Reviews of Five Star Whale Watching (Travel Agency)

Peter Willett

Easy to book on line, staff very friendly and upbeat. Vessel was clean and fun, the double hull catamaran makes for a much smoother ride in the open ocean. We seen a few hump back whales, harbour seals and a playful sea otter. The on board staff knew the local area and wildlife well, and shared allot of local knowledge. The kids loved the hot cocolate, we had a great time, thanks for the ride!

Nathan Alexander

This is a professional group who definitely know the waters surrounding Victoria. Not only do they know the waters, but they described how they have contacts all over the area that allow them to have a successful trip. On our trip we saw a pod of transient orcas, as well as sea lions, seals, and multiple bald eagles. Great work! Thanks so much, we had a blast.

Bob Van der Vliet

We went with a very professional crew and gave us the best ocean wildlife experience we ever had! The guide was very informative and also asked us what we have seen until this point. The scenery is breathtaking and we witnessed otters and sea lions close by. From a distance we saw humpback whales.

Michael Sims

The name suggests you will see whales. A more accurate name for this company would be “1-Star Whale Searching”, or better yet, “The Search for Sasquatch In The Salish Sea”. My expectation would have then matched my final impression. An expensive 3-hour boat ride in which we saw a few eagles, one otter, and a smattering of seals and porpoises and received a half-cup of warm cocoa. The company gives the impression that you’ll be guided by at least a marine biologist, when in fact they are self-proclaimed “naturalists” of which I’m not sure of the meaning or the credentialing process, but must include “a sailing trip with a friend to Alaska”. Oh, and there was also one “naturalist in training” who couldn’t tell the difference between a porpoise and a seal. Their reasoning for not seeing whales was that it was “shoulder season”. Well, I would just refer back to my suggested name change for this company. We booked through Clipper vacations and this must be a subcontractor for them.

shobhit puri

Great experience watching a family of 8 Orcas. Knowledgeable crew

Chris Hartman

I will start by saying that we did not see any whales on our trip, which is the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars. Everything else about the trip was excellent. The two girls were very informative, energetic, they were knowledgeable to the questions that I asked. I sat on top of the boat, right behind the driver, so I could hear their conversations over the radio regarding whale sightings. These companies all work together in order to find the whales, if we didn't see them, there were a lot of other people who also didn't see whales. I would recommend a trip if you are in Victoria, just understand that the ocean is big, and whales might not be seen on your day. Enjoy it for what it is worth!

Omar Sequera

The staff was super nice, engaging and knowledgeable, but when you've spent 3h up and down and didn't see any whales... If you do see them at the end, you have to stay, not just "whale? Checked" and leave after 10 minutes because the time is up.

Shannon barrett

Had a great trip, hours flew by! Saw plenty of Orcas and tonnes of seals & sea lions. Staff are passionate & knowledgeable!

Brian Pfeil

Staff was really friendly! They gave us a lot of interesting facts about the area, and the sealife. Would definitely recommend checking out. *ps: on our trip, we saw a humpback, alot of orca's plus a herd of sea lions & outters

LTC'S Life

Had the BEST time on my Whale Watching Tour with Five Star Whale Watching! Our crew did a great job spotting the whales and giving us background information about the various animals and the Victoria area. We saw a large pod of Orcas with several new babies and a group of Humpback whales hunting for food. It was so amazing to watch these majestic animals in their natural habitats. The Orca pod actually repositioned and swam right behind our boat! Definitely a bucket list experience! If you’re in a Victoria BC I definitely recommend checking out Five Star and taking one of their tours!

Frankie Rubio

They don't play around. They go out you see the whales and you're done.

Tore Binderup Christensen

Realy good instruktions and knowledge that made us feel safe. Found killerwhales instantly though i was bad weather. Give our best recomendets.

Will Archer

Great experience. Guides are very informative.

Gabriela Soto

Super friendly staff, are able to answer any and all questions you may have and give you an amazing experience!

A F

AMAZING CREW ???? I took my son whale watching as a special bday surprise. He is 9 years old and if every kid is the same then you would know how much they talk ! The tour guide was so kind and actually kept up with all of his questions and ideas. We seen so many whales that day too . Great customer service would definitely recommend to family and friends.

Brad Payne

ADVENTURE SEEKERS PLEASE BE AWARE Please note that I know this company has many, many 5 star reviews, however this is a topic never discussed prior to taking these adventures. My family and I took a tour with Five Star last September 2021. Before boarding we were made to sign a waiver and given safety instructions. Once on board the operator of the vessel reminded us that we must remain either at the rear of the vessel while at full speed, or in the cabin. We were on the Salish Shadow, a 12 passenger boat. Once we arrived at a site with other boats watching a small pod of orcas, we were allowed to move to the front of the boat to take pictures. My son and I moved up and took pics until the orcas disappeared. After about 10 minutes, the operator yelled he was going to find hump backs and hit the gas. At no point did he instruct us to move or that we were in danger. The boat lurched forward and within seconds we slammed into 6-8 foot swells of a ship that had passed some time ago. We hit the waves sending us into the air, including my wife in the cabin of the boat. We his two waves, causing us to be thrown into the air. I suffered hip, ribs, internal injury, head, neck and a FRACTURED SPINE. The operator was not paying attention to what he was doing. It took an hour to get back to shore where I was extricated from the boat and taken to hospital. The operator and his crew mate disappeared from the shore, my wife could not find them. Since then, I have written to them for some assistance and a apology. What I received was a letter from their lawyer asking for medical history for two years prior to the accident. For what, to see if they could find something to blame me for? PLEASE NOTE THAT IN BC, YOU HAVE NO RECOURSE WHEN YOU SIGN A WAIVER, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NEGLIGENCE ON BEHALF OF THE OPERATOR, AS IN THIS CASE. I hope that future adventure seekers take note of the waivers and how they are designed to protect the operators of these tours. The actions of these operators are trusted by the public to be responsible for their actions and make the safety top priority for their passengers. “PLEASE BE AWARE ANY TIME YOUR ARE SIGNING THESE WAIVERS”

Inder B

Had the best boat experience specially when the big tides hits the boat and you would be experiencing breath taking views n enjoying the fun ride plus if your lucky to see whales ... it would be extraordinary

Nilay Patel

We took second ride of the day. It was amazing experience. We found two type of whales, Humpback and Killer. Also catch 3 types of sea lions...

Alex M.

Great customer service, amazing staff.

mark lewis

Amazing day and they took us to a group of 20 whales

Lars Isaac

I've had the best experiences (many times now) with Five Star Whale Watching. As a wildlife filmmaker and photographer, I love being able to experience wildlife species in their natural habitat and that's exactly what I've had with Five Star. I've been very fortunate to see either Orcas or Humpback Whales on every trip I've been on, with a sprinkle of bald eagles, porpoise whales, stellar sea lions and more! I could not recommend Five Star more if I tried, they're a really welcoming and friendly crew, with a wealth of knowledge when it comes to marine biology and the surrounding areas. If you're in Victoria for a visit, or if you live here and want to experience what the sea has to offer, Five Star Whale Watching is the group for you!

Lewis Lexter Yap

Jim and the staff were very courteous and accommodating. Despite as being moved to a different time slot, we are glad that they were able to give us what we requested. Boat crew were very knowledgeable. I just wished we were able to get to see the humpbacks a lot more closer. We only see them blowing holes and diving. Barely saw the whole size and the face. But I understand this is wildlife and maybe we are on a larger boat thats why we couldn't go near. Plus the whales are feeding so chasing them would disrupt their session. Over all a good trip.

Kat Rocco-Askee

Love the lifetime warranty! If you don't see a whale, you can come back for free. Informative guides, comfortable boat. Great trip!

Derrek Medeiros

Amazing experience

Greg Dorscht

Saw whales and that's what we paid for. Nice Captain and staff!

Dan Tapley

The guides were enthusiastic and gave a lot of information. Whale watching was a lot of fun!

Suzanne Murdoch

Great service! Lovely people! Had a great time today with the crew and saw Orcas, elephant seals, bald eagles, seals! Great day. Thank you 5 star whale watching.

LTC'S Life

Had the BEST time on my Whale Watching Tour with Five Star Whale Watching! Our crew did a great job spotting the whales and giving us background information about the various animals and the Victoria area. We saw a large pod of Orcas with several new babies and a group of Humpback whales hunting for food. It was so amazing to watch these majestic animals in their natural habitats. The Orca pod actually repositioned and swam right behind our boat! Definitely a bucket list experience! If you’re in a Victoria BC I definitely recommend checking out Five Star and taking one of their tours!

Francois CHAUMARD

(Translated) Friendly team. Even in bad weather, guaranteed to see orcas, whales and sea lions ???? (Original) Équipe sympathique. Même par mauvais temps, garantie de voir des orques, baleines et lions de mer ????

Dorothée Coupat

We were extremely lucky to see a humpback and her two babies. Very emotional moment. However, the boat was sold to us as comfortable and it definitely was not. Nor was it leisure. And as the whales were far out the rode out there was rough, wet and cold for passengers. Crew was nice but a little light on providing information on the whales. Also it was sold as a tour where we would see Orcas which we did not. Of course whales are wild but it was still disappointing.

Angela Tsang

It was an amazing experience! Sat in the front, captain checked on us a couple times to make sure the speed was okay with us. We were able to see a few groups of orcas and other wildlife such as seals, sea lions, and otter. Will definitely recommend to others!

Iz Salgado

We saw and found whales right away. It was great, just wish we could have been closer.

Infusion Edutainment Virtual Reality Lounge

Went here when i first moved to Victoria. It was a wonderful experience the staff were very knowledgeable about the marine life and the city life and surrounding neighborhoods. We saw a whale and some seals was a great time!

Jade Davidson

My friend and I went to kickstart our bachelorette on a not so great weather day and the staff quickly upgraded the boat to the double decker lovely boat. The staff was incredibly accommodating, very knowledgeable and clearly very well versed in how to keep people safe on the boat. We saw a pod of 3 orcas and got plenty of time to watch them play in the waves, then we took a tour of a few islands nearby to view some other marine wildlife in a sheltered area to let our stomachs settle after rocking through the large waves for a while. The staff were all great about pointing out wildlife and telling us all about them. I would highly recommend 5 Star Whale Watching, they definitely deserve the name!

Noz Kazemi

I went with my daughter and I had a fantastic time! We actually got to see the killer whales plenty of times! I will give the experience 5 stars although one thing that bothered me and I hope the staff works on this, is to quit asking people to switch spots. We all pay the same amount of money to enjoy the experience. It's not our fault the top of the boat cannot accommodate all the paying guests. If you really want it to be fair, change your boat. Stop asking paying guests to change their seats. You don't see flight attendants asking the people sitting in the window seats to switch with the people sitting in the aisle seats to make it "fair" so they can see the views. It kindof cheapens the experience to be honest. It's no one's fault. Just something to consider for future excursions. All in all, great time and met some cool people along the way! I would highly recommend, especially during this time of the year! :)

Ian Jolicoeur

Went out on a whale watch with this company. Enjoyed the trip, it was a great day!

Stri S

AMAZING!!! saw so many whales!!! And sea lions!!! Amazing from start to finish !! Recommend 110%

Alyona Dov

We had a trip on past Sunday that felt a very exclusive at the beginning as only our family participated. The vessel was cool, but to my unexperienced eye could hardly accommodate 12 people as suggested. Anyway, the boat was quite small, hence sensitive to the waves. I don't blame the crew - the captain was gorgeous and made all the moves to avoid the rolling. Nevertheless we got totally sick after 20 minutes sailing and it almost ended at the emergency for me. We didn't see any whales in our trip, but I'm literally thankful just not to be at the hospital afterwards, as it looked really bad. Bottom line, don't go for a small vessel if you know you're sensitive to rolling. It's a 3 hours trip, it's cold and you may think you're fine to continue after you get your first 'out', but then the sickness builds up till you loose your balance for hours if not days.

Meghna Kanakagiri

Great tour! We got to see 4 orcas :) very friendly staff and they start and end on time..

Trevor Dsouza

I REALLY ENJOYED THIS TOUR. WE SAW A HUMPBACK WHALE AND IT WENT UNDER OUR BOAT. HOODIE OR JACKETS ARE RECOMMENDED AS IT IS COLD AND WINDY ON THE WATER. GIVE YOURSELVES A WHOLE DAY FOR THIS.

Lauren Becker

My friend and I were booked on Royal Caribbean's "Explorer of the Seas" cruise ship's 4-night cruise to Nanaimo and Victoria. We had made reservations with 5-star Whale Watching tour for months, and I was excited to be a part of this activity. The owner, (Jim?) was very informative about the wildlife that we could potentially see, and knew where the animals would be. We were not disappointed! We were ushered on to a small, but ideally suited for whalewatching, boat with outside and inside seating, above deck, face- into- the- wind availability. We were very fortunate to witness 2 different families/pods of transient orca teaching their calves how to hunt harbor seal pups. It was fascinating to watch them attack, tear and toss their prey. We were told that sightings with so much surface activity was once in 300 sightings! We also saw dozens and dozens of Stellar and California sea lions, and harbor seals, and a huge bald eagle sitting on an outcropping. To top off the tour, two magnificent humpback whales came right up to the boat and did typical whatever humpbacks do...fin slapping, graceful dives and foamy spouts! This was an exceptional experience and I heartily recommend booking YOUR tour with this efficient and knowledgable company, when you get an opportunity to visit Victoria, B.C. Lauren Becker

Martha Cox

Wonderful, informative tour led by great biologists. We saw seals, orcas, porpoises and eagles.

Carl Chambers (Czarl)

I really enjoyed my trip with this company. The staff was knowledgeable easy to talk to. I particularly liked the vessel as you could hunker (hide) in the bottom section while you are looking for the whales and then go outside when you are on site. While it wasn't their doing, it sure was nice to see some humpback whales BREACHING !! My only complaint is how elusive they are when you ask if you are going to see killer whales.

Lauren Becker

My friend and I were booked on Royal Caribbean's "Explorer of the Seas" cruise ship's 4-night cruise to Nanaimo and Victoria. We had made reservations with 5-star Whale Watching tour for months, and I was excited to be a part of this activity. The owner, (Jim?) was very informative about the wildlife that we could potentially see, and knew where the animals would be. We were not disappointed! We were ushered on to a small, but ideally suited for whalewatching, boat with outside and inside seating, above deck, face- into- the- wind availability. We were very fortunate to witness 2 different families/pods of transient orca teaching their calves how to hunt harbor seal pups. It was fascinating to watch them attack, tear and toss their prey. We were told that sightings with so much surface activity was once in 300 sightings! We also saw dozens and dozens of Stellar and California sea lions, and harbor seals, and a huge bald eagle sitting on an outcropping. To top off the tour, two magnificent humpback whales came right up to the boat and did typical whatever humpbacks do...fin slapping, graceful dives and foamy spouts! This was an exceptional experience and I heartily recommend booking YOUR tour with this efficient and knowledgable company, when you get an opportunity to visit Victoria, B.C. Lauren Becker

Natasha Gordon

Had a fantastic time! The crew and captain were awesome and very knowledgable. We saw whales, sea lions, a sea otter, a couple eagles sitting on a rock together, even an elephant seal which I didn't even know that we had here and much more. It was a great experience. Thank you 5 Star!

Heidi Schneider

We had a great time with Five Star! The boat was comfy and well equipped, staff were informative and made sure we saw as much wildlife as we could (whales, otters and sea lions!) while on the water.

lynne bain

Fun trip

Mlle Jess

(Translated) It was one of the happiest days of my life! I managed to see orcas in the middle of January. Andrew is an amazing host! Professional, courteous and honest! (Original) C'était l'un des plus beau jours de ma vie! J'ai réussi à voir des orcas en plein mois de janvier. Andrew est un hôte incroyable! Professionnel, courtois et honnête!

Michelle Jones

Crew was nice and very informative. Enjoyed the cruise and was able to see seals, orcas, and a few whales!

Abby Lehr

Went to go whale watching & unfortunately didn’t see any whales (no problem, I understand that there can be no guarantee). Luckily, found out that if we booked through Clipper Vacations - we had a lifetime membership & were able to rebook since we didn’t see any large mammals. We were super excited since we actually had one more day in Victoria. Called to rebook for the next day - we were informed we could only be out on “stand by” in case there was an available spot. We explained to them that we had a tee time to golf the following day & needed to cancel it right away if we knew we could get on the 1 pm tour. They stated they would confirm us for the 1 pm & have us back by 4 pm in time for our flight at 5 pm. Therefore, we cancelled our tee time so we could make the 1 pm whale watch your. They stated they would call us by 9:30 am the following day to confirm they knew where the whales were so we would be likely to see them. Never received a phone call. Came down to check in for whale watch tour at 11 am. They informed us they had not spotted whales & they did not want us to go on the 1 pm tour because they couldn’t guarantee they would have us back in time for our flight — sure wish we would have known that before cancelling all of our other plans for the day. Would not recommend due to VERY poor customer service and follow up.

Jenn Anand

It was fun. The crew was friendly and hospitable, they made sure we saw the whales. We saw the killer whales and humpbacks (at a pretty good proximity, got good video too). Also saw the seals, sea lions. Salish shallow boat was good, high speed. Had a good time. Since we went in December it was cold, so better to be prepared with jackets, scarfs and thick gloves if it winter time.

Brent VanSlyke

We did see whales on our trip, both orcas and humpbacks. Having been on multiple whale watching tours, internationally, there was nothing wrong with this tour, but the overall experience was lacking. Being in a smaller boat, zodiac, etc is a much better experience. (After seeing response from owner - I added a description and even photos from our trip). Responses: I should probably adjust my rating from 3 stars to 2, because they obviously don't keep very good records of who they have on their ships. Shouldn't that be something that you keep a good record of, names, details and information on all people on your tours in case anything happened? Too much sea air can make people salty. Appreciate the fact that someone, who is a level 6 google contributor took the time to review your business and accept their rating for what it is. Thank you.

Kyle Gredt

Although we didnt see orcas, we did see 4 Humpback Whales, 2 Bald Eagles, an Otter, a pod of Porpoise, Harbour Seals and Sea Lions! Our 6 year old twin boys had the time of their life and we are super thankful for the experience. Thank you and we will certainly be back again.

Keith Goodale

It is all luck of the draw with nature, but we have never been so close to a humpback whale. Took a vid of them swimming under the bow and getting covered with whale spit when they were breathing, also friendly and knowledgeable staff.

RJ Marte

We saw only a few humpbacks on our excursion, but obviously whale sitings us something the company has no control over. However, the crew was quick to answer questions and very informative, the boat ride was great, and we also got to see quite a number a seal(s/lions?).

Leon Yang

Friendly staff, but no whale spotted.

Colette Miller

Andrew and staff were amazing! Wonderful time on the ocean and watching a pod of transient whales have a small feast! West coast at its finest!

Elliot Knox

They defiantly live up to their name. Amazing staff. Amazing day out.

John Rogers

Went out with Five Star recently on their smaller vessel (way better than a Zodiac) and had an amazing time. These folks are professional, responsible and friendly. The boat was safe, comfortable, had a heated cabin area to escape the cold and was a lot of fun. On this trip we got to see Humpbacks, including a Mom & Calf, plus Orcas! Amazing experience and I highly recommend this company.

david jones

Great company, fantastic boat, five star service and an amazing experience!

Brad Zakreski

Started out slow and I'll admit I was worried but then we got into a pod of whales! We even witnessed a whale defecate. Our guide originally from Britain was spectacular!

Pippa H

Absolutely brilliant. Great and informative staff had the most amazing trip. Would highly recommend to everyone. Can't wait to go again when I'm back.

Lia Kuijper

Good vessel, good crew!

Kim Harvey

Best value for money trip to see Whales. Yes we plenty

* Nustar Heating & Cooling Ltd

Great name, great company. They did not disappoint. We took the last tour of the year and spent hours being circled by a giant pod of Orca's. Great staff, great boat, great adventure. I will be back next year.

Sara E

We had an amazing day with Five Star Whale Watching this past weekend. We highly recommend. The boat was very comfy and even though the sea was a bit rough you could barely tell as the boat handled it so well. The onboard naturalists were very knowledgeable and all the staff were very friendly and helpful. I have mobility issues so the extra care was much appreciated. Best thing of course were the whales! We spent time with two humpback whales. A calf and it's mother who were feeding. The calf was jumping about at one point and the mom swam right up next to the boat while our engines were off. Was an amazing day. Can't wait to go again.

john andrews

My family had an excellent experience with Five Star and would recommend them to anyone. The boat is large, comfortable and fast, with great viewing from all areas. We got to see Humpback Whales and Orcas during our unforgettable trip! A must do if you are visiting Victoria.

carlawoelinga

We had a great time on our tour. Our guides were knowledgeable and learning about the local islands and animals was very interesting. We saw an Otter, 2 types of sea lion, 2 types of seals, a bald eagle, and a pod of Orcas.

Teresa Cristina Gonçalves Gandelman

I came from Brasil, just to watch the whales but just watched birds and sea Leons... really dessapointed. Company just said “sorry” it’s the begging of the season... a friend was in California and watched many Whales last moth. Next time I go to California!!!

Kim Tapp

Thanks to the crew for being so knowledgeable and thoughtful. Even in October when the weathsr can be a little iffy everyone on board got to see sea life!

Derek L

The crew was very informative and the boat is a good size. Inside options and outside options on the boat. Great if you have younger kids. Would highly recommend it to others. I know I will likely use them again if I want to do whale watching from Victoria. Try to get a groupon of possible :)

Lucas Tilston

Great trip, beautiful scenery, saw 13 orcas and a Humpback and bunch of porpoises and a ton of sea lions and seals!

Liam Sykes

This whole experience was one big disappointment. We spent the vast majority of our over our 3+ hour tour driving over large swells while the "guide" sat in the cabin, not really sharing any information about whales or wildlife. For the entire tour, we saw only one minke whale for a cumulative total of about 5 seconds. Even with the discounted tickets, this tour was absolutely not worth the money it cost.

Roy Nelson

Friendly and knowledgeable crew. We saw four humpbacks including 4 flukes, a pod of orcas hunting seals, sea lions and harbour seals.

Leslie Doxey

Enjoyed the tour. We have been on other whale watching excursions in other countries and have been able to see more whales, and much closer. We did however, see a humpback, orcas, sea lions, seals and bald eagles. Enjoyed it a lot. Staff was great, knowledgeable and friendly, just a little disappointing that the whales were so far away - - we really couldn't see them very well-Even with our camera zoomed in.

Pranav Lal

As promised, they took us to the spot where orca whales came quite a lot of times. Also the guide was very knowledgeable

R K

What a blast, the highlight of our Victoria trip! The promo video is a little misleading looking like the whales are right next to the boat, but I figured that going in. We saw whales, followed them for a while, learned alot about them and the area, and had a great boat ride and a fun time. :)

Mei Owa

Whale watching with five star was great. Staff were super nice and answered all questions we had. We were even lucky enough to see a humpback whale and orcas!

Leona Pfeiffer

We did the tour at the end of October and we were absolutely impressed and overwhelmed, that we saw so many humpback whales. They were all around us and Crew Member as well as skipper were so friendly and explained everything we wanted to know - and more! It was great, thanks ;)

shehryar khan

Good customer service and adventure of a life time. Safe for any age group.

Pierluigi Brazzola

(Translated) Absolutely one of the best tours to see marine life. Exit with 12-seater boat and we were only 7. The captain and guide very helpful and friendly. As a biologist he was also able to give many interesting explanations. We were fortunate to see a group of 5-6 because they remained visible for almost 30min. After he took us there's two islands to see the seals. No whales in this exit but still very beautiful. The staff is very professional and above all respectful of marine life. (Original) In assoluto uno dei migliori tour per vedere la fauna marina. Uscita con imbarcazione da 12 posti ed eravamo solo 7. Il capitano e guida molto disponibile e simpatico. Come biologo ha potuto inoltre dare molte spiegazioni interessanti. Abbiamo avuto la fortuna di vedere un gruppo di 5-6 perché che sono rimaste visibili per quasi 30min. Dopo ci ha portati vi sono s due isolotti per vedere le foche. Niente balene in questa uscita ma comunque molto bella. Il personale molto professionale e soprattutto rispettoso della vita marina.

Cedric Torres

The staff is super knowledgeable and got to see the beautiful salish sea ! Would certainly recommend ! Cedric (WAC)

Maddog

Just watched the vessel off Saturna Island underway dangerously close to Humpbacks, following them well inside the Canadian guidelines for standoff distance. I reported them to D.F.O. Please don't support this behavior by giving them your business.

Elaine Bremmer

Awesome! Very knowledgeable, personable guide. Highly recommend!

Kirby Macpaq

Five star whale watching was an awesome experience. During these challenging times five star whale watching provided safety, fun and follow up. They reached out twice after our experience to make sure all those attending are health and have no symptoms. During the experience safety was a forefront but didn't take away from the experience of whale watching.

David Lees

Great company. The best choice for whale watching in Victoria!

john david

If you are visiting Victoria and want to go Whale Watching this is the only company you should choose and they are the real deal! The owner & staff really care and share their honest passion for the Marine Environment during the tours. The customer service is incredible and rare to see these days. As a retired Marine Biologist I love seeing all facets of the Marine Environment when on a tour and Five Star always makes sure they show their guests more than the Whale (which everyone loves to see) but also the other Marine life such as Seals, Sea Lions, Porpoise, and the various Marine Birds. The crew is also very knowledgeable about the local history and land marks. They narrate the tour like a David Attenborough in one of his amazing documentaries , rather than just giving you a bunch of facts and figures. I've even learned a few things whilst on their tours. Alexa, Andrew (owner & Captain and a very humble person), Sky, Jim, Jo, Cpt. Bill, Mariel, Tiffany and Kaegan, to name a few, are incredible. I highly recommend Five Star Whale Watching if you want to head out on a Whale Watching tour from Victoria. First class operation that really cares about the Marine Environment and not just about profits or awards!

willem smit

We had the ultimate experience on 24th December. We were with 8 people on the boat and came upon a group of humpbacks. The captain guided us to the most active humpback. The whale '2 spots' stayed close to the boat for 1/2 hour. We made beautiful pictures and videos. Thanks captain.

Anshul Mahajan

Amazing tour and overall experience. Definitely recommend this place.

Lauren Bradley

Don't listen to the 1 star reviews complaining they didn't see whales. It's true there's no guarantee you will see them, but the company is extremely up front about this fact, so you are booking a tour knowing there is a chance you will not see anything. As it happens we didn't see whales, but what we did see were all different types of wild life I've never seen before (and I have lived on the West Coast my entire life), all lead by our extremely knowledgeable guides. They aren't marine biologists, but who cares -- they give lots of information on the animals and nature around you, and are able to answer any questions you may have about what you are seeing. I thoroughly enjoyed our trip and can't wait to go back. One word of advice: bring binoculars, and layers! They have big jackets if you need but I still needed all 4 layers I brought with me (including 2 pairs of pants)

Alicia Annan

The only whale watching company I ever go with. Very knowledgable staff that always answer questions during the tour. The boats are clean and comfortable. Central location for easy pick up and drop off. This past trip we saw a humpback whale, a family of orcas and numerous seals or sea lions!

SONYA KAPOOR

The exceptional customer care with complimentary hot coffee and hot chocolate, along with best view of marine life with Five Star Whale Watching! No other company can be better than them!

Jean Daniel Lerouge

(Translated) Whale watching ??? In high season, calm sea ... nothing ... 3h of sea ... it is rather sealions watching ... tourist trap !!! (Original) Whale watching ??? En pleine saison, mer calme... rien... 3h de mer... c est plutot sealions watching... tourist trap !!!

Joey Lussier

Great price, knowledgeable staff. Found 4 whales and many other animals. Try to go on a calm day, the wind on the ocean makes for a rough ride.

Ann Marie Gallagher

This was a wonderful birthday treat. We live in Victoria but whale watching never gets old! I was really pleased with the Covid protocols in place as I was a bit nervous about that but they had procedures in place that made me comfortable enough to enjoy the morning out. We saw whales in the first few moments and then quite close to shore...just down the street where we live! Walk there all the time and have never seen whales! We went out to Race Rocks and saw loads of seals and sea lions before heading further out and we then saw 7 whales. Our guide was the perfect balance of information and jus letting the experience happen. It was super sunny and just a gorgeous day. You're never sure what you capture in photos and videos but I was thrilled with the pictures and video I took. It was the perfect way to spend my birthday.

Marianne Larsen

(Translated) Super fantastic - highly recommended. Sweet and friendly staff who constantly inform about what we see and if we have questions. Saw humpback whales and orcas. (Original) Super fantastisk - kan varmt anbefales. Søde og venlige ansatte, som hele tiden orientere omkring hvad vi ser, og hvis vi har spørgsmål. Fik set pukkelhvaler og spækhuggere.

Laurie Martins

Don't waste your time or money. Not if you are booking to see orcas as they heavily advertise. They never even looked for orcas rather chased the same poor humpback whales around in circles. Tourist trap and huge disappointment. The male naturalist seemed oblivious and captains appeared even more so.