Victoria Whale WatchinG
Welcome to Victoria’s 1st Certified Responsible Whale Watching Operator!
COVID-19 UPDATE
Dear Valued Customers, Following the latest announcement from BC Premier John Horgan, Five Star will only be accepting bookings from guest who live in the Island Health region. We are doing this to continue keeping the safety of our staff and guests a priority and to do our part in reducing cross-community spread of COVID-19. If you are from outside the Island Health region and have an upcoming booking with us, we will be contacting you shortly. We thank you for your continued support and understanding! 
We are now offering private tours for local family groups or social bubble groups/cohorts of 4-8 people to conform with COVID-19 protocols & to follow the advice of Dr. Henry, BC’s Provincial Health Officer. Please contact our office for more details.
We have various COVID-19 safety protocols in place that meet or exceed WorkSafeBC & BC Health Ministry recommendations/orders. The safety of our guests & staff remains our number one priority. We will continue to monitor the situation and make any necessary adjustments.
“Be kind, be calm and be safe” – Dr. Bonnie Henry.
For more details please visit our COVID-19 page at https://www.5starwhales.com/covid-19-safety-protocol/
Availability Dependent on Weather
Mother's Day Special
Mother’s Day Special Offer!
Treat your Mom this Mother’s Day to a marine adventure on the Salish Sea. Special Discount of 25% for the whole family plus a bonus gift (worth $75) for Moms!
Offer valid on Sunday, May 9th 2021 only.
Call our office at 250-388-7223 or book online at www.5starwhales.com and enter the code DGV2021 when prompted.
Special offer for Locals!
Join Victoria’s 1st Certified Responsible Whale Watching Operator and enjoy a special discount. We are booking private tours for families or social bubble groups 4-8 people. Call our office at 250-388-7223 or book online at www.5starwhales.com Come and join the Ultimate Marine Adventure!
Family groups and bubble groups!
We are now taking bookings for family groups and bubble groups between 4-8 people for private tours. Contact our office and join Victoria’s 1st certified responsible operator and experience the ultimate marine wildlife experience! Email our office at orcas@5starwhales.com or call 250-388-7223 for more details.
Book Now, Travel Later & Save!
Book now, travel later and save 25% on our regular rate. Join Victoria’s first certified Responsible Whale Watching company this season and save money. If you book online between now and April 30th, enter the code DGV2021 when prompted you will receive a 25% discount on our regular rate. This applies for all our tours in 2021. Please note: If you are living outside of Canada we advise not to make a reservation until it is clear the border will be open to travellers. visit www.5starwhales.com to book online now!
Five Star Whale Watching Gift Certificate
If you are looking for a great gift idea why not buy one of our Responsible Whale Watching Gift Certificates! We are proud to be Victoria’s 1st WCA Certified Responsible Whale Watching operator. Our Gift Certificates are available for adults, students/youth or children, they make the perfect gift for anyone who loves Whales and Marine Life! If you purchase a Gift Certificate between now and March 31st enter the code HOLIDAYS when prompted and receive a 20% discount! #welikeourwhaleswild
To purchase a Gift Certificate click on the following link; Five Star Gift Certificate
Private Charter – Marine Adventure and Whale Watching
This Spring we are offering tours for families and groups at special rates on our 12 passenger vessel Salish Shadow. We will be taking bookings for families and small groups up to 8 people to conform with COVID-19 protocols & to follow the advice of Dr. Henry, BC’s Provincial Health Officer.
Join us and discover the wonders of the Salish Sea as we encounter Orcas, Humpbacks Whales, Seals, Sea Lions and more!
Contact our office for more details at either orcas@5starwhales.com or 250-388-7223 and mention the code DGV2020. Or book online and enter the code DGV2020 when prompted. Please note reservations are required and subject to weather, demand and availability.
“Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe” – Dr. Bonnie Henry
Ultimate Marine Adventure – 25% discount for locals/BC Residents
Join Victoria’s first WCA Certified Responsible Whale Watching operator and Receive 25% off admission to one of our Whale & wildlife tours! Enjoy a 3-hour ultimate whale and marine wildlife watching tour in the Salish Sea. Sit back and relax aboard a luxurious coastal explorer as you search for killer whales, humpbacks and other wildlife.
Deals with The Empress
Five Star Whale Watching is the Fairmont Empress Hotel in-house whale watching company, and as a guest of the hotel we have a special offer for you! Call or click to make a reservation now and mention you are staying at the Empress Hotel to get a special rate. If reserving on line please use the promotion code EMP1. When visiting Victoria Whale Watching is a Must Do activity and with 30 years of experience Five Star Whale Watching is the perfect choice for guests of the Empress Hotel. Book now and experience for yourself the incredible rich and diverse marine mammals that can be found in out local waters!
Clipper Vacations
If you are travelling to Victoria from Seattle then travel in comfort aboard the Clipper V with our friends at Clipper Vacations. Clipper Vacations has several packages for activities during your time in Victoria including Whale Watching. Check out their Whale Watching packages at Clipper Whale Watching
Student Deals
If you are a student then we have special rates for you.
Why choose Five Star?
There are many Whale Watching companies in Victoria but here are a few reasons we stand out from the crowd!
- We are Victoria’s longest running and most respected Whale Watching company and have been a pioneer of the eco-tourism industry for over 30 years!
- We are proud to be Victoria’s first World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) Certified Responsible Whale Watching Operator. We follow and often exceed the Best Practice Guidelines for Whale & Wildlife viewing.
- Five Star Whale Watching was one of the first companies in Victoria to be awarded The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp. This stamp allows travellers to easily recognize destinations and tourism businesses around the world that have adopted globally standardized health and hygiene protocols to ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience. Five Star was instrumental in developing safe operating procedures under COVID-19 for the marine ecotourism industry in Canada and BC. Five Star Whale Watching also has the best safety record of any Whale Watching company on Victoria. Visit our COVID-19 Safety protocols page from more information on a stringent health and safety measures. https://www.5starwhales.com/covid-19-safety-protocol/
- Our Mission is to Educate, Inspire, Preserve & Protect the incredible Marine Environment.
- We are part of the Whale Reporting Network that provides alerts to commercial vessels that Whales are in the area and to slow down. The data also is used for research purposes. We fly the Whale Warning Flag on all our vessels to warn other boaters Whales are in the area.
- Following the mantra of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Replenish, Restore in our daily operations. We believe it is our duty to do what we can to help protect our planet and give back as much as possible. We do this because it is the right thing to do, not to gain fancy awards, taking care of our planet and especially the precious Marine Environment is the only reward we require.
- Our fleet consists of 2 Purpose built Expedition Catamarans, Supercat & Kuluta, plus our High Speed Coastal Explorer, Salish Shadow. We pride ourselves on having the best purpose built Whale Watching Fleet in Victoria!
- Let our expert team of Marine Naturalists, Captains, Managers & Office Staff introduce you to the wonders of the Salish Sea! We have some of the most hands on, passionate and knowledgeable crew in the marine industry. From the friendly office staff ready to answer your questions and assist you, to the experienced and passionate Marine Naturalists & Captains, ready to pass on their knowledge and passion for the local marine environment. Guest comfort and a high level of customer service is paramount in all we do.
