Prince of Whales Whale Watching

Prince of Whales is one of the most reputable whale-watching companies in Vancouver. In addition to whale watching trips, they also offer sightseeing tours.

The company offers world-class excursions that depart from Granville Island. They also offer tours from Victoria’s Inner Harbour on Vancouver Island.

The last time we checked, the company had a 4.7 rating on Facebook and a 5.0 score on TripAdvisor. You can’t get much better than that! It’s a great company that offers experiences you’ll remember for the rest of your life!

This article contains the following information about Prince of Whales:

Prince of Whales Tours in Vancouver

Whale watching is very popular in Vancouver. On a tour you have a very good chance of seeing plenty of whales (especially orcas or killer whales) at certain times of the year. There are many Whale Watching Companies in the region, but one of the biggest and most well-reviewed is Prince of Whales.

Prince of Whales operates in Vancouver, Victoria and Telegraph Cove (which is on the northern tip of Vancouver Island). The Vancouver tours start from Granville Island at 1666 Duranleau Street. On top of the whale watching tours there are also sightseeing tours that focus on exploring the city and area wildlife from the water.

Whale watching is at its best between March and October during whale migration season. It’s impossible to guarantee that whales will be seen on every excursion, but Prince of Whales states that over 95% of tours have at least one successful sighting. For the trips that don’t, the company offers a free second voyage on a future date, which is awesome! Even on the very rare occasion when you don’t get to see a whale, the trip out on the water is still so much fun! And if you don’t see a whale, you get to spend a second awesome day out on the water at no additional charge! It’s a win-win either way!

Prince of Whales Whale Watching Boat

The Tour Options

Prince of Whales offers a few different options with regards to their tours. There are both whale watching and sightseeing tours, and even day trips to Victoria on offer. Below are details about the various excursions.

Half-Day Whale Watching Tours

This is the most popular whale-watching option with Prince of Whales. These tours are available from April to October and they last for around three to five hours. The trips depart from Granville Island and make their way through Howe Sound and the Strait of Georgia. The tours are accompanied by guides who point out all the different animals you might see and provide information about the natural environment. The trips are both tons of fun and educational!

The boats used for whale watching are usually catamarans which can hold up to 95 people. They have a heated cabin that you can see the sights from, and when it’s warm and sunny out you can be in the open air too. There are a few different types of boats, though, with some being larger than others.

The tours leave rain or shine so make sure to dress appropriately. Prince of Whales recommends that you bring long pants and a second layer even if it’s sunny as it can get cold out on the open water.

On these tours there are complimentary drinks on board with coffee, hot chocolate and tea. As of the last time we checked in February 2024, the half day tours leaving from Granville Island cost between $179 to $199 for adults, $139 to $159 for teens and $119 for children.

To book your trip visit the Prince of Whales website.

Whale Watching in Vancouver — Sightseeing by the Lions Gate Bridge

Waterfront Sightseeing Tours

For those who want to see the sights of the city beyond whales, Prince of Whales also offers exceptional waterfront sightseeing tours. These are available from May to September and they depart from the same Granville Island location. Rather than in a catamaran, however, these tours use much smaller, 12-passenger boats called Zodiacs.

City & Harbour and City & Nature Tours

There are a few variations of the sightseeing tours. The shorter versions are the City & Harbour Tour and the City & Nature Tour. They both go up through English Bay to north of Stanley Park. The difference between them is that the first one goes east under the Lions Gate Bridge while the second heads northwest towards Vancouver’s North Shore. Both of these tours last for about 90 minutes and cost around $79 per person.

On the City & Harbour Tour you’ll see some of Vancouver’s most famous sites including Granville Island, False Creek, Stanley Park, Coal Harbour, the Lions Gate Bridge, North Shore Mountains, Burrard Inlet, English Bay and Kitsilano. On the City & Nature Tour, meanwhile, you’ll see a bit of the city as well as Stanley Park, Lighthouse Park, lots of freighters and a seal colony.

City & Waterfall Tour

A third tour is the three-hour City & Waterfall Tour that goes as far as Indian Arm Provincial Park. This voyage provides beautiful natural views including waterfalls and wildlife. The scenery up Indian Arm is amazing! Whereas the two shorter sightseeing tours cost around $79 per person, the City & Waterfall Tour costs around $139.

On the City & Waterfall Tour you’ll see parts of down Vancouver but also the Second Narrows Bridge, Say Nuth Khaw Yum Provincial Park, the Buntzen Power House, Silver Falls, Deep Cove and some amazing scenery that can be experienced only from a boat. You’ll see some of the region’s most beautiful places including ones that most Vancouverites have never seen (but would wish they could if they knew about them)!

Prince of Whales Whale Watching Boat — Sightseeing Near Stanley Park

Fly-Whales-Fly Day Trips

This tour option is much bigger than the others as it involves a full day trip to Victoria. Beginning at 9:00 am you fly on a seaplane from Vancouver to Victoria. Upon landing in Victoria’s Inner Harbour you take part in a whale watching tour around the island. Once the boat returns to shore you have around two to four hours of free time in downtown Victoria before flying back home and touching down in Vancouver at around 6:30 pm. It’s an amazing trip that you’ll remember for the rest of your life!

This tour is available year-round if you elect to take a Zodiac boat tour in Victoria. From July to November there is also the ability to book a catamaran tour. Other than the type of boat used, the tours are basically the same as they follow similar schedules. The seaplanes depart from and land at the Vancouver Harbour Terminal at 1055 Canada Place.

The Fly-Whales-Fly Tours cost around $599 for adults and around $389 for children. Passengers on the planes must be at least 4 feet tall and weigh a minimum of 50 pounds, which means children under 7 years old or so typically can’t go.

To book your tour departing from either Vancouver or Victoria, visit the Prince of Whales website.