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Canada
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British Columbia
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Capital
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Victoria
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Tours & Activities
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Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure from Victoria
3 h
Half Day
About this activity
All aboard Victoria’s whale-watching flagship! The 62-foot, semi-covered Ocean Magic II was custom designed and created right here in British Columbia for the purpose of premier West Coast whale watching. Its streamlined design allows it to push through waves with ease while maintaining speed. This maximizes the distance you can travel and the amount of time you are able to spend viewing whales and other marine wildlife.
Ocean Magic II’s twin engines produce an industry-leading 1,650 horse power! But don’t be fooled by all of that power; it uses less fuel per passenger than any other vessel in the harbor, plus its surface-piercing propellers reroute intermittent engine noise above water to limit the disturbance to nearby marine mammals.
The vessel has a large heated indoor cabin and two open air sun decks ideal for photography. You can also enjoy the added comfort of two washrooms and a snack bar.
Your tour will last a minimum of 3 hours and will include various stops at different points of interest within the protected waters of Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Your captain will position the boat parallel to the animals, which allows for excellent photo opportunities. Throughout your cruise, you'll be fully entertained and educated by up to three of the industry's top marine naturalists.
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Ocean Magic II’s twin engines produce an industry-leading 1,650 horse power! But don’t be fooled by all of that power; it uses less fuel per passenger than any other vessel in the harbor, plus its surface-piercing propellers reroute intermittent engine noise above water to limit the disturbance to nearby marine mammals.
The vessel has a large heated indoor cabin and two open air sun decks ideal for photography. You can also enjoy the added comfort of two washrooms and a snack bar.
Your tour will last a minimum of 3 hours and will include various stops at different points of interest within the protected waters of Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Your captain will position the boat parallel to the animals, which allows for excellent photo opportunities. Throughout your cruise, you'll be fully entertained and educated by up to three of the industry's top marine naturalists.
Included
- 74-passenger vessel featuring indoor, heated cabin and two open air decks
- Captain and expert crew of 3-4 guides/naturalists
- Live commentary
- Educational materials on board
- Complementary tea, coffee & hot chocolate + light snacks for purchase
- Two airplane-style washrooms
- 93% Whale Sighting Success Rate
- Lifetime Whale Sightings Guarantee - new free tour from Vancouver or Victoria until you see whales!
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- 2 per person Salish Sea Conservation Fee (1% For The Planet Initiative) is included in price
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Additional
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- 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 all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Features
Original
100%
Tourism
85%
Aquatic
65%
Adrenaline
55%
Reviews
We were thrilled to see humpback whales several times during our time about the Prince of Whales. One "stood" up in the water and watched us and not long after she came up beside our boat and floated on the surface beside us- actually touching the side of the boat. The naturalists were quick to tell us this was a rare event. We loved the sea lions and the seals on the way back as well. I should say that it rained once we left the Inner Harbor, but no one cared afterwards.
great experience! The boat and crew were excellent! We were fortunate to see Orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, harbor seals, and had lovely weather. I am very frugal and definitely thought it was worth the cost. I will enjoy my photos for a long time.
The Whale Watching was a true adventure. We saw tons of Orcas and whales. The narrator was very pleasant and informative. The trip is well worth the money. One tip, dress warmly since it gets cold out there.
What can I say? It's a 50-50 chance if we're going to see whale or not. We saw the tip of the whale's tail from a distance and that's it for us, the animal was really shy that day. The boat ride itself was pretty cool and enjoyable, it is safe for kids.
Great trip saw a pod of orcas
Great experience. Saw 2 pods of orca whales as well as 2 humpback whales.
Overall, it was a good trip. However, it says a minimum of 3 hours for duration. This was not the case for ours. We checked in half hour early as it tells you to do, then were told ours had been half hour delayed, so we had to find stuff to do for half hour. We were on a tight schedule b/c of our cruise ship, so we just walked around for another hour. Our boat loaded at 4:15 was scheduled for 3:30 we found Orcas around 5pm, and watched them from a farther distance than what is required. Other tour boats were closer than ours, but still seemed to adhere to the distance rules. We docked at 6:50pm. So, I was a little irritated at that. We had friends that did a similar tour through our ship excurions and while their's cost a little more, they were on time, and were way closer than we got. I felt like we were rushed b/c we were the last tour of the day with the same crew. I did get some pictures of Orcas, but from far away even with my telephoto lens.
We saw two different pods of killer whales that day. The staff is great, Joe was very knowledgeable and accommodating. If you got to cold on the trip they offer blankets, gloves and hats.This was our excursion not through the cruise line and we left at the stated time and arrived back at the dock on time.
Jennifer was wonderful .. so helpful and informative ..