bumpy in the back. We drove for about 30 minutes before we became surrounded by pods of killer whales. Everywhere we looked there were whales! It was a once in a life time experience. We were the first ones to find them and shortly after 9 other whale watching boats arrived. We saw at least 15 whales.One even swan under our boat. It was unreal! We followed the whales for at least a hour. I was impressed with how much our guide and driver cared for the animals. I am glad we ended up on the zodiac you feel much closer with the whales and you are not fighting for a spot to stand to get a picture like on the bigger boats.

The whales definitely made the day..

My wife and I had soooo much fun! Go on the Zodiac tour. You will not regret it. Andy and Matt are the absolute best.

Awesome place. Totally worth it. Use entertainment coupon as it gets you 20% off....but awesome crew and boat

Nice experience. We were able to admire the wildlife of the Pacific. It's just moving to see the orcas swimming and leaping out of the water, the seals and their babies lounging around and the eagles prancing themselves on their headlands. Pleasant staff.

Great guide and lots more to see other than just Wales.

I used it for whale watching last summer. However, one thing to keep in mind is that whale watching is the killer whale tour in Canada. Please be careful as it is not a whale. However, even if you visit the killer whale, it is very powerful when you see it up close, so you can enjoy it. At the time of visit, ships of various tour companies go offshore. It seems that each ship is in contact with each other, and when one ship finds a killer whale, it will share the information and all the ships will gather at the place. Since the engine is turned off during the tour, the killer whales also come close to the ship. When the killer whale's dorsal fin started turning around the ship, I was honestly laughed. Just Joes. An island where not only killer whales but seals live? A ship also passed near (a place like a rock face), so I was able to see the seals. Also, fortunately at my time, the timing coincided with the total solar eclipse in North America, so I was able to see the eclipse at the venue. After the tour, some buses return to the town. You can find the bus departure time on the screen near the entrance. The bus stop was down the stairs of the building. Also, the venue is quite cold, so it's best to wear heavy clothing. I went in August and it was just fine wearing ski wear, a knit hat and a neck warmer. These clothes can be lent. Also, sunglasses are mandatory.

We had a great time, I was nervous before we went as I get seasick but I didn't need to worry, we found the whales very quickly and spent a lot of time just watching them make their way in to the bay which was amazing!! We even saw a humpback whale to which was great, 2 ticked of my bucket list :)!!

Cold, wet, and only saw a few orcas from a distance. A bit disapointing.

Definitely worth doing while you're in town. We went on the Explorathor Express with Captain Steve and Naturalist Martha. We saw a humpback whale breach, lots of other humpbacks and also the T49A killer whale family! They dress you warmly in yellow water proof gear and the trip was just amazing from beginning to end. The weather cooperated as well to too it off nicely! Highly recommend - the entire staff is delightful!!!

Great afternion with good viewing of several whales.
Guides were knowledgeable and gave a good talk on board boat.

I got this trip as a belated birthday gift from my sister and her family and it was a great experience to see the whales so close by and one was even swimming under the zodiac boat, so great to see! Our guide Sue and captain Mike did an amazing job and explain everything perfectly!

This was one of the highlights from my holiday in Canada! Thank you for that!

I will recommend your company to my family and friends in the Netherlands, when they go to Canada, that they also can feel this great experience what I had!

Thx and I definitely will do it again in the future!

Greetings,

Danny B.
(The Netherlands)

We did not see that many whales but it was a great tour through the island labyrinth. It is quite loud. Bring somthing to protect your ears

Good point of contact for whale watching tours in Vancouver itself. Parking spaces (paid) are nearby. However, when booking, you can park for free on the day of the tour. The operators are very nice and you get a lot of information about the animals during the trip. You can also ask yourself at any time. The tours last between 3 and 5 hours, depending on how successfully the animals can be located.
Since the next tour is free if it is not successful, you should not necessarily book on the last day of your vacation. According to their own statement, the probability of a sighting is 90 percent.

This was such a good day out! We were looking for reasonably priced whale watching in Vancouver and came across this gem. Saw Orcas, humpbacks and sea lions plus a great tour guide and amusing bus driver. In such a beautiful area of Vancouver too

Had an amazing time whale watching. Saw orcas which was incredible and the staff were super helpful and lovely.

We had a brilliant time whale watching. The people at Vancouver whale watch were superb. They were efficient, cheerful, patient, very knowledgeable. They took time to answer questions, point out birds as well as sea life. They clearly take a pride in their job and enjoy it. Very willing to share their expertise and well organised.

such a beautiful day and the whales were so close, the crew and office were so friendly and the captain made sure everyone has a great view when we spotted all the whales

Nice experience, and well arranged. highly recommended. especially the shuttle service was very easy.

We didn't get to see whales on our first trip but re-booking for the day after was no issue at all (and additional trips are free of you don't see whales). We got lucky on our second trip.

Underwhelming. 130 CAD per person for a long, arduous, boring, uncomfortable and deafening 1.5 hour boat ride. A glimpse of approximately 0.1% of a whale - which was classed by the staff as a 'successful' trip. 2hr journey back. Don't waste your money.

What an experience! We saw humpback, orcas, sea lions, bald eagles and other wildlife on this your that was wonderfully narrated by our guide. Water was calm, skies were clear so we really couldn't have asked for better conditions. I highly recommend a long zoom camera or lens on your DSLR for nice pics.

The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable! But unfortunately our boat and the other five out for the day didn't see any whales, we only saw seals and porpoises, which were pretty much just exciting because it had been a long day of open ocean. It was really disappointing to go out and not see any whales, but that isn't the companies fault. They did give us a return voucher.. so better luck next time! We went on September 16, 2016.

Our last day in Vancouver I thought we would go whale watching. We booked with Vancouver Whale Watching. We were headed out of the channel on an enclosed boat. The Captain chose not to slow down for large waves and we took one over the bow and the windshield blew out on my teenage kids. Since my husband is an experienced fishing captain, we immediately recognized this captain was a rookie. Water came in the boat and we all got completely drenched. My daughter's finger was cut fairly bad and my son got scratches on his neck.
We turned back to the dock and needless to say we never saw any whales. We understand things happen, but my main complaint is the owner and the Captain were more concerned with the condition of the boat than the condition of my children and other passengers. We never received a "I am very sorry".
They did not offer anything to us. We did get our money refunded. But it would have been nice of the owner and crew to apologize and ask if we were okay!

Had a great time. Guide was professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. Whales are a bit far sometimes, but you can still get some great pictures and videos. Definitely would recommend!

They were awesome! They were friendly, eco-friendly, knowlegeable and accommodating- squeezed me in last minute and made sure I saw orcas!

Wonderful trip, amazing crew (Sore) and fantastic captain (Rich)

Great place to go to see some whales! The staff is very friendly!

Now I understand that whale watching is a luck of the draw thing, but when i called to make my booking I specifically asked if the tour went to the islands to the south around Victoria as I had been told this area is the best chance for Orcas. I was told that they did so I booked the tour.
The actual route we took was the complete opposite, straight west and then north, we would of only spent around 30min near Vancouver Island before we headed north into the bay and then proceeded to spend the next 2hrs just floating watching a single humpback come up for air every 15 minutes.
By the end you could tell everyone on the boat was over it and just wanted to leave.
The fact I was lied to when I booked this tour was the worst thing. There are other tours that have set routes and I would of booked one of those had I known.
If you want to see Orcas don't waste your money here

Exceeded all expectations seeing Orca's, sea lions and seals

What an AMAZING day we had. Captain Rich was fantastic getting us close enough to both Killer & Humpback Whales! We had an Orca calf come so close to the boat and give us quite the show...even breaching right next to the boat!! The friendly & knowledgeable Joan was our guide & she really knows her stuff! I highly recommend this tour!! Thank you so much Captain Rich & Joan!!

Enjoyed the zodiac tour and the knowledge of the captain. Saw a pod of killer whales but some private boats were clearly breaking the whale watching regulations.

awesome tour saw two humpback whales right close to the boat very knowledgable great day

Knowledgeable guide and captain. Saw lots of whales

Really enjoyed the trip. We were second boat on the scene for a humpback! They took us to a pod of orcas as well. Samantha was nice and knowledgeable. Boat is LOUD! but covered so that was nice. Levi was a really funny guy and gave us tons of information about BC during the shuttle ride.

Great tour seeing 3 humpback whales, lots of seal and getting told many interesting facts about the fragile ecosystem.

Really really good ride and a super knowledgeable staff let us fully enjoy the Vancouver wilderness and wildlife...even seeing a few humpbacks along the way.

The tour was run so professionally. Our shuttle driver Trevor was informative and funny. We arrived at Steveston and were checked in quickly and given wet weather gear incase we got rain and then headed out to board our boat for the day.

Marta was our naturalist on board and Steve the captain, Marta gave us lots of information about the area and the sea life. We came across 3 humpbacks while we were out, as well as Californian sea lions and seals. I was so hoping to see Orcas but unfortunately none wanted to come out to play. Despite that, It was still an Awesome day.

When I got back to our hotel later that evening I realized I had lost my small leather coin purse and decided to email on the off chance it was found. It was and I wanted to say a Special Thank you for the staff for going above and beyond to get the purse back to me

Thank you Whale Watching Vancouver for a Brilliant day, keep up the Great work :-)

Competent people bring the visitors to the whales. An experience.

Good staff. They take there time showing you around. On our way back they went out of way to show another family of whales which was in the area