Half-Day Whale Watching

BOOK

Departing from Granville Island in downtown Vancouver our high-speed, custom-built, luxury catamaran will take you on a 3- to 5-hour fully-guided whale watching & marine wildlife tour.

Starting at $170* CAD / Adult

*+ Conservation Fee & Tax

Book Now

Highlights & Inclusions

Fully-guided whale watching & marine wildlife tour. Opportunity to observe different species of whales in the wild, sea birds and other marine wildlife. Guided by 3-4 Transport Canada certified marine naturalists.
Year-round Whale Sighting Guarantee. In the unlikely case that we do not see whales, you can join us on another whale watching tour for free.

Highlights & Inclusions

A comfortable semi-covered express cruiser, with 3 different viewing areas on 2 distinct elevations.
Complementary tea, coffee & hot chocolate on board. Light snacks (chips, cookies and chocolate bars) available for purchase.

Experience

Experience the majesty of the Salish Sea and its wildlife, from whales surfacing in unison to bald eagles soaring overhead. Explore the Strait of Georgia’s and Howe Sound’s currents in search of orcas and humpback whales, and listen to our marine mammal experts bring the animals’ stories to life (while you stay warm, dry and hydrated in its heated cabin, of course!) The quintessential whale watching experience for every adventurer.

Did you know? Male orcas weigh up to 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds)!

What To Bring

It gets cold out on the water (trust us!), so we recommend windbreaker jackets, sweaters, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. It’s also a good idea to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a tight-fitting hat, a camera to capture some memorable moments and, above all, your sense of adventure!

Onboard snacks are available for purchase with CAD cash only (no credit/debit cards accepted) but please feel free to bring your own snacks if you wish.

Departure Location

Granville Island Adventure Centre

1666 Duranleau St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3S2, Canada

Please remember to check-in 30 minutes before your adventure.

GET DIRECTIONS

Know Before You Book

The boat used for this adventure is not wheelchair accessible. If you require assistance, please call us to book.

Reviews

Unforgettable experience! I will remember this trip for the rest of my life! We took Half Day Whale Watching on Ocean Magic and Wilma was absolutely mesmerizing ! She knew so much and it was so friendly, making sure we get the best out of this trip.Also, thanks to Captain and the rest of the crew.

We saw Humpback Whale,Orca family, Bald Eagle (several) Sea Lions, beautiful coast and scenery. We came back home and haven't stoped talking about this experience. We highly recommend it and we will be back! Again, thank you so much!

erduanametz in North Houston, Texas

Posted on 8/03/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Fantastic We saw many orcas-the Naturalist -Wilma -was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They provide blankets and sunscreen and their hot drinks are complimentary. They guarantee that you will see whales, and if you don’t, you get to go again at no additional charge. Highly recommended.

seebear1502018 in Annapolis, Maryland

Posted on 5/31/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Awesome Saw sealions, seals, humpbacks and then orcas! Also got to see a wild bald eagle in flight. Crew were excellent and knowledgeable. Great tour.

Shariff A

Posted on 7/12/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Whale Watching Excellent We enjoyed the Whale Watching Tour. Their new boat was comfortable. The staff were extremely knowledgeable, especially Lili. While out, we saw eight Orcas; amazing. On the way back to shore we were treated to hot chocolate. Wonderful day!!!!

Nancy C

Posted on 6/04/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Great adventure What a wonderful adventure. We got to see multiple pods of Orcas...our crew was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in telling us all about the whales and their environment. Our Captain did a great job finding whales and positioning the boat for optimum viewing. Definitely a great trip!!

FEISMUM2014 in Centerburg, Ohio

Posted on 7/06/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Whale watching boat tour This tour exceeded all of our expectations. Captain Aaron and First Mate Wilma did a great job finding us some very rare sightings of resident killer whales and Olivia was the Naturalist who told us about the wildlife we were seeing, and could not have been more nice and helpful.
Highly recommend prince of Whales Whale Watching tours!

David P in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Posted on 8/21/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Nice day for whale watching! We enjoyed our trip on the Ocean Magic II, we saw killer whales, humpbacks, sealions, seal, eagles! The boat and the crew were great. If you ever get as far as Telegraph Cove, you should definitely go on this whale watching trip!

epel99 in North Brabant Province, The Netherlands

Posted on 6/17/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Prince of Whales- whale watching tour We had a great time out on the zodiac, the driver was very knowledgeable and we got to see all types of wildlife. We saw transient orca whales, seals, and bald eagles.

I would recommend this tour. It was a lot of fun.

AshleyRich88

Posted on 3/30/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Brilliant We went out with Captain Chris, Bill, Valerie Laura and Lili today and while out saw 21 Whales. We also go to hear them which we were told was very unusual. The crew Knew their stuff and were passionate about the whales. We were told that the amount of whales we saw was unusual. Got some great photos. Recommend going.

F1049ATandrewr

Posted on 6/28/2019 via TripAdvisor
Reviews

Fantastic! Having booked this whale watching trip, we can honestly say that it was an experience of a lifetime. We were so lucky to have had such perfect ‘viewing’ conditions and having ridden out into the Straights of Georgia for about 50 minutes, not one but two Orca pods were sighted. We followed and shadowed the pods at a respectful distance until one of them came directly under our boat following a ‘kill’. The unfortunate victim was a porpoise.
Nature can be brutal but that’s how it is and can’t be sugar coated.
Everyone on board was glued to the sea for the whole trip. The guides were knowledgable and extremely passionate about the subject of whales and marine life in general.
Thank you to you all for making this trip such an unforgettable one.

PottersBarBeachbum in San Miguel de Salinas, Spain

Posted on 6/07/2019 via TripAdvisor

FAQS

Do tours run in all types of weather?

Tours operate rain or shine! Safety is our priority and, in extreme weather conditions or high winds, adventures may be cancelled at the discretion of our qualified crew. We will be in touch should this be the case.

Will we really see whales?

Yes! There is a high chance of seeing orcas, humpbacks, and other types of whale on your tour. Our year-round whale sighting success rate is ~95% (averaged across all of our adventures) with chances being even higher during summer months.

What happens if we don’t see a whale?

This adventure is covered by our year-round Year-Round Whale Sighting Guarantee. In the unlikely case, we do not see whales on this adventure, you can join us on another whale watching tour. This guarantee is valid for a lifetime!

Are there bathrooms on the boat?

The boat we use for this tour is equipped with two airline-style washrooms.

Do passengers often feel seasick?

No, our boats are custom-built for whale watching with passengers in mind. Captain and crew will also do their best to minimize the impact of the sea. However, if you are prone to seasickness, we recommend you purchase non-drowsy Gravol from a pharmacy prior to your adventure with us.

Are there snacks or beverages on board?

Complementary tea, coffee & hot chocolate will be available on board. Light snacks (chips, cookies, chocolate bars) can be purchased with CAD cash. You can also bring your own snacks.

Do I need to make a reservation?

Reservations are definitely recommended. Adventures often sell out and we don’t want you to be disappointed.

Cancellation Policy

*Please see our COVID-19 Update here for information regarding future bookings*

This adventure has a hassle-free 48-hour cancellation policy. Just contact us at least 48 hours prior to your adventure departure to cancel and receive a full refund, no questions asked. Groups of 10+ guests are subject to a 72-hour cancellation policy. Promotional (discounted) bookings are final sale.

We reserve the right to delay or cancel a departure if there are fewer than 20 guests reserved at the time of departure or in case of events beyond our control (adverse weather conditions, technical or mechanical issues etc.).