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We require all passengers to meet 30 minutes prior to their scheduled tour time. Meet us at 645 Humboldt Street on the north side of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, next to Willow Stream Spa and Miniature World.
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Our tours are 3-hour tours. We have multiple departures depending on the time of the year. Apart from our daily departures at 10am, 1pm, & 2pm, we also have evening departures at 5.30pm from May 15th to August 31st. Our season is March 1st until December 31st.
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Our tours depart from the “yellow line” on the floating docks in the Victoria Inner Harbour. This is just a short walk across the street from our offices and the Fairmont Empress Hotel.
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Pants (rather than skirts, shorts, or dresses) are recommended as the weather conditions can be windy and the air will be on the cooler side. Think layers! Layer your shirts: a t-shirt with a sweatshirt, and/or light jacket is recommended, with a water/wind-proof layer to go overtop. Dress for the day and the season – and remember it is always cooler on the water.
Casual, close-toed shoes are recommended on the boat.
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The following items will always be helpful in making your tour a happy memory:
- Sunblock
- Water bottle
- Sunglasses
- Camera or video camera
- Binoculars
- Sense of adventure!
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There are no restrictions for our expedition catamaran vessels. Guests confined to a wheel chair should check with our office about accessibility. For our vessel Salish Shadow, we do not recommend this vessel for guests with any knee, neck, or back injuries, those who are pregnant, or for children younger than 6 years old.
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On occasion, it can happen. However, our twin hull catamarans are some of the most stable vessels in the industry, and thereby minimize motion sickness. Salish Shadow is a faster vessel, but still very stable. If you find yourself more susceptible to motion sickness, we recommend you take your preferred medicine at least an hour prior to departure. Please feel free to check with our office on the day of your tour to find out what the conditions are like that day.
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Although floatation suits are not required to be worn on our vessels, coast guard-approved floatation jackets are provided for our passengers’ comfort. We also have coast guard-approved lifejackets onboard for all passengers in the event of an emergency.
Our vessels are also equipped with all necessary safety equipment required by Transport Canada.
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There is storage space available at the office for larger items, such as suitcases. Smaller bag/day packs can be taken on-board the vessel. Please talk to our office if you need any items stored.
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Yes, all expedition catamaran vessels are equipped with a full restroom for the comfort of our passengers. Our smaller vessel, Salish Shadow, has a toilet on board for emergency use only.
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We facilitate and are part of an extensive spotting network by air (float planes), sea, and land that covers the Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle area.
Information is shared and disseminated to partners in the industry. When there have not been reports before a trip, our expert captain and crew use their knowledge of the area and the whales to do educated searches – typically resulting in success!
In the peak summer months we have at least a 98% success rate of “finding” whales. -
Five Star Whale Watching follows respectable whale & wildlife viewing practices.
We adhere to a strict set of regulations set out by the whale watching network (PWWA) of which we are a part of, and by US and Canadian regulatory authorities.
The guidelines stipulate that all vessels must maintain a distance of at least 100 meters from the whales in Canadian waters, and 200m from orcas. In American waters, it is 100 yards for any whale except orcas, from which vessels must maintain a distance of 200 yards. -
We have been offering tours in the Salish Sea longer than any other whale watching company in Victoria; in fact, we like to call ourselves the pioneers in the industry.
As leaders in experience, innovation, and knowledge, we have been showing guests the wonders of the Salish Sea for over 30 years.
Our captains and crew are highly educated and passionate about what they do, and know these waters like the back of their hand.We practice and promote ethical & responsible wildlife viewing, follow all Be Whale Wise guidelines and are a founding member of the Pacific Whale Watch Association.
We are proud to be Victoria’s first World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) Certified Responsible Whale Watching Operator, which shows our commitment to ethical and responsible wildlife viewing.
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While you can never guarantee an animal in their natural habitat, we at Five Star are confident that over 98% of the time in peak season months we will be able to show you whales in the wild!
Despite industry-leading success rates in whale sightings, there is the rare occasion that our whale friends decide to play hide and seek. If this happens between May 1st – October 31st, we invite you to join us again on a complimentary tour. This offer has no expiry date.
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Orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, and gray whales.
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In the waters around southern Vancouver Island, we’re most likely to see killer whales from April to October. We have had a great resurgence in humpback sightings as well! Our season is from March 1st until December 31st.
Unlike people, whales are not on a 24-hour clock, and so the time of day does not influence the likelihood of sightings – We always advise to chose the time that suits your schedule and other plans during your visit to Victoria.
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We offer complimentary coffee and hot chocolate (by request), coast guard-approved waterproof floatation jackets, hydrophones to hear the whales, and expert marine naturalists narrating your 3-hour tour. If you would like to bring your own snacks or drinks, you are welcome to bring them on-board.
